It’s a head shaker how Germany could be a leader and innovator in things like technology, science, and medicine. But when it comes to naming its towns, there isn’t all that much. Case in point, Sulzbach am Main in Lower Franconia.

There are a few Sulzbachs in Germany, and that’s not even to confuse you with one of its villages, Soden (one of the three that make up this Sulzbach, just so you know). Which, by the way, used to be called Bad Sodenthal, and changed so that you wouldn’t confuse it with other Sodens.

Cripes, I just confused myself and I’m writing this thing…

Forget it, let’s just talk about Sulzbach am Main’s Wine Festival in July and its Wiesenfest in August instead. Or, about its Oktoberfest that’s really in October. Ohhh, the Advent Bazaar in November is a warm-up for December’s Christmas Market on the Kirchplatz.

It isn’t just the festivals that make Sulzbach a winner. Lying along the western edge of the Spessart, Sulzbach is a hiker’s delight. The same goes for mountain bikers, the area is ripe with all sorts of trails for both. Don’t get all excited if you’re just a regular old bike rider — there are paths for you too.

Sulzbach’s great for the history loving crowd too. Start at the Altenburg, a prehistoric castle from around 6,000 years ago. Yup, that dates it to around 4,000 B.C. where the average person only lived to be about 40.

Owhhhhh, that’s rough.

I’m pretty sure it’s because prehistoric man hadn’t found the mineral springs, located in the Sodener Park. The mineral water, found in Soden, is used in the bottling of mineral water for a very famous soft-drink company.

I won’t mention any names, but their initials are C-O-K-E. ;-)

Yeah, speaking of soft-drinks, the last place to see in Sulzbach is the Braunwarthsmühle, a 17th century mill that is now a local eatery. Food & history, it doesn’t get much better than that.

You know, I don’t care if Germany’s got a gazillion towns named Sulzbach… I think this one is unique enough to hold its own against any of ’em.

In south central Upper Bavaria, merely 20km or so from Munich, is the lovely town of Sauerlach. And a tip from me to you about the best way to experience it: get yourself a bicycle.

Oh, c’mon. It’s not like you’re mountain biking the Alps or anything. It’s comparably flat here. ;-)

Start off your quest with a local map from the town’s Tourist Office, rent a bicycle and off you go. Don’t worry, you work your way through all of Sauerlach’s churches — in a counter-clockwise direction.

The entire route this way is 20.8km long, starting off at the St. Andreas Church. From here you wander down to the St. Ulrich Chapel; which is only about 2km away or so.

See, I told you it wasn’t that bad, but we still have quite a number of churches left to go.

From St. Ulrich’s, we’re making our way towards the St. Anna Chapel and the St. Margaret Church. Following it up with stops at the Nikolauskapelle and the Dreifaltigkeitskirche in the village of Großeichenhausen.

We’re off to the St. Corona Chapel, ending at St. Michael’s Church. Expect to spend some serious time here at St. Michaels. The Baroque exterior and interior don’t tell you that it was once a medieval church, built in 1315.

Before heading out onto the next cycling trail, you need to go to Holzkirchen Straße 22. For what, you ask? To see the Troadkasten, a log built house from 1667 — and the oldest house in town.

The Heimatmuseum (Local History Museum), however, is in the old Vicarage in the village of Arget. This is a cute village, with only around 1,700 residents.

Rested up? Good, we’re going to tackle the 21.9km Nature Cycle Trail next. While it might be an exercise for your legs, it’s a feast for the eyes as you pass farms and fields, meadows and forests.

If you’re not too tired at this point, you could always cycle over to Lake Starnberg — this lake’s only a mere 26km away.

Better yet, stay at one of Sauerlach’s guesthouses or its inn (it only has one), then bike on over.

Want to hear the Lepizig Symphony Orchestra play? Sure you do. You know you want to. Not going to Leipzig? Not a problem, they play in Böhlen.

