Back Roads Germany (Dk Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

163

Above Café tables on the main square of

Siebeldingen Below Decorative sign outside

a winery, Maikammer

0 St. Martin
Rhineland-Palatinate; 67487
With a beautiful setting on the fringes
of the Naturpark Pfälzer Wald (www.
pfaelzerwald.de), a biosphere reserve,
St. Martin is among the loveliest
vil lages in the region. With plenty of
surviving half-timbered cottages and
noble men’s houses, it is also the
starting point for a number of hiking
trails into the Naturpark Pfälzer Wald;
one popular route ascends to the

summit of the 2,208-ft (673-m)
Kalmit, the highest hill in the district.
ª Return to Maikammer and turn
north toward Hambach. At Hambach,
turn left up Schloss strasse to the
Hambacher Schloss; the route is one-
way. Continue on it, following signs to
Hauptbahnhof (station) to Neustadt.

DRIVE 15: The German Wine Route

Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under €20; moderate, €20–€40; expensive, over €40

w Gimmeldingen
Rhineland-Palatinate; 67435
The pretty wine growing village of
Gimmeldingen lies on the edge of
the Naturpark Pfälzer Wald and is the
starting point for several hiking trails.
The village is famous for its almond
blossom, celebrated with an annual
spring festival, the Mandelblütenfest.
ª Continue along Meerspinnstrasse
to reach Deidesheim.

q Neustadt an der Weinstrasse
Rhineland-Palatinate; 67433
Neustadt is the most important urban
center on the Deutsche Weinstrasse,

with a traffic-free historic core cen-
tered on the Marktplatz and its Gothic
Stiftskirche and Baroque town hall,
the Rathaus. The town’s most famous
sight is the Hambacher Schloss (open
daily), a hilltop castle to the south,
famous for the Hambacher Fest of
1832, during which a patriotic crowd
hoisted the black-red-gold colors of
German unity in one of the founding
acts of German democracy.
ª Leave Neustadt an der Weinstrasse
along Karl-Helffenrich-Strasse, turn
right on to Maximilianstrasse, taking

Gimmeldinger Strasse, the middle of
three roads, to reach Gimmeldingen.
The village center is a one-way system.

r Wachenheim

Rhineland-Palatinate; 67157

The impressive ruins of the

12th-cen tury castle of Wachtenburg

domi nate Wachenheim. Constructed

under the authority of Konrad von

Hohenstaufen, half-brother of

Emperor Frederick Barbarossa (1122–

90), it was besieged in the 15th cen-

tury, dama ged in the Peasants’ War

of 1524–25, and finally blown up by

French troops in 1689. Known as the

“Balcony of the Pfalz” for the superb

views it offers over the Rhine Valley,

the castle ruins are a popular destina-

tion for hikers and are floodlit to

spectacular effect at night.

ª Continue on the side road to Bad

Dürkheim. Follow signs to Kurpark.

EAT AND DRINK

MAIKAMMER

Gasthaus zum Winzer moderate

This Baroque former winery enjoys

an attractive courtyard. The menu

features modern European dishes.

Weinstrasse Süd 8, 67487; 06321 54 10;

http://www.gasthaus-zum-winzer.de; open

Wed–Sun

ST. MARTIN

St. Martiner Castell moderate

A handsome old hotel-cum-restaurant

with a menu which blends local and

international influences.

Maikammerer Strasse 2, 67487; 06323

95 10; http://www.hotelcastell.de; closed Tue

& late-Jan–late-Feb

GIMMELDINGEN

Netts expensive

Housed in a restored late Baroque

village house, this modern restaurant

and wine bar serves creative fare with

outstanding wines.

Meerspinstrasse 46, 67435; 06321 601

75; http://www.nettsrestaurant.de; open

Wed–Sun

DEIDESHEIM

Ratskeller moderate

A stone cellar restaurant serving

hearty regional cooking and with a

seasonally changing menu.

Weinstrasse 30, 67146; 06326 98 03 02;

closed Thu

Schwarzer Hahn expensive

The Deidesheimer Hof ’s Michelin-

starred restaurant blends French,

German, and Mediterranean influ-

ences to impres sive effect. The hotel

also has a more traditional restaurant.

Am Marktplatz, 67146; 06326 968 70;

http://www.deidesheimerhof.de;

open Tue–Sat; closed Jan, Jul

e Deidesheim
Rhineland-Palatinate; 67146
Designer jewelery jostles for atten tion
next to a butcher selling the local deli-
cacy, Sauma gen, on Deidesheim’s

Marktplatz. The juxta position of rustic

authen ticity and metropolitan chic

makes this one of the most intriguing

villa ges on the Weinstrasse. The

Rathaus houses the Museum für

Weinkulture (museum of viticulture)

(open Wed–Sun; Jan & Feb: closed). Local

wine growers include Reichsrat von

Buhl (open daily), a renow ned

producer of Sekt (sparkling wine).

ª Continue on the side road along

the B271 marked to Wachenheim.