A must-see historical landmark at Oberursel!…read more We had the fortunate opportunity to receive a tour at the Roman frontier fort at Saalburg. Overall, I highly recommend every history lover to visit this site. This historical landmark is located on Oberursel. We came here by car, by the site was also accessible by train. The landmark started off with a gift shop and an exhibit area in both German and English. It detailed the discovery of the limes, its restoration, and its inclusion into the UNESCO heritage site. We booked an English tour in advance, and our guide was extremely knowledgeable. She showed us the model rectangular fort first, and we went on to see the bunkers for the soldiers, assembly hall, and the weapnory/safety equipment for the soldiers. The most interesting part of the tour was the opportunity to handle the shield, metal vest, sword, and even try out the archery. Our guide gave us a demonstration of the bow/arrows, and we're allowed to shoot two arrows at the aim. We also trued marching formation with wooden shields and batons. The entire tour took about 2-3 hours, with about half of the outdoors. Therefore, if you come in the fall/winter time, I would recommend dressing warmly and may even bring an umbrella. This is one of the most interactive tours, and I highly recommend it to everyone!

We were looking for a castle to visit during our trip to Germany and stumbled across this one. We…read moredecided to go to this Castle primarily because of the location. The parking is free and once you arrive you go into a building which also doubles as the gift shop, pay your entry fee and then you are released onto the castle grounds. When we arrived and parked, this felt more to me like a state park rather than a tourist attraction. Which is a positive thing :-) Once inside there are several exhibits located inside various parts of the structures. You can also explore the castle grounds. The castle grounds are a decent size, but not massive like many of the other castles in Germany. Walking the castle Grounds was great for us, because the weather was not too hot, and not too cold, making it a perfect day to walk around and explore. If you are seriously into Roman history and castles, this may be an all-day activity for you. For everyone else, I would set aside between two and 3 hours, to explore this castle and the exhibits in their entirety.

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.

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

They started erecting this unique structure in 1326. Thus castle was a tool booth for the Rhine…read moreRiver. It was never conquered or destroyed. It served its purpose until 1867. We unfortunately did not tour it but passed by on a Rhine River cruise. The history here makes us want to return someday.