The town of Jade is a gem, and I just love its motto of ruhig und gemütlich, or Quiet and Cozy for my English reading friends.

Yeah, that’s a nice name for Jade. But, don’t let quiet and cozy fool you into thinking Jade is some drab, dreary, and mundane place. Hell no, this town lies right along the Jade Bay, which is perfect for swimming (and beach parties). Well, from June to September — otherwise it can be a bit too fresh.

Swimming isn’t the only outdoor activity. Jade also sits within the Wadden Sea National Park, making it the right place to go mudflat hiking.

Even if you don’t want to do that, you got other outdoor recreational options. You can rent a canoe, go horseback riding, or take a bike tour. Two of Germany’s scenic routes come right through Jade, the German Sluice Route and Tour de Fries (a 250 km circular route — so you won’t get lost).

One exceptionally cool way of getting around Jade is the Jade Express, a train-looking “car” that’ll take you all around.

Hiking along the Salzwiesenpfad, a 5 km trail through salt marshes, truly is a breath of fresh air; and while you’re out there, look for the Weg ans Watt — some 13 sculptures that work in harmony with the environment.

Jade is a great place to go bird watching, by the way. It’s close to the Strohauser Plate, an island that sees a number of bird species (like eagles and geese); and is a nature reserve area as well.

FYI, a colony of heron have called the Nature Reserve Jaderberg home for more than five decades.

Another place to see some animals is the Jaderpark, an animal and amusement park in one. Think roller coasters meets lemurs, monkeys, and giraffes. The kids, no doubt, will love the petting zoo — but the entire park is well worth the couple of Euro entrance fee.

Ahhh, ladies, forget diamonds… let’s take the town of Jade. ;:-)

For the love of Heaven, as if German is not hard enough to speak, let’s try adding Sorbian into the mix. No disrespect to my Sorbian speaking friends in the Upper Lusatian town of Wittichenau (they call it Kulow in Sorbian), it’s just difficult to keep it all straight.

But, ah, thankfully it was a local hometown boy, Georg August Swotlick (whose Sorbian name was Jurij Hawštyn Swětlik) who wrote the first Sorbian dictionary to help back in the 17th century. He also translated the Bible into Sorbian — busy guy that he was. ;-)

It won’t be out of the ordinary to flip-flop between German and Sorbian in this bilingual town of a dozen villages, just south of Hoyerswerda. Kind of interesting that Czech isn’t spoken more around here as this part of Upper Lusatia once belonged to the Kingdom of Bohemia.

Too bad there isn’t a whole lot more sightseeing.

Wait… I take that back. Just because the place isn’t overrun with castles and medieval churches, doesn’t mean there isn’t any sightseeing.

A simple walk or hike along the Schwarze Elster River is just what the doctor ordered to take away the daily stresses of life. Follow along the water to find some of Wittichenau’s mills, a few of which have been around for centuries.

Hiking around the Dubringer Moor is fantastic to do, too. You’ll find it in the village of Saalau (its Sorbian name is Salow), a village that isn’t even one square kilometer. Come see its church, it’s been around for centuries — and its predecessor is more than 500 years old.

Wittichenau (Kulow) isn’t just two languages and pretty countryside. Oh no, it’s fun for a festival or two — especially when Carnival during the darkest days of winter takes place. Come Spring, when the guys in town get a little competition going for the MayPole tossing, while the rest of town can have fun with all the eating and drinking going on.

Yikes, I forgot to find out the Sorbian word for happy — and that’s exactly what Wittichenau makes me. ;-)

Forgive me for not having some exciting quip or little anecdote about the town of Schrozberg. It isn’t as if there isn’t anything exciting going on, and the town’s left me feeling kinda dull.

No, that’s not how they roll here in the northeast corner of the state, that’s just a mere stone’s throw from Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

My only lament is that there’s no way to see the inside of Bartenstein Castle. Too bad, because the place has been around for nearly seven centuries. Nonetheless, its exterior is still impressive; and has remained in one family’s possession for generation after generation.

With a good deal of imagination you can picture what Burg Eichholz might’ve looked like. Ooh, I can picture it now — a medieval castle from the 1200s with thick stone walls, with lots of activity from knights in shining armor.

The last castle you need to see here in Schrozberg is Schloss Schrozberg; a Water Castle that’s now an administration building. It is also a building of culture and art, as it is a venue for theater, art exhibits, and other cultural events.

You could choose to spend your time indoors, or you could be enjoying the outdoors — this is the Hohenloher Ebene. A good number of hiking and biking trails (like the Kocher-Jagst-Tauber Trail) are to be found; while long distance ones like the Way of St. James make their way around here as well.

