DJmotortouring – EUROPE BY ROAD (and other travel blogs)

Saint Omer (Hauts de France), France June 2025 (Tour 11)

We arrived at the Chateau du Gandspette campsite, near Eperlecques, on Monday 23 June. We were booked on a ferry back to England the following Thursday which, with the dogs already sorted, would give us one full day to explore nearby Saint Omer and another to visit the local supermarkets (so Vanya could replenish her stocks of Cremant). We’d then undertake the half hour drive to Calais (and take the ferry to Dover) early on the Thursday.

The Chateau du Gandspette is a campsite we’d use again given the friendly welcome we received; it’s spacious pitches; clean facilities; half decent restaurant-bar and; best of all, it’s close proximity to Calais. The only downside is the outside toilets are some distance from the bar!

On Tuesday morning, after an enjoyable evening on the terrace of the campsite bar, we headed into Saint Omer for the day. The Cremant could wait. There’s a sizeable car park on the old market place (the Place du Vieux Marche) near the centre of the town. It’s located between the Place du Marechal Foch (the new home to the town’s colourful Saturday morning market) and the Place Victor Hugo (a lively little square lined with numerous shops and and cafe-bars). The city’s cathedral is nearby.

We decided to start with breakfast outside a small cafe on Place Victor Hugo, Le Saint O. Thinking back on it, the Place du Marechal Foch is a larger and livelier square than any in Saint Omer but; Place Victor Hugo proved the perfect place to soak up the local atmosphere; just sitting; drinking copious cups of coffee and; people watching.

It is thought that the town was formed some time in the 7th century by Saint Audomar – whose name was subsequently shortened to Saint Omer. It’s known as ‘the yellow brick town’ on account of the gold colour of many of it’s older buildings and, when the sun is shining, there are few better examples of this than the former Cathedral de Notre Dame de Saint Omer. It was once the seat of the Bishop of Omer but the seat wasn’t restored after the French Revolution. Nevertheless, it is still commonly referred to as the ‘cathedral’.

The interior of this flamboyant 13th century Gothic style building is even more impressive than the outside and; it contains so many interesting features. Amongst other things, there’s the tomb of Saint Omer himself; a several centuries old statue of Jesus Christ; several paintings including ‘The Descent from The Cross’ by the local Flemish artist, Peter Paul Rubens; an astronomical clock dating back to 1588 and; an RAF flag commemorating the birth of the Royal Air Force which started life as the Royal Flying Corps at the nearby Longuenesse Aerodrome during World War I.

To the north of the town, near the train station and the River Aa, are the ruins of a much older religious institution – the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Bertin – which was founded by Saint Audomar in the 7th century. It was rebuilt many times and grew to be one of the most important abbeys in northern Europe. The abbey was destroyed during the French Revolution and much of it’s stone was used in the construction of new buildings in the town, including the Town Hall.

In addition to housing the weekly farmer’s market, Place Marechal Foch (sometimes referred to as La Grande Place) is also home to the former town hall. Known locally as the ‘coffee mill’ because of it’s shape, the town hall is now used mostly for civic ceremonies but; it also contains a small lavishly decorated theatre complete with a magnificent trompe l’oeil ceiling. The large square serves as a car park when the market is not on and a handful of cafes and restaurants border the square.

The former Town Hall on Place Marechal Foch

I don’t think we saw Saint Omer at it’s best because we visited out of the holiday season and on a Tuesday (and in France, Tuesdays are almost as quiet as Mondays) but, we liked it sufficiently to warrant a return and; as indicated at the beginning of this blog, Saint Omer is not that far from Calais.

I suspect there’s much to see in the surrounding area too given that the British Expeditionary Force were headquartered in Saint Omer during WWI and that the German Military had a strong presence here and in the surrounding area during WWII. There’s a vast concrete bunker at Eperlecques which was built in 1943 as a combined assembly plant and launch site for Hitler’s V2 Rockets and; 4 miles to the south west of Saint Omer is the super impressive La Coupole complex which succeeded Eperlecques. This latter complex now serves as a museum covering the German occupation of France, the flying bombs and the history of space travel. It also includes a planetarium.

