Almost slipping over to Austria, the town of Weiler-Simmerberg, which is over 1,100 years old, shows off its historical side of things throughout town.

I guess I shouldn’t say that considering the Romans used to use the Enschenstein for their own reasons. Followed by the Alemanni who used the 15 meter high walls for their own purposes.

Sorry, I’m not an archaeologist — don’t have any clue what they could’ve used it for. I could guess for the Romans, they were usually up to some kind of vice. Ugh, did I just say that out loud? This is a family-friendly website… ;-)

Sorry, back to Weiler-Simmerberg.

Want to see how people used to live here? Go to the Westallgäuer Museum (located on Hauptstraße) with its exhibits on everyday items.

The Pflanzenkundliche Schausammlung is a museum full of pressed flowers and plants. Pay special attention to all the orchids.

On the Kirchplatz (Church Square) is Weiler-Simmerberg’s Pfarrkirche (Parish Church), and its Rathaus (Town Hall) brightly decorated with flowerboxes.

Want another museum? Sure you do, when it’s the Brau & Brunnen Museum — all about the history of beer brewing. Splendid, I could use one of those right about now.

It isn’t all about museums. Hidden throughout Weiler-Simmerberg’s 20 villages are a number of villas that pre-date the First World War. And the Haus Mangold was once a monastery.

You certainly can’t miss the Granery, as it too is decorated with flower boxes, and brightly colored as well.

I know you want a castle. Oh wait, that’s me. Even if you don’t want to see a castle, there’s one here. The Altenburg ain’t going no where since it’s in the same spot from when it was built around 1200. OK, so maybe it’s not in the same condition; as it was totally empty by the mid-17th century.

Like half-timbered buildings instead? All right, Weiler-Simmerberg can do that too. Scope out the Alte Salzfaktorei, it’s one of those mousey yet stunning framework diddies.

It’s great to have trekked over to the Bavarian side of the Alb, and I haven’t even gotten to the natural side of Weiler-Simmerberg yet. Awesome, to say the least. And I can always use the historic town signs to find my way back.

No, I don’t think they have those out in the gorge — better bring the GPS. On second thought, nevermind. If I’m gonna get lost I wouldn’t want to do it anywhere other than right here.

Somehow, some way, you’ve found yourself in the town of Winterlingen.

Uh, now what? At first glance it doesn’t appear to have too much of anything. You didn’t look hard enough, my friends. You didn’t look hard enough. ;-)

How do I know? Because I had the same problem. Yeah, sure I heard about the Romans that used to stomp their way through and along what they used to call the Hochstraße. Wait, that’s German… didn’t the Romans speak Latin? I’m pretty sure they called it something else.

Nevermind, they were here. Long before they got here, Bronze Age guys and gals lived in this part of the Swabian Alb. Again, how do I know? The Bronze Age burial mounds from around 1500 B.C. give it away. There is even an Urnfield from around 900 B.C. located here in Winterlingen. Some of these finds have even made their way into the Württemberg State Museum — in case you’re interested.

That’s downright ancient. That kind of makes the 17th/18th century Church of Sts. Peter & Paul not seem old at all. Neither does the Evangelical Church and St. Gertrude Church, for that matter.

FYI, I really like the paintings at the 14-Nothelfer-Kapelle, and the art at the mid-18th century St. Mauritius Pfarrkirche. You will too, I’m sure.

And what’s age anyway? Forget about it and head to the Museum Harthausen, a local history museum. And to the Postal Museum that’s all about sending or receiving mail.

Ahh, the art of letter writing — a lost art in the days of email.

Before I get too nostalgic, it’s off into the Alb for hours and hours of hiking, Nordic Walking, and kayaking fun. To make it educational, check out the Planetenweg where you’ll learn all about the planets, including Pluto. Sorry, I’m old-school, Pluto will forever be a planet.

All this works up one killer appetite, and you won’t eat any better than right here in the heart of Swabia. Quite a few of Winterlingen’s restaurants serve Swabian dishes, but you’ll also get pizza, kebabs, and Italian if you want to stray.

