Just because the Saarland is one of the smaller German states doesn’t mean it isn’t densely packed with fantastic German villages. Take Oberthal for instance.

Uhh, hold on a sec, Oberthal wasn’t always a German town; it did belong to France at one time.

But, with four villages with names like Gronig and Güdesweiler (not to mention neighboring Sankt Wendel, Nonnweiler, and Marpingen), it doesn’t sound very French, does it? No, I didn’t think so either.

Though, whatever lies within the Saarland has a French touch for me anyway.

Long before there was a Germany or France, the sandstone Wildfrauhöhle caves were created some 275 million years ago. It isn’t too far from what’s called the Devil’s Pulpit, so hike around the countryside — you never know what you might find.

Go ahead, don’t be shy, Oberthal’s got a number of hiking trails, ranging from moderate to kind of difficult. So find one that’s right for you, and gooooo.

Don’t wander too far, you’ve got to see Oberthal’s Valentines Chapel, built in 1761. And the Millpetersch Haus is an old farmhouse from the very late 18th century, that’s now a museum on weaving and basket making. It does have an interesting coin collection, though.

For those of you out there looking for a quiet place, then you should be heading out to the Oberthaler Bruch, a wetland of ponds and rich plant life spread out over 50 acres.

This all sounds great, but the Römischer Vicus Wareswald did it for me. Rö… what? Yeah, it’s an excavation season that runs from April to October, while guided tours are offered on the first Sunday of the month. Well, between June and September that is. If you can’t tell from its name, it’s a Roman excavation area.

The Romans loved their pottery, so it’s only right that Oberthal hosts an annual Ceramics Market. On the first weekend of May all sorts of potters and artists come to hock their wares. Maybe you’ll find the perfect piece for a friend, or just something that’ll look great in your living room.

You can’t, however, take any of the 22 sculptures found along the Straß der Skulpturen, or Street of Sculpture. And neither can France for that matter, since it’s all German now. ;-)

When I first got to Obergünzburg in the Allgäu region, I didn’t think I’d find all that much. How was this even possible?

Then I delved deeper into the town, and found it to be a remarkable place with all sorts of goodies hidden within. There is certainly no shortage of a place to stay with its farms, hotels, guesthouses, and Bed & Breakfasts.

And there’s no way anyone could say getting here is isn’t anything but easy, with bus service available from all around.

All right, you’ve got the place to say — and a way to get here, now what?

Start at the Marktplatz, the lifeline of the town. And don’t forget to take pictures of its Mohrenbrunnen (a fountain).

Make sure the camera is ready when you head out to see Obergünzburg’s many churches and chapels. The village of Günzach (made up of 10 hamlets) has a number of chapels to see, like the 19th century St. Eustachius and St. Michael Chapels, the 17th century St. Joseph Chapel, and the St. Magnus Chapel built in 1679.

However, two of Obergünzburg’s other churches are the main attraction. St. Martin’s you passed back at the Marktplaz, built here back in the 15th century. In the village of Untrasried you’ll find St. Sebastian’s, a Rococo design with lots of frescoes and stucco work.

For as many churches as there is in town, that’s about how many markets and festivals are going on all year. You’ve got the usual (but no less wonderful) Village Festival and Jakobimarkt both in July; the Herbstmarkt in October; a Ostermarkt in April; and the obligatory Christmas Market in December. And if you can’t make any of those, shoot for the Wine Festival in October.

Some folks don’t come for the vino, they come to tackle the 190 km of hiking trails, or the nine cross-country ski trails. Others prefer a carriage ride, or a swim in the outdoor pool.

Whatever the reasons for coming, it doesn’t matter. So long as you take your time to learn all about its unknown treasures…

The Schwarzwaldhochstrasse, or Black Forest High Road, is one of the best known scenic routes in Germany, stretching for some 60km (37mi) from Baden-Baden to Freudenstadt on the B500 highway.

