Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for germany
Saxony’s Towering Landmark
By Linda Tancs
A short trip from Dresden, Germany, Bastei Bridge is one of Saxony’s most famous landmarks. Located in Saxon Switzerland National Park, rock formations tower over the River Elbe spanned by a sandstone bridge about 250 feet long. Popular with hikers, there is no shortage of scenic routes. One of the most popular is called the “Golden Triangle,” a hike that runs between Stadt Wehlen via Bastei to Kurort Rathen. Lookouts abound, like Basteiaussicht, where shutterbugs will appreciate the opportunities at sunrise or sunset.
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Gateway to the Black Forest
By Linda Tancs
A gateway to the Black Forest, Breisach is a small German town on the Rhine River. Dominating the skyline is St. Stephen Cathedral, built in the 12th to the 15th centuries in Romanesque and Gothic styles. The church is particularly known for its mural, The Last Judgment, by Martin Schongauer. The Black Forest is an easy excursion away by bus.
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Capitals of Culture in 2025
By Linda Tancs
In keeping with tradition, we begin the New Year with an announcement on the European Capitals of Culture for 2025: Chemnitz in Germany and Nova Gorica in Slovenia. Chemnitz is the third-largest city in the German state of Saxony after Leipzig and Dresden. Over 100 projects and 1,000 events are planned for the year. One of their flagship features is the Purple Path art and sculpture trail, an exhibition featuring over 30 international contemporary art works in public spaces. Nova Gorica is a town in western Slovenia bordering Italy. The key word for their festivities is “borderless,” a commitment to being the European Capital of Borderless Culture in partnership with the Italian town of Gorizia. Highlights include the first permanent cross-border dance ensemble in the town’s history as well as the launch of Europe’s first cross-border bee trail, an area along the border with locations where bee-friendly plants have been planted. More than 30 restaurants and bars in Gorizia and Nova Gorica have put together a menu of dishes based on honey products.
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The Romantic Road
By Linda Tancs
Southern Germany’s Romantic Road isn’t really a lover’s lane; it’s a 285-mile route between Würzburg and Füssen linking 29 towns and all the nature, culture, art, culinary delights and hospitality that go along with them. At the northern endpoint of Würzburg you’ll encounter a wine region known for the Residenz, an 18th-century baroque palace with a Tiepolo fresco. At the southern end of Füssen you’ll find yourself at the foothills of the Alps near King Ludwig II’s iconic Neuschwanstein Castle. In between you’ll find plenty of interesting stops, like the medieval townscape in Rothenburg, the crater town of Nördlingen (built in a crater caused by a meteorite) and historic Dinkelsbühl, a former free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire. The road is arguably best explored by car although public transportation is also an option, particularly for targeted stops in the better-known cities.
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Berlin’s TV Tower
By Linda Tancs
The tallest building in Germany, the TV Tower on Alexanderplatz in Berlin is the city’s most prominent landmark. It’s a must-see for tourists, who get panoramic views up to 50 miles on a clear day from the observation deck over 600 feet high. A floor above the deck is a restaurant; book early if you want a window seat.
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Europe’s Oldest Jewish Cemetery
By Linda Tancs
Surviving Hitler’s Third Reich, Europe’s oldest Jewish cemetery is in Worms, Germany. The earliest graves date back to the 11th century, with inscriptions from 1058. The Jewish community thrived in medieval times; one of the best known rabbis and poets of the age, Rabbi Meir of Rothenburg, is buried there. Along with other medieval Jewish sites in Worms, Speyer and Mainz, the cemetery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Wandering Through Vogtland
By Linda Tancs
Panoramic views are a dime a dozen unless, of course, you find yourself on the Vogtland Panorama Weg. It’s a 139-mile circular trail in Germany that winds its way through Thuringia and Saxony, promising 82 panoramic views and 280 changes of scenery featuring ravines, meadows and endless vistas. The trail begins and ends at the Göltzsch Viaduct, the largest brick-built bridge in the world. Experienced hikers will find the marked route very manageable, with 12 daily stages up to 14 miles.
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A Light on the Channel
By Linda Tancs
You won’t be able to miss the red-and-yellow lighthouse in Krummhörn, Germany. Built in 1891 as a sector light for the Emshörn channel on Germany’s North Sea coast , the plump, little beacon known as Pilsum Lighthouse sits on a quiet landscape about a quarter mile from the sea. Be content with the photographic opportunities; the lighthouse is open sporadically for visits.
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White Gold in Fulda
By Linda Tancs
Originating in the town of Fulda, Germany, in 1740, the porcelain factory became known for gilding and low-fired colors in the production of items like figurines and tableware. Popularly referred to as “white gold,” a permanent collection of this prized porcelain is on display on the ground floor of the north wing of Fasanerie Palace, which boasts the kind of treasures you would usually expect to see only in a museum dedicated to porcelain and ceramics. The castle is also renowned for its antiquity collection, considered one of the finest private collections in Germany. Its gems include the marble portrait of Caligula (considered his best surviving image) and an Attic vase over 2,400 years old that is frequently mentioned in archaeological journals and pictured in numerous school textbooks. A guided tour of the porcelain collection is available at appointed times daily; you can also take a more comprehensive tour of the palace throughout the day. The castle, surrounded by baroque gardens, is located about 4 miles outside the city center of Fulda.
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All Aboard the Brocken
By Linda Tancs
The Brocken is the highest peak in the Harz mountain range in central Germany. From the summit you’ll get glorious views of Harz National Park, the first such park to span two federal states. The peak also offers Brocken garden, a botanical garden established on the summit in 1890. It houses more than 1,500 plant species from high mountain areas from all over the world, with a particular emphasis on the protection and conservation of species that are either threatened with extinction or very rare. Between mid-May and mid-October you can explore the garden between Monday and Friday twice a day with a gardener. One of the best things about the garden is how to get there. A narrow-gauge steam train departs from Drei Annen Hohne station and takes approximately 50 minutes to climb to Brocken Station, just 52 feet below the mountain’s summit.
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