Germany – DJmotortouring

Heusweiler (Saarland), Germany October 2025 (Tour 12)

Apologies, we’ve long since returned to the UK from Tour 12 and I’m still playing catch up with the blog.

We were on our way back to the UK but had a few days before our scheduled ferry departure from Calais. We decided upon a couple of days in a hotel and Vanya found a small privately owned hotel in Heusweiler some 3 to 4 hours drive from Frickenhausen am Main and in the general direction of Calais. There is nothing wrong with the hotel Vanya chose for us (Hotel L’Adresse). It suited our needs and the management and staff were most welcoming but; Heusweiler proved a real disappointment. Heusweiler is not a large town and we didn’t expect much of the place but almost everything there was closed. Without realising it, we had arrived on a German National Holiday. It was German Reunification Day and, to make matters worse (at least for us), the nearby town of Saarbrucken (the capital of Saarland) was taking it’s turn, as the 2025 holder of the rotating presidency of the Bundesrat, to host the country’s annual celebrations of the Berlin Wall coming down on 9 November 1989*. Saarbrucken was holding a party and just about everybody in Heusweiler had closed up and gone there for the weekend. In hindsight we should perhaps have joined the rest of the town and caught a train to Saarbrucken but, in our defence, we didn’t arrive in Heusweiler until late in the afternoon.

Instead, I wandered Heusweiler looking for a restaurant which could feed us that first evening and, while it took a while to find somewhere open and not already fully booked, we struck lucky with Restaurant Herrgottswinkel. Until about a year ago this was a traditional German restaurant and it still very much looks the part. It was taken over by a Syrian family whose focus is more towards Arabic cuisine. I have long considered Lebanon to be the home of the best Arabic food (and I treasure the memories of our last visit to Beirut and Byblos in 2016) but, this place ranks up there with some of the best Arabic food we have eaten anywhere. They produced a wonderful mezze of Hummus, Baba Ganoush, Muhammara and Muttabel and followed it up with a delicious Kebab dish.

Exploring Heusweiler the next day took no time at all. There’s very little to see and what there is was mostly closed. Moreover, it rained nearly the whole day. I was able to access the entrance hall of an old church, the Pfarreienge Meinschaft, but that porch was about as far as I could get and; I tried numerous times, without success, to access the Pfarrkirche Saint-Josef (opposite the Herrgottswinkel). For my part, that’s all there is to say about Heusweiler.

Well, that’s not altogether true. I’d passed the Da Tano Italian Restaurant while roaming the town and reserved a table for the evening. The restaurant is owned by an Albanian family and that evening we were met with a warm and friendly welcome and served some of the best Italian food I have ever eaten. The rump steak (in a pepper sauce) had a rich, beefy taste and was cooked to perfection and; it came with a bottle of the smoothest of Primitivo’s. Life is full of pleasant surprises.

Next stop is somewhere in Luxembourg. We’ve found a vet who will sort our dogs in readiness for the return to the UK.

* NB The Berlin Wall was brought down during the night of 9 November 1989 but the Unification Treaty which officially reunited East and West Germany wasn’t concluded until 3 October 1990. Consieration was given to making 9 November the unification date but, with Kristallnacht having taken place on that same night in 1938, 3 October was deemed more appropriate.

Frickenhausen Am Main (Franconia), Germany October 2025 (Tour 12)

Apologies, we’ve long since returned to the UK from Tour 12 and I’m still playing catch up with the blog.

In a previous blog (see Ochsenfurt) I suggested Franconia is as much about beer as wine although I’m not certain many people from Frickenhausen will agree with me on that point. In this charming little village, one of the oldest in Lower Franconia, wine has long been a passion and I suspect beer comes a poor second. The whole area is a natural paradise; a dreamland of sorts with some of the most picturesque vineyard scenery to be found anywhere in Germany. Numerous tiny vineyards are clustered along the gently rolling hills that line the River Main as it threads it’s way through lower Franconia and among them are various chocolate box villages such as Frickenhausen am Main. I took many photographs during our visit but none capture the natural beauty of the area quite like the one below which I found on a travel site (bayern-reise.com). It’s surreal, almost magical…

Talking of photographs, there’s a well maintained cycle path to the front of Frickenhausen which stretches some 30 kilometres along the north bank of the Main and should provide some fine photo opportunities of both the river and surrounding countryside. However, that is one for the future because during this visit I was of a mind to explore the village and then take a short hike up, into and around the local vineyards.

