Amidst the pretty vineyards in the very pretty state of Baden Württemberg, you’ll come to the lovely town of Ingersheim.

For the most part, I think you’ll enjoy this little German town on the banks of the Neckar River, just mere minutes from bigger towns like Bietigheim-Bissingen and Stuttgart.

What’s not to like? It’s got history and a castle; a medieval mill, and a nature reserve to lose yourself in. Ready to get started of a “tour” around Ingersheim?

Where to start? Well, a town with a wine history dating to the Middle Ages surely must have some medieval sites or two, right?

How about the Old Town Hall (built around 1570), a building that once belonged to a medieval convent. The Middle Ages were very good to Ingersheim, right from its Frankish-Merovingian beginnings. Two of Ingersheim’s churches got their start during this time.

You can’t really tell from the looks of the light and bright St. George Church — this structure you’re looking at today didn’t come along until 1601; and is known for its frescoes. Before that, St. Georges’ was an 11th century chapel.

That actually makes it older than the (formerly) fortified St. Martin Church, whose southern wall is more than 700 years old. Its choir got a Gothic overhaul, but it has retained much of its earlier medieval look. Plus, it’s grey tower was known for welcoming in those in need, while keeping out the marauders.

Not too much of that these days, so everyone is welcome to come indoors.

After the Middle Ages came the Renaissance; and along comes Schloss Kleiningersheim. If you think you’d like to hear a summer concert in a castle setting, this is the place to do it — and its 14th century mill makes it partly from the Middle Ages.

I like to play Lord of the Manor in my head, and everyone’s there for my amusement. ;-)

What about your amusement? Speaking of cultural events, like the Spring Festival in May; the community grilling events; the Garden Festival in July; and the Community Festival every November.

Like any good King or Queen (or regular German for that matter), you also need time to think in some peace & quiet. So, off to the Altneckar Nature Reserve for a spell. The plants, flowers, and wildlife are just the right advisors to keep you sane.

Then again, some of the vino produced by some of the local wineries can do the same thing. Which is why I’m choosing the Vineyard House as your last stop on the tour of Ingersheim — just the perfect place to keep you happy.

Last stop, already? No!

You see, for just about 900 years Ingersheim has been known for wine-making. That’s a mighty long time to be known for just one thing, but there are many more layers to this town — as anyone who’s ever been here can tell you.

Still, because it’s known for its manicured landscapes of grapes, it’s only right to go on, because…

The Württembergerischer Weinwanderweg (follow the grapes on the white background) is a wonderful hiking route that brings you to so many of these towns where wine is the drink of choice. A Riesling, a Pinot Noir, it doesn’t matter — just have a taste and you’ll see why German wines deserve some respect.

So, let’s raise our glass and toast the magic Ingersheim makes with those grapes. Salute!

Sniff. Sniff. Do you smell that? Yeah, breath deeply — because that’s the smell of the North Sea salt air in the town of Hage. This is some seriously flat level ground — so nothing blocks the way of that fantastic scent.

Sorry, time to move on… can’t just stand around here sniffing the air all day.

Wait, maybe there is. Hage, or Hague (that’s its East Frisian Low German name), sits along the Wadden Sea National Park, which is great for mudflat hiking, might make that possible.

If you do spend all your time out there, you might miss out on some of the other stuff Hage has to offer. The town (and collective municipality of the same name) is quite proud to show off its attractions.

One of which is the Magda Heyken House, a local history museum housed in the former home of a teacher who used to live here. The biggest attraction to Hage is the Lütetsburg Castle. It stinks that a tour of its interior isn’t possible, but everyone is welcome to view this moated castle’s park, with an English Garden no less. Right next door is a golf course, if you want to hit the links right next to this stunning structure.

Because this is East Frisia, tea reigns supreme. After a view around the Schlosspark, how about a traditional tea ceremony? The nearby Tea Museum tells you all about how they drink the stuff around these parts.

Tea is good to drink, as well as any other libation during Hage’s festivals. One of the biggest is its annual mid-December Christmas Market; and the Hagerstown Market, held on the last weekend of July.

When there’s no market or other event going on, take the time to see Hager Mill, standing some 30 meters high above town. Or, seek out the Romanesque brick Ansgarikirche, a church that’s been around since 1220.

