You gotta love the Upper Rhine Valley. Where else will you find the little (and I do mean little) town of Maxdorf?

This seven square kilometer village lies just west of Ludwigshafen (and not all that far from the spa town of Bad Dürkheim) in the Palatinate, and is part of a larger Collective Municipality.

For as diminutive and charming as Maxdorf is, it is big on fun. Every year towns folk kick up their heels at the Church Fete in August, then again at the Christmas Market on the weekend before Advent.

Too bad the Summer Festival is held only once every two years.

Oh well, good thing there’s a castle (in Fußgönheim) to keep you busy. The Hallbergsches Schloss (Hallberg Castle) might be a museum today, but when it was built in 1728 it was just some aristocrat’s home. Sure must be nice to be nobility. ;-)

The other museum in Maxdorf is the Deutsche Kartoffelmuseum or German Potato Museum, also in Fußgönheim. A lot of dishes in German cuisine are made with the potato, so it’s only proper to have one dedicated to the grain. Ahh, you thought I was gonna say veggie — but it ain’t. ;-)

The building itself is a piece of Maxdorf’s history — it was once a synagogue. And not too far is an old Jewish cemetery.

That isn’t the only old building around town. BASF built a settlement of sorts so their workers had someplace to live.

They also needed someplace to pray. Which is why the Church of St. Maximilian and the Protestant Church were built at the turn of the last century.

Over on the Friedhofstrasse is a WWII Memorial, a unique obelisk monument decorated with an Imperial Cross. And in the Maxdorfer Forest is a stone cross that commemorate those who lost their lives at a battle that took place here between German and French troops.

All that’s left to do in Maxdorf is to find a hiking trail or bike path that runs along the protected nature area. A quiet walk or cycle ride can do wonders, don’t ya think?

Besides, it won’t take you too long. Remember, Maxdorf isn’t all that big in size, but it sure does make up for it with heart. :-)

Wow, this week was crazy for finding sites to see. Take Heidesee in Brandenburg for instance. There are eleven villages, but not all of them had something to see. That is, unless, you’re into small village churches and quiet hiking trails through dense pine forests.

These hiking trails will bring you out into the countryside where you’ll find the Haus des Waldes, or Forest Education Center. With so much area heavily forested, this is as good of a place as any to start.

Even if you’re not totally into the forest education thing, the view from the observation tower will still astound you.

Some other hiking trails will take you out into the Nature Park Dahme Heidesee, where you’ll run into the Dahme River along the way. Sit for a spell, or grab a fishing pole to catch something.

Sounds great, doesn’t it?

There is a Local History Museum in Prieros, a village of around only a thousand people. A stroll along its half-timbered houses transports you back to another time, and a visit to the Botanical Garden or Organic Garden (how about both!) is really quaint. And you know there will be a Village Church to stop at along the way.

Gräbendorf’s another one of Heidesee’s villages with a small village church. The original one from the mid-14th century was destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, so the one you see today was where townsfolk rebuilt it in 1662, without towers of any kind. That’s why it looks so squat.

A remnant of another war is seen at Gräbendorf’s Soviet Cemetery.

However, lake Frauensee is all about fun, not history of any kind. So is the Wolzinger See, a lake with a boathouse, a marina, and a fishing port.

For other fun, Heidesee kicks it up at the Walpurgis Night Festival, then a Thanksgiving Bonfire (October 3), and the Rosenbaumfest on Pentecost Sunday.

Yeah, it might’ve been a crazy week for sightseeing, but I’m really glad I found Heidesee.

Wadden Sea Map

Whether you call it the Wadden Sea in English, the Wattenmeer in German, or the Waddenzee in Dutch, it doesn’t change the fact that this UNESCO site in Germany has seaside resorts, is a protected ecosystem, and has hiking expeditions.

You’ll find the Wadden Sea, which also includes the Wadden Sea National Park, in the North Sea. Though, it does not encompass the entire North Sea — essentially, the coastline in northern Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark.

