Sitting down to a white sausage (Weisswurst) at Munich’s Hofbräuhaus is more of a complex undertaking than you might think. What exactly is the right way to eat the plump white “wurst?” With your fingers? A fork? Do you cut it into pieces before dipping it into mustard, or do you dunk the whole thing?

Expert opinions on Weisswurst-eating differ. But fear not; the Hofbräuhaus, the hall where beer used to be brewed for the kings of Bavaria – and where Hitler began his rise to power in 1920 – won’t expel anyone for a sausage faux pas.

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Say Auf Wiedersehen to the UK as we depart for our new series on Deutschland.

Join us over the next couple weeks as we explore Berlin, the capital of once-divided Germany, visit the replica of Checkpoint Charlie and dine on the traditional Weisswurst at Munich’s Hofbräuhaus.

On the journey learn about the German cliché of lederhosen, experience the once-in-a-decade Passion Play in Oberammergau and discover the history behind the legend of the Pied Piper.

Enjoy your tour of the Rhineland…

Most people know the namesakes for the world’s most famous churches. St. Paul’s Cathedral is named after St. Paul. St. Peter’s Basilica is named after…yes, St. Peter. But Nuremberg’s oldest pilgrimage church carries the name of a saint even devout people may not know – St. Sebald. He’s the patron saint of Nuremberg, and his relics rest in a golden tomb under a magnificent bronze canopy in the church. Who was St. Sebald, and what did he do to be so honored? Read the rest of this entry »

In Germany, it’s not all about schnitzel and beer. For true “foodies,” the entire year is full of unique culinary highlights and dishes served only for a short time in the proper season. A traveler visiting at any time of the year can join the Germans and tuck into these specialties. Spring: Germans everywhere equate the real coming of spring with Spargel, or white asparagus. Boiled spargel enjoyed by many with just a bit of melted butter, a potato and a slice or two of ham. During Spargelzeit (asparagas time – May through June), cooks get creative with the delicate stalks, offering spargel pasta, spargel soup, spargel casserroles and so on. Read the rest of this entry »

During World War II, Americans soldiers in occupied Germany got a booklet called the “Pocket Guide to Germany” that explained the ins and outs of occupation. In 1944, it read read: “Don’t forget that you’re ordered into Germany now partly because your fathers forgot so soon what the war was about last time.”The Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church in Berlin’s Charlottenburg district is the eternal reminder. It was an unremarkable late 19th Century church until the allies bombed it in 1943. Read the rest of this entry »

“One thinks Heidelberg by day – with its surroundings – is the last possibility of the beautiful; but when he sees Heidelberg by night, a fallen Milky Way, with that glittering railway constellation pinned to the border, he requires time to consider upon the verdict.” Mark Twain wrote this ode to Heidelberg in his humorous travel book, “A Tramp Abroad” (1880). During the three months that Twain spent in the city in 1878, many of his recorded experiences aren’t entirely dissimilar from activities that tourists and residents still enjoy today. Read the rest of this entry »

Historically, Germany’s wine has suffered with an “inferiority complex” fueled by the reputation of wine powerhouses France and Italy. And in modern times, they’ve tacked of “how to compete with a Bordeaux or a Chianti” by improving quality, while keep prices reasonable. Finally, German vintners are starting to reap the rewards. The world famous Riesling region, centered on the Rhine and its tributaries and in eastern Germany near Dresden, is the biggest success story to come out of Germany’s 13 wine growing regions. Read the rest of this entry »

When a resident of Cologne returns after even a short stay outside the city, it just isn’t home until they’ve seen the black towers of the “Dom” against the sky. Germany’s largest gothic cathedral can’t be described with the usual words – monumental, awe-inspiring, beautiful, majestic. It’s more than that. It’s been known to perplex visitors about what makes this cathedral so visually overwhelming. Read the rest of this entry »

Not long ago, researchers proclaimed that red wine could be good for the heart, but the baroque city of Würzburg has known that for centuries. The local wines are usually dry whites, and these “stein” wines, which grow on the steep and sunny slopes along the Main River, are said to be especially healthy because of the minerals they soak up from the chalky earth. Read the rest of this entry »

There were drawbacks to being a European monarch. For Friedrich II the Great, philosopher, flute-player and Prussian soldier-king, the public scrutiny of his royal life got on his nerves. He sketched out his ideal summer home, a cozy little private palace he could reign from, tend his hunting dogs and entertain the likes of Voltaire and Goethe. Read the rest of this entry »