Make sure you leave plenty of time to bicycle, horseback ride, hike (like maybe around the bogs), or visit one of the local spas in this climatic resort town.

Whew, I’m worn out — but at least I’ll fall asleep to that fresh salt air. ;-)

You might know about Herrnhut without even realizing it, since this Saxon town founded by the Moravians, has given the world what’s known as the Moravian Star.

Oh, don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about — they’re the pretty pointed stars (with some having as many as 110 points) seen all over Germany around Advent and Christmas.

Now, that’s not all this town should be famous for, although Herrnhut is the world’s center for the Protestant Moravians. So, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise to find some pretty awesome churches here in town — even if they’re not all of the Moravian denomination.

BTW, I love the village church in Großhennersdorf, a charming church with a tall clock tower.

As far as churches go, there’s nothing prettier than nearby Kloster Marienthal in Ostritz. The old Cistercian monastery dates back to the 1200s; and is considered to be one of the oldest monasteries in the whole state. The medieval Kloster finds itself on the Via Sacra, so if you’re traveling along this historic scenic route, then come on over to enjoy the rest of Herrnhut.

Hey, this is a place that likes to show everyone a good time — so no wonder they host a Wine Festival in October, a 3-day Summer Festival at the end of June, an Erntefest (Thanksgiving Festival) in September, and the obligatory Christmas Market. A great place to buy those Moravian stars, yes?

Herrnhut isn’t without educational things to see and do. The Local History Museum isn’t just filled with Moravian history, it also has exhibits on what life was like in the 19th century.

The Ethnology Museum is a tad different, it’s filled with exhibits on different cultures — so even here on the Czech border you’ll learn about life, not only in Germany and Europe, but as far away as North and South America.

We all know Germans love cultural things, so it seems that’s why the Unitätsarchiv is so popular — not only is it a library and reading room, but it’s also the venue for lectures and other cultural pursuits.

You could very well attempt to find your own way around Herrnhut, but for those adventurous I’d say an organized city tour would be the best bet. The folks at the Tourist Office (located at Comeniusstraße 6) can help you out with all that. And if you get hungry in the middle of it all, then the Weekly Market (held on Thursday mornings) is just what you need to find fresh fruits and veggies to keep you satisfied.

Whatever you do, don’t worry about counting calories since there are plenty of hiking and biking trails (bike rentals are available) in Upper Lusatia to help keep off the pounds. Too strenuous? No problem, a stroll around the Skulpturenpfad (Sculpture Trail) can be just as nice.

The town of Herrnhut might have given the world the Moravian Star, but you’ll get so much more than just that when you’re here. ;-)

The Upper Bavarian town of Petershausen can be a bit misleading. No, that’s not the right word. How about confusing? No, that won’t work either.

You know what? Let me explain, and hopefully you can come up with the right word…

Suppose you read about the 10th century Petershausen Abbey — oh great, you want to see that while you’re here. Um, you can’t — that’s over in Baden-Württemberg. See? Confusing.

Now you read about this Ochsenweg, a route that was used over and over again for moving cattle. Sounds interesting, right? Yeah, if you were up in like Schleswig-Holstein.

This Petershausen here in the Dachau District in Bavaria has the Oxenweg, another cattle route — but spelled different as not to cause confusion. It was once used as the animals were moved from as far as Transylvania.

Petershausen’s Oxenweg is now all signposted for anyone wishing to hike or bike their way through Upper and Lower Bavaria, as well as the Upper Palatinate.

Whether walking or biking, you absolutely must see the Hohle Linde in Obermarbach. This gnarly, hollowed, creepy tree is the stuff of Halloween tales — and is thought to be somewhere between 300 and 400 years old.

Some of Petershausen’s churches are much older than that — but that’s like comparing apples to cinderblocks. You get the analogy — and you need to get over to the Saints Peter & Paul Church in Asbach (one of Petershausen’s 18 villages), it was built in the 13th century.

Medieval churches can be found throughout out many of Petershausen’s villages. Kollbach’s started out medieval, but St. Martin’s got a Baroque renovation. The ornate art of the Baroque was redone in many churches — like the Frauenkirche, built in 1288. And the St. Laurentius Church from 1315, that’s now got Rococo accents.

Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque — it doesn’t matter. You’ll find this whole layer-cake of religious art and architecture at St. Ulrich’s Church, the Church of St. George, St. Veit’s, and the even the old abandoned Cemetery Chapel.

