Friday, July 29, 2011

GERMANY-General

Regions: Autonome Provinz Bozen-Südtirol, Baden-Wurttemberg; Bavaria (does not include Munich); Brandenburg; Hesse (includes Frankfurt); Lower Saxony (does not include Hamburg); North Rhine-Westphalia (includes Dusseldorf); Rhineland-Palatinate; Saxony (does not include Dresden; includes Leipzig); and Thuringia (includes Weimar); does not include, Berlin, Luebeck, or Munich.



AUTONOME PROVINZ BOZEN-SÜDTIROL
Campo Tures/Sand in Taufers
Sights & Sites
Taufers Castle – 1 Ahornach (Trostburg); 011-39-047-165-4401; burgeninstitut.com/taufers_description.htm; ‎medieval fortress; formerly castle of Taufers (Tures) lords; came into South Tyrol Institute of Castles possession in 1977; completely furnished & very well preserved; noteworthy collection art objects & furnishings.



BADEN-WURTTEMBERG
Bad Peterstal-Griesbach
Hotels
Hotel Dollenberg – 3 Dollenberg; 011-49-078-06780; dollenberg.de; Relais & Chateaux hotel.
Restaurants
Renchtalhutte – 3 Dollenberg (at Hotel Dollenberg); 011-49-078-06780; dollenberg.de; 1 Michelin star.

Baden-Baden
Hotels
Brenner’s Park-Hotel & Spa – 4/6 Schillerstrasse; 011-49-072-219-000; brenners.com; stone property in Black Forest Mountains’ valley, overlooking tree-lined streets and near thermal springs.

Baiersbronn
Hotels
Hotel Bareiss im Schwarzwald – 14 Gärtenbühlweg; 011-49-074-42470; bareiss.com; founded in 1951; today has 230 beds and 260 full-time employees, along with spa and sports facilities; in addition to 3 Michelin star Restaurant Bareiss, has Dorfstuben restaurant.
Hotel Sackmann – 602 Murgtalstrasse; 011-49-074-472-890; hotel-sackmann.de; imposing cluster of white houses, set in narrow Murg Valley north of Baiersbronn; spa facilities on roof; can use as base for exploring much of Black Forest; comfortable guest rooms are in high-end country style, all with generously-sized bathrooms; 2 restaurants under Jörg Sackmann are excellent: Anita-Stube ($$-$$$) serves regional specialties & Restaurant Schlossberg ($$$), with 1 Michelin star.
Hotel Traube Tonbach – 237 Tonbachstrasse; 011-49-074-424-920; traube-tonbach.de; luxurious; rooms, each of which has sweeping Black Forest views, meet contemporary standards; friendly and helpful staff nearly outnumbers guests; 4 fine restaurants; classic French cuisine at Schwarzwaldstube, expensive; international at Köhlerstube ($$-$$$); Swabian at Bauernstube ($-$$); gourmet classics for hotel guests only at Silberberg ($$$); Köhlerstube & Bauernstube have beamed ceilings and tables set with fine silver & glassware; Bauernstube dates back to 1778.
Restaurants
Restaurant Bareiss – 14 Gärtenbühlweg (at Hotel Bareiss im Schwarzwald); 011-49-074-42470; bareiss.com; 3 Michelin stars.
Schwarzwaldstube – 237 Tonbachstrasse (at Hotel Traube Tonbach); 011-49-074-424-920; traube-tonbach.de; 3 Michelin stars; expensive.
Restaurant Schlossberg – 602 Murgtalstrasse (at Hotel Sackmann); 011-49-074-472-890; hotel-sackmann.de; 1 Michelin star.

