There’s an old saying about if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.
Well, my friends, I love writing and traveling through Germany — so one could hardly call this experience a “job” (shudder at the thought), and it’s all because of places like the town of Großheubach (am Main) here in Lower Franconia.
Even I’m guilty of making (bad) jokes about Bavaria and beer, but in this case it’s all about the red wine here in town.
Now before I go get all thrilled on the stuff, I’ll tell you all about hiking along the Fränkischer Rotwein-Wanderweg, or Franconian Red Wine Hiking Trail. Don’t care to venture out on your own? No problem, join in on one of the guided community hikes; you’ll learn all about how wine making has been part of the local economy for more than seven centuries.
It was even important to the monks who lived at Kloster Engelberg. The monastery itself goes back to the 14th century, belonging to the Franciscans and Capuchin monks — and was once famous for its pilgrimage church. Nah… it was the wine that brought folks from all over. ;-)
And let’s suppose for one minute you’re not all into the wine, pretty vineyards, wine bars, and such — you’re along a charming forested nature reserve area, so you’re gonna find just the right hiking or cycling trail to follow. Go ask the nice people at the Tourist Office to help.
They’re sure to tell you about the hundreds of kilometers of trails that take you all around the tri-state (Bavaria, Hesse, Baden-Württemberg), or along the famous Main River, and along brightly colored fields of sunflowers.
Ohh, I know, how about traveling along the Eselsweg, known as the Donkey Trail. You’ll be traveling along an old medieval trade route that was once important to the salt and glass industry — and this time you won’t have to pay the “tolls” along the 111 km route like they did in the Middle Ages.
The medieval part of Großheubach isn’t just about its old trade route. The Pfarrkirche St. Peter has been around since 1247, a true Romanesque designed church, although it did get a remodel some 600 years later.
Another of Großheubach’s grand buildings is the Rathaus (Town Hall), a pretty red half-timbered building that turned 400 years old in 2011. From the looks of it, you’d never guess it was once used as something as ghastly as a prison.
No time to think about such things, it’s off to try horseback riding, maybe take in a swim, or try paragliding.
Nope, nevermind, it’ll be off to a wine tasting for me. Didn’t I say I’m never working a day in my life — and this is the reason why! ;-)