Well, I’m not confused about Petershausen any longer — hope you aren’t either. ;-)

Right next to the border of Saxony-Anhalt lies the Saxon town of Pegau, once famous for the medieval Kloster Pegau. The 12th century monastery might be long gone, but the other architectural wonders that await you here can keep you exceptionally busy.

No wonder it’s known as the “Kleinstadt mit Herz und Historie,” or Small Town with Heart and History.

As for that monastery, when Kloster Pegau was demolished in 1556, some parts of it were deemed worthy enough to keep. The cenotaph (like a memorial) of a Count was then brought over to the Church of St. Laurentius. This church is a wonder of art itself, originally a Romanesque design it had a Gothic overhaul — and has the most ornately decorated alter I’ve seen in a long time.

The town of Pegau has even seen its fair share of famous visitors — folks like the pint-sized Napoleon, Tzar Alexander I, and Austrian Emperor Franz I were here.

One thing I got on those guys, I get to enjoy Pegau with all the modern day conveniences. They had to travel by horse, I get the choice of riding in a car, or a number of bus routes to get around.

Whatever mode of transportation you choose to get yourself around, be sure you swing by such amazing places like the City Museum — where a guided tour for only a couple Euro will give you all kinds of tidbits of history

And be sure you take plenty of pictures of the local Town Hall, its other pretty churches (like St. Johanniskirche and St. Leonhardi), and the old Parsonage building.

For me, Pegau’s Schloss Wiederau is the best. Its ceiling painting of ladies and angels is nothing short of sheer genius — a true masterpiece. Then again, like I expected less from a Baroque castle? ;-)

While I could stare at the ceiling all day, there’s plenty enough to do outside in Pegau. I loved the old tower, which is still attached to the Stadtmauer (defense wall) — but I loved the Alpaca Garden, too.

The kids (and the kids at heart) will love feeding the animals. Probably not a good idea to pet the animals at the nearby Game Reserve Gatzen, though.

Pegau is even on the Elster Bike Path, giving you even more opportunities to enjoy the local flora and fauna. There are plenty of other cycling and hiking routes — or just walk along the banks of the Weiße Elster if you want. Perhaps a canoe ride down the river?

Although, I’d say to save that for another day when you’re here for one of the local festivals. The Altstadtfest is always a goodie, held every year in September. The Christmas Market is charming enough in December, and the Village Festival in June is fun for the whole family.

Hmm, I’d say the town of Pegau should be known as the Small City of Heart, History, and a Helluva Good Time. Do you think they’d go for it? ;-)

On 11-1-11 the Samtgemeinde Wrestedt totally ceased to exist, only to become simply Wrestedt — which is now the seat of the Samtgemeinde Aue.

Oh, my dear politicians, what the heck are you doing? You’re totally messing with my mind — and my itinerary. Imagine looking for a place that doesn’t exist anymore. I think I’d have a better chance finding the lost continent of Atlantis. ;-)

For the most part, the towns within a collective municipality are pretty much independent; however, I look at everything as a whole. So, I’m not going to just tout the virtues and wonders of just Wrestedt, but all (or most) of what’s to find in the Samtgemeinde Aue.

As most of you know by now, I’m a sucker for a castle. But, I’m also fascinated with engineering marvels, like the Schleuse Uelzen (a.k.a. Schleuse Esterholz). How engineers managed to overcome a 23-meter difference for ships to make their way along the Elbe Lateral Canal is totally mind-blowing.

Then again, I’m totally in awe of how the folks in the Middle Ages managed to build some of the most beautiful buildings. Dark Ages my foot — places like the Church of St. Michael and Church of St. Bartholomew (both built in the 14th century) are nothing short of stunning.

Also from the 14th century is Burg Bodenteich (over in Bad Bodenteich). The castle is now a museum, a concert venue, and the location for the Burgspektakel every May. This is a great way to transport yourself back to the Middle Ages with all the modern day conveniences, like indoor plumbing. ;-)

As much as Wrestedt has its historical side, it also has a bunch of outdoorsy stuff to do. Also in Bad Bodenteich, the Kurpark am See is a fun swimming area with pedal boating and canoeing, and fishing to boot. There are some Nordic Walking trails nearby, and from July to September the lake makes a picturesque backdrop for musical concerts.