Stuttgart
Hotels
Der Zauberlehrling – 38 Rosenstrasse; 011-49-071-1237-7770; zauberlehrling.de; top boutique in city; name means “Sorcerer’s Apprentice”; each room different theme (Mediterranean, etc.); excellent restaurant; tiny lobby.
Restaurants
Trollinger – 50 Rotebühlstrasse; 011-49-071-162-1441; trollingerstubn.de; Swabian.
Sights & Sites
Landesmuseum Württemberg – 6 Schiller Platz; 011-49-711-8953-5111; landesmuseum-stuttgart.de; main historical museum of Württemberg portion of Baden-Württemberg; founded in 1869 by King William I; main location is Old Castle in Stuttgart; nearby Ducal granary contains musical instruments collection; New Castle also contain collections, as well as Waldenbuch Castle (outside Stuttgart); collections group into 3 divisions: (1) archeology (Paleolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, antiquity, Romans in Württemberg, early Middle Ages, antique glass, and Roman lapidarium (in New Castle)); (2) history of art & cultural history (modern era glass, Württemberg crown jewels, medieval art, Württemberg rulers art chamber, modern glass painting, musical instruments (located in granary), clocks & scientific instruments; and (3) folklore (located at Museum of Everyday Culture in Waldenbuch Castle); 2 of only 4 preserved Aztec feather shields from before 1521; oldest preserved card game, about 1430; celestial globe of 1493 by Johannes Stöffler; 11-digit mechanical calculator of 1774 by Philipp Matthäus Hahn; royal Württemberg crown of 1797; also, Urach Castle (state sleighs); museum has further 7 branches throughout Württemberg referring to special topics: namely, Schlossmuseum Aulendorf (classicism period art & toys), Schloss Urach (sleighs), Museum für Kutschen, Chaisen, Karren (museum for carriages, chaises, carts), Hellenstein Castle, Heidenheim Deutsches Spielkartenmuseum (German Playing Card Museum), Leinfelden-Echterdingen (15K card decks & 500K cards from 7 centuries), Ludwigsburg Palace (fashion), Ludwigsburg Palace (Ceramics), Rottweil (archeological collection on arae flaviae (Rottweil), oldest town (AD 73)in Baden-Württemberg).



BAVARIA (does not include Munich)
Bamberg (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Hotel
Fässla – 19-21 Obere Königsstraße; 011-49-09-512-6516; faessla.de/english; rustic brewery established in 1649 with traditional pub, wood panelled dining room & B&B.
Romantik Hotel Weinhaus Messerschmitt – 41 Lange Strasse; 011-49-09-5129-7800; hotel-messerschmitt.de/en; upscale hotel in legendary 15th Century wine house; marble en suite bathrooms with heated floors, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, desks & minibars; free breakfast in garden or breakfast room; hot tub with city views, sauna & steam bath, plus terrace & fitness room.
Zum Alten Häusla – 9 Michelsberger Strasse; 011-49-0160-9056-2806; gaestehaus-bamberg.de; beautiful Old Town guesthouse.
Restaurants
Fässla – 19-21 Obere Königsstraße; 011-49-09-512-6516; faessla.de/english; rustic brewery established in 1649 with traditional pub, wood panelled dining room & B&B.
Klosterbräu – 1 Obere Mühlbrücke; 011-49-09-515-2265 or 011-49-09-5150-0274; klosterbraeu.de; Bamberg’s oldest brewery (since 1533); in historic mill district; unique beergarden - directly on River Regnitz’ banks.
Mahr’s Bräu – 10 Wunderburg; 011-49-09-5191-5170; mahrs.de/en; family-run traditional brewery with old-world brew pub serving regional food; beer garden.
Romantik Hotel Weinhaus Messerschmitt – 41 Lange Strasse; 011-49-09-5129-7800; hotel-messerschmitt.de/en; ; bistro serving fish & game; among better restaurants in city.
Sights & Sites
Alte Hofhaltung (Historisches Museum der Stadt Bamberg) – 8 Domplatz; 011-49-09-5151-9390; museum.bamberg.de; bishops’ residence in 16-17th Centuries.
Altenburg – 1 Altenburg; 011-49-09-515-3387; altenburgverein.de; castle; former bishops’ residence.
Cathedral – Domplatz; 011-49-09-51-297-6200; bamberg.info/en/poi/cathedral-4643; built in 1237; Emperor Henry II’s & Pope Clement II’s tombs.
Klein-Venedig (“Little Venice”) – 31 Fischerei; bamberg.info/poi/klein_venedig-4650; picturesque fishermen’s houses colony from 19th Century alongside Regnitz River.
Franconian Brewery Museum – 10f Michaelsberg; 011-49-09-515-3016; brauereimuseum.de/english.html; in Michaelsberg Abbey, built in 12th Century on one of Bamberg’s “7 Hills”; mostly home for aged now but 1 portion houses the Franconian Brewery Museum.
Michaelsberg Abbey – 10 Michelsberg; bamberg.info/poi/kloster_st_michael-4637; worth special trip; former Benedictine monastery; after 1803 dissolution, buildings were used for almshouse Vereinigtes Katharinen und Elisabethen-Spital, which is still there as retirement home; abbey church remains in use as the Michaelskirche; buildings are part of larger UNESCO World Heritage Site (Town of Bamberg); as of 2016 & foreseeable future, church closed for repairs.
Naturkunde Museum Bamberg – 2 Fleischstrasse; 011-49-09-518-631-249; naturkundemuseum-bamberg.de; perhaps this is where so-called “2-Headed Museum of Bamberg” is.
Neue Residenz – 8 Domplatz; 011-49-09-5151-9390; schloesser.bayern.de/deutsch/schloss/objekte/bam_res.htm; bishops’ residence after 17th Century.
Old Town Hall (Alte Rathaus) – Obere Brucke; 011-49-09-5187-1871; bamberg.info/en/poi/old_town_hall-4656; built in 1386 in Regnitz River; accessible by 2 bridges.

