On the southern edge of the Franconian Forest and less than 40km to the Czech Republic border is the Upper Franconian town of Helmbrechts (watch the spelling!).
Helmbrechts is a town that’s approaching its 800th birthday. Despite being pretty gosh-darn old, Helmbrechts is pretty gosh-darn cool (fun, picturesque, a shopping haven, just fill in a word that fits your favorite activity). Oh, what activities are those?
Well, you got your shopping to do. Whether you do it at the Weekly Market or the factory outlet stores it’s totally up to you.
For museums, you’ve got quite a bit. In the town itself there’s a Textile Museum (this part of Upper Franconia is known for textile making); and in the Hof District (where Helmbrechts is located) you’ve got a Fire Museum, Botanical Garden, and Brewery Museum (like you didn’t expect that).
If you don’t mind traveling a bit, Plassenburg Castle (in Kulmbach) is only about 25km away. In this 12th century castle are priceless Prussian artifacts and artwork.
You got a couple of churches, too. St. John’s Church is a wonderful example of Gothic Revival architecture. And the Dr. Martin Luther Church isn’t lacking in beautiful art or stained glass.
Festivals abound, too! There’s the Luisenburg Festival and the Wagner Festival (that would be the composer Richard Wagner) in August. Not so much a festival, but Helmbrechts likes its Christmas Concerts!
Then there’s the natural side of Helmbrechts. Take your chances of finding your way out of the Felsenlabyrinth, a 2km long labyrinth maze.
There’s also the Raft Pond, an area with romantic little bridges, tall trees, and fields of grass to walk barefoot on. Scope out where you want to walk (whether it’s on those grassy fields or the too many to mention hiking & walking trails) from the Observation Tower, originally built in 1458.
I hope you like what you’ve heard about Helmbrechts, even if I might spell it wrong every once and a while. ;-)