All right, not everyone wants to spend a day around a lake, so how about taking on one of Wrestedt’s and Bad Bodenteich’s nine marked hiking trails. Oh, they’re not all that rough, just 3km to 14km — and there are even guided community walks if you don’t want to go all of it alone. Whichever way you go, the Lüneburg Heath is calling for you to visit, too.

And just when you think you’re all done, Wrestedt has more in store. Every Friday there’s a Weekly Market at the Parkplatz (2pm-6pm), a Fountain Festival every June, and a Christmas Market in mid-December.

All right, Mr. Politician, you’re so lucky Wrestedt was great enough for me to overlook a messed up itinerary. Maybe when I’m done with all this, I’ll go looking for that lost continent of Atlantis. ;-)

For the most part it’s a little hard to differentiate between the town of Barnstorf and the Samtgemeinde Barnstorf. The Santa-what, you’re asking? I know, a bit confusing, but one is the town itself, the other is a collective municipality of three other towns.

For some it would only be proper to give each town their own shout-out, but they’re very proud of their association — so I’m gonna tell you a little about what you’ll find in these villages in Lower Saxony.

What do you want to hear about first, the outdoorsy stuff or the historical info? Did you say outdoor stuff? OK, here’s the skinny on what you can do outdoors in (and around) Barnstorf…

The town is located right along the Wildeshauser Geest and the Dümmer Nature Park. Ooh, plenty of hiking trails to keep everyone busy, I must say. On top of it, the place sits just to the west of the Große Moor, a bog area that’s also great for a hike or two over by the village of Eydelstedt.

Don’t worry if your feet get tired, try canoeing. There are like thirteen “stops” along the waterway if your arms get tired. In that case, hop on a horse for a ride along unpaved country lanes, or take a horse & carriage ride.

Shoot, I’m tired and I didn’t even get to the old buildings yet. In a nutshell, Barnstorf has this totally fantastic 12th century church with this octagon tower. I call the quintessential village church, they just call it the Lutheran Church of St. Vitus.

It wouldn’t be right not to mention the Gothic churches found around these parts. There are two in the village of Drebber — St. James (13th century) and the St. Mary’s Stiftskirche that’s the final resting place of some 16th century Count of Diepholzer.

You really wanna get a good look around? Take the Jan-Spieker-Bahn — a “locomotive” that drives you around the area.

You could just visit the Local History Museums — and yes, that’s plural. One is in Drebber, the other in Barnstorf — an old farm from the 17th century. And be sure to get a good picture of the Keunecke Haus, a half-timbered jewel from 1784.

What else is old around here? The 19th century Jewish cemetery, the 18th century town cemetery, and oh, the megalithic grave over at the Walsener Teichen (that’s pond in English).

Want to know another reason to come to Bernstorf? How about its Balloon Festival — and not the little birthday kind, either. We’re talking about the big hot air, cruising high above the ground kind. Interested? It takes place in August on odd-numbered years.

Whether it’s one or all of Barnstof’s villages, on the ground or above it, you’ll just love it here — I just know you will.

The name Bietigheim is an interesting name, don’t you think? It must be, because there are two of them in Baden-Württemberg. This particular one lies in the Baden region, near Baden-Baden and the Alsace.

It’s also much smaller than the other one, this one having just about 6,000 full-time residents. It’s also found right between the Rhine and the Black Forest.

The other Bietigheim, known as Bietigheim-Bissingen if you’re interested in knowing, has over 40,000 residents.

Who cares if it’s small, this Bietigheim is just the right place to see some real ancient history. Evidence has shown that the area originally started out as a Stone Age settlement, putting people living in the area some 6,500 years ago.

The Romans came along, and the town was a stop along a long Roman Road. The Franks and Merovingians came along — and the latter’s dead are buried in their own cemeteries here.

Interesting as that is, it is a medieval church that’s listed as Bietigheim’s landmark. Excuse me, a medieval chapel is the town’s landmark. The alte Kapelle is a fine example of stonework from 1150. On the inside you’ll find a baptismal font from the 1200s.

As much as it loves its history, Bietigheim has been named Unser Dorf hat Zukunft; or in English, Our Village has a Future, in 2003. They should’ve named it “Our Village has Good Eats,” if only because of its location along the Baden Asparagus Route.

