Thank the Heavens that sometimes my stubbornness and tenacity keep me from just getting up and calling it quits when I think a town doesn’t have all that much to see.

What a huge (H-U-G-E) mistake that would’ve been had I not delved deeper into the town of Stavenhagen.

At first glance, I didn’t see much. Wait… before the nice people of Stavenhagen have me stoned for saying such things, hear me out. I just thought it was a pretty town a bit south of the Baltic Sea, with maybe an old church or something like that.

Hahahaha — yeah right. I found an old church all right, but I also found castles and museums and writers, and festivals. What else more could you ask for?

Yeah, I know, gorgeous countryside. I also found a thousand year old Oak tree — known as the Reutereiche. The tree is named for a famous German writer, Fritz Reuter, a 19th century leader in Low German literature.

He’s not the only writer to have called Stavenhagen home — 20th century German poet, Bert Papenfuß is also a local son. I’d say it’s no wonder there’s a Literature Museum in town.

Hey, I love a book or poem as much as the next person — but I love castles more. Stavenhagen Castle is one of the more famous around these parts; and you can’t miss its bright color. It’s a tad older than Glütz Castle (built 1868), but my favorite is Burg Klempenow, even if this 13th century castle is in ruins.

Medieval castles, a Baroque church (the brick one right in the middle of Stavenhagen), what else? Oh yes, you can even travel along the German Avenues Route traveling all the way to Lake Constance.

That’s a mite far to travel right now; and as pretty as that might be, right now I don’t have any more ambition than to delve even deeper into Stavenhagen.

Oh hell yeah, I found myself a town that’s centrally located that I can see some of my favorite castles. Where is this medieval mecca for massive castles?

The Hessian town of Leun, located on the Lahn River right between Limburg and Wetzlar.

Before you go running off to see some of the best castles in Germany (ex., Braunfels Castle, or the double towered Burg Greifenstein), you might want to sightsee around the historic Town Center (here in Leun) with lots of half-timbered houses. Many of them are along Limburger Str., if you’re curious.

Each of Leun’s villages have something to show off as well. Biskirchen is known for its picturesque Protestant Church and Jewish cemetery; while Bissenberg has its very own Romanesque church.

Bissenberg, by the way, was a contender for Unser Dorf soll schöner werder, or the Our Village is Beautiful award. I think they should’ve won.

If you really like those framework houses, come to Lahnbahnhof — they have some. The town also has an old mine, too. Not a castle, per se, Stockhausen has an old Jadgschloss — or Hunting Lodge in English.

You ever know anyone who stayed in digs like these while out hunting? I sure don’t. ;-)

Much of Leun’s history can be learned over at the City Museum, but to see it live is another thing altogether. Walk along Wetzlar Str. and Obertor Str. to see what I’m talking about — there are more of those historical half-timbered houses to scope out.

BTW, the medieval Kloster Altenberg is just a town over if you want to see it.

It is easy to get wrapped up in the old buildings, but don’t lose sight of the countryside. Camping near the Taunus Mountains and the Westerwald is the stuff people dream about; and canoeing along the Lahn River is good clean fun.

If you find time, there are still more castles in the region. Burg Beilstein from the early 12th century is a good one, as is yet another visit to the Dracula-movie looking Braunfels Castle.

Leun might be right next to some heavy-hitter towns, but it can certainly hold its own.

Forget Holy Cow — in Vöhl it’s Holy Castle. Oops, this is Germany… Holy Schloss, there are a whole bunch of castles to be found in this Hessian town.

You know, it could very well take years to see the tens of thousands of castles in Germany. However, if you’ve only got time to see a few (and who in their right mind wouldn’t want to see at least one), then the air health resort town of Vöhl is the right place to do it.

I stopped counting when I got to eight castles, so there could very well be more. Still, that’s not a number to sneeze at.

Let’s start our castle tour at the wall, entrance way, and foundation wall of this original 8th century building, the Itterburg. Ehrenburg is also from the 8th century, although it was redone in the 14th — this is the time period of its dungeon, moat, and walls.

The oldest of them all is the Hünselburg, a hilltop fort from Celtic times that lies within the Kellerwald Nature Park and along the 68 km Urwaldsteig trail.

Please, this isn’t even the only scenic route that snakes its way to Vöhl. The Kellerwaldsteig runs along to Burg am Backofen, another castle ruin from the 8th century.

And the Barbarossaweg will take you over to the 14th century Burg Hessenstein, that’s now a hostel & conference center. You can’t miss it — it’s got these red & white shutters that contrast against the dark stones of the castle.