One part of the Wattenmeer is North Frisia. And one of its poshest seaside resorts (& island) up there is Sylt. Be prepared, have your cam ready, the next celebrity stands right next to you.

Big cities are found on (or near) the Wadden Sea too, like Hamburg, which is part of the Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park.

The Lower Saxony portion of the Wadden Sea National Park includes the East Frisan Islands, like Wangerooge. Located just six kilometers from this tea drinking island is the Roter Sand Lighthouse. Oh, it ain’t easy to get here — but, for the right price (including having to bring your own water and food) you can spend the night tens of meters above the sea.

Still in East Frisia you’ll find one of its biggest seaside resort towns (& island) there, Borkum, where you can take a number of ferries around to some other places of the Wadden Sea.

With any luck you’ll get a glimpse of the grey whales. It might be hard, since they were once hunted to the point of extinction, but, thankfully, some are making a comeback.

Whales aren’t the Wadden Sea’s only residents. Dolphins and seals are some of its other mammal residents, which isn’t many. They’re totally outnumbered by fishes and other aquatic creatures that include mussels, crab, oysters, clams, sturgeon (what a sea-lovers feast that is), as well as stingrays and jellyfish.

Birds love the Wadden Sea, too. The salty marshes and reeds are where ducks, geese, and some other 60 species of birds come to breed or rest on the wetlands (they just love munching on the insects and spiders that live here). Yuck, bugs.

Birdwatching is a huge activity here, but so is mudflat hiking. When the tide goes out, the mudflats are a great place to just walk out over the land that was just covered by water.

One tip: If you’re not familiar with the tide schedule, grab a guide. Because you don’t want to get caught out there when the tide rolls back in.

Further out into the Wadden Sea the water is subjected to some pretty strong currents, but that doesn’t stop anyone from coming out here boating. Just a little caution is necessary, that’s all.

A small price to pay to enjoy the wildlife and waters of the Wadden Sea, right? Gotta go now though, the tide’s coming back in! ;-)

Mecklenburg Bay Map

The largest of all of Germany’s bays is the Mecklenburg Bay, or Mecklenburger Bucht in German, covering some 3500 square kilometers — reaching from the eastern part of Fehmarn to the north of Darß.

This area sees quite a bit of sailing traffic, and has for centuries since many cities and towns once belonged to the Hanseatic League — a medieval trade organization that dominated the Baltic Sea. The seaports of Lübeck, Wismar, and Rostock sit along its shores, which sit on the Bay of Lübeck and Bay of Wismar, respectively. You can even connect to the Bay of Kiel from here.

The Mecklenburg Bay has more than just smaller bays and seaports. It’ll be hard to find someone who doesn’t love the sea, which is why there are plenty of seaside resorts along its banks.

Dahme might be small with less than 1,300 residents, but it’s got an awesome 19th century lighthouse known as the Dahmeshöved (this isn’t the only lighthouse around the bay — there’s a whole slew of ’em), a 13th century Motte (a castle created on an artificial mound), and more than 100 houses that are only inhabited by bats. This is why Dahme prides itself on being the “bat friendliest city.”

Dahme might be on the Schleswig-Holstein side of the bay, and Boltenhagen is found on the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania side. Boltenhagen is a tad bigger, with just shy of 2600 people; but swells with tens of thousands of visitors every year. I guess they all want to see the town’s cliffs, fish (to catch and eat), stroll along its pier, or relax at the spa.

You’ll even find lagoons out here in the Mecklenburg Bay. The Salzhaff was once used by the Soviet Army during the Cold War, but now instead of soldiers it’s a major stopping point for sailors and surfers.

Pötenitzer Wiek might belong to the city of Lübeck, but it doesn’t have an urban feel — its salt marshes and nature protected areas see to that.