Falkenstein
Sights & Sites
Nationalpark Information Center – Ludwigsthal (Lindberg); 011-49-09-9225-0020 nationalpark-bayerischer-wald.de/english; reconstituted aurochs and even wolves.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Bars & Nightclubs
Pub 33 – 12 Klammstrasse (Garmisch); 011-49-0151-1651-7518; pub33.de.
Hotels
Fraundorfer Gasthaus – 24 Ludwigstrasse (Partenkirchen); 011-49-088-219-270; gasthof-fraundorfer.de; rooms.
Hotel Das Kranzbach – Kranzbach bei Garmisch-Partenkirchen; 011-49-088-2392-8000; daskranzbach.de/English; renovated, lavish Arts & Crafts house in Bavarian countryside.
Iglu Dorf – Zugspitze (south of Garmisch-Partenkirchen); 011-41-041-612-2728; iglu-dorf.com; only open during ski season; ice igloos in which you can spend night.
Restaurants
Braustuberl – 23 Fürstenstrasse 23 (Garmisch-Partenkirchen); 011-49-088-212-312; braeustueberl-garmisch.de; beautifully decorated beer hall.
Fraundorfer Gasthaus – 24 Ludwigstrasse (Partenkirchen); 011-49-088-219-270; gasthof-fraundorfer.de; communal tables, kitschy decor; standard German fare but good Schweinshaxe (crispy pork hock).
Zum Wildschutz – 9 Bankgasse (Garmisch-Partenkirchen); 011-49-088-3290; very good; game.
Sights & Sites
Am Kurpark – runs between Richard Strauss Platz and Marienplatz (Garmisch); main pedestrian thoroughfare.
Michael Ende Museum – 14 Fürstenstrasse (Garmisch, near Am Kurpark); 011-49-088-2118-0790; michaelende.de; museum dedicated to Neverending Story author.
Haus Zum Polz’n Kaspar – 2 Mohrenplatz (Garmisch); 011-49-088-2196-72271; buecherei-garmisch.de; historic 16th Century building; contains community library.
Ludwigstrasse – main historic thoroughfare (Partenkirchen); dates back to Roman period, when served as Via Claudia Augusta branch connecting Augsburg and Vienna; narrow street lined with historic buildings.
Museum Aschenbrenner – Loisachstrasse 44; 011-49-088-2173-03105; museum-aschenbrenner.de; porcelain.
Partnach Gorge – Reintal Valley (park at Olympia Skistadion, Karl-u.-Martin-Neuner-Platz); 011-49-088-215-3131 or 011-49-088-2194-3240; gapa.de/Garmisch-Partenkirchen_Sights_Partnach_Gorge; from parking site, 25-minute walk or shorter horse-drawn carriage ride; natural monument since 1912; 2 safe paths available; if not afraid of heights, iron bridge offers fascinating perspectives; more comfortable track through gorge runs right next to water; depending on time you are there, can get food at Graseck Forsthaus (at gorge top, where small gondola will take you back to trailhead).
Richard Strauss Institute – 19 Schnitzschulstrasse (Partenkirchen); 011-49-088-2191-0950; richard-strauss-institut.de.
Werdenfels Museum – 47 Ludwigstrasse (Partenkirchen); 011-49-088-212-134; werdenfels-museum.de; spans 2K years.
Zugspitz – Wetterstein Mountains (south of Garmisch-Partenkirchen); 011-49-088-2118-0700; zugspitze.de; Germany’s highest peak; 3 cable cars run to top.

Klais
Hotels
Schloss Elmau – Elmau (between Garmisch and Mittenwald); 011-49-088-23180; schloss-elmau.de; spa and “cultural hideaway.”

Neuschonau
Sights & Sites
Nationalpark Bayerischer Wald Center Lusen – 41 Böhmstrasse; 011-49-085-5529-600-100; nationalpark-bayerischer-wald.de/english; make sure to walk Baumwipfelpfad (“tree-top walk”), raised wooden pathway that stretches through forest for mile, keeping tree crowns at eye level, 25' or more above forest floor; path finishes by slowly spiraling up into huge tower that tops out at 144', surrounding 3 giant fir trees in huge, partly enclosed sphere.