Confused? Don’t be. Böhlen is just a few kilometers from this creative city; and as I said, where the Orchestra plays. Their New Year’s Concerts are legendary, and consider yourself exceptionally lucky if you get to see one.

I love a town with a historical side, which is found in the village of Großdeuben on the Pleiße River. Just a hamlet of around 2,000 people with 20th century villas now, it was totally wiped out during the Thirty Years’ War.

During the Battle of Leipzig in 1813 its Church of St. Catharine did double-duty as a hospital for wounded soldiers. Keep a look out for the epitaph of the 15th century Elisabeth Brand von Lindau.

What’s unique about the village of Gaulis is that it never once, in all its years, ever had its own school or church. It could be because it was incorporated into nearby Trachenau, then given over the Böhlen in the mid-1960s. Whomever it belonged to didn’t change the fact that Gaulis is (and was) a farming village.

Besides, maybe people of Gaulis wanted to attend services at the Böhlener Church — the oldest building in town, having been built in the 12th century.

Once you’ve gone to see Böhlen’s early 20th century Rathaus (Town Hall), and its Kulturhaus (House of Culture), your history lesson is over. Time to kick it up at the town’s outdoor pool, complete with waterslide.

I prefer the Leipziger Neuseenland, as it gives you a chance to see all the local wildlife. No, the guy on the next beach blanket over that had one too many drinks doesn’t count as real wildlife. ;-)

BTW, the Leipziger Neuseenland was once ruled over by lignite mining. It now turned into a network of lakes created from the industry.

Ain’t that awesome? I thought so. Hmm, do you think it’s possible for someone to talk the Leipzig Symphony Orchestra to maybe play at one? Now that would be even more awesome…

If I ran into German writer, producer, musician, and all-around creative dude Dieter Bohlen, I’d ask him if his hometown of Berne inspired his creativity in any way.

It sure did inspire mine.

Located right at the border of Bremen, Berne is found along in what’s considered a Geest Landscape. Oh, isn’t that a “creative” way for saying marsh lands? ;-)

Call it what you want, doesn’t change the fact that Berne is criss-crossed by a myriad of hiking and biking trails (there’s a 200km circuit of these). This is great for bird watching or quiet leisurely walks. The Weser Cycle Path winds through Berne’s landscape, giving you the chance to see a Stork Nursing Station.

Great, another creative phrase — a simple way of saying that would be “a nest where storks raise their babies.”

Euphemisms and creative language skills don’t mean a thing when there’s a festival going on. Say what you want; a party is a party.

Come the second weekend of September, there’s a Market that’s been going on here for more than 400 years. And every other June (odd-numbered years), the Olle Festival is a wild ride of dragon boat races and canoeing events.

Then there are the Lammwochen (Lamb Weeks). It’s a month of lamb dishes, camping events, and everything in between pertaining to the lamb from mid-July to mid-August.

Easter kicks off a fun time with its Easter Bonfire, then on May 1st it’s the annual Maypole festivities.

With all this excitement, I’m bound to have missed something. No, it wasn’t the obligatory Heimatmuseum (Local History Museum) or the Museum of Ship Building. No, it wasn’t the 13th century Gothic Church of St. Giles. Nor was it the two churches of St. Mary (one in Warfleth, the other in Neuenhuntorf, built in 1500). Um, no it wasn’t the town’s drawbridge.

What was it that I possibly could’ve missed?

Oh yeah, to look out for Dieter Bohlen. Doesn’t matter… I found my creative juices flowing without him. ;-)

Bad Königshofen im Grabfeld in Lower Franconia sits amongst some of the best real estate on this green Earth. You’ll find it just about on the border of Thuringia, along the Thuringian Forest and the Rhön Nature Park.

As if this isn’t enough, its Heilwassersee (Healing Water Lake) is just what anyone needs to relax. The bubbly water beds and waterfall with its 30° Celsius (86° F) water will have you never wanting to leave.