Unlike Salzhaff, Pötenitzer Wiek does have boating restrictions. Better check ’em out before you sail on out this way. Some islands are uninhabited, which also afford the local wildlife with a safe refuge — and as any eco-conscious traveler (and sailor) you better be aware of any restrictions before going ashore.

You could sail around the Mecklenburg Bay for the better part of your adult life and still not see everything. But what you do manage to see will stay with you for a lifetime.

I’d wager money that most people have heard about the Hohenzollern and the Hohenstaufen family in German history. Who they might not have heard about was the Reuss family.

The Reuss family started simple enough in the Thuringian part of the Vogtland region as unfree knights in the 12th century. Throughout the subsequent centuries, these “unfree” fellows rightfully earned higher titles until they eventually becoming reigning princes.

Loyalty has its rewards, I guess.

Anyway, the 110km (68mi) long Princes of Reuss Route (Reussische Fürstenstrasse in German) takes you along to some of the historical sites of this little known pedigree; a family that ruled and reigned over the Thuringian Vogtland for more than eight centuries.

Start of the Princes Of Reuss Route

The Princes of Reuss Route starts off in Hirschberg (Saale), right about to the border of Bavaria. The area belonged to Heinrich LXXII (that would be the 72nd in case you’re wondering) and the Reuss the Younger Line right up to the 20th century.

In 1644 Reuss’ Henry X bought Hirschberg Castle (a 13th century medieval original), converting it to a Baroque castle in 1678. If you’re here for the 4-day Meadow Festival in August, you’ve kicked off this scenic route in the grandest of styles.

Don’t fret if you don’t want to leave the castle. There are ruins of one (it’s got two 35-meter high towers) in the next town of Bad Lobenstein. Aww, forget that — this is a spa town, so what you’ll really want to do is take advantage of the Ardesia-Therme.

Go ahead, pretend you’re a ruling prince while you’re getting pampered properly. Then go visit the Regional History Museum and City Church.

Saalburg-Ebersdorf is the mother lode of Reuss history. The palace was the home of a Count who was the great-granddaddy of England’s Queen Victoria. One Countess went on to help establish the Moravian Church.

The town is also on the Saale Cycle Route, has Baroque English Gardens, an Enchanted Forest detailing the stories of the Brothers Grimm, a summer tobogganing track, and hiking trails passing 350 million year old rock formations.

It’s back to the castles when arriving in cute lil’ Burgk. Schloss Burgk is everything a medieval castle should be — it’s got a Great Hall, a dungeon, and a drawbridge. What it’s also got are rooms with Baroque and Rococo designs.

Yes, it’s easy to see how the Reuss family could love living here.

Had you come to the town of Schleiz before 1945 you’d have seen how beautiful the Schleizer Schloss was. It was originally the archives of the Reuss family (did you know Napoleon stayed here?), but was destroyed by bombings during World War II.

Plothen might be a small village (only 286 or so residents), but its Stilt House (built over 300 years ago) is now a museum, has a Winter Church, and belonged to the Reuss’ right up until World War I.

Zeulenroda-Triebes was also ruled by the Reuss and settled by the Sorbs. Whomever lives or visits now will enjoy hiking along the Planet Trail, and spending time at the Municipal Museum and local zoo.

We’ve just about reached the middle of our Princes Of Reuss Route and the town of Greiz — known as the Pearl of the Vogtland.

Yeah, it’s a gem — with its two palaces (official home of the Reuss’ until 1918). The Upper Castle is the older of the two, built during the Middle Ages undergoing a Renaissance renovation in 1540. The Lower Castle didn’t come along until the 16th century, but a fire in 1802 forced the owners to rebuild. Today it’s home to a local museum and the Tourist Office.

Greiz isn’t just historical, it’s fun. The Park Fest is every June, the Autumn Theater every September, the Jazz Fest in May, and the obligatory Christmas Market takes place in the Castle Garden.