Saint Omer and then Calais were the end of our Tour 11 except that as we approached Brighton I pranged the Van on the A23. 6,500 miles driving around Europe and with just 10 miles to go I scraped a Mercedes. Not a good ending to a a great tour. I estimate it will cost at least £2,500 to fix the Van. I just hope we’ll be able to get back on the road before the year is out.

Lille (Flemish Brabant), Belgium June 2025 (Tour 11)

We were scheduled to catch a ferry from Calais to Dover in a couple of days and our penultimate stop before then would be at Camping Siesta, just outside of Lille in Belgium. The dogs had to get the usual all clear (and tapeworm tablets) from a qualified vet before we could return to the UK and Vanya had found one in Lille (close to Antwerp) who wasn’t going to charge us silly money. It cost us just over £54 for the pair which is on a par with the vet we ordinarily go to in Fecamp.

We were just passing through Lille which is just as well because, unlike it’s French counterpart, there’s very little to do in this small Belgian town. Of course some substantial roadworks were underway and because of that it wasn’t the easiest place to navigate.

One positive comment: We stumbled across a first class restaurant called ‘De Brouwketel’. The welcome, the ambience and the food (we ordered the large tapas plate) were all outstanding. The Rueda wine was pretty good too.

I’d put money on us returning to De Brouwketel.

Almere (Flevoland), Netherlands June 2025 (Tour 11)

Vanya likes unusual campsites and Natuurcamping de Kemphaan is just that. I was unsure about the place as we pulled up in the Van. It has most everything one would expect of a three star campsite but; it appeared unkempt; the facilities are basic and somewhat limited and; I doubt it would be very comfortable in wet weather (the camping area being all grass and slow to drain). However, on the plus side it’s in an incredible setting. I knew next to nothing about this part of the Netherlands until we arrived but almost everything about Flevoland Province is incredible and it’s mostly new.

The Province didn’t exist until 1986. Indeed, one hundred years ago the whole area which is now Flevoland was submerged under the Zuiderzee. Since then the area has been secured by miles of dykes and almost wholly drained of seawater. Almere city, with it’s population of almost 250,000, sits almost 5 metres below sea level (thank goodness for the dykes) and, with it’s first house not being completed until 1986, is less than 50 years old. The Kemphaan City Estate, adjacent to Almere and of which Natuurcamping de Kemphaan is a part, wasn’t built until after the year 2000 and; those parts of the estate that we used most (i.e. it’s extraordinary little zoo and the campsite itself) were not opened until much later.

I don’t know a great deal about Almere except it was built as a commuter town for Amsterdam. I know too that some 56 square kilometres to the east of Almere was set aside for industrial development which simply never happened. Left fallow, the area attracted many thousands of birds and small mammals. Deer, horses and cattle were subsequently introduced (to help stem the growth of willow trees which were becoming invasive and a threat to the marshbird’s habitat) and they too thrived; so much so that all thoughts of industrial development were dropped and the area is now protected as a wild park (the Oostvaarersplassen Nature Reserve). We saw some of the Park as we drove west from Friesland but missed out on the large herds of Konick Horses and Heck Cattle.

The De Kemphaan City Estate is a green zone at the edge of Almere. It’s home to the AAP which is concerned with recreation, education and animal conservation and, in particular, the rescue and rehabilitation of monkees and small animals and; as mentioned previously, it operates a small zoo. Much of our all too short time here was spent in the zoo.

And the zoo itself? I think the dogs enjoyed it as much as Vanya and I did…

Carnivores but they enjoy eating fruit too.

Unusual, I said. In addition to it’s two restaurant cafes the estate even has it’s own micro-brewery and mobile coffee shop…

If I were a gambling man, I’d bet on our returning here.

Harlingen (Friesland), Netherlands June 2025 (Tour 11)

This is going to be the shortest post ever. We were keen to visit Harlingen and we made it there on a particularly bright and sunny day. However, we had forgotten it was a bank holiday weekend and the place was packed solid. There was nowhere (and I mean nowhere) to park. We gave up after an hour or so of driving around searching for a space and made our way back to Bakkeveen for a spot of sunbathing.