Didn’t I tell you that you didn’t look hard enough? And aren’t you glad you listened to me to find out more about Winterlingen? Thought so. ;-)

Wasn’t it John Lennon who sang “imagine there’s no countries,” or something like that? Thanks, Mister Lennon, for letting me paraphrase when it comes to the town of Wutöschingen that’s just on the other side of Switzerland.

Switzerland isn’t why I said (sang?) about there being no counties — but because of the Dolmen of Degernau, found along Route 163. You see, there really weren’t any “countries” as we know ’em back when these megalithic graves were created.

Is that the right word for that? Used? No, that won’t work. I know, when these graves were necessary. ;-)

These prehistoric dolmen aren’t the only ones. There’s also the Menhir in Degernau, a 2 meter high stone out in the middle of a meadow.

Jumping ahead quite a few centuries (when borders were established, bummer) will bring you to the late 18th century Baroque church of St. John the Baptist. And Wutöschingen’s St. Magdalene building of today might come from 1955, but before that it was just a simple chapel from the late 16th century.

One chapel that hasn’t really changed is the Antoniuskapelle from 1695. Every year on the Fest des heiligen Antonius (St. Anthony’s Feast Day, January 17th), the chapel has special services.

It seems like it’s all about the religious sites in Wutöschingen; but when you’ve got a medieval Benedictine order now residing in a 14th/15th century castle — how could it not?

The castle, BTW, was once Schloss Ofteringen; and the monastery is Kloster Marienburg.

At least Schloss Willmendingen isn’t another religious site, but it is privately owned. Too bad, I wouldn’t mind a glimpse inside this early 17th century gem.

I’ll have to just bide my time at one of Wutöschingen’s festivals, like the Tanz in den Mai (Dance into May), or shop at one of the Flea Markets.

Don’t judge… one man’s trash is another’s treasure. ;-)

Better yet, I’ll try to finagle a judge’s seat during one of the town’s baking competitions. I’m a sucker for a good cherry cheesecake.

Other cultural activities in Wutöschingen include cabaret performances, art exhibitions, concerts, and just picnicking. I’m a sucker for good wurst and cheese, too.

With all that eating you and I are gonna have to hit up those marked hiking and biking trails. Too bad I’m not a sucker for lots of exercise, but I’ll enjoy it out here in the Upper Rhine region, just for the scenery alone.

It’s too bad that there isn’t time to see all of Leisnig’s 40 villages and boroughs. Yet the ones that I did manage to wrap my eyeballs around were fantastic.

You won’t know where to go first. I’d say Burg Mildenstein (’cause who doesn’t love a good medieval German castle from the 10th/11th centuries), with its Castle Chapel and ornately decorated Rittersaal; but that’s not fair to the 15th century St. Matthew Church.

You know what? Hit the church first, since there’s plenty of time to see the castle during the Burg und Altstadt Festival in August.

Altstadt, by the way, is German for Old Town — and hidden away are some information boards that tell you about some of the area’s buildings. Drats, they’re in German. ;-)

At least they speak some English over at the Kloster Buch, another medieval site. They have herb talks about the monastery’s Herb Garden, offer cultural performances, have monastic experiences for children, and offer a Farmer’s Market a few times a year.

You know what else is great for the kids? To find the cutely decorated fire hydrants — there are 19 of them scattered around town.

Oh c’mon… any place that takes such pride in something so mundane as a fire hydrant has to be pretty spectacular, right? :-)

I’ll give you a few hints… There’s one in the Altstadt, one in the Saumarkt (where they used to trade pigs), and one on Chemnitzer Straße.

Look for them while you’re celebrating at Leisnig’s Blütenfest (Blossom Festival) in May or the Christmas Market on second Advent.

When you’re not partying til you can’t party no more, head to the village of Bockelwitz to see its 12th century St. Giles Church, cycle on the Multental Bike Path, or head to the game reserve for the animals.

Polditz is much calmer, with only around 160 residents; and has a 19th century Evangelical church to see. Even smaller is Altleisnig — with only around a hundred people living there everyone knows everyone.

