What if I told you that I found one of the best little towns in Germany, centrally located between scientific Heidelberg and technical Sinsheim with wineries and castles? Would you be interested? How about if I said that it was on the edge of a volcanic region? Still interested? Good. Where is it?
It’s Dielheim in northern Baden-Württemberg. And don’t worry about the volcanoes, they’ve been extinct for eons.
Extinct volcanoes are one thing, but they’ve shaped the landscape around this town that lies on the western edge of the Kraichgau (a hilly region that borders the Odenwald). Sure makes for some might nice scenery while bicycling and hiking.
If regular old walking is more your speed, there’s no place better to do it while shopping at Dielheim’s Christmas Market. In Dielheim’s smaller villages of Horrenberg and Unterhof, there are Advent Markets as well.
Horrenberg is where you’ll find one of those castles I mentioned earlier. Well, kinda. The original castle was built in the 12th century and used for more than three centuries. Since then it has been abandoned and not too much of it remains — but it technically counts as a castle still. ;-)
Burg Dielheim is the other castle in the region. Again, sort of. It’s not officially a castle ruin, but known as a Burgstall — a spot where a castle once stood. This particular castle was built on this spot back around 1380. Just use some imagination and you’ll see how magnificent it was back then.
At least Dielheim’s churches still stand. There’s a beautiful little chapel in the village of Oberhof, built in 1787. Don’t miss seeing the Catholic church of St. Cyriak, either.
Dielheim’s churches like to hold their annual Kerwe Festivals. The Dielheimer Kerwe is in September while the Balzfelder Kerwe is in November. Whereever and whenever they’re held, you’ll always manage to have a good time.
With all that done & seen, it’s time to hit the vino. Both the Weingut Koch and the Weinbau Goldene Gans are fantastic little wineries in town. Wine’s been made around this part of Baden-Württemberg since the Middle Ages, so I think they must be doing something right.
Meet me at the wine pub and we’ll discuss the fine points of viticulture and the Kraichgau as a whole. ;-)