Berga (Elster) wasn’t just ruled by the Reuss Family. Excavations near the rock formation known as the Devil’s Pulpit have found artifacts dating back to the Stone Age. The town also lies on the Elster cycle Route, and its 13th century castle is beautiful.

In between Berga and the next town of Weida are the small villages of Waltersdorf (part of Reinsdorf), Mohlsdorf, Kühdorf (only 24 inhabitants!), and Nitschareuth (part of Langenwetzendorf). You’d do yourself a disservice by not stopping to see the 150 year old farmstead, the Waldhaus (Reuss the Older’s hunting lodge), and maybe spend the night in a 200 year old farm that’s been converted to a guesthouse.

Welcome to Weida, the oldest of all the Reuss Family towns. One local son of the Reuss’ went on to become a Teutonic Knight. Oh, can you just imagine him leaving on his noble quest on his noble steed from the gates of the 12th century castle?

I can. I also can vision all the peasants heading off for Sunday services at the 12th century Peter’s Church.

Peter’s Church might be considered old at nine centuries. But, the Church of St. Vitus in the next town of Wünschendorf is over a thousand. There’s no way you’d get me to leave before seeing the Kloster Mildenfurth (a pilgrimage monastery that was founded by Reuss’ Henry II), the 13th century wooden bridge, or the ruins of the Cronschwitz Monastery.

OK, maybe if you tempted me with the town, er, the city of Gera. Which, just so happens, to be our next stop on the Princes of Reuss Route. The St. Salavator Church is the final resting places of Heinrich Posthumus and his wife.

Heinrich Posthumus, BTW, was so named because he was born after his father (Henry XVI) died. Both of whom lived in the 12th century Schloss Osterstein. Another Henry (the XXV) lived at the Wasserschloss Tinz in the 18th century.

It doesn’t matter too much who lived where — just enjoy Gera’s Cave Festival in October, Botanical Garden, and/or its Museum of Natural History.

What I really want to do is change the Princes of Reuss Route around a bit. After Gera you’re supposed to head off toward Bad Köstritz, then towards Posterstein, and eventually ending in Schmölln.

But, you’ve come this far — wouldn’t it be nice to end in a spa town? So, thank you for letting me take dramatic license and do the route my way.

Oh, I just assumed you wouldn’t mind that I would shake things up a bit. ;-)

So, Schmölln it is; known for its lemonade and vienna-type sausages. It’s also noted for its medieval Stadtmauer, Altstadt (Old Town), its Kirchplatz, and Regional Museum.

If I were a ruling prince of Reuss, I’d be quite proud to show off Schmölln. But, I’m leaving for the village of Posterstein — more specifically Posterstein Castle.

Posterstein Castle is much bigger than it looks. It was built in 1191, but not coming into the Reuss possession until around 1305. The Keep of the castle isn’t too tall (around 12 meters), and its Baroque rooms are now part of a museum.

OK, you’ve made it to Bad Köstritz. Köstritz Palace was home to a number of notable Reuss members, but honestly, the town’s really known for its Schwarzbier (Black Beer) — which has been made at the local brewery since the 1540s. Uh, yeah, that’s almost 500 years.

Of course, if you’d rather learn about Heinrich Schütz (the composer) head on to his house. Or, if you want to know more about Henry LII (the 52nd) career as a General of the Royal Bavarian Army, then you’re most certainly in the right place.

I, however, will be enjoying a much needed massage (and as many other spa treatments as I can get) at the local spa. All that’s needed now is a castle for me to lord over — just like the Reuss’.

Princes Of Reuss Route Web Site

Here’s the official Web site of the Princes Of Reuss Route.

How many times have you walked into a church (or someplace else for that matter) richly decorated with marble? Do you ever give any thought as to where it might come from?

Yeah, sure, Italy’s famous for its marble; but Germany’s got some gorgeous marble of its own. And you’ll find it in the Hessian town of Villmar.