Nuremberg
Bakeries, Coffee, Ice Cream, Juice & Tea
R. Düll Lebküchnerei Bäckerei Konditorei – 28 Mathildenstrasse; 011-49-025-338-879; lebkuchen-nuernberg.com; try lebkuchen (gingerbread made from ground almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts, sweetened with honey and spiced with cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger); particularly good is Elisenlebkuchen, made without flour.
Bars & Nightclubs
Bar Nuernberg – 1 Theresienplatz; 011-49-0911-927-6906; bar-nuernberg.de; shiny, small; for cocktail lovers.
Hausbrauerei Altstadthof – 19 Bergstrasse; 011-49-0911-244-9859; hausbrauerei-altstadthof.de; dark wood and copper-accented; try malty red beer (rotbier) found only in Nuremberg.
Das Kloster Nürnberg – 19 Obere Wörthstrasse; 011-49-0911-209-975; das-kloster.eu; gritty; part goth and part kitsch; homophobes, racists, and sexists not allowed.
Hotels
Le Méridien Grand Hotel Nuremberg – 1-3 Bahnhofstrasse; 011-49-0911-23220; lemeridiennuernberg.com/en; classic grand hotel with contemporary comfort and style in historic city center; 192 rooms and suites; Art Nouveau-style marble bathrooms.
Restaurants
Historische Bratwurstküche zum Gulden Stern – 26 Zirkelschmiedsgasse; 011-49-0911-205-9288; bratwurstkueche.de; half-timbered structure that claims to be world’s oldest sausage kitchen; try Nurnberger bratwurst.
Schaufelewartschaft – 19 Schweiggerstrasse; 011-49-0911-459-7325; schaeufele.de; simple wood tables, bucolic photos on wall; try namesake dish, schaufele (Franconian specialty, roasted pork shoulder).
Sights & Sites
Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds – 110 Bayernstrasse; 011-49-0911-231-5666; museums.nuremberg.de/documentation-centre; 3rd Reich rally grounds designed by Albert Speer; Nazi party mythology and propaganda museum; also on site is Nazi Congress center (Kongresshalle).
Executioner’s Home (Henkerhaus) – 58 Trödelmarkt; 011-49-0911-307-360; henkerhaus-nuernberg.de; tiny home of 1600 executioner, Franz Schmidt; built into bridge over Pegnitz River.
Albrecht Dürer’s House – 39 Albrecht-Dürer-Strasse; 011-49-0911-231-2568; museums.nuremberg.de/duerer-house.
Nuremberg Castle – 13 Burg; 011-49-0911-244-6590; schloesser.bayern.de/deutsch/schloss/objekte/nbg_burg.htm; 13th Century, Holy Roman Empire structure.
Die Nürnberger Symphoniker – 100 Bayernstrasse; 011-49-0911-474-010; nuernbergersymphoniker.de; symphony.
Stadtmuseum Fembohaus – Altstadt (St. Sebald); 011-49-0911-231-2595; museen.nuernberg.de/fembohaus; Renaissance-era merchant’s home.
Toy Museum (Spielzeugmuseum) – 13-15 Karlstrasse; 011-49-0911-231-3164; museums.nuremberg.de/toy-museum; includes toys from 30s-40s.
Zeppelinfeld – 33 Hans-Kalb-Strasse; 011-49-0911-812-8777; zeppelinfeld.de.

Regensburg
Sights & Sites
Armin-Wolf-Arena – 258 Donaustaufer Strasse; 011-49-0179-708-6198; legionaere.de/ballpark; field of dreams baseball stadium.

Zwiesel
Restaurants
Pfefferbraustuberl – 6 Regener Strasse; 011-49-099-226-686; bräustüberl-zwiesel.de; try Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle) roasted in Dampfbier (steamed beer); while in area, try to get hold of liqueur called Bärwurz.



BRANDENBURG
Burg
Hotels
Landhotel Burg – 125 Ringchaussee; 011-49-035-603-646; landhotel-burg.de; affordable hotel with spa service, several restaurants, kahn harbor, and children’s petting zoo.
Spree Balance Kur & Wellness Haus – 154 Ringchaussee; 011-49-035-603-759-490; spreebalance.de; new hotel with 20 spacious rooms; restaurant.
Zur Bleiche Resort & Spa – 16 Bleichestrasse; 011-49-035-603-620; hotel-zur-bleiche.com; spa hotel.
Restaurants
Konrad’s – 154 Ringchaussee (at Spree Balance hotel); 011-49-035-603-759-490; spreebalance.de; health conscious fare.
17fuffzig – 16 Bleichestrasse (at Zur Bleiche Resort & Spa); 011-49-035-603-620; hotel-zur-bleiche.com; Michelin star.
Services
Spreewaldtherme – 153 Ringchaussee; 011-49-035-603-18850; spreewald-therme.de; thermal baths.
Zur Bleiche – 16 Bleichestrasse (at zur Bleiche Resort & Spa); 011-49-035-603-620; hotel-zur-bleiche.com; spa offers day passes.

