Back Roads Germany (Dk Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

160

Right Schloss of the Counts Palatine

of Zweibrücken, Bad Bergzabern Center

right Imposing Burg Trifels, Annweiler

Below Sweeping view of Annweiler

from Burg Trifels

WHERE TO STAY

AROUND BAD BERGZABERN

Zum Lam moderate

Located just off the Deutsche

Weinstrasse, between Bad Bergzabern

and Klingenmünster, this hotel is

housed in an 18th-century half-

timbered inn. It has rustic but

com fort able en suite rooms, as

well as a decent restaurant serving

Pfalz specialities.

Winzergasse 37, 76889 Gleiszellen-

Gleishorbach (3 miles/5 km from Bad

Bergzabern); 06343 93 92 12;

http://www.zum-lam.de

LEINSWEILER

Hotel Rebmann moderate

This three-star hotel-cum-restaurant,

in the center of Leinsweiler, has

refurbished en suite rooms with

pale maple furnishings.

Weinstrasse 8, 76829; 06345 954 00;

http://www.hotel-rebmann.de

Leinsweiler Hof moderate

A four-star hotel in the countryside

near Leinsweiler offering sweeping

views over the surrounding vineyards.

The elegant decor boasts modern

and rustic touches. Facilities include

a spa and an outdoor pool.

Weinstrasse, 76829; 06345 40 90;

http://www.leinsweilerhof.de

ANNWEILER

Scharfeneck moderate

Offering good value, this refurbished,

centrally located, non-smoking hotel

has prettily furnished en suite single

and double rooms and one spacious

and stylish apartment.

Altenstrasse 17, 76855; 06346 83 92;

http://www.hotel-scharfeneck.de

1 Deutsches Weintor

Rhineland-Palatinate; 76889

Marking the start of the 53-mile

(85-km) Deutsche Weinstrasse

(German Wine Route) since 1936, the

Deutsches Weintor or German Wine

Gate (Jan & Feb: closed Mon–Wed),

located in the town of Schweigen-

Rechtenbach, is a monumental sand-

stone gatehouse on the French

border just north of the Alsatian town

of Wissembourg. Visitors can taste and

buy Pfalz wines here and there is a

restau rant serving regional fare.

ª Leave Schweigen-Rechtenbach

on the B38 north, then turn left at

the Deutsche Weinstrasse symbol to

Bad Bergzabern and left on to

Kettengasse to park.

3 Burg Landeck

Rhineland-Palatinate; 76889

There is a fairy-tale quality to the

village of Klingenmünster, nestling

beneath forested hills and dominated

by the ruined fortress of Burg Landeck

(open daily), which towers 984 ft (300 m)

above it. Built in the 13th cen tury to

defend a Benedictine abbey, it was

destroyed by French troops in 1680

during the War of the Palatine

Succession. It now houses a small

museum and provides superb views.

ª Return to the B48 north, turn left

and then right, following signs to

Slevogthof, to reach Leinsweiler.

4 Leinsweiler

Rhineland-Palatinate; 76829

The arcaded town hall, the Rathaus of

1619, is the focus of this pretty, half-

timbered village. Leinsweiler was

the summer home of the German

Impressionist painter Max Slevogt,

BACK ROADS GERMANY

Where to Stay: inexpensive, under €70; moderate, €70–€150; expensive, over €150

2 Bad Bergzabern

Rhineland-Palatinate; 76887

With its leafy spa quarter and a quaint

historic center focused on the Schloss

of the Counts Palatine of Zweibrücken,

Bad Bergzabern is the capital of the

southern Weinstrasse. The ornate

Renaissance Gasthaus Zum Engel

(Angel’s Inn) near the Schloss houses

a local history museum (open Wed, Fri–

Sun). In the late 1930s, Bad Bergzabern

formed part of the fortifications

known as the Westwall; a bunker on

Kurfürsten strasse (Jul–Oct: open Sun;

Mar–Jun: open 1st Sun of month) now

houses a museum.

ª Leave Bad Bergzabern along the

B48/Weinstrasse north to Burg

Landeck. Park at the Burg.