Sixty kilometers doesn’t seem like a huge distance. Heck, drive fast enough and you can cover that distance in less than than an hour. However, sixty kilometers can seem like a million if you’re walking it. But, when the countryside is as magnificent as the Black Forest — you’d walk that million kilometers to see it.

It’s just as well that the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse isn’t quite that long. Yet if it was, I’d walk it.

For centuries the Black Forest has been the stuff of legends, myths, and fairytales — told from parents to children, to their children and beyond. One story tells the tale of a werewolf that killed sheep in the city of Freudenstadt, another of the girl who was saved by the forest dwelling dwarves when she ran off in order to avoid being married off to a really rotten guy.

These two stories don’t have anything to do with the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse, but for years people avoided coming here because of it. Oh, what they were missing…

The Black Forest is the largest nature park in all of Germany — stretching from Ettlingen and Pforzheim in the north down to Bad Säckingen and the Swiss border in the south.

But we ain’t going there on this scenic route. We’re starting in the classic spa city of Baden-Baden, following it to Freudenstadt. Plus, two little extra towns at the end for good measure.

Baden-Baden has been a spa town for centuries, which is seen by the ruins of the Roman Baths. This city is great for thermal spas, has an Italian Renaissance Garden, concerts at the castle, an excellent Christmas Market, and meets with the Baden Wine Route.

It’s also a casino town — so please bet responsibly. No need to lose your shirt before you’ve seen the rest of the Black Forest High Road.

Besides, the usual elevation on this route is between 600 – 1,000 meters above sea level. So, you’re gonna need all the shirts you can get to stay kinda warm. ;-)

Oh, my apologies. Did I forget to tell you that this is a hiking route? That’s a good piece of information to have. You can’t just go speeding along the Black Forest High Road in a car — you’ll miss out on so much. Like some Vesperstuben along the way — these little snack shops and rest areas for when you’re tired.

Now head towards Lichtental and the Geroldsauer Strasse, continuing on the B500 to the classy Schlosshotel Bühlerhöhe and Bühlerhöhe Castle. The vistas from here are breathtaking, and not for nothing is it known by prominence and politicians as the Insel der Erholung (Island of Relaxation).

If you like, at the village of Sand is an intersection with a road leading to the town of Bühlertal. From here you could join the Westweg (another hiking trail), or you can stick around to try mountainbiking, enjoy a walk on the Wine Trail, or sit for an afternoon of wine tasting.

The Westweg might be good for another day, but I’m going back to Sand, and continue on the B500 (i.e., the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse) towards Unterstmatt. Because there’s a road towards Sasbachwalden and the Hornisgrinde. The latter being the highest point of the Northern Black Forest (1,164 meters). Sasbachwalden is also all about wine, and has quite a few Michelin-star restaurants. Not bad for a small town of less than 2,500 people.

You can also take the bus to the Mummelsee from here, or simply go back to the B500 as the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse passes right along this amazing lake. The Mummelsee is an excellent adventure in the Black Forest, said to be inhabited by the Nix (a water spirit) and a mermaid. Who cares who lives here — it’s located over a thousand meters above sea level, so the view is enough to make you speechless.

A hard feat for a writer, and it took me totally by surprise. I don’t think I managed to talk for a good five minutes after catching a look at this forest-surrounded lake. ;-)

I don’t want to leave the Mummelsee, but it’s a hike (literally) to the health-resort town of Seebach. This town of around 1,500 people is totally family-friendly with hiking trails, biking paths, skiing, an art trail, and a Folk Costume Museum.

Seebach is an excellent place to go skiing in the winter, BTW.

Oh, I already said that? Silly me…

Onwards to Ottenhöfen and the ruins of Burg Bosenstein. It was built sometime between the years 1000 to 1100, and dominated the landscape until the Thirty Years’ War, when it was destroyed. Here in Ottenhöfen you can also jump on the Acher Valley Railway, party at the Dorfbrunnenfest (last weekend of July), or visit the Old Mill and Church History Museum.