What little we saw of the place looked pretty.

Leeuwarden (Friesland), Netherlands June 2025 (Tour 11)

Leeuwarden is the capital of the Dutch Province of Friesland (or Fryslan as the locals call it) which is in the north of the country. With a population of 130,000 it is the largest city in Friesland and it’s old town (known locally as the Binnenstad) is delightful. It is replete with fabulous canals and bridges (so much so they are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and not unlike the Amsterdam of many years ago.

We arrived fairly early in the morning and, after parking the Van in a large car park off Dirk Zeperweg, started towards the north east part of the old town using the 85 metre steeple of Sint Bonifatius Church as a guide. The old town is encircled by a series of canals (the Stadsgeracht) and to reach the steeple we had to cross the Noorder Stadsgeracht via the Noorderbrug but; from that bridge it is only a 7 minute walk to the church. I reckoned Sint Bonifatius would be an ideal place to begin a short exploration of the Binnenstad. We could walk almost the entire length of the old town from there, using first Voorstreek and then Nieuwestad. These two streets, which are lined with a mix of shops, cafes, restaurants, art nouveau buildings and monuments, run west along one of the more interesting of the city’s canals all the way to Leeuwarden’s most iconic building (the Oldehove) at the western edge of Binnenstad.

I thought the walk would provide as fine an introduction to Leeuwarden as any; and it did. It took us from the tallest church anywhere in Friesland (although I was unaware at the time that it is possible to walk a staircase up to the top of the bell tower or I would have done so); then, along a very lively and picturesque canal; past two impressive, almost art nouveau buildings (being the 1590 De Waag Public Weighing House and the 1905 Central Apotheek, which is listed among Europe’s top 100 buildings and still serves as a pharmacy); two unexpected and unusual statues (being the Lange Pijp and a memorial to the alleged WWI spy and exotic dancer, Mata Hari, who was born in Leeuwarden in 1876); before finishing at the fabled 1539 Oldehove Steeple (which deserves a paragraph all of it’s own).

We returned to this point for lunch after viewing the Oldehove Steeple.

I was able to make my way to the top of the Oldehove bell tower which, while not offering the panoramic views of the Sint Bonifatius steeple (at just 39 metres, the Oldehove is much shorter), did present me with some fine views back over the town and especially towards the Sint Dominicus Kerk. Construction of the Oldehove commenced in 1539. It was designed to complement the 9th century church of St Vitus (now long gone) and was supposed to be 120 metres tall. However, the tower began to tilt very early during construction and work immediately ceased. It’s easy to see why; the list is more pronounced than that of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy. It is an odd feeling, too, ascending inside a dark spiral staircase when the tower has such a list. It plays havoc with ones balance.

Although only open to the public during July and August, it is also possible to visit the top of the Sint Dominicus Kerk but we chose instead to go for lunch.

After eating we resumed our short exploration of the Binnenstad; this time wandering first the area to the south of Voorstreek and then the north. We couldn’t stay long in either area but the south proved the more captivating with it’s Eysinga Museum (18th century mansion filled with period pieces), Mercuriusfontein, Whale Passage, Fries Museum (Friesian history, art and culture) and best of all De Blokhuispoort (that’s a gate leading to a former prison which is now a boutique shopping complex).

In the north, we passed the Princesshof National Museum (with it’s Chinese porcelain and Dutch ceramics) and a particularly challenging memorial to the holocaust which included a ‘Names Monument’ (glass plates bearing the names, ages and places of death of 542 residents of Leeuwarden who were put to death by the nazis during WWII). Very sobering.

Two other features of Leeuwarden worth remarking on (one very obvious and the other not so easily found) are the city’s street art and it’s ‘miniature people’ The street art speaks for itself and there’s plenty of it…

And the miniature people? There’s a local artist, Michel Tilma, who likes to arrange and photograph tiny dioramas. He’s been creating these dioramas for years now and, at the last count, there were more than 60 to be found in the oddest places around the city but; you’ll need a guide book to find them. The figures are all less than 2 centimetres tall. We knew nothing about these miniatures until, while I was up in the Oldehove, Vanya noticed a group of people scrutinising a seemingly empty brick wall…

Leeuwarden… a wholly charming little city.