For the really adventurous, there is the Fuchslabyrinth — one of the biggest caves of its kind in Germany. Or, if you want a quiet village to wander around in, try Spielbach — a hamlet that has a very rural vibe.

Rather party? Yeah, me too. So off to the Jacobifest in July, the Christmas Market at the castle, Advent Concerts, or the Taubermarkt at the end of the year.

That’s why I didn’t have a quip about Schrozberg — I was too busy having a good time. ;-)

As if finding the right town of Stockstadt wasn’t difficult enough, this one being the Hessian town of Stockstadt am Rhein (not “the other” Stockstadt am Main), imagine trying to figure out how they manged to move an entire river. Yeah, that’s some German engineering for you — moving an entire river…

How someone managed to do that is beyond me, but what it means for you is, a gorgeous countryside to take leisurely strolls around the loop of the Old Rhine River.

Either way, you’ll love this slice of scenic heaven — no matter what season it is.

Here in Stockstadt am Rhein, one of the best places to experience this natural beauty is the Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue (that’s more than a mouthful, isn’t it) where anyone who appreciates seeing deer, birds, and animals like the wild boar will love it. There are some 60 km of hiking and biking trails throughout this preserve, so it’s doubtful if you’ll see the same thing twice.

As for the Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue, you’ll find an Information Center where you’ll learn plenty on what to expect in the nature area.

The Hofgut Guntershausen is another learning experience, it’s a Culture & History Museum with an emphasis on nature conservation.

While there isn’t much as far as historical sites — you’ve got the Evangelical Church, and an old Roman Road (that was once used for trade); it makes up for it with a whole lot of festivals.

The Stockstädter Musiktage, a Music Festival held every May, is really famous throughout the region and beyond.

Known as Buchmesse im Ried, Stockstadt’s Book Fair is also a goodie, as is the Blossom Festival (April), and the KreativMarkt (Creative Market) that’s so big it goes on for two days.

August is a busy month around there, as that’s the month for the Summer Night Festival and the Patronasfest. September’s fun if you’re into shopping at the Community Flea Market; and October brings on the Oktoberfest if you’re into the whole drinking thing. October’s also when Stockstadt hosts the Autumn Festival, too.

It might be confusing to figure out the right Stockstadt, but once you see this one, you’ll remember it forever.

Wow, there’s no getting out of Baden-Württemberg this week, that’s for sure. It doesn’t matter to me all that much, I love this part of Germany. Today it’s the rolling green hills town of Zimmern ob Rottweil that’s got my full attention.

And just when I thought I couldn’t find anymore scenic routes, guess what? I found another one.

For the record, it’s the village of Horgen in Zimmern that lies on the Schwarzwald Querweg Rottweil Lahr (that’s a long name). Oh yes, that’s right, Schwarzwald is German for Black Forest — so now you know where you are. Horgen is the second stop on this 4-day, 99km hiking route that kicks off in neighboring Rottweil, ending in Lahr.

What is there to see in Horgen? How about the ceiling paintings over at the Church of St. Martin? Or, if you’re lucky enough to be here for Christmas, there is the Nativity scene created from wood carvings, including about 180 figures. Now that’s art.

Horgen’s also where you’ll find the ruins of Burg Wildenstein, once lorded over by the Herren von Falkenstein. They knew how to impress, that’s for sure, the walls of this 13th century hilltop castle are over three-and-a-half meters thick. Still, they didn’t save it from being destroyed back in 1564.

Don’t skip out before going to Flözlingen, another one of Zimmern’s villages. The town’s Protestant Church is quite pretty, and the town was once crawling with Romans — so it has a history.

Which isn’t as old as Stetten’s history, by the way. Have you heard about the ancient graves from around 2,000 B.C. that were found here? Yeah, that’s kind of old, isn’t it?

The modern town of Zimmern is quite nice, it’s a hiking and biking paradise (hello, Black Forest), has a game reserve where you can learn all about animals like deer, a Kneipp area for tired achy feet after a day of hiking, and miniature golfing for some wholesome family fun.

Zimmern ob Rottweil got my full attention, and I think it deserves yours as well. History, culture, and family fun — what else more could anyone ask for in one place?

Having come from a big city it is really hard to grasp the concept of a little town or village. It seems as if the world just stops, and you’ve arrived in some back-woods place where nothing could possibly go on. Right?

Wrong. Welcome to Zeitlarn, an Upper Palatinate town along the Regen River, where you’ll find villages with no more than eight or nine residents (the villages of Pentlhof, Zeitlberg, and Sandheim if you’re wondering).