I entered Frickenhausen, which remains surrounded by perfectly preserved 15th and 16th century walls, through it’s lower main gate (the Unteres Tor). This is the most westerly of four gates into the village the others being the Oberes, the Muhltor and the Maintor. There’s also an impressive round tower built into the walls (the Joachimsturm) although access to that tower is limited to members of the local wine growers association on account of their having acquired it as a meeting place.

At the village entrance… “The South begins here”

With just over 1,200 inhabitants Frickenhausen is a small village but inside it’s walls there is a much to suggest this place was once an important and very rich town. Sold by the Prince-Bishops of Wurzburg to the Wurzburg Cathedral Chapter in 1406, it was under the latter’s tenure that the town gates and surrounding walls, together with many of the older buildings, were constructed but; there is much about Frickenhausen which attests to the town’s continuing success until well into the 19th century. One only has to look at the number of beautiful stately half timbered town houses to be found on Babenbergplatz and along the village’s principal streets (the Hauptstrasse, Fischergasse and Muhlgasse). Most were built between the 17th and 19th centuries.

Of the other buildings in the village/town, those which stand out are the Roman Catholic Parish Church of Saint Gallus; the two story Town Hall complex (which has been extended over the years since it was first gifted to the town in 1476); the Schwarzenberg Palace, the Marian Column (next to the Town Hall) and an old village fountain. My favourite is the church which, most unusually, has a small World War II cemetery outside but; special mention should perhaps also be made of the huge 14th century wine cellar built by the Wurzburg Cathedral Chapter. It has long been owned by the Meintzinger Family (i.e. since the 18th century) and much of it is still used by Meintzinger to produce and store wine but parts of it have been converted into an elegant boutique hotel… and what a hotel! Dogs are not allowed or we’d have booked into the hotel like a shot. I had a quick look inside and it’s terrific.

The Town Hall Complex. Sankt Gallus is behind it.

There are two gates at the eastern end of the village. The larger of these is the Muhltor which leaves Frickenhausen via the Muhlgasse and follows the Main to Marktbreit. The smaller gate is the Oberes Tor which leaves the village by the Frankischer Marienweg and along what is sometimes called the Kapellensteige on account of this particular exit leading up through the Kapellenberg Vineyard to the Saint Valentine Chapel and, beyond the chapel, to the “terroir f Frickenhausen”. It’s not a particularly steep walk up to ‘terroir f’ but it’s different and worth doing for the views alone.

There are a number of recognised trails through the vineyards surrounding Frickenhausen but one of the more interesting is the ‘Wine and Bible Walk’ up to ‘terroir f’. I should explain that the terroir f initiative constitutes a collection of sites across Franconia, each with a different theme, which are intended to entice tourists into the vineyards so as to educate them in some aspect or another of viticulture. Frickenhausen selected the connection between wine and religion as a theme. Wine has long been honoured in some way, shape or form by many of the world’s religions. Even the Quran describes wine as a “good gift of creation” (to be imbibed in the hereafter if not on earth). There are plenty of examples along the walk to ‘terroir f Frickenhausen’ as to how Christianity has celebrated wine over the years and the terroir f exhibit itself (at the top of the hill a little way beyond the Saint Valentin Chapel) comprises a steel template of Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper mounted on a series of large limestone blocks. The Last Supper, of course, gave rise to the Eucharist with it’s sacramental bread and wine. Whatever one’s religion, ‘terroir f Frickenhausen’ makes for a magnificent viewpoint and I’m advised too that on occasion it is used for wine tastings. Different or what?!?

