If you could ask for a town with anything and everything you’d get it in the Upper Bavarian town of Beilngries. It’s a place with medieval history, lots of outdoor fun, and where no one will care if you have onion breath. ;-)
Huh? Onion breath? Yeah, that’s right, I said onion breath. Let me explain…
Every Autumn Beilngries holds an Onion Market (called Zwiebelmarkt); and they even choose an Onion Queen. Of course they don’t only sell onions, but the cry-producing veggie is the guest of honor.
During Beilngries’ Culinary Spring, all sorts of fruits and veggies are welcome! For an entire month (usually mid-March to mid-April), everyone gets together to sample different dishes (both regional and international). Usually I would suggest drinking your way around Upper Bavaria, but I think eating your way around is a mighty good choice here.
Hey, you’ll need the calories to give you energy to go golfing, swimming, canoeing, hiking, biking, and Nordic Walking. This is only the sporty side of Beilngries, we haven’t even gotten to the historical side yet.
Oh, we’re there now. Eat up, we’ll be here for a while. A lot of visitors to Beilngries like to see the former Franciscan Monastery St. Trinitas (built 1725) and the Chapel known as the Church of our Lady (built 1683).
Yes, these impressive churches are quite old. Yet, they’re not the oldest ones in town. That would probably be the Gothic St. Lucia (built 1469) and the Chapel of St. Johann (built 1496).
Beilngreis’ medieval towers are even older, though. Nine of the original twelve still remain! Not too shabby as they were built six hundred years ago in 1407.
The oldest of everything here is the Schloss Hirschberg. I know it looks like a Baroque Castle, but the original castle was built in 1170; and destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War in the 17th century.
Between visiting the churches and eating, Beilngries has a couple of museums. There’s the Technology Museum and the Toy Museum, which will make you feel like a kid again.
Your last stop before you wind up in a Upper Bavarian beer garden is the Altmühltal Nature Park. It’s a great way to see all sorts of local flora and small animals.
I know you won’t mind if I head off to grab something to eat. Maybe I’ll grab something with onions, wash it down with a few beers, and try to kiss the Onion Queen. ;-)