Bakkeveen (Friesland), Netherlands June 2025 (Tour 11)

Camping De Ikeleane in Bakkeeveen was to be our base for the next 2 or 3 days while we explored a little of Friesland. It was fine; the usual large grass fields around which caravans and motorhomes are parked; exceptionally clean bathroom facilities and; a small bar-restaurant (snack bar).

There’s not a great deal to Bakkeveen. It’s been described as a commuter village which feeds Friesland’s capital city Leeuwarden and, to a lesser extent, nearby Drachten but; there has to be more to it than that given there are at least 5 other campsites in the surrounding area? The whole area is flat and made up of forest and heathland (holding small herds of Friesian cattle and horses) and there’s water everywhere. This last feature can perhaps be explained in that Friesland has a very long coastline which stretches the length of the Wadden Sea and the IJsselmeer (Western Europe’s largest inland lake). It’s not unlike the Fens of East Anglia. There are a handful of other commuter villages in the area. Wijnjewoude was one we kept having to travel through but; otherwise, not much else.

Please don’t misunderstand me. There’s nothing wrong with the area. At first, it seemed a little remote (and I suspect it’s really quiet when all the campsites close over winter) but the two towns we most wished to visit (Leeuwarden and Harlingen) are within easy striking distance and, other than a decent campsite, that’s all we wanted.

And so to Leeuwarden…

S’Heerenburg (Gelderland), Netherlands June 2025 (Tour 11)

The small town of S’Heerenburg in the Dutch Province of Gelderland is a place I’ll never forget.

It sits just across the border from Germany, not far from Emmerich. We were heading towards the northeast of the Netherlands (to Friesland, which area had been recommended by the Dutch restaurant manager at Camping Wolfsmuhle as the perfect place to visit) but; the traffic on the German motorways, all the way from Cologne to Emmerich, was horrendous and we decided to stop as soon as possible after crossing the border. Vanya found a reasonable campsite (Camping de Slangnbult) in Stokkum, just outside of S’Heerenburg.

It’s a lovely town, most famous for the annual Montferland Run (a very fast 15km race which begins and ends in the town and is usually won by the top Kenyan or Ethiopian runners, including the great Haile Gebrselassie) but; there’s much more to the place.

For a start, there’s the impressive 11th century S’Heerenburg Castle, the Huis Bergh. It’s one of very few traditional castles left in good repair in the Netherlands. The castle was closed to the public as I visited but I was able to wander it’s grounds and walk around the moat. It’s very picturesque…

There’s not a lot to say about the exterior of the catholic church of Saint Pancratius but; the interior has some interesting features, including a small chapel and a series of ‘Gestapo’ stained glass windows which relate the story of Fathers Jan Galama and Marinus Van Rooijen. They were arrested in 1942 by the Gestapo for speaking out against Nazi atrocities and taken to Dachau Concentration Camp where they were tortured and killed. Two very brave men.

Some of the stained glass windows telling the story..

Our stay in S’Heerenburg became even more ‘memorable’ the next morning when, as we were leaving and driving through the centre of the town, we were brought to a stop by two seemingly irate local townspeople. It seemed we had been trailing diesel all the way from our campsite and through the town centre. I could only thank the couple for bringing the matter to my attention although, judging by their attitude, you’d have thought we had deliberately leaked the poxy diesel. What a mess!

And then, we were made to feel even more upset (rattled is perhaps a better word) when some old witch on a bicycle stopped and started berating us whilst also taking photos of the Van and it’s numberplate. Honestly, she reminded me of one of those awful characters in a WWII movie who informs on people to the Gestapo. So, I took a photo of her too! Here she is; riding off on her ~~broomstick~~ bicycle…

I hope she falls off and scuffs her knees!