Continuing with the wine theme, Vanya and I enjoyed a late afternoon wine tasting session back at our camp site which was organised by the camp site management. We learned something about the local grape varieties (Gruner Silvaner, Muller-Thurgau and Bacchus); bought a few bottles of ‘Silvaner’ and; after a fine meal in the camp site restaurant, returned to the village in the evening to put our learning to the test. I’d picked out the Winebistro Vinothek, on the ground floor of the town hall complex, as an ideal place to test ourselves… and so it proved. They were most welcoming and produced an outstanding Riesling. In fact, the whole wine tasting experience in Frickenhausen surprised us with Vanya who, up until then, would only drink Weisser Burgunder (and that would have to be from a Bocksbeutel) really enjoying both the local Silvaner and the local Riesling. It seems to me that Frickenhausen’s passion for wine is tangible and infectious.

We really enjoyed Frickenhausen am Main and would have stayed on but we were on our way back to the UK and to that end had booked a hotel further west in Saarland. We had to move on but we’ll definitely return. I think also this is an excellent place from which to visit some other attractive towns and villages in the area – Sommerhausen, Marktbreit, Kitzingen, Volkach and, further afield in Baden Wurttemberg, there’s Bad Mergentheim.

Until then, I’ll leave you with a thought – “Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it.” – That’s Anonymous but it does fit.

Ochsenfurt (Lower Franconia), Germany October 2025 (Tour 12)

We first visited Franconia during Tour 8 (in 2023) and a number of visits since has seen the region become a firm favourite of ours. This stay was a short one; just two days in Lower Franconia exploring the small town of Ochsenfurt and it’s tiny neighbour Frickenhausen Am Main. Ochsenfurt (that’s Oxford in English) sits on the left bank of the River Main some 12 miles south east of Wurzburg while Frickenhausen is a village on the right bank of the river, just a mile east of Ochsenfurt.

We had checked into an outstanding camp site (Knaus Campingpark) which is within easy walking distance of both Ochsenfurt and Frickenhausen and over the two days had sufficient time to properly acquaint ourselves with both places.

We started with Ochsenfurt, a small picturesque town with a little over 11,000 inhabitants. In medieval times the town would most likely have been graded as a city as it was completely surrounded by walls. Much of the walls, together with the original town gates and towers, still stand. Ochsenfurt also had a small castle but; there’s little left of that these days and what there is now serves as a tiny history museum. Inside the walls is a compact town centre of narrow streets and several colourful, well preserved, half timbered buildings; the best examples of which are on the Hauptstrasse and date from between the 16th and 18th centuries.

Cross the Main using the Frankischer Marienweg Bridge and you’ll arrive on Bruckenstrasse. The first building to the right of this street is the history museum, known locally as the ‘Schlosschen’ (or ‘Little Castle’) although it’s proper name is the Heimaatmuseum. It is almost all that is left of the old castle and is easily recognised by a stone carving on it’s front inviting you to ‘Visit Beautiful Ochsenfurt’.

Walk the length of Bruckenstrasse and you’ll soon reach the Hauptstrasse which is Ochsenfurt’s high street and very much the centre of the medieval Old Town (die Alte Stadt). Stretching from the Klingentorturm in the west to the Oberes Tor in the east, the Hauptstrasse runs the length of the Alte Stadt. It’s no longer the largest street in Ochsenfurt but it is certainly the prettiest with it’s rows of half timbered buildings, an unusual water feature (not unlike a small “Bachle”), the Roman Catholic Church of St Andreas or St Andrew’s, and no less than two 15th century town halls. Oh…and there’s plenty of interesting boutique shops and cafe bars to be found on either of Bruckenstrasse or the Hauptstrasse.

The large red building near the far end of the Hauptstrasse is the Rathaus (town hall). Built in 1497 it is actually known as the ‘new’ town hall. The older town hall, on the corner of Bruckenstrasse and Hauptstrasse, isn’t much older but it was deemed too small and now houses the town library and a small cafe. The new town hall is easily recognised by it’s colour and it’s intricate clock tower. The tower comes to life every hour on the hour with the skeleton moving, the oxen bumping their heads together and some of the windows opening to reveal the faces of councillors looking out over the town. The show is all too brief but still impressive.

There’s a local market in front of the Rathaus every Saturday

Also on the Hauptstrasse is the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Andreas (Saint Andrew’s in English), parts of which date back to the late 13th century. It’s big and impressive and towers over every other building in the old town. A couple of chaps started practising on the church organ while I was there and, I don’t know what music they were playing but, the rich resonant tones of the organ filled the church with such grandeur and joy. I’d never thought about this before but, all too often, these incredible and often magnificent looking instruments are used to play such sombre or solemn music. What a waste.