Potsdam
Sights & Sites
Sanssouci – 3-5 An der Orangerie; 011-49-033-1969-4280; spsg.de/index.php?id=157; note, see, Caravaggio’s Incredulity of Saint Thomas (1602).



EAST FRISIA
Neuharlingersiel
Restaurants
Café Störmhuus – 2 Am Hafen Ost (at Hotel Rodenback); 011-49-049-74-225 or 011-49-049-74-707; rodenbaeck.de; for true East Frisian tea (made with East Frisian water, rock sugar & heavy cream); also, excellent cakes and pies.

Norden
Sights & Sites
East Frisian Tea (Tee) Museum – 33 Am Markt; 011-49-031-13-800; teemuseum-norden.de; 3-story house built around 1540; exhibits span 1K years; emphasizes Teegerätschaften; particularly focuses on 18th-19th Century tea culture; porcelains from royal and princely houses.

Schweiburg
Restaurants
Cafe Landlust – 134 Bäderstrasse; 011-49-044-5594-8613; cafe-landlust.de; cakes and pies; lovely Jade Bight views nearby.

Wilhelmshaven
Shopping
Tee-Bakker – 75 Bismarckstrasse; 011-49-044-213-3210; teebakker.com; tea supplier.



HESSE
Frankfurt
Hotels
Villa Kennedy – 70 Kennedyallee; 011-49-069-717-120; villakennedy.com; located in leafy Sachsenhausen district, 163-room villa; height of luxury; bar is among coolest avant-garde addresses in town; excellent restaurant; 15-meter lap pool with window wall overlooking garden; spa; June-September best; 3rd floor rooms overlook courtyard garden – ask for #s 317, 319, or 321, or splurge on suite like 315.
Restaurants
Lohninger – 1 Schweizer Strasse; 011-49-692-4755-7860; lohninger.de; highly regarded, Austrian-international; might be 1st in city.
Restaurant Tim Raue – 26 Rudi-Dutschke-Strasse; 011-49-030-2593-7930; tim-raue.com; 2 Michelin stars; Asian-inflected; try Chinese-style suckling pig.
Weinsinn – 179 Fürstenbergerstrasse; 011-49-069-5699-8080; weinsinn-frankfurt.de; 1 Michelin star; 200 selection wine list; beautifully judged modern interior; contemporary, creative yet uncomplicated cuisine.
Zum Grunen Baum – 4 Marktplatz (Kronberg); 011-49-061-013-8318; zumgruenenbaum.info; try eggs with Frankfurter grune sauce and apple-wine.
Sights & Sites
Kronberg – preserved village that is 20-minute cab ride away (ask driver to drop you off at Berliner Platz, which is just outside Kronberg’s Old Town); pedestrian foot-traffic only in village.
Liebieghaus Sculpture Collection – 71 Schaumainkai; 011-49-069-650-0490; liebieghaus.de; late 19th Century villa containing sculpture museum, Städtische Galerie Liebieghaus, which is Museumsufer component on Main River’s Sachsenhausen bank.
Schirn Kunsthalle – Römerberg; 011-49-069-299-8820; schirn.de; active exhibition space located old city’s heart, next to Dom (Frankfurt Cathedral), exhibiting both modern and contemporary art; historically, Schirn, in German, means “open-air sale goods stall”; such stalls located here until 19th Century; area destroyed in 1944 during WWII and not redeveloped until kunsthalle built.
Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie (Städel) – 63 Schaumainkai; 011-49-069-605-0980; staedelmuseum.de/en; contemporary fine arts academy; wort special visit.

Kassel
Sights & Sites
Schloss Wilhelmshöhe – Bergpark (Wilhelmshöhe); 011-49-056-131-6800; museum-kassel.de; palace, now museum; beginning in 12th Century, site used for monastery; in 1500s, secularized & used as castle; castle replaced by new one in 1610; Schloss Wilhelmshöhe designed by architect Simon Louis du Ry from 1786-98; middle tract substantially destroyed during WWII; reconstructed 1968-74 & 1994-2000; houses antiquities collection, Old Masters gallery (which includes large Rembrandt collection) & Graphic Arts Collection.

Offenbach
Sights & Sites
Schloss und Park Rumpenheim – Rumpenheimer Schlossgasse; offenbach.de/leben-in-of/stadtteile-quartiersmanagement/rumpenheim/rumpenheimer-schloss.php; restored palace grounds well worth visit.