I’ve never been a great lover of the Netherlands and at that moment I had reached my nadir with the place but; moments later we saw the Dutch at their very best. I’d pulled up immediately I became aware something was wrong; with the result I was now blocking the street. I was in a dilemma. I couldn’t leave the Van where it was but neither could I continue to trail diesel across the town.

Salvation came in the form of the shopkeeper whose shop I had stopped in front of. She suggested I move the Van into a nearby cul de sac and promised a mechanic friend of hers would be along to help. Bless that lady because within minutes, Sebastian (from the garage Hans Gerritsen) arrived. He had heard about “a problem van” which was trailing diesel through the town and that “the police had called the fire brigade to clean it up”. He simply hitched the Van up to his tow truck and suggested we follow him with our dogs to his nearby garage where he would “see what can be done”. Bless Sebastian too because it took him most of the day to complete a ‘quick fix’ that would see us safely back to the UK and; meanwhile, his most generous wife (Ann) who spoke good English acted as translator for her husband, kept us supplied with food, drink and ice lollies and constantly reassured us to the effect that all would be well.

We still have matters to resolve when we are back in the UK. The Van needs a more permanent fix and there could be some insurance issues to address (e.g. diesel spillage damage and clean up operations) but meanwhile; thank goodness for our new friends in S’Heerenburg. It is rare during these tours that we experience anything other than the utmost kindness from everyone we meet but; the consideration shown us by Sebastian, Ann and their best friend (the shopkeeper) exceeds all expectations. What wonderful people!

Oh, just one other quick comment about Stokkum, where we camped. While walking into s’Heerenburb on that first day, I noticed the t’Klaphek Restaurant on Nachtgaalslaantje. We visited the restaurant later in the evening and had a great meal. We also got to talking with the owner who is a most interesting fellow. Amongst other things he has walked a Camino to Santiago. It took him 3 months because he walked all the way from Stokkum! Wonderful.

On into Friesland…

Boppard (Rhein-Pfalz), Germany June 2025 (Tour 11)

From our campsite in Lahnstein we enjoyed a pleasant excursion to the small town of Boppard on the left bank of the Rhine. Ordinarily, that drive would require our crossing the Rhine near Koblenz and driving up the left bank of the river to Boppard but; major roadworks just outside Lahnstein required that we follow the right bank (along Rheinuferstrasse) to the tiny hamlet of Filsen and then take the Filsen-Boppard ferry across to the left bank. That suited us. It’s a quicker and more direct drive from Lahnstein to Filsen and; out of season there is ample parking by the small ferry terminal. The small ferry seemed to run every half hour and it proved a delightfully quick and inexpensive crossing.

We nearly visited Boppard once before. While staying in Bacharach during Tour 6, Boppard was recommended as a place to visit by a local. We were up for it but missed the boat and the later one (which we did take) went only as far north as Sankt Goar and, on the other bank, Sankt Goarshausen. We very much enjoyed that boat trip.

The stretch of the river on which Boppard (and Sankt Goar) stands, is classified as the Upper Middle Rhine Valley (the Rhine Gorge) and this whole area is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is full of fairy tale towns & castles, vineyards & wine and hills & hiking although; this time we were there simply to enjoy Boppard. There has been a town on this site since well before the Romans arrived (the ruins of the Roman Fort in the town date back to Julius Caesar) but, for the most part, the existing buildings in the old town (that’s the stretch between the river bank and the railway line) date from the 17th and 18th centuries. It’s a fair sized and picturesque town.

Of course the first thing Vanya did upon entering Boppard’s old town was to find an ice cream parlour which served Spaghetti Eis but I’ll not dwell on that. We wandered the length and breadth of the town for a while, taking time out for lunch on the pretty and mostly pedestrianised Marktplatz and, again, for high tea at a riverbank cafe on Rheinallee. And why not? Vanya had started our trip to Boppard with Spaghetti Eis. It was only fair I should end it with apple cake.

The Marktplatz, with it’s many half timbered houses and restaurant-bars, is dominated by the town’s principal landmark, the 12th/13th century Saint Severus Church. It’s an elegant, twin spired building with many interesting features throughout and; easily, the most impressive church of all those I have seen on this part of the Rhine.