I made two trips into Ochsenfurt that first day. One on my own which ended with a couple of cold beers in a small bar on Bruckenstrasse, opposite the Schlossen. The second was with Vanya (and our dogs) and ended with a wine tasting session back at our camp site. Franconia is renowned for both it’s wines and it’s beers. There are many vineyards in the area but the great majority are on the Frickenhausen side of the Main while the breweries are on the Ochsenfurt side. Indeed, despite it’s small size, Ochsenfurt has two private breweries each of which date back to the 19th century. One is the Privatbrauerei Oechsner (which produces a very good Pils) and the other is the Gehring Brauerie, which beer I have yet to taste. Germany is well known for it’s many beers but few know that the Franconia region has the largest concentration of breweries anywhere in the country.

A word or two about the Knaus camp site we were staying at. There are currently more than 20 Knaus camp sites across Germany. I don’t know whether they are all owned and operated by the same company or if they are simply part of a collective but; from what I have read about them they are all quite unique. They all appear to be of a high standard in terms of facilities, fixtures and fittings but attractions at each camp vary enormously and are often aligned with local interests and/or amenities. Some will appeal more to young families; others to those whose children have grown and flown. We fit more into the latter category (empty nesters) and this particular site on Frickenhauser Strasse appealed to us not least because the friendly and very welcoming management team has formed an association with a local winegrower who happily visits on a daily basis to conduct wine tastings. We loved it and we also liked the onsite restaurant.

Straubing (Lower Bavaria), Germany September 2025 (Tour 12)

It is said Straubing is a “Beer City” best known for it’s Gäubodenvolksfest; a 10 day beer festival held every August which features specially prepared beers from 7 local breweries. The beers are served across 7 huge festival tents which together can accommodate 27,000 seated guests and so make this beer festival the second largest in Bavaria (after Munich’s Oktoberfest). We missed this year’s Gaubodenvolksfest (not that Vanya would have been particularly interested) but I reproduce below three photos (not mine) which suggest that, going forward, this is a must for me…

Beer City or not, Straubing is one of the more interesting towns in this part of Germany and well worth a visit. Situated on the banks of the Danube in the east of Bavaria between Regensburg and Passau it is a well preserved historical and picturesque little city where we were quite happy to spend two full days.

Immediately after settling in at Campingplatz der Stadt der Straubing I went off to explore the city and find a restaurant for the evening. From the campsite it is an easy 10-15 minute walk along a cycle path to the city centre. The path runs parallel with the river through a small wood at the back of the campsite until it reaches the Schlossbrucke. Cross the Danube over this bridge and you’re in the city. In fact, the first building to be encountered is the Herzogsschloss; a Ducal Palace built by Duke Albrecht I during the 14th century. There’s a small museum inside the palace but the building is not always open to the public (probably because it also houses the city’s tax office) but it is possible to visit the inner courtyard. The city centre is almost immediately behind the palace.

Looking across the Danube to the Herzgsschloss

The beating heart of Straubing is it’s spacious mostly pedestrianised Markplatz which is a little way behind the Herzogsschloss. This market place is a good half a mile long and is actually formed by two squares, Ludwigsplatz to the west and Theresienplatz to the east, which are separated by an imposing watchtower (the 68 metre high Stadtturm). Both squares are lined with brightly painted townhouses with steep gables and opulent Baroque and Rococo facades. The ground floors of most of the townhouses have been converted into shops and cafes and, of course, the ubiquitous ice cream parlours – this is, after all, Germany and the Germans favour ice cream as much as the Italians. Other features on the squares include two impressive fountains (the Tibertiusbrunnen on Theresienplatz and the Jacobs Fountain on Ludwigsplatz); the beautiful marble Trinity Column (the Dreifaltigkeitssaule) with it’s gold top and; the Rathaus (city hall).

During the period April to September there are guided tours to the top of the Stadtturm which until 1930 was still occupied by a watchkeeper. The tours take in his rather spartanly furnished apartment. He couldn’t have been very comfortable living in the tower but the views over the city are second to none.