You can’t stay during the winter, as the lake opens for the “season” on Easter Sunday. Even better, it’s the first of its kind in Germany, so everywhere else is just an imitation. ;-) And the reason Königshofen proudly bears the “Bad” moniker.

Wait, the FrankenTherme helps here too. This modern facility has everything a spa-goer could ask for — massages, swimming, mud baths, a sauna even. Ahhh, I feel better already…

Hungry? Don’t worry, you don’t have to leave the FrankenTherme as there’s a restaurant in it, as well as a library and a bowling alley.

Hard to leave right? Well, you’re gonna have to if you want to see the late Gothic Church of the Assumption (called Mariä Himmelfahrt), built in 1442. Or, to take a Night Watchman Tour of this fantastic town.

As with most Bavarian towns it seems like there’s a party every time you turn around. The Autumn Bazaar in October is a good time, as is the Sebastian Market at the Marktplatz every January.

Also in January is where the neighborhood children go door to door for all sorts of treats for the Epiphany. Sounds a lot like Halloween, doesn’t it?

In September for the Feast of St. Michael (Michaelmas) everyone comes to see the flower decorated fountain.

Prefer a quieter activity? A stroll to the old Jewish Cemetery is a good idea. Don’t look at me like that — cemeteries are like parks in Germany, so it’s not out of the ordinary to find everyday folks sitting around reading a good book.

Another way of enjoying the outside is to hike around the Rhön Nature Park, or stroll along the banks of the Franconian Saale River. A number of prehistoric finds from Bad Königshofen im Grabfeld have found their way into a museum, so maybe you’ll get lucky and find something valuable.

I shouldn’t say that — as all your time in Bad Königshofen im Grabfeld is valuable. :-)

How could this have happened? Unheard of. Unspeakable. Totally crazy. I just don’t understand how the town of Bomlitz isn’t on the Route of Megalithic Culture.

That was my first reaction.

After calming down, I realized that while Bomlitz might have almost a dozen prehistoric graves — they aren’t capped with all those mega-ton stones that this aforementioned Neolithic scenic route is most famous for.

My meltdown was averted, so I could really enjoy the ten burial mounds found along the Archaeology Trail, dating from around 1500 to 1200 B.C.

Bomlitz has eight districts, so seven more to go before our time here is done. Benefeld is one of the smallest, not even two square kilometers. And funny enough, it’s one of the most populated with some 2,200 people living here.

A far cry from the village of Ahrsen that’s more than five times its size (11 sqkm), with only 104 residents. Ahhh, room to stretch. I’m sure the fact that parts of this hamlet is a nature protected area has something to do with it.

Borg, a village of just over 600 residents, is where the old Saxon castle (Borg Hünenburg) from the 8th or 9th century was found. And Cordingen, along the Warnau River, is home to a 600 year old Mill that’s now a popular party venue.

Cordingen was made famous, BTW, not for its mill (OK, that helped), but because a local writer by the name of Arno Schmidt wrote about the place in his story Schwarze Spiegel, or Black Mirrors in English.

All the history and stuff aside, Bomlitz is home to one of Germany’s biggest bird parks. Bird watchers rejoice, you’ll find 700 species spread out over its 240,000 square meters through the Lüneburg Heath.

It’s all right that Bomlitz isn’t on some German scenic route (yet), it’s quite great in its own right.

Most of the time it is a town’s churches or its castles that tells a tale. But, once in a while you hear the tale of a resident (or two) that really makes you want to come here. Pfaffenhofen an der Roth in Bavarian Swabia is the one falling into the latter category.

Where to start? Let’s go with who came first, Elisabeth Gaßner. This resident was more infamous than famous, known as Schwarze Lies. In the 1780s she was convicted of what would be today’s grand larceny, stealing a bag of money from a local Imperial Count. She was actually given the death penalty for this act, only stayed until she gave birth to her baby.