And if you’re totally into the whole scenic route thing, the Eder-Radweg, Oranier-Fahrrad-Route, and the Hessischer Radfernweg R6 also meet up with Vöhl.

Yikes, I got so wrapped up in the castle and scenic route side of the place that I almost left out talking about the Edersee itself — a 12 square kilometer artificial lake that connects by cable car to Schloss Waldeck (a 12th century castle that’s now a museum, and once a women’s prison).

Plus, there’s an old 17th century half-timbered building that used to be the town’s old synagogue; and the Romanesque Lutheran Martin Church from the Middle Ages.

For a bit of outdoor fun, try to find your way out of the Maislabyrinth (Corn Maze) — season permitting, of course.

The castle seeking crowd will love it here in Vöhl, but so will everyone else. I know I’m a fan. ;-)

If it wasn’t for the extreme cold weather, I think I could live here in Germany’s northernmost town, Glücksburg. Or, would that be Glücksborg, or Lyksborg, for that matter.

The names of the German Glücksburg can be confusing, but less so if you know that they speak Low German and Danish here as well. Denmark is just over the water, and thus all three languages are taught in the schools in these parts.

Actually, this part of Germany was once ruled by Norwegian and Danish Kings — the latter having used Schloss Glücksburg as a summer home.

I really can’t think of a prettier place to spend the summer than this white Renaissance castle that’s surrounded by water. Even the Gatehouse was connected by a drawbridge. Today the Schloss is now a museum where everyone can learn about its history and the people who used to live here.

The castle in Glücksburg still stands after several centuries, but the Zisterzienserkloster Rüde is long gone. This Cistercian monastery was built here at the turn of the 12th/13th centuries, but all that’s left is a memorial stone to this medieval building.

And if you think that’s truly old, wait until you see the Großsteingräben northeast and west of town. These Neolithic graves are spread out over a kilometer — and look more like rock formations than someone’s final prehistoric resting place.

Nearby is the Großsteingrab Bockholm, another prehistoric grave site.

It’s good to be out in the fresh air up here. And it seems like just the right spot for a Yacht School, considering there’s so much water around.

Don’t want to captain your own ship? Try looking for sea birds, they like to nest this far north, and the salt marshes and cliffs make for some dramatic scenery.

As if that’s not enough, the Flensburger Förde (Flensburg Firth), part of the Kiel Bay, is also great in that department.

Now I understand why the Danish Royal Family liked to spend summers here — it’s lovely.

Anyone know how to say that in Danish? ;-)

There are essentially nine districts in the town of Großschirma, found right about in the middle of Saxony. Too bad I didn’t get to do all of these villages, there was only time to do about half, maybe next time. But what I did manage to find was quite enough — so it was all right.

The village with probably the most do was Siebenlehn, hometown to 19th century botanist Amalie Dietrich. There’s an exhibition with information regarding her life’s work, and a loop trail runs to tell you more. Not too shabby for what used to be a medieval mining town, huh?

You know what else you can see in Siebenlehn? How about what used to be Europe’s highest bridge? Or, how about a trek over to see its old medieval church, and its soaring water tower? All major feats of (different) German engineering, I’d say.

Großvoigtsberg is really nice, too. It’s a simple hamlet with simple houses (like half-timbered ones) and railroad tracks. You won’t find this to be a place of “bells & whistles,” but if you’re looking for a true German experience — this is pretty much it.

Here in Obergruna, located near the town of Nossen, is where you’ll find Großschirma’s Heimatmuseum (Local History Museum) at Dorfstraße 46. Its church is quite pretty, you’d never guess it was originally built in 1346, because this one wasn’t built until 1687.

Last, but by no means least, is Rotenfurth. This hamlet of around 300 people sits along the Ore Mountains with a charming Evangelical Lutheran church that’s hard to miss with its thin black roofed tower. It’s harder to say what’s prettier, the church or the surrounding countryside.

The Romanusbad, a pool complex with beer garden and volleyball court, is a good place to come up with an answer to that. It wouldn’t be fair to say hike the Zellwald for an answer, because the countryside would win out every time.

Then again, I haven’t gotten to see the rest of Großschirma yet…

Lksjfrlkd… oh, excuse me, I just dropped my Sorbian to German to English Dictionary on the keyboard…

You’ll certainly need it around Drebkau, a town in Lower Lusatia. And for the record, Drepkau in Sorbian is Drjowk. A lot more can be learned over in Drebkau’s or Drjowk’s Stadelijk Museum.