Another interesting religious building is the 14th century Carmelite Monastery or, to be more precise, the church of the former Carmelite Monastery since the principal monastery buildings now serve as the town hall. Fascinating might better describe this particular church. It’s spartan exterior is wholly at odds with it’s almost ostentatious interior. It is brimming with so many charming features and artifacts; the wonderfully intricate 15th century choirstalls; it’s 14th century carved altarpiece; it’s many 13th century frescoes and wooden panels; numerous elaborate flags and; my favourite, the unusual and very austere stone pulpit. I could have spent ages in that place.

Another building worth a mention is the Kurfu:stliche Castle; otherwise known as the Electoral Castle of Trier. It’s not a castle in the true sense of the word (it doesn’t have any real defensive capability) but was built as an official station to collect river tolls. It has since served as a police station, a prison and even as a hospital. It is now a museum. If you’re looking for a defensive castle, there are plenty of them strung all along the Rhine and, of course, Boppard has the remains of it’s Roman Fort. I couldn’t get a decent photo of this building (I was the wrong side of the river) but the one below (a Getty photo I believe) is as good as it gets.

The Electoral Castle (a great photo but not mine – Getty?)

I mentioned at the outset that this is a good area for hiking. Indeed, there’s 200+ miles of hiking trails (and an alpine via ferrata) in the immediate area. I understand that much of the walking is through forests and vineyards but there are numerous rest areas and ‘Aussichtspunkte’ which facilitate great view over and along the Rhine.

Boppard even operates a Sesselbahn (chairlift) between April and October which for just a few Euros provides access to three very good viewing points to the north of the town. In just 20 minutes the chairlift travels 915 metres, with 232 metres of height gain, to the Gedeonseck View Point (with it’s a restaurant-bar and a tremendous view up the Rhine). From the Gedeonseck it is a short walk to the Vierseenblick View Point (also with a restaurant and so named because it presents a view of four different stretches of the Rhine which can make the Rhine look like a lake) and; further still, is the real prize of the Bopparder Hamm View Point (for a panoramic view of the largest loop of the Rhine). There’s a path underneath the chairlift for those with a fear of heights.

View over the Rhine from Gedeonseck (not my photo)

And the via Ferrata? It too is just to the north of the town with excellent views of the Bopparder Hamm. It has 11 climbing sections of varying difficulty and offers sensational views of both the Rhine Valley and the Hunsrück Mountains.

Lahnstein (Rhein-Pfalz), Germany June 2025 (Tour 11)

Lahnstein, in the Rheinland Palatinate, is a town of some 18,000 people which sits at the confluence of the Rhein and Lahn rivers. Although we drove through the town many times during trips out to Boppard, Koblenz and Rheinbach (more about those places later), we didn’t get to wander the town itself. We’ll correct that some time in the future because this is an area we will most certainly return to.

We’d booked into Camping Wolfsmu:hle on the banks of the River Lahn for a couple of nights. The site is conveniently placed for visits to various small towns and villages along the Rhein and Moselle Rivers and, initially, we had it in mind to visit Boppard (on the Rhine) and Koblenz (at the confluence of the Rhine and the Moselle). However, we were so impressed with the site that within an hour or two of settling in we asked to stay an extra night with a view to also visiting Cochem (on the Moselle). Our pitch, the setting and the camp facilities were all first class but it was the welcome we received from the kindly site manager (Gerd) and the Dutch family managing the camp restaurant-bar that really made the place. Without any doubt, Camping Wolfsmuhle is worthy of inclusion in our list of ‘most excellent campsites’.

As it happened we managed to see Boppard (and a blog follows) but the planned visits to Koblenz and Cochem gave way to a lengthy and time consuming search for a ‘Schaukelstuhl’. I should explain that a few days beforehand, Vanya had seen a camping style rocking chair which she coveted. It was a Berger Soria Rocking Chair (a Berger Schaukelstuhl) and, having discovered the manufacturer and model, Vanya also identified a number of retail outlets within a 40 mile radius that should sell them. We wasted the best part of a day hunting this blessed chair down but none of the outlets we visited had any in stock (because they were on offer and had sold like hot cakes). In the end, I telephoned the Fritz Berger Retail Outlet in Rheinbach (which we would pass on our way further north) and they agreed to hold one for me until I arrived. Bless them.