Villmar’s Lahn-Marmor-Museum is a great place to start, as it highlights the history of the town’s marble quarry. You’ll find it right on the Brunnenplatz, making it convenient as well as informative.

Now that you’ve learned about marble, you can now see where the marble comes from. Follow the Lahn-Marmor-Weg and you’ll see exactly where it all comes from. Pretty cool, I must say.

If someone’s going to quarry all that marble, they got to put it somewhere, right? The Church of Saints Peter & Paul is a good start. You might be looking at an 18th century Baroque church today, but had you been here before this one was built in 1746 you’d have seen the Romanesque original (built 1282).

This really is the town that marble built, and you’ll see they went to great lengths to protect it. Villmar’s fortification wall dates to the 13th and 14th century, but too bad not much of it remains today. As you follow it keep a look out for the Matthias-Pforte and Valerius-Pforte. They’re not gates in the traditional boxey sense, they’re delicate and quite unique.

Look around for the King Konrad Memorial — he was a 10th century king, whom the townsfolk honored almost a millennia later. I guess I should have said initially that Villmar was the town that marble and King Konrad built, huh?

Being outside here in Villmar seems to be the central theme (how could it not, you’re in the Taunus mountains), so how about continuing out on the many marked hiking and bike trails. The Lahnradweg is short, only 5.5km, but there are longer ones if you’re feeling more adventurous.

With any luck maybe you’ll find a fossil or two — the oldest one ever found here is 380 million years old. So, good luck hunting for something older. ;-)

You gotta know a few things before you visit the town of Rodewisch in Saxony. First, its Wasserburg Göltzsch (a Water Castle) isn’t open all year round. And considering this has been called “one of the best preserved moated castles in the Vogtland,” it’s definitely worth seeing.

You just got to do it between April and August; and only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Wait — it gets better. It’s only open from 10am to noon, then reopens from 1pm to 4:30pm (that is, at the time of this writing).

I have to tell you this, because if you’re out castle hunting, you don’t want to show up when its closed, do you? How else are you going to see its museum, rent a boat (oh yeah, I forgot to tell you it’s on an island), or munch on something from its snackshop.

The castle reopens in the winter time, but only during the four weekends of Advent (the month before Christmas). I can’t think of a better place to hold Rodewisch’s Christmas Market.

A Christmas Market is fun, but so is Rodewisch’s annual Herbstball (Fall Ball) in November, and the town is famous for its many concerts by the Vogtland Philharmonic (who play at the Ratskeller).

Secondly, because Rodewisch is located in the Vogtland, it’s a delightful place for a hike or bicycle ride. The valley’s filled with all sorts of local wildlife (great for bird watching) and smattered with orchids make for quite a trip.

If you’re willing to explore a bit further, Rodewisch is close to the Grube Tannenberg in the nearby village of Tannenbergsthal in Muldenhammer (which is all about mining), and the Freizeitpark Plohn (an Amusement Park) in nearby Lengenfeld (Vogtland). Then again, if you’d rather travel to the stars, the Observatory/Planetarium in town (Rützengrüner Strasse 41a) is where you’ll want to be then.

You might want to check out all the cafes and restaurants too. Some even have funny names like the Gasthaus Trollschänke (Troll Tavern Inn) — but I haven’t seen any trolls or other mythical creatures yet. I’m waiting to see if any show up, and I’ll let you know if any do. ;-)

If there ever was a scenic route designed specifically for me it is the Swabian Spa Route, or Schwäbische Bäderstrasse in German. Every town on this 180km (112mi) route offers the best of being pampered, some even meeting up with other scenic routes like the Upper Swabian Baroque Route, giving you rich culture and history too.

Start of the Swabian Spa Route

The route starts on the shores of Lake Constance in the spa town of Überlingen. It’s where the spa services at the Bodensee-Therme are meant to relax and invigorate you. After a good Kneipp spa therapy session, enjoy the Old Town and plenty of sailing and surfing on Lake Constance.