LOWER SAXONY
Hanover
Sights & Sites
Sprengel Museum – Kurt-Schwitters-Platz; 011-49-0511-1684-3875; sprengel-museum.de; among Germany’s most significant modern art collections; in building designed by Peter and Ursula Trint (of Cologne) and Dieter Quast (of Heidelberg), adjacent to Maschsee; Bernhard Sprengel donated his extensive collection to city in 1969; in addition to works donated by Sprengel, also houses 20th Century artworks owned by Hanover and Lower Saxony; planned expansion is to allow extensive coverage of Niki de Saint Phalle and Kurt Schwitters; besides Schwitters and de Saint Phalle, key works include those of Max Ernst, Fernand Léger, Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso, and Max Beckmann from before 1945; Merz Room is particularly notable (recreation of Schwitters’ home).



MECKLENBURG-VORPOMMERN
Carwitz
Sights & Sites
Hans Fallada House – 2 Zum Bohnenwerder; 011-49-039-8312-0359; fallada.de/index.php/en; German writer of early 20th century.

Feldberg
Hotels
Altes Zollhaus am Luzinsee – 31 Am Erddamm; 011-49-039-831-500; romantik-am-see.de; .

Krakow am See
Hotels
Ich Weiss Ein Haus am See – 3 Paradiesweg; 011-49-038-4572-3273; hausamsee.de; 12 delightful rooms; simply, but warmly, decorated in nautical style; some have alcoves, some balconies draped in wisteria; some have water view.
Restaurants
Ich Weiss Ein Haus am See – 3 Paradiesweg; 011-49-038-4572-3273; hausamsee.de; Michelin starred; classical and eclectic French cuisine.

Malchow
Hotels
Rosendomizil – 2-6 Lange Strasse; 011-49-039-9321-8065; rosendomizil.de; stylish.
Sights & Sites
Nationalpark Müritz – 3 Schlossplatz (Hohenzieritz); 011-49-039-9166-8849; mueritz-nationalpark.de/cms2/MNP_prod/MNP/de/Startseite/index.jsp; divided into 2 separate areas, Müritz & Serrahn; terminal moraine, sandur & lowlands, 65% being forest, 12% being lakes, remaining area being meadows or swamps; red deer, crane, white-tailed eagle & osprey, great bittern, reed warbler, redshank, greenshank, black stork, crane, teal, garganey & little stint.

Schwerin
Sights & Sites
Schwerin Castle – 1 Lennéstrasse; 011-49-0385-525-2920; museum-schwerin.de/orte/schloss-schwerin/schloss-schwerin; palace located in old city; previously Mecklenburg (and, later, Mecklenburg-Schwerin) dukes’ & grand dukes’ home; now, state parliament seat; 2nd & 3rd floors have art & ceramic collections open to public.



