Top Reasons to Go

Wine: German Rieslings are some of the most versatile white wines in the world. If you've only tried the sweet style, the rest may be a revelation.

Festivals: Wine is a great excuse for merrymaking, and wine festivals take place in almost every town and village across the region from May through October. The largest wine festival in the world takes place in the town of Bad Dürkheim, in front of a wine barrel the size of a building.

Pfälzerwald: The Palatinate Forest is a paradise for hiking and cycling. Even a short stroll under the beautiful pine and chestnut trees is a relaxing and way to spend an afternoon.

Castles: Burg Trifels and Schloss Villa Ludwigshöhe contrast strikingly in style, inside and out. Both are wonderful settings for concerts.

Cathedrals: The cathedrals in Speyer, Worms, and Mainz are the finest examples of grand-scale Rhenish Romanesque architecture in Germany.