I entered just one church during this visit (the Papal Basilica of Saint James & Saint Tiburtius) and it was getting late in the day when I did that. As a result, many of my photos were rushed and underexposed and I’m therefore relying on just two photos from Straubing’s tourist office website to reflect the building’s grandeur and elegance. The first photograph, of the exterior of the church, appears to have been photographed from the Stadtturm and it depicts a stately and very imposing church which dominates Straubing’s old town. The second photo illustrates how bright and majestic it is inside the church. The Basilica is easily the largest church in the city and while it’s exterior Gothic architectural style can appear dark and somewhat austere, the inside is glorious. In addition to some quite remarkable architecture (highlights of which are the pulpit and some of the many side chapels) and a beautiful 15th century altar taken from a Nuremberg Monastery, there’s a brilliant selection of stained glass windows which includes the “Moses Window” supposedly designed by Albrecht Durer. How I wish I could have made it up into the bell tower.

Papal Basilica of St James & St Tibertius…

Straubing is home to a number of magnificent churches, including the 12th century Church of Saint Peter and the 14th/15th century Catholic Church of Saint Vitus or St Veit. There’s also an old Carmelite Church which was sold to the University of Munich in 2018 and, alongside it, another small but impressive church which was part of an Ursuline Convent. Finally, there’s the former Jesuit Church at the top end of Theresienplatz. Few of these churches were open during my visit but I was advised that some of them are as opulent inside as the Papal Basilica. Next time?

During our two days in Straubing I made no less than four trips into the city and walked many miles (most of them tracking down ‘stolpersteine’) but I also spent a fair time on the Marktplatz; just sitting in the sunshine over a cup of coffee or an ice cream, watching the world go by. People watching is one great pastime although next time I’ll forego the ice cream. How on earth can anyone as small as Vanya eat that much ice cream in one go?

Beanie prefers cabbage patches to city centres

The city entrance known as the Hospital Gate

Another occasional interest of mine, while touring Europe, is research into local history and/or legends. One story I stumbled across in Straubing, and which seems so preposterous one could be forgiven for thinking it a legend, is the tragic but true story of Agnes Bernauer.

It is believed Agnes Bernauer was born the daughter of a bath house attendant or barber in Augsburg around 1410. Being a commoner, little is known about her early life but she grew up to become the beautiful mistress of Albrecht, a son of Duke Ernst I of Bavaria-Munich. The duke grew increasingly unhappy as the couple’s relationship developed and/but was absolutely horrified upon learning they had secretly married each other. Agnes’s social standing was such that no child born of this union could possibly inherit the Dukedom. With the threat to his dynastic succession now very real, the Duke urged his son to put Agnes aside but Albrecht refused. The Duke’s response was to wait until his son was away on a hunting holiday and then have Agnes seized, condemned for witchcraft and executed. She was drowned in the Danube on 12 October 1435 while her husband Albrecht was still away.

Unbelievably the father and son were soon reconciled and, within a year, Albrecht had taken another wife. He married the aristocratic Anna of Brunswick-Grubenhagen and went on to have 10 children and inherit all his father’s titles. It is not known where Agnes’s body is but in 1436 the Duke had a memorial chapel built in the cemetery of the Parish Church of St Peter’s in Straubing (to atone for her murder?) and Albrecht paid for a perpetual mass which continues on an annual basis to this day (and that’s his conscience salved?).

The story would perhaps have died with the drowning of Agnes Bernauer but it somehow survived through the efforts of numerous poets, authors, screenplay writers, musical composers (Carl Orff made it into an opera – Die Bernauerin) and; no less a personage than King Ludwig I of Bavaria (who wrote a poem of his own about the tragedy). It’s future was assured when, in 1935, the city of Straubing decided to hold an Agnes Bernauer Festival every four years. This open air theatre production of the story, staged by 200 amateur actors in front of some 20,000 spectators in the courtyard of the Herzogsschloss, continues to this day.

Oh… and before I finish (I still have quite a few blog entries to catch up on), the Campingplatz de Stadt on Gstutt Island is great for a stopover. We have no hesitation in recommending this campsite. The restrooms are clean and well maintained and the small onsite restaurant-bar, which specialises in home cooked Vietnamese cuisine is excellent.

