Saturday, September 27, 2014
World Cup Victory
In case you haven't heard, two months ago Germany won the World Cup. For those of you wondering what it was like to be in Germany for the win, here is a peek into the late-night festivities that occurred at our local traffic circle (and yes, those are full-grown men at the top of the street signs):
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Rhine Valley
Whenever people discover that we live in Bavaria, they often sigh and say it is the prettiest area of Germany. The half-timbered houses in quaint villages among green forests, hills, and even the Alps do provide quite the postcard.
What we learned recently is that these people (us included) are sorely mistaken. The Rhine Valley region trumps them all. We had previously seen the Liechtenstein and Swiss segments of the Rhine Valley, and those the Rhine Falls were breathtaking, but the Middle Rhine area just west of Frankfurt was our favorite of all.
Imagine colorful, traditional German houses lining a beautiful river. Add the Alps in the background. Now paint in vineyards with grape vines crawling up the hills from the river. Pretty, right? Top it all off by sticking a Disney-quality 12th century castle every mile. Any child that witnesses this region probably believes all princesses come from Germany, and every fairy-tale is based here. I might agree with them, as well!
This is a too-easy side trip from Frankfurt. It's an hour drive from the airport, and a great alternative to staying in the industrial city center. It is a must-see in Germany! Below are my recommendations for the best activities in the Rhine Valley region:
Cruise along the river: We did not have time for a river cruise, but instead opted to take advantage of our fabulous hotel's free bikes. We snagged two beach cruisers and took a leisurely, 16 km ride to Bingen, a slightly bigger town. There are convenient bike paths along the river, and most of the towns have a cluster of restaurants with water-views.
Sample local wines: It's obvious as you look around that the region produces a fair amount of wine. Interestingly, many of the vineyards are actually government subsidized. Regardless, the white wines are delicious. Many restaurants offer a tasting option that includes a Lazy Susan of wines (seriously!). With 15 samples, it's easy to make a night out of it!
Hike to the best views: We took trusty Rick Steve's advice (also vetted by our friends Kyle and Catilin) and stayed in the town of Bacharach. It was smaller than the rest of the towns, but less touristy. One of the highlights was walking to the top of town, then hiking up past vineyard to a lookout tower. From here, we could see the city's castle (which is now an affordable hostel), the river, and the bones of an old church which lost its wooden roof and doors in a fire. Though I am not a fan of hiking, it was worth it for the view!
Catch a local festival: Particularly during the summer, every town hosts at least a couple festivals. They come in all shapes and sizes: wine, beer, firemen, church, etc. We stopped by the strawberry festival (Edbeerfest), but unfortunately missed the opening ceremonies. If you can, plan your trip around one to enjoy a more authentic experience.
Tour a castle (or two, or five): I was serious when I said there is a castle every mile. If you take the Rhine river down the 38-mile stretch from Bingen to Koblenz, there are 40 castles along the way. This piece of the valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a great place for anyone to get their European castle-fix.
We toured two: Burg Rheinstein (pictured above) and Burg Eltz (pictured here). If I had to pick one, Burg Eltz provides a much more rounded experience. The castle is actually a compound of three castles, which were homes to the three offshoots of one family. The family still owns the castle today, and one is decorated with original furniture, fixtures, and artwork. The extremely informative English tour was included in the €9 entrance fee. Only problem is: it's a little more difficult to reach. We drove on our way out with no problem. If you plan appropriately, you will not be sorry!
What we learned recently is that these people (us included) are sorely mistaken. The Rhine Valley region trumps them all. We had previously seen the Liechtenstein and Swiss segments of the Rhine Valley, and those the Rhine Falls were breathtaking, but the Middle Rhine area just west of Frankfurt was our favorite of all.
Imagine colorful, traditional German houses lining a beautiful river. Add the Alps in the background. Now paint in vineyards with grape vines crawling up the hills from the river. Pretty, right? Top it all off by sticking a Disney-quality 12th century castle every mile. Any child that witnesses this region probably believes all princesses come from Germany, and every fairy-tale is based here. I might agree with them, as well!
This is a too-easy side trip from Frankfurt. It's an hour drive from the airport, and a great alternative to staying in the industrial city center. It is a must-see in Germany! Below are my recommendations for the best activities in the Rhine Valley region:
 |
| Burg Rheinstein |
Cruise along the river: We did not have time for a river cruise, but instead opted to take advantage of our fabulous hotel's free bikes. We snagged two beach cruisers and took a leisurely, 16 km ride to Bingen, a slightly bigger town. There are convenient bike paths along the river, and most of the towns have a cluster of restaurants with water-views.
Sample local wines: It's obvious as you look around that the region produces a fair amount of wine. Interestingly, many of the vineyards are actually government subsidized. Regardless, the white wines are delicious. Many restaurants offer a tasting option that includes a Lazy Susan of wines (seriously!). With 15 samples, it's easy to make a night out of it!
Hike to the best views: We took trusty Rick Steve's advice (also vetted by our friends Kyle and Catilin) and stayed in the town of Bacharach. It was smaller than the rest of the towns, but less touristy. One of the highlights was walking to the top of town, then hiking up past vineyard to a lookout tower. From here, we could see the city's castle (which is now an affordable hostel), the river, and the bones of an old church which lost its wooden roof and doors in a fire. Though I am not a fan of hiking, it was worth it for the view!
 |
| View of Bacharach from the top |
 |
| Burg Eltz |
We toured two: Burg Rheinstein (pictured above) and Burg Eltz (pictured here). If I had to pick one, Burg Eltz provides a much more rounded experience. The castle is actually a compound of three castles, which were homes to the three offshoots of one family. The family still owns the castle today, and one is decorated with original furniture, fixtures, and artwork. The extremely informative English tour was included in the €9 entrance fee. Only problem is: it's a little more difficult to reach. We drove on our way out with no problem. If you plan appropriately, you will not be sorry!
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