Eating is on the agenda during the annual Bietigheim Festival every August, or the bi-annual Village Festival held on even-numbered years.

That sure is a lot for a town that’s not even fourteen square kilometers. And I think the only thing I haven’t mentioned yet was the World War I/II Memorial, the 1870/71 War Memorial, and the 19th century Holy Cross Catholic Church.

Oh yes, Bietigheim, you have a future and a long history. Heck, you even have some great biking trails through the Upper Rhine Valley and Hardtwald. Not only do you have an interesting name, you’re just interesting all around.

What’s great about the town of Geltendorf, besides being in Upper Bavaria, is that it somehow manages to blend the modern and the prehistoric all in one shot. It’s a place of inspiring natural beauty, a hodge-podge of history and architecture, as well as town that can party ’til you can’t party anymore.

It’s probably best to go back to Geltendorf’s beginnings — way back in the Neolithic Age.

A prehistoric settlement from about 5,500 years ago was discovered accidentally in the 20th century; taking almost 20 years to excavate. Today the Prähistorische Siedlung Pestenacker (Prehistoric Settlement Pestenacker) is an outdoor museum to learn more about life some five thousand years ago.

The Middle Ages was a time in German history that many like to learn more about — but it’s partying like a medieval knight or lady that everyone seems to love around here. You’re close enough to experience the Kaltenberger Ritterturnier, a medieval event of jousting and artisans, and everything in between.

With a little imagination it’s easy to see what a medieval castle could have looked like. Nothing remains of the 10th century castle where the Burgstall Walleshausen is found today.

I’d gander to say if the St. Stephan Church from the 10th century didn’t get a few renovations over the years, it too probably would be gone. Good thing it’s not — and it’s a lovely Baroque church these days.

You’d think there wouldn’t be time to go sightseeing with all the festivals and markets. Some of the more popular ones are the Wine Festival in October, the Pfarrfest in June, and the Magdalenenfest and Jakobifest — both held in July.

And just meandering around the Upper Bavarian countryside is good enough for some (it is for me). But while you’re out there on a country lane or bike trail, you might want to look out for a few of the town’s chapels. Many of them come from the 16th-18th centuries — little buildings on the side of the road built by a pious few.

I know I thank Heaven every time I get to come here — and it’s a double Thank You for getting to come to Geltendorf.

The Thuringian town of Nobitz is (yet) another renewed town on the German map. Having merged with Saara in the Altenburger Land in 2012, the modern day Nobitz is a horseshoe shaped town of some 39 districts in the Leipzig Lowlands.

Nobitz’s geography is only a small part of what makes the town a nice place to visit — it really is a quaint town with old churches, half-timbered houses, and even a nearby castle.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? Sadly, I don’t have all the time in the world to see each of Nobitz’s villages (39 of them, remember?), but the highlights should entice you enough to come see what I missed. ;-)

History lover that I am, I was fascinated by the Nobitz’s oldest house. The building itself dates back to 1565, but it’s the style of the construction that many come to see here in Gieba. Known as a Vierseithof, the half-timbered design for a farm was only popular for about a hundred years through the mid-16th to mid-17th centuries. Not all of these farmhouses are as old as this one, but you’ll find a number of them scattered throughout Nobitz.

That seems pretty old, doesn’t it? Ha, that’s nothing compared to the 50,000-year-old archaeological artifacts found in the village of Podelwitz.

It does make the Romanesque church in the village of Mockern not really seem that old, does it? Gösdorf also boasts a medieval church, whose original one was built some seven hundred years ago — I don’t care the one you see today is only a mere 500 years old. ;-)

I did say Nobitz did have a castle, but you’ll have to run next door to Altenburg to see it. Once the former home of the Saxon-Altenburg Dukes, the 15th century castle is believed to be the biggest Schloss in the whole state.

In between visits to Nobitz’s churches and Schloss Altenburg, you might want to make time to check out one of town’s festivals. The Dorffest (Village Festival) in Ehrenhain takes place over 2 days in July, while the Volksfest in Wilchwitz is a 3-day affair; then you’ve always got the Poultry Market as well.

Too bad I haven’t gotten to all of the rest of Nobitz, I can’t help but think about all the other wonders of this renewed Thuringian town.