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), 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.

Uffenheim (Mittelfranken – Bayern), Germany June 2025 (Tour 11)

We crossed the border from Austria into Germany two days ago; stopping one night at Camping Hotel Preishof in Kirchham bei Bad Fussing and a second at Camping Felbermuhle on the edge of Neustadt an der Donau (near Passau).

We were heading for Wurzburg in Lower Franconia but would visit and spend the next night in the small city of Uffenheim in Middle Franconia. Our chosen campsite in Wurzburg was fully occupied but the municipal site in Uffenheim (just a few miles short of Wurzburg) had space and we reasoned that we could visit Wurzburg from there the following day, as we continued northwards.

Uffenheim’s campsite, adjacent to the swimming pool, is just a ten minute walk from the city centre and that allowed me plenty of opportunity to properly explore it’s old town. Indeed, I visited the old town twice during our short stay; once on my own during the afternoon we arrived and; again in the evening, with Vanya. Perhaps I expected too much of this tiny city (it has just 6,500 inhabitants) but, I was left somewhat disappointed by the place. There’s little there of interest and much was closed.

There’s a partially preserved city wall, two city gate towers and at least three churches, all of which were closed. Otherwise, there’s not a lot else. I entered the old town by way of the Wurzburger Tor. I wandered the area for a while; looking for a decent bar or restaurant for dinner at which to take dinner that evening, but; most of the decent looking bars and restaurants were also closed. I think we had arrived in Bayern during some form of local holiday because a large proportion of the city’s cafe-bars and restaurants were closed. I stopped for a beer at the friendly Eiscafe Da Mauri on Marktplatz and, while there, took note of the Pizzeria e Ristorante Calabria (on the opposite side of the street) as a possible place for a pizza if nothing better opened during the evening but; that was it.

None of the better looking restaurants did open during our short stay but the Pizzeria e Ristorante Calabria served a decent pizza later that evening and I received a warm welcome from the owner of the Eiscafe Da Mauri when we subsequently crossed the street for dessert.

In the morning we would visit Wurzburg and that I was very much looking forward to…

Tubingen (Baden-Wurttemberg), Germany September 2024 (Tour 10)

We very much enjoyed Marburg and were reluctant to leave but, the weather forecast across Germany (and almost all of northern Europe) was so bad that we thought it best to make our way south west into France or even Spain. We chose to go by way of another scenic university city, Tubingen in Swabia. This city is purportedly one of Germany’s sunniest spots although you wouldn’t believe it while we were there. In fact, I’m thinking we should have driven even further west because I was absolutely drenched whilst wandering the city centre.

Tubingen straddles the River Neckar and a part of my walk into the city from the campsite took me on to the Neckarinsel. This artificial island is about three quarters of a mile long and a path lined with 200 year old Plane trees (the Platanenallee) runs it’s length to the Eberhardsbrucke in the city centre. This route along the island provides some fine views of the colourful 15th and 16th century buildings lining the Neckar. The most impressive views however are from the bridge or, better still, from a Stockerkahn which is a flat bottom boat not unlike the punts to be found on the River Cam in Cambridge. The Stockerkahn is propelled in the same way as a punt too.

*A view along the Neckar from the Eberhardsbrucke*

*The River Neckar complete with a Stockerkhan* *and the Zwingel Wall*

A staircase at the end of the island leads up on to the Eberhardsbrucke (which bridge is named in honour of Count Eberhard V who started the city’s university in 1477) and from there one can enter the old town via the Neckargasse or along a narrow path by the Zwingel Wall. I walked both routes during my short time in the city.

Before I forget, there’s a large birdhouse at the foot of the staircase which intrigued me. I learned that it serves to help control the city’s pigeon population which is as great a problem in Tubingen as in any other European city. When the pigeons nest in the birdhouse, city workers replace their eggs with plaster ones. This may not be one of the most successful methods of controlling pigeon numbers but it is perhaps one of the more humane.

Once up on the bridge I made my way to the 15th century Collegiate Church of Saint George (known more commonly as the Stiftskirche) which is on the Holzmarkt. This is another church which converted to Protestantism, the first Protestant service being held in the church during 1534. My primary reason for heading there was to take advantage of the supposedly good views from it’s belltower but, it wasn’t to be. The belltower was closed for the day but, no matter, the Stiftskirche is a beautiful and interesting church.