Didn’t I tell you before Germany was chocked full of these scandalous stories? ;-)

No museum was dedicated to Elisabeth, quite a different story for another local boy, Hermann Köhl. Mister Köhl was a Blue Max (one of Prussia’s top honors) for his flying during World War I.

He was also the first pilot to fly trans-Atlantic in an east-west direction in the late 1920s, where a ticker tape parade awaited him in the United States. He went on to become a flight director for the German Airline, Lufthansa.

Mr. Köhl is buried here in Pfaffenhofen, and a museum is dedicated to him at the Town Hall.

Enough of the locals, time to move on to Pfaffenhofen’s festivals. This is Bavarian Swabia, so trust me when I say you’ll be eating great during any one of them. The end of April/first day of May kicks it with Maibaum; the Dorffest (Village Festival) falls at the end of June; and at the end of August is the annual Summer Festival.

Once the Bavarian Swabian summer is done, the Herbstmarkt (Autumn Market) comes along in the middle of September. Followed by all sorts of Advent concerts and Christmas events.

What’s the Christmas season without a church? St. Martin is the most famous, built in 1375. Because St. Martin is so old, it was here to see both of its famous residents.

Meet me out on one of the Nordic Walking trails, and we’ll talk more about it. ;-)

OK, I’m guilty of “romanticizing” many towns and villages in Germany. What can I tell you, I’m a glass half-full kinda person. Truthfully, I am working very hard in my brain about how to do that to the town of Thalheim in the Ore Mountains.

It isn’t as though the place isn’t… Yikes, what’s the right word? Let’s go with, uh, quaint? No, that’s not right. How about…

Forget it. The best I can come up with is Thalheim is distinctly German.

Don’t give me that face. Thalheim is where industrial and farming folks get up before the chickens; going to work or grab a bite at one of the local eateries.

This isn’t a bad thing.

Then came the epiphany. The highly romanticized Thalheim in my mind. I saw it blanketed under a freshly fallen snow. What is it about the white stuff that makes you see things in a whole new light? Whatever it is, I’m not arguing.

Sure, Thalheim’s landmark 19th century church is just as pretty during the summer, but the calm surrounding this Evangelical Church after a snow storm makes it extraordinary.

The snow, however, might not be the best terrain to navigate around all the cobbled stoned streets, nor to see all the indigenous plants along the Pionierweg Nature Trail.

Doesn’t matter really about the snow when you’re headed into the old silver mining tunnels. No one will put you to work, the mines have been closed for decades.

Thalheim’s Oil Mill (called Ölmühle, a.k.a. Wiesenmühle) might have been built in 1577, but this too hasn’t worked in a long time. It now houses the Museum of Technology; and it’s conveniently located right next to both a cafe and guesthouse.

And as I said, this is where everyday Germans go to work — but they also like to play. So, head to the indoor/outdoor swimming pool that’s filled with salt water (very healthy), or to have a go at the 68-meter long water slide.

OK, so the snow might’ve been the catalyst for romanticizing Thalheim (Erzgebirge) — but all in all, the town is quite fun too. :-)

Would you believe of all the churches and chapels in the 57 villages and hamlets of Tuntenhausen, only one is a pilgrimage church? Weird, isn’t it?

A funny choice of words, I must say. But, I find it extremely curious.

The pilgrimage church in question is the Wallfahrtsbasilica, said to be the site of a mid-15th century miracle. So many people used to show up back then, the entire building had to be rebuilt on a bigger scale.

The church, BTW, didn’t become a basilica until Pius XII made it one; and you’re welcome to visit any day from 8am to 8pm — for free no less.

Tuntenhausen’s other must-see is the Monastery Beyharting, once belonging to the Augustinian monks. I’m sure they delighted looking at the 16th century frescoes, as I know you will.

You know what, forget that I said that’s all in the must-see department. Just about all the chapels and churches in Tuntenhausen are worth seeing. Dettendorf’s St. Nicholas Church is a Romanesque one, as is the St. George Church (built 1200) in Thal.