While Leisnig won’t win any records for having the smallest or least populated villages in Germany, they did win one for having the largest boot. Yup, they got one measuring just shy of 5 meters tall!

No wonder I couldn’t see all of Leisnig’s villages — I was too busy starring at this enormous footwear. ;-)

Ooh, I’m in Bavaria. Nope, I’m in Austria. Back in Bavaria. Nah, back to Austria. Seasick yet? Don’t be — I’ll stop. Let’s spend some precious time in the Bavarian town of Laufen.

Not to be confused with Laufen in Switzerland, BTW. ;-)

Switzerland? Then, what’s up with the Austrian part of this?

Simply explained. This Laufen lies right on the border of Austria — which you can see if you cross the Salzachbrücke.

The bridge itself is a piece of art, a pretty piece of decoration that crosses the Salzach River.

Many of the buildings around the Marktplatz in the Old Town are in the Inn-Salzach architectural style, so they’re pretty pieces of decoration themselves. You’ll know you’ve crossed into the Altstadt when you’ve walked under either the Lower or Upper Gates — which is where you’ll find the town’s 13th century Stadtmauer, or defense wall.

Ahh, the Middle Ages — where do we go from there? Yes, the Stiftskirche’s Gothic Hall. Take a Night Watchman tour to see this side of Laufen.

Want a castle instead? OK, you can do that — so off to the 16th century Schloss Triebenbach you go. It’s said that Mozart himself was a guest at this castle.

OK, follow my trail of thinking here for a minute. Mozart equals music. Music equals party. Party equals festival. Great, now you know how my brain works. ;-)

So, this brings me to Laufen’s festivals. Laufen’s two Wine Festivals are quite popular. If you can’t make the one in May, you’ve always got the one in August.

August is also the month for the Chapel Festival; followed by the Fair Week in September.

And there are two Christmas Markets in December, as well as an Advent Market and a Winter Festival. Always good for some mulled wine and shopping. Plus, in July Laufen hosts Village Festival (Dorffest), a Summer Festival, and the Salzach River Festival.

Wow, we haven’t even gotten to the Bavarian Alps yet. Hiking is in order here, I’d say. Of course you could always try some winter sport like winter hiking, if you prefer the weather colder.

I do, but Laufen is so wonderful I’ll take it any way I can get it. :-)

Mention the word sin and you’ve somehow managed to open a whole can worms. Murder, mayhem, total debauchery… those kinds of things. Add a letter and you get something entirely different. In this case you add an extra “n” and you’ve got a wonderful Hessian town. And it would be a sin to miss out on Sinn.

In addition to the fact that the word Sinn translates to “meaning”… So it’s a good moment to contemplate about the meaning of life, hugh?

It won’t take you long to get through Sinn; it isn’t very big. However, if you know where to look, you’ll be just fine.

One place to see is a wonderful villa, called Villa Haas. It isn’t the villa itself (although its striking), but the gardens with its rare plants, the belfry, the grottos & ponds and Chinese Tea House. Yes, the outside is stunning.

Speaking of the outside, Sinn lies in an area known as the Hörre. This natural area of woods is laced with meandering rivers, ancient burial mounds of those who came before us, and mountain peaks to stare in awe.

Sinn also lies right at the foothills of the Westerwald, so get on those hiking shoes and walk… then walk some more.

Then again, if your idea of being close to nature is watching it on the television then I’ll suggest heading off to see one of the nearby castles.

One intact castle is Schloss Herborn (in Herborn), built in the 12th century with a moat. Today it is an Evangelical Seminary. The impressive Burgruine Greifenstein (in Greifenstein) is only partially in ruins; and is one of my favorites.

Burg Greifenstein houses a Bell collection, and does double-duty as a Village & Castle Museum. Forget heading inside, the castle’s double tower Keep kept me staring — they’re monsters of engineering.

Thanks for mentioning engineering — Sinn was quite the steel town. Over at the Old Cemetery there’s a mention of those who helped develop the industry. Yes, I’ll remember them the next time I step into a high-rise or get into one of those fine German cars.