Ok, so Drebkau isn’t too far of a stretch in language — but the rest of the place can be. Take Jehserig, for instance, whose name in Sobrian is Jozorki. It means “small rivers,” and appropriately named because the whole are of this town is full of ponds and marshes. Oh yes, and little streams, too.

Jehsering was pretty big on mining, as was towns like Kausche (Chusej), both are indicative of a typical German mining villages. But that in no way means that Drebkau is all work and no play. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Drebkau is a true party-animal town, especially at Mid-Summer. On the Summer Solstice the village of Casel (Kozle) takes this annual event very seriously — most of Lower Lusatia does — but we’re not talking about them. Anyway, the Feast of St. John is quite the spectacle here, often with bonfire (Johannisfeuer) and a Johannis Ride.

I like the fact that Drebkau isn’t just limited to one party in June. Throughout the rest of the year the town has all sorts of things going on, like the Dragon Festival, the Fungi Walk (second weekend of October), and the Drebkauer Roundabout that’s a bicycling event.

Ohh, I almost went off on some other tangent without telling you about the town’s Rosenmontag Parade, held on the Monday before Lent. That’s a religious holiday, by the way, so it just reminds me to tell you about the pretty little village churches.

Casel’s got a charming Gothic/Baroque church, and the Stadtkirche (City Church) in Drebkau proper isn’t too old (built 1810) but is still great to see, nonetheless.

The only thing missing is a castle… wait, there is one. It isn’t your typical Frankenstein looking medieval one, but this plain, red-barrel roofed abode is still a Schloss.

So, if you’ve found yourself in Cottbus, come on over to Drebkau — it is very close, simply head southwest. Just don’t forget to pick up that Sorbian dictionary before you do.

Here’s something you might never hear a German say, please hold the sauerkraut. You most certainly won’t hear things like that up here in the town of Marne. Uh, that might come down to downright shocking in a place that’s the backbone of the German Cabbage Route.

Eating your way through town is one way to see it. A good way, I might add, but not the only way. If you feel guilty about any of the extra calories from the local Kohlbrot (cabbage bread), just rent a bike and pedal around.

I don’t know how well that’ll work though, this is as flat of a landscape as it can get here by the North Sea. Well, since you’re also right by the Wadden Sea, try the whole mudflat hiking thing.

With all the exercise you’ll be hungry again, so off to the many farms that sell all sorts of locally grown goodies — in addition to all the cabbage.

And there are more chances to eat during Marne’s Stadtfest (City Festival), that coincides with the September Cabbage Days. Don’t scoff, this veg is worth all the celebration it gets.

There are other things to do here besides eat. Make that stuff to do in addition to eating. A visit to see its quaint Dorfkirche (Village Church) and windmill, a stop to check out the local brewery, and walks through the salt marshes would be good.

You better be sure to leave time for a stop at the Weekly Market (held over by the church); or, try to be here for all sorts of festivities, like the Rosenmontagsumzug (a long word for the Rose Monday Parade) and regatta held on the Wadden Sea.

I forgot to tell you, this is Low German country, and Marne holds special events entirely in the language. What you won’t hear, by the way, in either High or Low German, in Marne is, please hold the sauerkraut. ;-)

You might have heard about Mainhardt before, it’s a town listed to visit on Section 5 of the German Limes Road (speaking of UNESCO).

Not only that, it’s a town that’s known as a health resort, lies on the Idyllic Route, and lies in the Swabian-Franconian Forest in Baden-Württemberg. How’s that for a start?

It is because of Mainhardt’s location on what was once the end of the Roman Empire (not to be confused with the Holy Roman Empire), it seemed like the right spot for a Roman Watchtower.

You’ll find a reconstructed tower of what it might’ve looked like in the 2nd century A.D.; as well as the outline of an old Roman fort. In keeping with the Roman theme, there’s the Limes Trail, complete with information boards that detail the lives of the Romans who were so far from home; and there’s even a Roman Museum to learn more.

As much as the Italians were running things way back then, it’s all German these days. Either way, you’ll certainly manage to have a blast here just about any time of year.

You’ve got Nordic Walking trails, that do double duty as jogging ones too. And along the Fuxi-Naturerlebnis-Pfad, you’ll find all sorts of info boards and “view tubes” about life in the forest.

One of the best ways to enjoy the countryside is by either a horseback or covered wagon ride; and by skis on one of the cross-country skiing trails. Yikes, I almost didn’t mention the totally refreshing mineral pool.