We made it to Rheinbach and Vanya secured her rocking chair but we’ll have to return next year if we are to see Lahnstein, Koblenz and Cochem. Fingers crossed for next year.

Wurzburg (Lower Franconia – Bayern), Germany June 2025 (Tour 11)

Wurzburg is one of the more memorable cities in one of my favourite parts of Germany. Situated amongst the rolling hills and vineyards of Lower Franconia and straddling the River Main, it is the starting point of the so called ‘Romantic Road’ which leads to Fussen in the Schwaben Region of Bayern. Don’t get too excited about the ‘Romantic Road’. I was very critical of it some years ago in my blog on Fussen. It’s a means by which some of Bavaria’s more enterprising travel agents were able to link a long list of towns and/or villages they wanted to promote. At the last count there were more than 30 such towns and villages but the numbers continue to grow. Having said all that, there are some wonderfully picturesque and historical places amongst the list; including Wurzburg, Fussen and, my favourite of them all, Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

But back to Wurzburg. It’s a gem of a place and not to be overlooked. It deserves at least two full days of exploration; longer if one’s stay is to be maximised.

Having parked the Van in a large riverside ‘Stellplatz’ on Dreikronenstrasse, we walked south along the left bank of the River Main and then across the Alte Mainbrucke into the old town (the Altstadt). In some respects this 12th century bridge, adorned with 12 statues of saints and statesmen, reminds me of Charles’ Bridge in Prague except; the views from this bridge are, if anything, even more picturesque and; on a sunny day, it’s a great deal more lively because of the wine bars, cafes and food stalls located at both ends of the bridge. It was a sunny day as we arrived and the bridge was packed with people quaffing large glasses of the local white wine. Small wonder that the Alte Mainbrucke is known locally as the Wine Bridge.

The views from the Mainbrucke both across to the Altstadt and, especially, back towards the 13th century Marienberg Fortress are pleasing.

The Marienberg Fortress from the Alte Mainbrucke…

The Marienberg Fortress holds a prominent position on the left bank of the River Main. It was the home for more than 500 years to the local Prince-Bishops and it is steeped in history. It was besieged during the 16th century German Peasants War and again in the 30 Years War against Sweden. Add to this the fortress’ involvement in the French Revolutionary and Coalition Wars, the Austro-Prussian War, the Franco-Prussian War (the list goes on and on all the way up to and including the Second World War) and; it is easy to understand why so little remains of the original fortress. Most of the existing structure dates from the 16th and 18th centuries; hence the largely Renaissance and Baroque styles. The Fortress (containing two museums and two restaurants) and it’s gardens are open to the public (for a small fee) and there are several viewing points both in the fortress and on the route up to the fortress all of which offer panoramic views over the Main River, the historic city centre and the surrounding countryside. The view of the old town is particularly impressive…

View of the Altstadt from a viewing point during the ascent to the fortress

Looking over the city as it is now, it is difficult to believe that during WWII Wu:rzburg suffered as much, if not more, damage than Dresden. In one 20 minute air raid in March 1945 the Allies destroyed more than 90% of the city. After the war Wurzburg was painstakingly rebuilt (by it’s women for the most part, because many of the city’s men were either dead or in Soviet prison camps) and, today, it once again ranks as one of the most beautiful cities in Germany.

Having crossed the bridge, we started our exploration of the Altstadt at the Marktplatz. It was late in the morning but a few vendors were still on the square as we arrived; selling fruit and vegetables, mostly, and with white asparagus looking particularly plentiful. It is ‘Spargelzeit’ in Germany during the period April to June and white asparagus is on sale everywhere at this time.