NORTH RHINE-WESTPHALIA
Cologne
Bakeries, Coffee, Ice Cream, Juice & Tea
Salon Schmitz – 28 Aachener Strasse; 011-49-0221-139-5577; salonschmitz.com; coffee or cocktails at long bar.
Bars & Nightclubs
Salon Schmitz – 28 Aachener Strasse; 011-49-0221-139-5577; salonschmitz.com; coffee or cocktails at long bar.
Hotels
Althoff Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg – Kadettenstrasse (Bergisch Gladbach); 011-49-0220-442-906; schlossbensberg.com/en.html; stunning 18th Century castle on hilltop 9 miles from city.
Antik Hotel Bristol – 48 Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring; 011-49-0221-120-195; antik-hotel-bristol.de; lovely and inexpensive and filled with antique furniture.
Pullman Cologne – 14 Helenenstrasse; 011-49-0221-275-2200; pullmanhotels.com; high-end business hotel.
Restaurants
Brauerei Päffgen – 64-66 Friesenstrasse; 011-49-0221-135-461; paeffgen-koelsch.de; among city’s most storied and oldest Kölsch houses, famous for its beer and sausages.
Metzgerei Schmitz – 30 Aachener Strasse; 011-49-0221-139-5577; salonschmitz.com; deli in former butcher’s shop.
Zhing-Sam Restaurant – 3 Sachsenring; 011-49-0221-801-4008; zhing-sam-koeln.de; Thai and Vietnamese food.
Shopping
Buchhandlung Walther König – 4 Ehrenstrasse; 011-49-0221-205-960; buchhandlung-walther-koenig.de/; art books.
Farina 1709 – 21 Obenmarspforten; 011-49-0221-294-1709; farina1709.com; where cologne was invented; maintains both museum and store at its headquarters.
Filz Gnoss – 21 Apostelnstrasse; 011-49-0221-257-0108; filz-gnoss.de; felt products.
Galerie Capitain – 26 St. Apern Strasse; 011-49-0221-3557-0100; galeriecapitain.de; contemporary art.
Gummi-Grün – 1 Richmodstrasse (Altstadt-Nord); 011-49-0221-253-046; gummi-gruen.de; rubber products.
Manufactum Warenhaus – 23 Brückenstrasse; 011-49-0221-2994-2323; manufactum.com; cult-favorite hardware and home goods store.
Peter Heinrichs – 2-4 Hahnenstrasse; 011-49-0227-156-8890; peterheinrichs.de; tobacco and its accoutrements.
Honig Müngersdorff – 37 An Sankt Agatha; 011-49-0221-925-9050; honig-muengersdorff.de; honey products.
Lomography Gallery Store – 57 Ehrenstrasse; 011-49-0221-2220-3160; lomography.com; lomography cameras.
Taschen – 28 Hohenzollernring; 011-49-0221-257-3304; taschen.com; art books.
Sights & Sites
Basilica of St. Ursula – 30 Ursulaplatz (Altstadt-Nord); 011-49-0221-788-0750; romanische-kirchen-koeln.de/ursula.html; worth seeing is painted cycle (30 scenes) by Stefan Lochner, illustrating St. Ursula’s martyrism; also “Golden Chamber” (1643) in southern end made up with reliquary busts from 14th-17th Centuries and bones forming maxims; her and Etherines’ shrine, in repoussé copper, are held in sanctuary.
Cologne Cathedral – 3 Domkloster (Altstadt-Nord); 011-49-0221-9258-4720; domforum.de; renowned German Catholicism and Gothic architecture monument and World Heritage Site; Germany’s most visited landmark; construction commenced in 1248 and halted in 1473, leaving it unfinished; restarted in 19th Century and completed, to original plan, in 1880; has world’s 2nd-tallest spires and largest facade; stained glass window by Gerhard Richter.
Farina 1709 – 21 Obenmarspforten; 011-49-0221-294-1709; farina1709.com; where cologne was invented; maintains both museum and store at its headquarters.
Kolumba Art Museum – 4 Kolumbastrasse; 011-49-0221-933-1930; kolumba.de; Diocesan art museum designed by Peter Zumthor and inaugurated by Joachim Meisner; site originally occupied by romanesque Church of St. Columba, destroyed in WWII and replaced in 1950 by Gottfried Böhm chapel nicknamed “Madonna of Ruins“; new structure Zumthor built now shares site with Gothic church ruins and 1950s chapel, wrapping perforated grey brick facade like cloak around both; 16 exhibition rooms; collection includes paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, decorative art and religious icons from Late Antiquity to present.
Marcel Proust Gesellschaft – 17 Brahmsstrasse (Lindenthal); marcel-proust-gesellschaft.de; Proustiana; must contact in advance.
Museum Ludwig Köln – Heinrich-Böll-Platz; 011-49-0221-1687-5139; museum-ludwig.de; founded by chocolatier in early 20th Century; enormous collection of Picassos, Russian avant-garde artists, and American Pop.

Dusseldorf
Bakeries, Coffee, Ice Cream, Juice & Tea
Bistro Zicke – 5a Backerstrasse; 011-49-0211-324-056; bistro-zicke.de; bar-café; ivy-covered terrace, excellent coffee, movie posters on walls.
Bars & Nightclubs
Bistro Zicke – 5a Backerstrasse; 011-49-0211-324-056; bistro-zicke.de; bar-café; ivy-covered terrace, excellent coffee, movie posters on walls.
Hotels
Hyatt Regency Düsseldorf – 19 Speditionstrasse; 011-49-0211-9134-1234; dusseldorf.regency.hyatt.com; whole Medienhafen cityscape’s focus; giant onyx prism that radiates almost sinister cool.
Radisson SAS Media Harbour Hotel – 23 Hammer Strasse (Medienhafen); 011-49-0211-311-1910; radissonsas.com; MedienHafen is tiny river port that, in recent years, transformed into glittering architectural showcase of media and design offices, with stylish bars and restaurants; Radisson SAS Media Harbour Hotel is worthy of its main street; 135 rooms, using natural woods and rich color combinations; air, glass-walled lobby; late spring and summer are best; Business Class rooms on top floors are best.
Restaurants
Berens am Kai – 16 Kaistrasse; 011-49-0211-300-6750; berensamkai.de; Michelin-starred; extremely expensive.
Bernstein & Inbar – 16 Lorettostrasse; 011-49-0211-5982-8317; bernsteinundinbar.de; shabby chic.
Gehry’s Bistro – 3 Neuer Zollhof; 011-49-0211-1579-9373; gehrys.de; steak; ask for terrace table.
Museum Kunstpalast – 4-5 Ehrenhof; 011-49-0211-899-0200; smkp.de.
Teilmoebliert – 9 Lorettostrasse; 011-49-0211-4687-9542; teilmoebliert.com; relaxed minimalism in this art-gallery-restaurant.
Shopping
Teilmoebliert – 9 Lorettostrasse; 011-49-0211-4687-9542; teilmoebliert.com; art.
Uwe van Afferden – 35 Lorettostrasse; 011-49-0211-552-132; van-afferden.com; Düsseldorf’s 5th Avenue (called Königsallee); this is on street where indie designer shops cluster; workshop-cum-boutique; clothes and furniture.
Sights & Sites
Museum Kunstpalast – 4-5 Ehrenhof; 011-49-0211-899-0200; smkp.de.
Neuer Zollhof Buildings – 3 Neuer Zollhof; duesseldorf.de/eng/medienhafen/gebaeude/gb_1.php?startseite=archi&id=4; 3 buildings, all Gehry-designed; brick, white plaster, and stainless exteriors; plan to eat at restaurant, Gehry’s Bistro.
Stiftung Insel Hombroich – 2 Minkel, Neuss-Holzheim; 011-49-0213-121-820-2094; inselhombroich.de; outside Dusseldorf; utopian project meets private collection; extensive grounds left practically wild; pavilions (little follies) commissioned by architects and artists house amazing collection.

