German city breaks to brighten up your Autumn

To escape upcoming dull autumn moments, Germany’s “Romantic cities” offer a number of affordable city breaks between 30 August and 30 October including traditional events such as wine and town festivals in enchanting places close to the Rhine and Moselle rivers.

Trier, Koblenz, Mainz, Worms, Speyer and Kaiserslautern, all within easy reach of Frankfurt Hahn airport or Frankfurt airport , offer a wealth of history, picturesque settings and a wide variety of cultural things to do.

Kaiserslautern

The “Lautrer Kerwe” in Kaiserlautern, taking place from 19 October to 29 October, is the largest fair in the Western part of the Palatinate region and the best place to be for combining fine wines with fairground treats. Check out the handicraft stalls or pick and choose from a wide range of spices on offer in the fair’s “shopping lane”. Colourful displays of flowers provide a completely different atmosphere at the Kaiserlautern Garden Show which is running until 28 October 2007.

Koblenz

In the Northern part of the Rhineland-Palatinate the “Schängelmarkt” (14 September to 16 September) provides another opportunity to dive into the hustle and bustle of the biggest funfair and market in this region. The town centre and old quarter of Koblenz are filled with carousels, a variety of stalls, stages featuring open-air concerts and, of course, beer tents. The “Schängelmarkt” is followed by the city’s autumn fair from 28 September to 7 October.

Mainz

The traditional wine market in Mainz from 30 August to 2 September 2007 brings together wine makers, wine merchants and wine lovers in a vibrant gathering. On 21 September, the “Wine Gala” offers visitors the chance to enjoy an intimate wine tour together with a five-course meal. Regular guided tours such as “The golden city of Mainz and its many attractions” provide further insights into life in this capital of wine at the banks of the river Rhine.

Speyer

A wine tasting in true Palatinate style takes place in Speyer’s old quarter on 6 and 7 October. Local wine producers present their new wines on the town’s grand “Maximilianstrasse” which leads directly to the monumental “Kaiserdom”, UNESCO world heritage site and the biggest Romaic cathedral in the world.

On 14 September and 12 October, “Wine & Crime” events offer a blend of excitement and indulgence. Alternatively, visitors can learn about the regional customs and traditions and book one the many historical and heritage tours of the more than 2000-years-old town.

Worms

The biggest wine festival and public fair in the Rhineland-Palatinate takes place between 25 August and 2 September in Worms. For more than 70 years the city has celebrated its traditional “Backfischfest” associated with Germany’s oldest guild, the Worms fishermen’s guild founded in 1106. Visitors can enjoy a grand parade, boat jousting, a firework display and a funfair.

Trier

Germany’s oldest town is situated in the heart of the picturesque Moselle valley and is home of the “Constantine the Great” exhibition until 4 November, a major exhibition on the first Christian Roman Emperor. This cultural experience can be rounded off with a glass of “Federweisser” – a special new wine that has just begun to ferment – in one of the old quarter’s many taverns.

The “Romantic Cities” consist of six towns in the South-West of Germany - Trier, Koblenz, Mainz, Worms, Speyer and Kaiserslautern. For detailed information, calendars of events and special packages starting from EUR 49 (GBP 34) per person and night in a “Romantic City” of your choice, log on to Romantic-cities.com.

Getting there:

Ryan Air flies to Frankfurt Hahn airport from where shuttle bus services run to and from Koblenz, Trier, Mainz and Worms. Lufthansa flies to Frankfurt with onward connections by train or bus.