We stopped for coffee and cake outside a small cafe on the Marktplatz with me people watching and tending our dogs while Vanya wandered the stalls and; then she did the same while I visited the very grand looking, red and white coloured Marienkapelle (Saint Mary’s Chapel); a huge chapel which totally dominates the Marktplatz. By the way, a chapel differs from a church only inasmuch that it doesn’t have a parish or congregation. This particular chapel suffered badly from allied bombing during WW2 with the interior and the rafters being completely destroyed. Rebuilt between 1948 and 1961 and reconsecrated in 1962 it’s interior is magnificent.

Behind the Marienkapelle is another stunning building; the yellow and white coloured Falkenhaus. Originally the home of an affluent Catholic priest, this building served as a guesthouse and inn from 1735 until it too was destroyed by bombing near the end of WW2. After the war, the building was rebuilt with much the same exterior as before but; inside was altered so as to accommodate the city’s public library and a tourist information office.

There are at least three other ‘must see’ buildings in Wurzburg’s Altstadt (the City Hall, the Cathedral and the Royal Palace) but; walking these three, together with those in the vicinity of the Marktplatz, you’ll inevitably stumble across numerous other interesting sites (the Fischerbrunnen, Neumunster Church, Greiffenclau-Palais, Weingut Juliusspital and the University campus to name but a few) all enclosed within what is known as the Ring Park. Wurzburg is a compact city and easily walked. Moreover, much of it is pedestrianised although; you should keep a wary eye out for the trams.

The 14th century Rathaus or City Hall is a gem of a building. It is easily identified by it’s 55 metre tower, the Grafeneckart, which can be climbed (for a small fee) for views over the town. This time, I passed on the climb but the inside is well worth visiting if only to view the story boards and scale model of the city which detail the damage caused to the city during World War II.

From the Grafeneckart it is but a short walk along Dom Strasse to to the city’s cathedral (Dom Saint Lilian). A service was underway as I entered and, consequently, I spent more time in the crypt than in the church proper but I saw enough to be impressed and this building too is well worth the visit. Parts of it date back to 1040 but construction wasn’t completed until some time in the 13th century. The Cathedral too was badly damaged during the bombing in 1945 but was rebuilt and re-consecrated in 1967.

To the rear of the Cathedral, at the end of Hofstrasse, is the former Royal Palace of the city’s Prince-Bishops. Known locally as the Wurzburg Residence it is the most impressive of all the buildings in Wurzburg and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s a magnificent palace overflowing with artistic treasures; whether they be in the form of impressive architecture, decorative walls and ceilings, lavish furniture and fittings or it’s beautiful gardens. It exudes history too; one of it’s more famous residents being Napoleon Bonaparte who visited Wurzburg on at least three occasions and overnighted at the Palace on his way to invade Russia in 1812. Indeed, he took 2,ooo of Wurzburg’s soldiers with him on that ill fated jaunt and very few returned.

Just a few other photo reminders of an all too short but wonderful visit to Wurzburg. We’ll definitely be back and next time our focus will be more towards the food and drink…

During our last tour in this part of Germany, I mentioned Franconia’s beers and the many breweries to be found in the region. This time I must give a short shout in praise of the area’s wines. The white wines are many and varied and as easy drinking and distinctive as the bottle in which they are often sold -the unmistakeable ‘Bocksbeutel’ bottle.

One place we must visit when next in Wurzburg is the Burgerspital winery. They supposedly store the oldest bottles of white wine anywhere in the world: their 1540 Steinwein. I’m not sure I want to try that particular wine but a visit to their tasting room ‘Weinhaus unterm Glockenspiel’ (which translates to ‘wine house below the bell chimes’) is definitely on the cards; not least because it is open 7 days a week.

My last words on Wurzburg (at least from this visit) must be about Wilhelm Conrad Ro:ntgen who once held the Physics Chair at Wurzburg University. It was while holding this position that in 1895 he discovered X-Rays. As a result, in 1901 he became the first recipient of the Nobel Prize for Physics and, good egg that he was, he donated the Nobel prize money (50,000 Swedish Kroner) to the university declaring that his discoveries should be publicly available without charge. Ironic isn’t it that he should die a pauper and I should be writing this blog just hours after being charged a small fortune for X-Rays by my dentist on behalf of our ailing National Health Service.