Don’t fret, back it goes to the B500 and the Schwarzwaldhochstrasse as we meet up with the Naturschutzzentrum (Nature Protection Center) Ruhestein and the ski area at the Vogelskopf and Schliffkopf mountains, at a height of some 1,055 meters.

Passing the ski center of Kniebis, the Black Forest High Road ends in Freudenstadt, a town of around 23,000 residents. Lucky ducks, every single one. ;-)

Freudenstadt might have been the place of the werewolf story, but today’s it’s a town with great golfing, fantastic architecture (check out the Friedrichsturm), lies along the Northern Black Forest Monasteries Route and the Black Forest Spa Route, and has a great summer theater program. They like a good festival as much as any other town, and the Afrikafest is one of the biggest on the last weekend of July.

The Schwarzwaldhochstrasse, or Black Forest High Road, ends at this point, but if you don’t hike on over to Bad Peterstal-Griesbach you’re missing out. Located along the Glaswaldsee (created by an Ice Age glacier), Bad Peterstal-Griesbach has a culinary summer festival called the Suppegassefeschd.

The food in the Black Forest is delicious, scrumptious, mouth watering, and downright yummy. How could anyone possibly say no eating here? Please, I ain’t turning down Black Forest Cake or Black Forest Cherry Schnapps, for that matter. Could be why there are so many hiking trails — gotta burn off all those calories. ;-)

You can certainly burn them off in the 35 villages and farms that make up Bad Rippoldsau-Schapbach, too. No me, I’m soaking myself in their 32°C (90°F) mineral baths, and calling it a day. You’re more than welcome to continue on play miniature golf or tennis. Or, to check out the Burgbach Waterfall (it’s some 32 meters high), the Wolf & Bear Park, the Weinbrenner style church, or the natural rock formations known as Kastelstein and Klagstein.

And hiking, or driving, over to Baiersbronn is a must, too. Almost 200 sq km big, Baiersbronn has a totally intimate feel (even with its shopping centers). Perhaps it’s the rolling hills and all the trees? It’s also got a totally yummy part since it’s got two Michelin 3-star restaurants (7 Michelin stars in Baiersbronn altogether, BTW, which is unique in all of Germany).

See? You’re not getting away from Baiersbronn so easy. Hanging out by the Huzenbacher Lake is a great daytime activity, as is visiting the Monastery Reichenbach (1085) and the Fairytale Museum. During the summer there are quite a number of performances at the outdoor theater.

Aren’t you glad you walked all this way? The views are stunning, the food is more than delicious, the people are friendly, its architecture is outstanding, and the spas are heavenly. This is why I said I’d walk a million kilometers of it if I could.

On December 31, 1997 the state of Thuringia got its very own National Park, known as the Hainich National Park. And less than 14 years later, on June 25, 2011, the Hainich National Park was designated as a UNESCO site, for its ancient beech forests, and the protection of said beech forest.

You’ll find the Hainich National Park, which is part of the (larger) Hainich forest, in the southern part of the Eichsfeld-Hainich-Werratal Nature Park, encompassing 75 square kilometers of the 870 square kilometer nature park. (The Hainich forest is 160 square kilometers, BTW.)

I know it sounds a bit complicated, and it’s not like the entire nature park is pure forest. There are over a hundred villages and almost a hundred thousand people living in the larger nature ark. That many do not live in the Hainich National Park, however.

How could they? The area was once a military training area. This part of the forest, by the way, is the youngest section, just over two decades old.

It’s almost like a triangle the way the towns are set up around the national park. One entrance is found in the village of Lauterbach. There’s a youth hostel on the Harsberg (known as Urwald-Life-Camp) for anyone interested in staying in a hamlet of less than 700 people. Maybe you’d like to come for Sunday services at the St. Nicholas Church?

Lauterbach can be found on the western edge of the Hainich National Park, making it a great place to camp. The other three compass directions of the Hainich National Park are each as unique as the three other towns found on its edges.

