Towering atop the village of Königstein in the Taunus region just outside of Frankfurt is Burg…read moreKönigstein. The castle ruins are host to the Ritter Von Königstein medieval festival each spring. Dating from the 12th century, the castle is nowhere near functional, but offers a quite place to let your imagination take you back in time. Pack a flashlight to explore the dark passageways underneath the castle. Top Three Highlights: 1.) Minuscule entrance fee (less than €5) 2.) Great view of Taunus region (and Frankfurt from the castle tower) 3.) Relatively uncrowded

Bad Homburg is an attractive and historic town north of Frankfurt, situated at the foot of the…read moreTaunus hills. The name Homburg means 'Hohenburg', and refers to the castle which dominates the upper part of the town, with its distinctive 14th-century keep, known as the White Tower. Although there has been a castle here from around the 12th century, the present (and rather more comfortable) Schloss dates mostly from the rebuilding carried out by Paul Andrich in 1678 for Landgrave Friedrich II. This originally two-storey palace was the first new addition to be built after the Thirty Years War. Both the palace and grounds were subsequently enlarged over the next two centuries, into the substantial complex we see to-day. In 1888 Kaiser Wilhelm II declared Bad Homburg's Schloss an Imperial summer residence, and construction of the huge Imperial Church next door began. His mother Victoria, the old emperor's widow (and Queen Victoria's eldest daughter) lived there for several years, and King Edward VII was also a frequent guest, enjoying the healthy pleasures of the local spa, and the more dubious pleasures of the Casino, opened in Bad Homburg in 1842. It was here that he asked a local hatmaker to make him a hat with a distinctive narrow brim which we now know as the Homburg. Although much of the palace complex is now given over to offices, one wing houses a small collection of artistic and domestic items from the 17th to the 19th centuries, and it is possible to climb the tower in summer for spectacular views. The extensive landscaped grounds and gardens are also open to the public. Opening times change according to each season see website for details.

The town of Oberursel, 15 minutes north of Frankfurt, has a delightful old town, with narrow…read morecobbled streets full of half-timbered houses, which climb to the delightful old church of St Ursula. Although there aren't many special 'sights', it nevertheless evokes images of exactly what an old German town should look like, (ie lots of half-timbered buildings with steep roofs) and is a delightful place to wander. The buildings date from the 16th century onwards, although most are 18th or early 19th century in origin. Look out for the Wenczel Welker, the former carding mill, which dates back to the 15th century. There's a small market on Saturdays, as well as a number of enticing hostelries around the edges, including the Alt-Oberursuler Brauhaus, which brews its own beers (see separate entry). The town, on the edge of the Hochtaunus hills, is easily reached from Frankfurt on either the S-bahn suburban railway to Bad Homburg (line S5) or via the U3 underground line.

Situated adjacent to the Schloss Homburg, this huge church was begun on the initiative of Kaiser…read moreWilhelm II in 1903 for the Lutheran (Protestant) congregation of the town, who used to hold their services in the Palace. It was opened in the presence of the Kasier and his wife in 1908. Designed in the Romanesque style and with four splendid 'Rhenish helm' towers, this was designed to be fit for an Emperor. The exterior appears in the standard cross-shaped plan, but the interior features a huge central cupola under the crossing, with large galleries filling the transepts, and an astonishingly wide nave, all on a cathedral-like scale. The main feature apart from its size is its breathtakingly elaborate decorative scheme of painted walls and ceilings, and spectacular mosaics. These cover the upper walls and, most notably, the apse of the Choir, depicting Christ in Majesty and the stunning golden expanse of the cupola, lit by a huge cross-shaped lantern. No expense was spared on the materials, with the extensive use of marble and stained glass windows, featuring prominent use of the German Imperial Eagle motif. Bad Homburg is noted as a town for its church organs, and a festival is held here every year. The Erlöserkirche possesses both a large, turn-of-the-20th-century Sauer organ and a new Bach organ based on a 1742 Thuringian model. The church has stunning acoustics, and is therefore a popular venue for concerts of both classical and religious music, as well as lectures. The church is also the focus for the congregation's vibrant pastoral life see website for details of services and activities.