I haven’t even gotten to all the Gothic ones yet, like St. Ulrich’s in Biberg and the St. Margaret Church in Sindlhausen.

Tired yet? Please, I haven’t even gotten to the chapels yet. Bolkam’s got one, the Klausenkapelle, built in the 19th century; and in Guperding there’s one built in a Neo-Gothic style.

With all the outstanding churches you’d think that a castle might get lost in the countryside. For an average castle, maybe. Not for the Renaissance Schloss Maxlrain. The magnificence of this castle with its onion domes are only enhanced by its Gothic and Rococo Chapel, and its tree “alley” from the 18th century.

Come to think of it… all these churches (and the castle) make for great stops for anyone traveling along the Way Of St. James. I would suggest that maybe you might want to spend a night or two at one of the local farmhouse/guesthouses. This way you can see all of them, and the Upper Bavarian countryside while you’re at it.

Did you ever had a deja vu? You know, that strange feeling that you’ve seen or done something before? Such is my life in the town of Nienburg (Saale) in Saxony-Anhalt.

I got this uncanny feeling I’ve been here before. Oh wait… I have. Not once. Not twice. Heck, not even the third time is the charm. Get this, Nienburg is on five scenic routes (well, the 5th isn’t a “scenic route” per se, but it still counts).

So, if you’re following the Romanesque Route, you’re coming to Nienburg. If you’re on the German Avenues Route, guess what? You’re coming to Nienburg. Same thing goes for the Saale Cycle Route, the R1 European Cycle Route, and the “Blue Ribbon” route.

I’ll start at the end for a minute for those of you who don’t know what the Blue Ribbon thing is. Saxony-Anhalt got this brilliant idea to highlight all the water activities that you can do in its rivers and lakes. And because Nienburg lies along the Saale (hence, the Saale Cycle Route), you’re enjoying the very best of the river.

Now, the reason Nienburg falls on the Romanesque Route is, naturally, because of the Romanesque architecture — found at the medieval Klosterkirche Nienburg, or Nienburg Monastery Church. Built more than a thousand years ago, it’s a building ordered into being by none other than Charlemagne.

I guess he wanted those coming from the other side of the eastern border of the German Empire to be duly impressed. Shoot, I would’ve been. ;-)

A lot of history is found within the walls of the original 10th century Benedictine monastery. The Church of Sts. Mary & Cyprian is over a millennia old. Other buildings were once used as a castle, and you’ll even find a painting done by Lucas Cranach the Younger. I’m a book lover, so I was totally engrossed at the thought of its 16th century library.

What’s totally got me dumbfounded is that Nienburg isn’t even 25 square kilometers. So, how much more history and sites can you pack in? Let’s see… There’s a 19th century Jewish cemetery, although only a bit of it still has the original tombstones. Then there’s the red-brick chapel in the village of Gerbitz, which is also great for a picture, as is the Church of St. Laurentius, built in 1742 in Latdorf. For something really old, there’s a menhir in Latdorf, too.

And if you’re looking for a castle, guess what, you’ll find one. Schloss Neugattersleben (located in Neugattersleben at Friedensstrasse 1) can only be seen from the outside, but it’s still a grand structure nonetheless. Also in Neugattersleben is the Almshouse, looking picture perfect, right town to its rounded tower; and be sure to swing by the old watermill.

As much as I love old buildings, I love festivals and parties even more; so it’s great there are so many here in Nienburg. The Christmas Market is just charming, and the Messe St. Nikolaus is just as fun. The best would probably be the Pferdemarkt, a horse & bird market held every May. It’s great to just watch people — and who doesn’t love horses?

The best part of the Nienburg isn’t its medieval monastery, castle, scenic routes or its bell dinging Bell Tower. Nope, it is its 16th century half-timbered ice cream shop right on the Marktplatz!

Yummy treats. Historic location. This deja vu thing in Nienburg (Saale) isn’t a bad thing. :-)