One detail I noticed about the church’s choir is that the carving of Moses shows him with horns on his head, much like a devil. I didn’t know this until today but it seems a great many images of Moses from the Middle Ages portray him with horns. It is not absolutely clear how this came about but it is suspected the horns were added to discredit him at a time when Christians and Jews were in conflict.

*Collegiate Church of Saint George (Stiftskirche)*

The Holzmarkt is adjacent to the Marktplatz and this market square has to be the focal point of the city with it’s more than impressive town hall (the Rathaus), Neptune’s Fountain (Neptunbrunnen) and the square’s many multifloored 15th and 16th century buildings. Tubingen escaped the heavy bombing which saw so many places devastated during World War II (only one bomb is recorded as having landed on the city) and it’s medieval centre is almost perfectly preserved.

The colourful Rathaus takes pride of place with it’s ornate astronomical clock and it’s tiny, flower covered balcony which comes into it’s own during civil wedding services when the newly married couple are encouraged to take their first kiss as husband and wife on the balcony in front of a cheering crowd.

And then it began to rain, softly at first…

Despite the rain I continued with my walk around this colourful little city; admiring the abundance of flowers and some very good street art (there was a lot of not so nice grafitti too – just awful scribble) and; visiting a couple more churches too but then the heavens really opened.

It was a cloudburst, a deluge, and I was well and truly caught in it. I was drenched. I found shelter for a while in a cafe (over coffee and apfelkuchen) but the rain wouldn’t let up and as time dragged on I felt obliged to try and make my way back to the Van. I started skipping (prancing is perhaps a more accurate description) from one door to another. It was slow progress… and then I noticed the Stolpersteine… more of Gunter Demnig’s work… small memorial plaques laid in the pavement in front of the former homes of victims of the Nazis… and my progress became slower still.

I made it back to the Van a while later. The bad weather stopped me searching out other stolpersteine and all the forecasts suggest it will continue to rain for the next few days.

It was time to move on. I missed out on the Hohentubingen Castle with it’s Renaissance style lower gate (the Unteres Schloss Tor), the Eberhard Karls University, the Wurmlinger Chapel and who knows what else but; I suspect I will return to Tubingen.

Marburg (Hesse), Germany September 2024 (Tour 10)

I’d never heard of Marburg until we started looking for a place to overnight while on our way to Quedlingburg. We came for one day, stayed 4 and forgot all about Quedlingburg. That says it all. It’s a quintessential German city, full of character and points of interest and it’s beautiful. Moreover, during our visit we didn’t see or hear a single tourist. I guess not many other people have heard of the place either.

My initial exploration of the city commenced with a walk up through the Oberstadt to the Landgrafen Palace (the Landgrafenschloss) which towers over Marburg. It was a hot walk with the promised sun, that we’ve been chasing since leaving England, raising the local temperature to at least 30 degrees centigrade. The walk up was steep, through mostly narrow cobbled streets and even narrower lanes lined with colombage houses. Given how hot it was I was content to wander the castle grounds and view the outside of what is now, for the most part, a museum.

*A painting of the Landgrafenschloss towering over Marburg*

While walking to and from the palace I was intrigued by various interesting fairy tale features which adorn the route. They are a nod to the Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm, who attended Philipps University in Marburg during the period 1802 to 1806. There are a number of these features dotted around the city and it is possible to obtain a map showing their whereabouts from the local tourist office. I didn’t have a copy of the map (I think it is called the Grimm Trail) but, even so, I stumbled across Cinderella’s shoe; the magic mirror from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves; the Frog Prince from the fairy tale of the same name; seven flies from the Brave Little Tailor and; a series of statues representing the Wolf and the Seven Kids.

If it wasn’t so hot and if there weren’t quite so many steps in Marburg, I’m sure I would have stumbled upon more of the fairy tale features but, I needed a beer and so made my way back to the city’s Marktplatz where I’d previously noticed a bar selling Veltins, a Pilsner I had very much enjoyed at a beer festival in Mainz a couple of years ago.