As I mentioned before, there is a section of the forest that’s only a couple of decades old. You’ll find that in the southern part of the forest.

In the north there is a “prehistoric” Cult Path with all sorts of shrines; and the eastern part is where you’ll see the “Canopy Trail” — a boardwalk of sorts, where researchers and every day people can get totally engrossed in the tree tops.

From the tops of the trees to the forest floor all sorts of wildlife can be found. Beeches aren’t the only trees within the Hainich National Park, there are Ash trees, Linden trees, and Maple trees too.

Unless you’re a mushroom expert, I wouldn’t try eating any of the fungi that grows here. OK?

Keep your eyes peeled everywhere. You never know what kind of animal or insect you’re going to see. Wildcats call the park home, as do more than a dozen species of bat, seven kinds of woodpeckers, and 500 kinds of wood beetles.

Great, now I got the heebie-jeebies. I’m going into town. Ain’t no place better than Eisenach, which is part of the Bund der Lutherstädte (Leage of Luther Cities).

I’ll forget all about the bugs and beetles in the comfort that Johann Sebastian Bach was born here. I love its medieval Nikolaiturm with Nikolaitor; and my favorite: Wartburg Castle is nearby. Oh, look at that… another UNESCO site!

Just when I was starting to get over the whole insect thing, Eisenach gave me its canyons and gorges (like the Dragon’s Gorge), where even more wildlife lives.

Perhaps I should have gone to the Hainich National Park Visitors Center in Bad Langensalza first? ;-)

I’m better now, because I know a town that’s labeled “Bad” is OH SOO GOOD. I love my spa experiences, but I also love history — so I’m glad to spend time in a walled medieval city (check out the Klagetor) with lots of half-timbered houses, castles, and a City Museum housed in the Augustian Monastery.

The fact that the place borders the Fahner Höhe, a hilly nature area with a medieval observatory, the Bienstädter Warte, only makes it better.

For fun on the outskirts of the park, you gotta go to Mühlhausen (Thuringia) where they hold a huge fair on the last weekend of August.

Famous visitors to Mühlhausen included Attila the Hun, and Bach worked here for a while in this medieval city. Follow the Stadtmauer, which runs along the Altstadt to the Frauentor (Women’s Gate) — and the town even had its own moat.

It’s been a long day here in Mühlhausen looking at the old synagogue, Jewish cemetery, the James’ Church (that’s now a library), the Divi-Blasi Church, and the Nikolai Church. So now I’m heading back to the western side of the Hainich National Park.

Remember, that’s where the hostel is, right? Hopefully I didn’t bring any bugs back with me. ;-)

For anyone who is up in the north of Germany, do I have the ultimate vacation spot for you. Along a narrow peninsula, bordered by Bremerhaven to the east and Wilhelmshaven to the west, jutting right out into the North Sea, is the diverting town of Butjadingen.

This is one beachside resort town that gets to boast that it lies along the Wadden Sea National Park. You know what that means, don’t ya? Yup, mudflat hiking.

OK, not everyone gets all excited about walking along the mudflats after the tide goes out, but it is very easy to get excited about the natural beauty of the area, and all the local wildlife that calls this place home.

The National Museum in Butjadingen puts its main focus on the Wadden Sea National Park. This is a great place to learn more about the region, and the challenges it faces.

In case you’re wondering, it isn’t all serious business here. The North Lagoon, is a fun filled area with a Pirate Adventure, Dog Beach, paddle boats, and sandy beach that’s totally family friendly. Even better is the water that’s pumped in from the North Sea is filtered before you swim in it.

Gotta love German engineering. ;-)

For a quiet place in Butjadingen head to the Art Promenade, an area of sculpture made with all sorts of materials like marble, metal, and stone.

This isn’t to be confused with Die Gallerie am Wehlhamm, filled with all sorts of creations like sculpture, ceramics, and glass from North German artists.

Butjadingen isn’t just about art, it’s about a whole bunch of festivals. The Medieval Show is a July event followed by the Surf Festival in mid-September, and the Farmer & Craft Market in October.