It wouldn’t be right not to tell you about Die Räuber vom Mainhardter Wald, or simply The Outlaws of the Mainhardt Forest. Their 18th century tale is told over Mainhardt’s Outdoor Theater’s seven stages.

Wow, you’ve got theater and outdoor recreation, history and health — what more can anyone expect? Um, how about festivals? You’ve got your choice to do the Easter Market, the Fensterblümlesmarkt, the Spring Festival, the Krämermarkt (pig & cattle market), the Hüttener Feuerwehrfest (1st weekend of August), and a Christmas Market.

This doesn’t even scratch the surface of everything you’ll find to see and do here — ain’t Mainhardt magnificent?

Usually I’m all gung-ho about the spa treatments that can be found in a spa town — whoo hoo, let’s hit up the spa. Not this time. Sorry, between the wine, the history, and the wine (ha-ha) in the town of Traben-Trarbach, they were just… well, they just were.

So that means you need to put aside thoughts of facials and saunas, and head over to see the ruins of the Grevenburg. You know why it’s in ruins? The French blew this mid-14th century castle up back in 1734.

Pardon moi, why would anyone blow up a perfectly good castle? :-(

Grevenburg isn’t the only castle in town. Or would that be castle ruin in town? Anyway, amidst all the overgrown brush and trees lies the remnants of the Festung Mont Royal’s stone walls.

This fortress (that runs along the loop of the Moselle River) was quite impressive for its day, housing almost 10,000 soldiers.

FYI, the Starkenburg is another castle ruin, but its beginnings go back further than the 14th century. This strategic location was once teeming with Romans and Franks. And the Mittelmoselmuseum (Middle Moselle Museum) explains nicely about the region and what went on here.

Even with all this “military” stuff, it’s easy to see how the countryside has inspired authors, professors, theologians, and even a Renaissance sculptor (Johann von Trarbach). I guess there’s something in the water over here in Traben-Trarbach.

Ah, not the water — the wine. I just don’t think Traben-Trarbach had their Mosel-Wein-Nachts-Markt back then. You got plenty of time to enjoy it, however, it goes on from the end of November until the start of the new year.

Any other time of year consider taking a wine tasting tour, guided tours of the vineyards, or even a boat trip along the river that overlook the slopes filled with grapes.

Hey, now you know why both me and Charlemagne liked the place.

If someone asked me to name one Upper Bavarian town where I could spend the rest of my days I’d have to say it could be Tittmoning. And after you’ve seen it, you’d say exactly the same thing.

You’ll find it right along the Salzach River connected to the country of Austria by a bridge. Ooh, isn’t that convenient?

I don’t know about you, but what I like best about Tittmoning is Burg Tittmoning. That’s right, a medieval castle; and it’s best seen through the fog on a crip Autumn morning.

OK, that’s not entirely true — anytime is a good time to see this 12th century building. Did you know it was used as a POW camp during World War II?

You do now. ;-)

Did you also know that Tittmoning had its own Pilgrimage Church? Although I think the Church of St. Lawrence is more popular these days, everyone must want to see a Gothic church, I guess.

Do you also happen to know that there are 121 districts that make up Tittmoning? It leaves me scratching my head thinking of how they managed to pack 121 districts into 72 square kilometers… Guess all of them wanted to receive Tittmoning’s blessings.

With everyone there it leaves me more room to visit the Chapel of St. Michael all by myself. It started off simple enough back in the 13th century, but after it was rebuilt in 1693, its artwork is enough to stop you in your tracks. The vibrant colors of the altar artwork showing the fallen angel Lucifer descending into hell is unbelievably realistic.

I shouldn’t be surprised that such amazing artwork can be found in this town — it was once a haven for painters and poets, sculptors and musicians.

Tittmoning was also where you could find truly talented architects, hence the whole Inn-Salzach style buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries along the Town Square.

Walk around, you’ll see the 15th century Rathaus (Twon Hall) and the town’s Mariensäule while you’re there. And be sure to stop by the Tourist Office, they’ll tell you where to find the house that Pope Benedict XVI lived in long before he became Pope.

A guided tour of Tittmoning is a good way to see it all — with so much going on you don’t want to miss out on anything. It would be a shame not to see the former Augustinian monastery, or the Villa Rustica in the village of Kay.

What’s even better about this place is, in addition to the historical stuff, there’s cultural stuff. You’ll get a gander at everything from comedy to cabaret, Classical music concerts at the castle, and shopping at the markets.

Yeah, I could very well spend the rest of my days in Tittmoning. What about you?