A string of beautiful places ending in berg or burg

We have just finished a week of beautiful Germany, summarised by medieval villages, cobblestone streets, geranium flowerboxes, half-timber houses, beer, pretzels, sauerkraut and sausages. Most days we struggled to get smiles from the locals and a few million faces became totally grim when Germany failed to perform at the Football World Cup. Regensberg boasts the oldest sausage kitchen in Germany, back to 1135 in fact!! Mad not to stop for more sausages and beer.

We were also attracted to the old craftmen quarters that didn't have the luxury of plumbing when the houses were build so all the 'piss pots' were emptied out the windows onto the streets. Trecherous for those walking by!!

And so on to Nuremberg, famous for Lebkuchen,....the best gingerbread cookies....even better coated with chocolate. In contrast to the stark area where Hitler held his Nazi Party rallies, there were pretty parts in the Old Town including this fountain in the market square.

Next was Bamberg which boasts 81 breweries, but is most famous for its smoked beer. Even the locals say it takes three glasses to get to like it, but by that stage you don't care!!

On to Wurzburg, Rothenburg and Miltenberg and more into white wine country. Can't believe the steepness of the vineyards. Poor grapes appear to be defying gravity while attaching themselves to the soil. Picking equipment and sprays were sent up on cablecars! When we became totally overloaded with yet another castle, cathedral or fortress we took off and biked along the riverbank, at this stage getting close to the Rhine.

Our last port of call before Cologne was Rudesheim and nothing better than sitting down to a Rudesheimer Coffee mid morning. The fact that it is hugely laced with Ashbach brandy and is topped with cream and chocolate makes it even harder to ignore!

Decadence continued later that day when we were treated to a banquet dinner at Namedy Castle, the home of Princess Heide von Hollernzollern. In her words the castle costs 10,000 Euro a month to run, so she needed to think of practical ways to meet the costs. We were given champagne on arrival, then spent time in the garden and reception hall before dinner and a piano recital. Very special.