But I hardly think that anyone would accuse Zeitlarn of being a back-woods anything once they’ve seen it.

I’m not even going to start off on all the castles you’ll find here. Nope, I’m going to start with all the great outdoor recreational fun you can have.

For starters, you can follow along the 171 km Regental Cycle Route, or just mosey along on a boat ride at Lake Blaibach. This is some seriously pretty real estate, so if all you’re doing is just putting one foot in front of the other (spoiler alert — it’s called walking) then you’re already ahead of the game. ;-)

Save some energy because it’s a bit of a hike to get to nearby Stockenfels Castle. In case you haven’t heard, Burgruine Stockenfels is haunted with a capital H. Too spooky for you? Ok, then maybe the ruins of Burg Fortsberg are more your speed. Plus, this 13th century castle is easily reached, if that’s any consideration.

Oh yeah, I don’t think the 17th century Regendof Castle is haunted. Still, think of the ghost stories you could tell around Zeitlarn’s local beer gardens.

Beer is good, but so is wine — which is probably why the town has an annual Wine Festival. They also hold an annual Dorffest (Village Festival) every July, too. This is all in addition to the Maypole celebrations and Fisherman Festival.

Didn’t I say you’d be wrong to think of Zeitlarn as some backwards place where the world ends? I like to think of it as a place where good cheer and fun times begin.

What I really learned about Wolfach in the central Black Forest area of Baden-Württemberg, is that it used to be a super famous spa town along an old Roman military road. Lucky me!

Trust me, you’re going to need a few spa services by the time Wolfach is done with you. There is way too much to do around here to just lolly-gag doing nothing.

For starters, the list of outdoor activities is as long as my arm. And yea, I’m aware that Germans are pretty exact, and not known to exaggerate — which is why I double checked that the list truly was as long as my arm. ;-)

Just kidding about the double checking, but I’m serious about everything you can do here in Wolfach. There’s mountain biking, regular hiking trails, fishing (don’t forget a license), zip-lining, miniature golf, Nordic Walking trails, geocaching, and even electronic biking.

Ahhh… deep breath. There, I got it all out. No I didn’t — I forgot to tell you about the marked bike trails, like the Kinzigtal Radweg, and the Naturpark Schwarzwald.

It isn’t all outdoor stuff in Wolfach, either, by the way. It’s got a historical side, as well. Want a castle ruin? That would be the Ruine Wolfach, an 11th century castle that was destroyed during the 17th century Thirty Years’ War.

The Pfarrkirche St. Laurentius is still around from the 17th century, and the Schlosskapelle has been here since the 1300s. The Jakobuskapelle has a very Baroque feel to it — as it should, it was built in 1710.

If you got any questions about stuff to see, the Tourist Office over on Hauptstraße will certainly help you out. A modern convenience to an Old World charm town — that’s for sure. I think the paintings and clock at the Rathaus (Town Hall) kind of give it that feeling.

You should visit the Flößer- und Heimatmuseum, Wolfach’s local history museum. And the Glassworks museum, known as Dorotheenhütte, is the last glass manufacture in the Black Forest, attracting around 250,000 visitors every year.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars to come for Wolfach’s City Fountain Festival, its Biker Weekend, Summer Festival, and Port Festival — but that’s an every other year event in the Summer.

Goodness gracious, I haven’t even gotten five minutes to do the whole spa thing. Do you mind if I leave you here — there’s a facial and massage with my name on it somewhere…

It’s been a banner week, since I’ve managed to find some of the prettiest little villages in Germany; this one being the Black Forest town of Hausach, just a stone’s throw from Wolfach.

And who would have thought that not one, but two, scenic routes meander their way around town? Shouldn’t be too shocking, this is the Kinzigtal (Kinzig Valley) and Black Forest area, after all.

Anyway, if you don’t mind hiking, I suggest the 92 km Großer Hansjakobweg, a 4-day (or so) walking route that’s all about the German writer and parson, Heinrich Hansjakob.

If, after that, you merely feel warmed up, the Westweg, which interestingly enough runs north/south, is a 285 km trail through the Black Forest; and is part of the E1 European Long Distance Path.

One place walking around Hausach will take you is Burg Husen. Did you not expect a castle, or in this case, a castle ruin? Oh, Burg Husen is a beauty considering it was destroyed during the last years of the Thirty Years’ War. Well, it did have a good run before that — it was built in 1246.

Around the same time as the castle was built, Hausach got into the silver mining business. Guided tours of the silver mines are available for anyone who wants to learn about eight centuries of the town’s mining.