No, it isn’t too cold up here then — and even if it is, put a jacket on. ;-)

I guess if it’s too cold you won’t go camping, so save that for when you’re here in the warmer months. Come inside and enjoy one of the jazz concerts that are held around here instead.

Another indoor must-see is the Pipe Organ at Butjadingen’s St. Laurentius Chuurch, dating back to around 1650. You’ll be stunned by the detail put into this thing.

With so much to see and do in Butjadingen, you can see why I said it was the ultimate vacation spot. Now think about how much more you can do if you actually lived here. Lucky Ducks!

Whoa, hold on there! For a minute instead of thinking I was talking, writing, and seeing a German town — I thought I was in the Netherlands. What would make me think such a thing? Were the signs written throughout Laer in Dutch?

No, it was the wooden shoes.

Anyone visiting Laer should have the Holskenmuseum as their first stop. Here you can learn all about the craft of wooden shoe making. Splinters, of course, are not included in the admission price. ;-)

Just kidding, but the business of this age-old craft isn’t funny. It is, however, truly remarkable how they manage to do it.

Whether you walk around Laer in them is totally up to you, so long as you’ve gotten around to seeing the stone Rathaus that lies along the water. This isn’t a bright Renaissance style building — but there’s something wonderful and peaceful about the old place.

Another peaceful place in Laer is the Oldenburg. What’s totally shocking is no one knows who built the 9th century place, or why it was abandoned in the 1100s. Also from the Middle Ages is the “Fief wunnen Beld,” an altar that once belonged to a medieval court.

The original St. Bartholomew Church is from the Middle Ages, sometime in the 12th century. The building you see today came along in 1485; and inside it is full of religious art and items, like the 15th century wooden crucifix and the Baroque Crucifixion scene.

A good way to the rest of Laer is on one of the Night Watchman tours, or along one of the cycle trails through the Münsterland (like the 150km Aa Vechte Route). You’ll pass along places like the Mühlenturm, built in the 1920s; and the Rathaus Pond shadowed by the Kappwindmühle.

Oh, would you look at that… just another reason to think that you’re in the Netherlands instead of being 10km from Steinfurt, and 20km from Münster. But, if there’s any doubt, the Theater im Park (2 days in August) is all in German, just to remind you that you actually are in Germany. ;-)

Right in the rustic Rhön is the Hessian town of Kalbach, a quintessential German town of seven villages bordering the state of Bavaria, just 20km south of Fulda.

That being said, Kalbach’s biggest attraction isn’t some medieval abbey or pilgrimage church. Nor, is its biggest attraction some fanciful castle. No, the biggest reason for coming to Kalbach is the Hessian Rhön Nature Park.

A number of Kalbach’s villages fall within this biosphere — like Eichenried, a hamlet of just 188 people. Besides its nature setting, visit Eichenried’s Planetenweg (Planet Trail) to learn more about the Solar System.

Heubach is Kalbach’s resort town in the Hessian Rhön Nature Park, but its biggest attraction is its restored synagogue that’s now a museum.

Mittelkalbach is the biggest of all of Kalbach’s villages, just shy of 2,000 residents, that used to belong to the Kloster Neuenberg. Besides having a huge solar farm, you should see its St. Sebastian Church.

Niederkalbach also has a must-see church, St. Laurentius built all the way back in 1459. While Oberkalbach is where you’ll find the local Protestant Church.

One of the oldest of Kalbach’s churches is in Veitsteinbach, just south of the nature park. The St. Vitus Chapel was originally built in 1167, but has seen renovation and restoration in the 18th and 20th centuries.

Have I left any out? Oh yes, Uttrichshausen, a village that’s been around since the early 9th century. You’ll find two churches here… one Evangelical, the other the Catholic Church of St. Boniface.