Make sure to give yourself plenty of time in Bad Saulgau to enjoy the Roman/Irish Steambaths, body wraps, and brine water swims at the Sonnenhof-Therme. It’s really cool how there are 6 indoor and outdoor pools, which you can check out in between grabbing a bite to eat at all the restaurants and cafes.

As befitting a town with a Stone Age Village (you’ll find it at the Federsee), Bad Buchau’s Adelindis Spa has a Celtic Sauna. They got regular saunas and steambaths, but why not try something new?

When you’ve had your fill of all the spa services you can possibly handle, Bad Buchau has golfing, horseback riding, hiking and Nordic Walking trails, and sky diving. For quiet reflection, the Convent Gardens are just the place.

The destruction of the Thirty Years’ War led to much of the Baroque building in Germany; and Bad Schussenried still retains much of that flavor. It’s got a pilgrimage church that’s so pretty — I would be willing to forgo any spa service scheduled just to sit here all day.

You can go on over to the pond to rent a boat, or visit the Monastery Museum all you want. Beer stein collectors should see the 1200 on display at the Brewery Experience.

We’re at the half-way point (and the Upper Swabian Baroque Route again) in Aulendorf. Somehow, the ultra modern Schwaben-Therme spa facilities (offering massages, Roman baths, and so much more) work alongside the centuries old Baroque architecture.

For the history of the town you’ll want to see the Civic Museum, and at the Palace Museum there are old toys and Baroque dolls on display.

I had to be dragged kicking and screaming (so un-German like, isn’t it?) from the mud baths and sulphur waters of the Kneipp spa and Waldsee-Therme in Bad Waldsee. How else was I supposed to see the lederhosen wearing staff at the Hofgut Elchenreute, the 600 year old Rathaus, the two lakes, or attempt to walk the 3 (and a half!) mile nature trail?

The next person to interrupt my massage will lose an eye, I tell ya. ;-)

It’s back to nature in Bad Wurzach at the Wurzacher Ried that has more than 2000 species of plants and animals combined. That’s in addition to the hiking, biking, and Nordic trails. And it’s on the Upper Swabian Baroque Route too. Nice.

Blah. Blah. Blah.

It’s the Vitalium mud baths and herbal massages for me. Plus with indoor & outdoor pools with bubbles and no bubbles, massaging jets and not jets — there are plenty of options to get the spa experience of your dreams. In addition to the fact that Bad Wurzach has the oldest peat pulp bath in all of Baden-Württemberg (it’s from 1935).

Since the 16th century people have enjoyed the spas of Bad Grönenbach. Good, I know they’ve been doing something right then. It’s not just the massages and sauna that’ll do you good — they’re all about your all-around health, including how to eat healthier.

Does that mean bratwurst and wine is out of the question?

Forget it, I’m heading to Bad Wörishofen. While this might be the last stop on the Swabian Spa Route, I’m kind of sad. But, with a 160,000 square foot spa, it makes it go down so much smoother.

Sorry folks, if you’ve brought the kiddies with you, they’re not allowed in. You gotta be over 16 to get in on any day but Saturday.

Take ’em out on a horseback ride, a Nordic Walking Trail, or let them try cross-country skiing in the meantime.

Everyone’s welcome at the Sebastian Kneipp Museum, or to see the rose and herb garden or the tulip path at the Kurpark.

Just don’t interrupt my massage to go with you. I’d hate for you to lose an eye. ;-)

Swabian Spa Route Web Site

In case you still need it (are you sure?), here’s the Web site of the Swabian Spa Route.

I would think in order to appreciate traveling on the Via Claudia Augusta scenic route, a bit of history is in order. Then again, if you’re following in the footsteps of Nero Claudius Drusus (under the order of his step-father Augustus Caesar in the last decades of the BC era), then chances are you’re aware of at least some Roman history.