And war was the reason the Hauserbacher Kapelle was built. A returning World War I soldier built the chapel to give thanks for returning home. Almost a hundred years after the end of the war, Devotions are still done on Sundays. (It’s about 3 km south of Hausach, in the Hauserbach Valley.)

Another church to see is the Dorfkirche, an 11th century building that has medieval frescoes along with Baroque accents. Just so you know, the village church is the oldest structure in town.

To the folks at the Tourist Information Center (located at Hauptstraße 34), if I missed anything about your lovely town — I sincerely apologize. Please don’t throw me out of town — I like it here. ;-)

German engineering and ingenuity is the stuff of legend. Leave it to us to find new and inventive ways to take what’s left over from mining, turning it into something that can make everyone happy.

If you don’t have any clue what I’m talking about, come to the Upper Palatinate town of Hirschau, and see for yourself.

Much of Hirschau’s action takes place on the Monte Kaolino, a kaolin-containing quartz sand dune of mega proportions (35 million tons), remains from its kaolin mining. You can take a funicular to the the top where people come from all over to ski or sandboard down its slope.

Yes, I said sandboard — remember, it’s not made of snow. ;-)

There’s more to do than just careening down a huge pile of quartz sand. The Monte Kaolino is a whole complex area with an alpine slide, a rope course, a summer toboggan run, and a Geology Trail. A campsite is nearby if you want to spend the night, as well as an outdoor pool (called Freizeitpark) if you’re looking for some water fun.

It isn’t all fun and games in Hirschau, it’s got a serious side as well. Excuse me, a historical side, as many of the town’s villages are quite old. Were you aware that the town’s Goldener Hirsch was a restaurant back in the 1500s? Or, that it was actually an even older inn from the 14th century?

A place this old has got to have a castle, right? Of course it does, the Pflegschloss Hirschau was built all the way back in the 1200s, but what you see today didn’t come along until after 1474 when a fire gutted it. It’s hard to recognize as a castle, though.

You’d be smart to make sure you’ve seen the medieval frescoes (12th-15th centuries) at the Pfarrkirche Ehenfeld, and all the beautiful art at the Pfarrkirche Mariä Himmelfahrt built in 1753.

Both are gorgeous, by the way, but the real winner of the best of Hirschau’s churches is the Cemetery Church Vierzehnnothelferkirche. Looks like a typo, right? It’s not, it’s the 15th century Church of the 14 Helpers.

What else can you find in Hirschau? I’d say a good view of Franconian Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and that famous sand mound — all atop the Rödlasturm. The fact that this modern looking tower is 32 meters high at an elevation of 570 meters above sea level has something to do with its view.

I’d be sure as heck yelling for you to come down from there during one of Hirschau’s many festivals and cultural events. Really, would you want to miss out on September’s Fall Bazaar, the town Carnival in October, or the Bock Beer Festival in March?

No, I didn’t think so. And we all know what pioneers Germans are in the whole beer making department, don’t we? ;-)

Some people were surprised when they found out that Norderney is both a town as well as an island. They were expecting an ordinary German town, only to find out that nothing about Norderney is normal.

No, maybe normal isn’t the right word. How about extraordinary? Yeah, that’ll do.

For more than three centuries, Norderney has been a beach lovers delight — with many famous visitors over the years. People like King George V of Hanover, Frederick III, Franz Kafka, and Heinrich Heine have visited the shores of Norderney.

I don’t know, maybe they liked mudflat hiking. Hey, it wouldn’t be a stretch, considering this entire East Frisian island lies along the Wadden Sea National Park.

And who wouldn’t enjoy a hike around the salt marshes? Nature lovers will find all sorts of interesting wildlife around the island, everything from grey seals to deer, grey goose to gulls, ducks to owls.

Add in an overabundance of seafood (hello, island) like crabs, mussels, and shrimp — and you’ve got yourself one helluva feast.

Norderney doesn’t just stop at food and fowl. Nope, they like to party here, too. Throughout the year all sorts of events go on, like the White Sands Festival and the Spring Bazaar. Every so often special guided bike tours are available around the island, as well as Puppet Theater and outdoor concerts.

For the most part, visiting the “Bathing Museum” is a daytime affair, but special nighttime tours of this museum (totally dedicated to the swimming culture) are offered.

The other museum in Norderney is the Fischerhaus — a glimpse into 17th century fishing life.

Sailing throughout the centuries really used to be quite dangerous, often relying on lighthouses to guide their way — and any island worth their weight in salt should have at least one. Norderney’s lighthouse is known as the Große Leuchtturm (Tall Lighthouse), built atop a 10-meter high dune to guide their fishermen home.

Yes, extraordinary would be the right word for Norderney — and well worth coming back to again and again.