Of course, with all this sightseeing around churches, doesn’t leave much time to explore all the local flora & fauna in the nature reserve, does it? Oh well, I guess you’ll have to extend your stay in Kalbach to get it all in. :-)

Upper Bavaria is one of those places that never ceases to delight. Not because of any one thing, but as a whole, because of places like Grasbrunn.

Found just one town over from Munich, Grasbrunn is a beautiful town of five villages, each with their own unique flair and contribution to the city.

A lot goes on in Keferloh — surprising since it’s a village of 19 people. You’ll find a 12th century church (St. Giles) with Romanesque frescoes, and a small chapel from the 19th century whose plain exterior is what makes it truly beautiful.

Keferloh is also where you’ll find Grasbrunn’s Antique Market taking place on the first Sunday of the month; and a Flea and Farmers Market on the second and fourth Saturday of the month.

I guess with only 19 residents, there’s plenty of space to set up tables full of sausages, veggies, and other locally grown goodies. ;-)

As easy as it is to get lost in what’s going on in Keferloh, you should go to Grasbrunn proper — where you’ll find the Baroque church of St. Ulrich that still has its Gothic tower. And along St. Ulrichsplatz you can see the old Waterworks, a marvel of engineering and architecture from the 19th century.

Harthausen’s must-see architecture is its 14th century St. Andrew’s Church with its Baroque tower; and the medieval tower of the hamlet’s Waterworks located at Dorfplatz 1.

The village of Möschenfeld also has a blend of the medieval with Baroque. Its Catholic Pilgrimage Church has wall from the Middle Ages, but is decorated in the flashy Baroque style.

A good way to experience the best of Grasbrunn is by bicycle. The 19km cycle path that starts and ends in Keferloh manages to get it all in. The best part? It’s a relatively easy ride, so it’s great for the whole family to do.

If you’d rather walk, you’ll find a bunch of nature trails in the village of Neukeferloh.

Now do you see why Upper Bavaria, and places like Grasbrunn, never cease to amaze?

You’d think as MyGermanCity.com got to smaller and smaller (I mean, less populated) villages that it would get harder and harder to find something to do. Anyone who’d have thought that has never been to the town of Willingen (Upland) in the Sauerland.

OK, so what if the place has just over 6,000 people living here? Doesn’t mean they live in a cultural vacuum. Quite the opposite, actually.

And what’s even better is Willingen is hopping in both summer and winter.

Let me start off by saying that if you’re not the outdoor type, you might find yourself turning into one after coming here. Pick a season, and you’ve got a bazillion things to do in the foothills of the Rothaargebirge.

Summertime is great for horseback riding, doing the summer toboggan run, Nordic Walking, mountain biking, or trying the high rope course. Then you’ve got the whole Diemelsee Nature Reserve, a beautiful conservation area, to explore.

Willingen’s tiny lanes and rolling hills make the perfect scenery for a motorcycle ride. Another way to appreciate the scenery is from the cable cars and chairlifts up the mountainside.

Come winter, when these same chairlifts will take you up the mountain so you can downhill ski. This is just one winter activity, and it wouldn’t be right to leave out sledding, Winter Hiking, and cross-country skiing.

Winter sports lovers also flock to Willigen to see the ski jumping events that take place at the Mühlenkopfschanze, one of the largest of its kind in the world. It can seat up to 38,000 spectators — and it fills up quickly for events like the annual Ski Jump World Cup.

Willingen is also historical and educational. The Milchmuhseum is all about the town’s dairy production, and the Schwalenburg Fort dated back to around the 8th century. Oh, you can visit an old Bergwerk (Slate Mine), too.

All this activity takes its toll, so relax at the Lagunen-Erlegnisbad (a spa). After that it’s your choice if you want to go camping or stay at one of the charming guesthouses for the night.

There’s no way anyone could ever say of Willigen (Upland) that there isn’t anything to do — even if it isn’t all that populated.

The 1,532 square kilometers large Wildeshausen Geest Nature Park lies between Bremen, Oldenburg, and Vechta.