Yes, I’d say that not coming to Sinn would be quite a sin. Don’t you agree? :-)

Fascinating. That’s a good word to use for the Lower Bavarian town of Salzweg. Yes, fascinating will work. Why?

Stick around for a few, and you’ll find out.

I like how the town is made up of some 52 (!) villages and hamlets. Not totally unheard of around these parts, since there are literally hundreds of these little shires found all around Salzweg’s neighbors.

One particular village of Salzweg is Straßkirchen, home to the Parish Church (Pfarrkirche) of St. Giles. While originally Gothic, St. Giles is now known for its Baroque accents.

The other church that stands out is the tall spired, steep steepled (ha-ha) Church of St. Rupert. It’s not an oldie, having only been around since the 1960s, but it’s a goodie.

There’s only one last religious site that you must see — the Cistercian Monastery Thyrnau. Looks like a castle, doesn’t it? It was. Well, it was a “hunting lodge,” a Jagdschloss from 1689, becoming a monastery only in 1902.

The nuns that live here now are from an order that’s been around since the Middle Ages, and are famous for their embroidery.

It’s not the only piece of the medieval here in Salzweg, as the town was once on what’s called the Goldener Steig. From as far back as at least the 10th century, Salzweg was on a trade route that stretched from Bohemia and along the Danube.

Ah yes, the Danube. Boating along this famous river is quite a popular activity for both locals and visitors alike. Pretend you’re a Roman or something — you’ll have a blast. ;-)

Besides being along the Danube, and a stone’s throw to Austria, Salzweg lies within the Ilztal area of the Bavarian Forest National Park. Don’t have a lot of time? Hike only a portion of the Ilztalwanderweg.

Got more time? Do that, and try swimming and golfing, cycling and visiting many of the museums located in the nearby towns.

If you get too tired doing all this, spend the night at one of Salweg’s “tourist farms,” real working farms that accommodate overnight guests. Or, try one of the local guesthouses — even better if its one that’s built in the famous “chalet” style of the area.

Do you believe me now when I say that Salzweg is just fascinating? I knew you would. ;-)

Both the Romans and the Hohenzollerns are big business here in Rosenfeld.

For those who don’t know, Rosenfeld lies along the Neckar-Alb-Aare Roman Route as well as the Hohenzollern Route.

The Römerbad is one of the area’s top sites; not bad considering the estate wasn’t even discovered until the 1970s.

Not too many people out there appreciated wine like the Romans, so in their honor I drink to them at the Günter-Lehner Brauerei und Weinkellerei. I know, we love long names and titles, but don’t blame me for that. ;-)

Before I spend all my time talking about the brewery and wine cellar (and long names), maybe I better get a move on to tell you about Rosenfeld’s Alte Apotheke, or Old Pharmacy. It is one of the oldest buildings of its kind in this part of Germany, built in 1244.

This is but one of the buildings you’ll see in Rosenfeld’s Altstadt; and it even has a medieval Stadtmauer, a defense wall that was popular in the Middle Ages.

I think the 16th century Marktplatz is exceptionally charming, framed by buildings like the Alte Rathaus (Old Town Hall), built in 1687.

With a history like this, it’s no wonder that Rosenfeld boasts two Local History Museums (known as a Heimatmuseum in German). Another museum, the Heinrich Blickle Museum, is all about the stove (yeah, like a cooker) — and guided tours are available if you call ahead.

It’s interesting to go from the kitchen to the stars, which you can do if you plan a visit to the Sternwarte Zollern-Alb, an observatory.

Just remember to bring your head in from the clouds during one of Rosenfeld’s many festivals and markets. I know I’m gonna forget one or two, but I’ll try to do them all.

March is when the annual Frühlingsfest (Spring Festival) takes place, followed by an Easter Bazaar, a May Festival on May 1st, the Weinbrunnen & Blütenfest (also in May), and the Kirchenfest at the end of same month.

June kicks off with a Flea Market, October has a Fair on the 3rd weekend of the month, and it ends with the obligatory Weihnachtsmarkt in December.