For those of you who don’t know, the Via Clauia Augusta was one of the first regular “roads” to cross the Alps from Italy to the Roman Provice of Rhaetia and Noricum (Rhaetia, often spelled Raetia, was the region that’s now the southern part of Germany).

And Nero Claudius Drusus wasn’t the infamous Emperor Nero. Nope, the Roman pioneer who first traversed the areas now known as the Brenner, Fern, and Reschen Passes was the Christian-burning Nero’s great-grandfather. He was also the brother of the Emperor Tiberius, and the grandfather of the really rotten Caligula.

Whatever his relation to some of the most notorious Roman emperors in history, he (in essence) gave us a beautiful way of discover Germany, Austria, and Italy.

Start of the Via Claudia Augusta in Germany

We’re only concentrating on the German portion (143km/89mi) of this 500 km (311 mi) scenic route, which we pick up just south of Donauwörth in the town of Mertingen. Nero knew the strategic importance of Mertingen, which was the northern border of the Roman Empire.

Before going to Mertingen, I’d wander around Donauwörth for a while. It was home to the Teutonic Knights, and its Archaeology Museum (with exhibits starting from the Stone Age to the time of the Alemmani) is a great way to start off this Roman inspired route. Its medieval jousts every two years (even-numbered years) and its Reichsstrassenfest (odd-numbered years) make it fun to boot.

Today Mertingen is a quiet Swabian town with a museum that highlights what it was like to live here in the 19th and 20th centuries. In 1969 a bunch of Merovingian graves were found here with a hoard of early medieval weapons and jewelry.

Traveling the route from Meitingen to Langweid am Lech and on to Gersthofen you’ll notice that the remainder of the Via Claudia Augusta became almost invisible. Only once you reach the St. Jakobus Kirche (St. James Church, Schulstr. 1) in Gersthofen, which connects you with the Way Of St. James, will you see remnants of the Via Claudia Augusta again.

The Via Claudia Augusta leads off next to Augusta Vindelicorum. Uh, where in Germany is that? You might know it by its more modern name: Augsburg, the capital city of Raetia. It was vital to the Roman legions and their pocketbooks because of its great location on the Lech and Wertach Rivers.

More than fifteen centuries later, Augsburg delights her visitors with its 9th century (AD, since we’re talking about the Romans) cathedral — earning it a place on the Romantic Road, BTW. Sightseeing in Augsburg is never done before you’ve seen its Rathaus, its City Palace, its St. Anna Chapel (formerly a Carmelite monastery), its old synagogue, and Botanical Gardens.

As hard as it is to leave Augsburg we’re headed to Königsbrunn, originally a Celtic settlement that was scooped up into the Roman Empire. It was the site of a Roman legion camp, and the Temple of Mithraeum (a 3rd century AD temple dedicated to the Cult of Mithras).

Königsbrunn’s long history of the Celts and Romans are told at the town’s Archaeology Museum. But, the Mercateum (it’s the world’s biggest globe) is pretty neat too.

We meet up with the Romantic Road once again in Landsberg am Lech. Considered to be one of the sunniest cities in Germany, chances are it won’t rain on you while you’re out sightseeing the Church of the Assumption (a blend of Gothic and Baroque design), the Rococo styled Church of St. John, and during the Ruethenfest that takes place every 4-years (the one in 2011 — lots of fun).

You’ll also eat better than the Romans did. Landsberg am Lech lies between Swabia and “real” Bavaria, so you’ve got the best of Swabian and Bavarian cuisine.

Epfach, a village of Denklingen, was a very important crossroad — military station included. As a result you’ll find a number of Roman sights including an Abodiacum Museum in the Feuerwehr (Fire Department), the Lorenzkirche atop the Lorenzberg (a hill), a St. Lorenz (St. Lawrence) statue on the Lech Bridge, and a Roman fountain house Nymphaeum near the school.