Known as the Wildeshauser Geest in German, the Wildeshausen Geest has a funny name, right? Geest is a Low German word that means border cross… Oh, I get it — the Wildeshausen Geest crosses a handful of county borders.

Yes, I’m joking around again, but the Geest itself needs to be taken seriously. This is why I’ve picked my “Top 10” towns for you.

Why ten?

Why not? ;-)

What’s even better about the Wildeshausen Geest is if you’re truly a history buff, you’ll be more than delighted with all the archaeology sites. It’s been said that the Geest is the “longest and best preserved cemetery in northern central Europe.”

They’re not my words, but I’ll give you the general gist of it — think lots and lots of megalithic (uh, prehistoric) graves. Makes sense why you’ll find the Route of Megalithic Culture here.

This scenic route isn’t the only one to come through the Geest. The Lower Saxon Mill Route (filled with wind and water mills); the Jadeweg, Pickerweg, and Geestweg (all hiking routes); and the Beerenlehrpfad (a cycling route) are to just name a few.

I’m going to start in Ganderkesee, as this state-approved resort is conveniently located on the A28 Autobahn.

Besides, Ganderkesee’s got the Gaukirche with its Arp-Schnitger-Orgel (an organ from the year 1699), and in the Hügelgrab in its Stenum district are more than 5,000 year old archaeological findings.

Next door is Hude, a town where you can go from the far reaches of space along the Planet Trail to medieval Kloster ruins at the half-way point of our trip.

As if the Wildeshausen Geest isn’t a nature area in itself, the town of Wardenburg has its own nature area. It also has a Blacksmith Museum, a Water Mill, and a City Festival that takes place on the second Sunday of every August.

You might’ve noticed the Wildeshausen Geest has gotten a little more forested by now. And it will pretty much the rest of the way — but you will also see marshes, moorlands, and farmland too.

Another nature loving town is Großenkneten, as they, too, have their own nature area known as the Ahlhorner Fischteiche (Ahlhorn Fishponds) — in addition to Canoe tours on the Hunte River.

A good way to get to know Großenkneten and its history better is to see the Sage War Cemetery in its Sage district, which used to be a line of battle for the Allies during WWII.

We’re not going far to our next town. Wildeshausen is right next to where we’ve just come from. Sure, there is a Romanesque basilica, an awesome looking Rathaus, a Distillery Museum, and Jewish cemetery. But, you’ll like the information boards that tell about all the different tree species, the 16th century Lohmühle (once used for tanning) that’s now an artist’s studio, and the highlights of the Route of Megalithic Culture.

Like to swim? Sure. Let’s head to the Hartensbergsee, a recreational lake in Goldenstedt with all sorts of activities, or just plain relaxation. And a tour with the cute Moorbahn along the Goldenstedter Moor is in order too.

Awesome, we’ve made it to Twistringen — you know the place I told you about being on the Beerenlehrpfad? This route will take you from Bremen to Osnabrück, highlighting all the fruits and berries grown around the region — however, if you want to stay local, check out the 160 meter long Wild Rose Path.

You can thank me for telling you by sending me white roses, they’re my favorite. ;-)

Won’t you thanking me again for telling you about Bassum‘s Stift und Stiftskirche, in the southwestern part of the Geest. This 13th century church is filled with all sorts of religious art, and the building itself is a unique blend of Romanesque and Gothic architecture. I’m sorry to say not much remains of its mid-9th century beginnings — but it is the oldest of its kind in Lower Saxony, and one of its most famous patrons was St. Victor of Xanten.

Syke is next, known mostly for its hiking and biking trails. You’ll get a true Geest experience here with 24 stations of information, and an outside “classroom”, in addition to the observation tower. Also in the forest is all sorts of sculpture; but inside town is a County Museum (with prehistoric archaeology finds), a theater, and a pretty Evangelical Church.

We’ll finish our circular trip through the Wildeshausen Geest in Stuhr. Hot spots are the numerous old mills from the 19th century that are still working, and the Gut Varrel, a farmhouse from the 14th century.