Wuppertal
Sights & Sites
Pescher House – 75 Arn Freudenberg; you-are-here.com/architect/pescher.html; residence is all about elegant intersections, using glass-walled living areas; minimalist; reinforced-concrete walls trimmed with aluminum & framing views; considered among Richard Neutra’s finest achievements; surfaces & textures create visual planes; not open to public.



RHINELAND-PALATINATE
Sperry
Sights & Sites
Sperry Cathedral (Imperial Cathedral Basilica of Assumption & St. Stephen) – Domplatz (Altstadt); 011-49-0623-21-020; unesco.org/en/list/168; in Latin, Domus sanctae Mariae Spirae, in German Dom zu Unserer lieben Frau in Speyer; Speyer Roman Catholic Bishop residence & suffragan to Archdiocese of Bamberg; cathedral dedicated to St. Mary, patron saint of Speyer & St. Stephen; Pope Pius XI raised Speyer Cathedral to rank of minor basilica in 1925; begun in 1030 under Konrad II, with east end & high vault of 1090-1103, imposing triple-aisled vaulted basilica of red sandstone; burial site for Habsburg, Salian & Staufer emperors & kings; with Abbey of Cluny in ruins, remains as largest Romanesque church; considered to be turning point in European architecture, among most important architectural monuments of its time.
Eltz Castle – 56294 Wierschem (between Koblenz and Trier); 011-49-2672-950500; burg-eltz.de/en; medieval castle nestled in hills above Moselle River; still owned by branch of same family that lived there in 1100s, 33 generations ago; extraordinary setting, examples of Medieval, Gothic, Romanesque, & Baroque architecture.



SAXONY
Gablenz
Sights & Sites
Azalea & Rhododendron Park Kromlau – 6 Halbendorfer Strasse; 011-49-0357-622-3284; among largest parks in Saxony with 160 acres, located in Upper Lusatia (Oberlausitz), 120km north west of Dresden; particularly known for medieval-looking Rakotzbrücke, jaw-dropping 19th Century bridge that uses reflection to form perfect circle.

Leipzig
Bars & Nightclubs
Auerbachs Keller – 2-4 Grimmaische Strasse; 011-49-0341-216-100; auerbachs-keller-leipzig.de; open since 1525; 1st place to which Mephistopheles takes Faust; Goethe was here.
Hotels
Hotel Fuerstenhof – 8 Troendlinring; 011-49-341-1400; luxurycollection.com/fuerstenhof; spa in 18th Century salon-type building.
Meisterzimmer – 7 Spinnereistrasse; 011-49-0178-374-4465; meisterzimmer.de; quirky.
Shopping
Spinnerei – 7 Spinnereistrasse; 011-49-0341-4980-270; spinnerei.de; 11 galleries, café, and pension.
Sights & Sites
Halle 14 Aktuelles – 7 Spinnereistrasse; 011-49-0341-492-4202; halle14.org; art gallery and museum.
Leipzig Museum of Fine Arts – 10 Katharinenstrasse; 011-49-0341-216-340; mdbk.de.



THURINGIA
Weimar
Hotels
Hotel Elephant – 19 Markt; 011-49-036-438-020; luxurycollection.com/elephant; 16th Century landmark.

No comments:

Post a Comment