We’re now going to Abodiacum, a.k.a. Hohenfurch. Again on the Romantic Road, it’s a town of meadows and forests, and the charming St. Ursula Chapel that was built in the 16th century (but is really much older), and the Roman Museum Abodiacum.

Time to leave for Altenstadt, which fell into the hands of the Romans in 15 B.C. Not only is Altenstadt on the Via Claudia Augusta, but also what was once an Old Salt Road. Here you’ll see the Via Claudia Square (called the Via-Claudia-Platz) with a Via Claudia Monument, fountain, and footpath. However, the Basilica of St. Michael with its 12th century crucifix is a definite must-see; and there’s a Hosiery Museum here too.

The Via Claudia Augusta at this point has only three towns left (in Germany). But, what towns they are!

Just being outside in Bavaria is a delight, you’ll just be over the moon on one of the hiking trails or bike paths in the town of Burggen. It’s a small town, but it swells over with people every two years on the 2nd Sunday in September for the Roßtag. You might want to wait for a quieter time to see Burggen’s Church of St. Stephen or the former pilgrimage church of St. Anna.

Roßhaupten might have originally associated with the Romans, it is a medieval saint that has made the deepest impression. A legend says that Magnus slayed a dragon here in the 8th century, long before he was canonized into sainthood.

I’m not sure if St. Magnus would recognize the town of Roßhaupten today, but I think he’d like it. The walking trails and bike paths along the Allgäu region are fantastic, the carriage rides totally romantic, and you know you’ll be pampered properly since numerous spas are available here around the Forggensee.

Yeah, I’d have slayed a dragon to stay here too. ;-)

I’d have slayed two to stay in Füssen, the last town on the Via Claudia Augusta where it meets the end (or start) of the Romantic Road. During the days of the Romans (but long after Nero was gone) Füssen was a 3rd century AD military campsite, and by the 5th century it was a Roman fortress town.

After the fall of the Roman Empire, it was the time of the Middle Ages — which gives us the Kloster St. Mang (although it is now done in the Baroque style). Long after that gave us the days of King Ludwig II and his Neuschwanstein Castle.

You know what? I think I would slay three dragons just for “Mad” King Ludwig’s castle alone — but I gotta thank Nero, since he’s the one who started it all. ;-)

Via Claudia Augusta Web Site

Yes, here’s the official Web site of the Via Claudia Augusta.

There really isn’t a lot of sightseeing to be done in the Upper Franconian town of Scheßlitz. But, what it does have is worth getting to know.

You’ll find the 30 (!) villages of Scheßlitz just about 14km northeast of the UNESCO city of Bamberg. So, getting here is definitely easy enough. Good, it saves your energy so you can walk about Giechburg.

The castle ruins of Giechburg might say that it once was a medieval castle. Yet, there’s evidence that the ruins of the castle were inhabited from the Stone Age. How do I know? The burial mound kinda gave it away. ;-)

One thing’s for sure, it wasn’t Stone Age man that built the gargoyle protruding from the castle wall. Neither did they build the Eisenkorb (an Iron Cage), and no one knows exactly what it was used for. I guess it doesn’t matter… The castle was destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, never to be used again.

Almost as old as the Giechburg is the Gügel Pilgrimage Church. This 13th century church is dedicated to St. Pankriatius, but what makes this church really exceptional is its location on top of a huge rock. The staircase down in the basement was carved right from it — nifty engineering, wouldn’t you say?

The other church to see in Scheßlitz is St. Kilian’s. It might have been built in 1400, but it’s the Rococo altar that people come to see.

If you’ve got any time left to spend in Scheßlitz, spend it on beer. I’m not being funny, there are FIVE breweries in this small town. And because you’re in Germany, they’re all made according to the German Purity Laws. Delicious.

Drinking is not your style? It’s OK, just go see Scheßlitz’s Zunfthaus der Brauer (Brewers Guild Hall). Follow all the half-timbered houses until you find it. Should be easy enough — if you haven’t been hitting the sauce, that is. ;-)