Just as an honorable mention, Rosenfeld also lies on the Way Of St. James on a leg that’s known as the Kirchberg-Pilgerweg. But, even if you aren’t on a pious quest, the countryside is exceptional. And if you get too tired after all that hiking, there’s a shuttle bus that runs on Sundays that’ll bring you back.

Cool — can you drop me back off at the brewery? :-)

Lucky for me, ’cause today I’m in Rheinmünster in the Upper Rhine Valley. Not only am I right across the Rhine from France, but I’m also just one town over from the posh town of Baden-Baden.

What’s remarkable is not only is Rheinmünster dominated by its natural landscape, but also its Münsterschwarzach. This medieval structure has been a Benedictine order since 826, and its 13th century church has four periods of architectural stylings. That would be Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque, if you’re wondering.

A guided city tour will tell you everything you need to know about its abbey, and about the town’s 14th century St. Mauritius Church in the village of Söllingen. Oh yes, all about the Chapel to St. Wolfgang (what? this is Germany) that was built over the original in 1732.

Rheinmünster’s pretty churches might keep you busy, but you still need to get out on one of the hiking or biking trails. If you’re really adventurous, you can head to the Fremersberg, good for jogging and mountain biking.

The Fremersberg is a bit hilly, so for something flatter try playing 18-holes of golf, tennis, or swimming. Follow that up with a BBQ at one of the town’s grill huts. Invite everyone around, you’ll make all kinds of new friends.

All that’s missing is a castle. Not really — you just gotta head towards Baden-Baden for that. Schloss Hohenbaden is one of those early 12th century numbers — perfect, a medieval castle.

I don’t wanna hear that that’s not Rheinmünster — close enough to count, OK?

All right, if you’re gonna split hairs, the Arts & Crafts Market, that’s held in early October, is actually in Rheinmünster. So is the Christmas Market, Oktoberfest (in October), the Kirwe, and the Summer Festival (to name a few).

And the German-Canadian Air Force Museum is in Rheinmünster, too. Even the Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport [FKB] is in Rheinmünster! Ahh, every little boy’s dream — airplanes.

See, didn’t I tell you I was lucky to be here on the banks of the Rhine River in Rheinmünster? :-)

Who knew Friedland was such a popular name for towns. Did you know there was one in Russia; three in the Czech Republic; four in Poland, and three in Germany? On this page here I’m gonna tell you about the Friedland in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Hopefully you’re not confused.

To date I haven’t spent too much time in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (as it’s called in German, or simply MeckPomm for short), so I’m really glad to be here now. I had no clue how much of the medieval I was going to find in this Friedland.

Friedland retains that flair because of its medieval Stadtmauer, built around 1304 with walls standing some six meters high. One of the most impressive gates of this defense system is the Anklamer Tor, a gate of Gothic structure that’s five storys high; and one of only three that remains.

Anther gate you gotta see is the Neubrandenburger Tor, which was destroyed in 1453. And some German engineering genius turned it into a water tower.

The Fangelturm is also from the 14th century, as is the Wiekhaus. And the medieval part of Friedland doesn’t end here. The Church of St. Mary is also of Gothic architecture, built in the 14th/15th centuries — and open to visitors from May to September.

Sorry to say that the 13th century Church of St. Nicholas hasn’t held up so well. It did, until it was burned down in 1945. Now you can just come to see its ruins.

Speaking of ruins, there’s a castle ruin nearby. The Burgturmruine in Galenbeck to be more precise — and in English that would be the Castle Tower Ruin. In any language it doesn’t change the story of this 13th century castle that was destroyed sometime in the middle of the 1400s.

I know the many half-timbered houses of Friedland don’t come from the Middle Ages, but they accentuate its Old World feel.

Like the historical so far? Yeah, me too — so off we are to the City Museum to learn more. Good thing it’s open six days a week from April to September; and five days from October to March. Plenty of chances to learn something new.

The name Friedland might be a bit common for some towns, Mecklenburg’s Friedland is totally unique and wonderful. No way I’ll ever confuse it with any other.