The Marktplatz, with it’s red sandstone Rathaus (City Hall) and the Saint George Fountain (so named because the fountain is topped by a statue of St George killing his dragon), is one of the prettier parts of Marburg and a popular meeting place among the city’s large student population. The 450+ year old Rathaus is by far the most picturesque building on the square. It is nothing less than splendid.

In a corner close to the Rathaus is a statue of Sophie of Brabant holding her son, Henry. Sophie was the daughter of the city’s most famous personage, Elizabeth of Thuringia (more about her later), and it was in this square during the War of the Thuringian Succession that Sophie proclaimed her son Henry the Landgrave of the independent territory of Hesse.

Marburg is a long established university city with a young age profile (23,500 of the 73,000 population are students) and the Marktplatz reflects that. It is very much a meeting place with it’s numerous cafes, bars and restaurants. I sat on the square nursing a couple of beers for a thoroughly enjoyable hour just watching the world go by and listening to a couple of buskers. They were good.

Vanya and I returned to the town later in the day to take dinner on the square but the buskers I had so much enjoyed earlier in the day were gone and in their place was an absolutely atrocious soul singer. Despite the lovely setting and the okay meal, I couldn’t get off the square quick enough but; we promised ourselves we would return the following night (and we did, with our friends Craig and Julie who arrived in Marburg that same day).

A little bit about two of the city’s more remarkable churches; the Lutheran Parish Church and the Elisabethkirche. The Elisabethkirche is the most impressive of the two but it was the Lutheran Parish Church (also known as the Marienkirche – Saint Mary’s in English) which captured my attention.

The Marienkirche is the slightly older of the two churches dating back to 1222 (compared to 1235 for the Elisabethkirche) but in 1527 the then Landgrave Philip the Magnaminous declared it to be the Protestant Parish Church of Marburg. It was to be the first Protestant church in Hesse and subsequently became known as the Lutheran Parish Church. However, it is not the church’s history which charmed me during my visit nor even it’s very obvious leaning spire. It was a young string ensemble practising Bach in readiness for weekend concert in the church. They were tremendous. It seems the church is well known for it’s acoustics and I note that the Bach evening will be followed by a soprano singer (Miriam Feuersinger) and, in October, a ‘Night of the Choirs’ which will see a minimum 15 choirs performing 20 minute sets. That’s with free admission too and such events will be something I will be checking out during any future visits to Marburg.

In contrast, the Elisabethkirche proved a total letdown as this most beautiful and historically interesting church was mostly closed for restoration purposes. This church was built to celebrate the short life of the Landgravine Elisabeth of Thuringia. She died in 1231 at the age of 24 but achieved enough in that short life to be sanctified by the Catholic Church just 4 years later. The church was built alongside a hospital (there’s little left of that now) which she created for the area’s sick and poor. Her relics are interred in a tomb in the church which is supposedly a masterpiece of intricate carving and medieval goldsmithing. Another particularly interesting feature of the church is the beautiful stained glass window depicting scenes from Elisabeth’s life. Created in 1957 it is considered to be one of the most celebrated modern stained glass windows in Germany.

Another interesting building just opposite from the front entrance of the Elisabethkirche is a small chapel, Saint Michael’s Kappelle. This chapel was commissioned by the Teutonic Order of Knights in 1270 to celebrate the lives of numerous pilgrims who, after coming to Marburg ill and hoping to be saved by Saint Elisabeth, died in the city and needed to be buried. The graveyard where these pilgrims are buried surrounds the chapel and it was used until about 1530 when Marburg turned Protestant.

Talking of hospitals, shortly after arriving in Marburg I was interested to learn that between 1943 and 1945 (during World War II), the whole city became a hospital. It was decided that all government buildings near to a hospital or doctor’s surgery were to become hospital wards for wounded German soldiers and as many as 20,000 soldiers were held in these wards at any given time. Consequently, the city wasn’t bombed by the allies.

Well, that’ll do for now except to say that (a) we will definitely return to Marburg and (b) our stay was very much enhanced through our staying at a quite excellent campsite on the banks of the River Lahn (just 20 minutes walk from the city along an excellent cycle path) – the Campsite Lahnaue.