Romantic Cities: Goethe's Recommendation

Weinheim/Koblenz, July 2016 – Completely in line with Goethe's motto of "Head off to Speyer", quoted in his "Götz von Berlichingen“ play, this is a call that can very well apply for all the Romantic cities in Germany's cultural state of Rhineland-Palatinate.  Following this call is always worthwhile. Especially now! The cities all attract visitors with a lot of past, an interesting present and the contagious cheeriness so typical for the region. Located in the south west of Germany and blessed with a mild climate thanks to the Rhine and Moselle rivers, the Romantic Cities of Trier, Koblenz, Mainz, Speyer, Worms, Idar-Oberstein and Neustadt/Weinstraße appeal to visitors with their perfect combination of experiencing cities and nature.

Trier – simply imperial  
As a Roman establishment, the oldest city in Germany and a late-antiquity imperial residence, Trier is predestined to be a location for cultural history and archaeological exhibitions on ancient times. As proof of this, a major special exhibition dedicated to the Roman Emperor Nero, even today hardly unmatched in his ability to polarise, will be on show from 14 May to 16 October. The exhibition is being organised by the Rhineland-Palatinate Cultural Heritage Directorate General in cooperation with the Directorate of the Rheinisches Landesmuseum in Trier, the Simeonstift City Museum in Trier and the Trier Museum am Dom (Museum at the Cathedral). Anyone who feels that this is not enough can also explore the nine "Trier – Heart of Ancient Germany" World Heritage sites with a NERO ANCIENT WORLD ticket. From 28 November to 3 December 2016, these sites will be the focus of celebrations to mark the 30-year anniversary of their UNESCO World Heritage status.

Speyer – simply lo/ivable
It would be hard to find a city of this size in Germany which has as much to offer as Speyer. This may be why Speyer was third in the choice of Germany's most lo/ivable small- and medium-sized towns made by users of the German hotel portal Hotel.de in 2015. The main attraction is the Kaiserdom, the Imperial Cathedral, which has been a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site since 1981. And it has had a new Visitor Centre since 21 March 2016! Among other things, visitors can borrower audio guides in various languages. The newly renovated Kaisersaal and the observation deck for visitors has also been open to visitors again since April. The view across the Rhine valley is spectacular!
Speyer's proximity to the Alsace region is reflected in a love of fine food and lots of fun festivities, including the many wine festivals held in Speyer and the famous Kaisertafel (Emperor's dinner table) (2nd weekend in August) and the Old Town Festival (9 & 10 September).

Idar-Oberstein – simply brilliant
The sparkle will never leave your eyes here. In Bruce Willis's home town it's all about the precious valuables that make any woman's heart beat faster. Visitors are shown all the various stages of gemstone manufacturing - from the source of the stones to their final touch. The Steinkaulenberg gemstone mines are the only gemstone mines in Europe to be open to the public. Idar-Oberstein is also located in the heart of the newly developed Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park. Rangers accompany visitors on an impressive guided tour of discovery through the park. And not to be forgotten - Germany's longest rope suspension bridge "Geierlay", which was opened in autumn 2015 and is located only about an hour's drive away. An experience for the adventurous seeking to imitate Indiana Jones!

Mainz – simply on fire
Everyone knows about the traditional "Rhine in Flames" fireworks display and music festival. Mainz has now come up with a new highlight as of this year.  The Summer Lights of Mainz will be on show for the first time from 29 to 31 July. On Saturday 30 July the banks of the Rhine will be immersed in an exciting sea of colourful lights. The combination of a stunningly high fireworks display synchronised to music, a colourful laser show and emotional music is unique and can be viewed from the banks - or exclusively from one of the ships. This will be accompanied by an interesting support programme with many exciting attractions. A wine village offering culinary delights will be set up especially for the occasion. Dates for coming years:  28 - 30 July 2017, 27 - 29 July 2018, 26 - 28 July 2019
Also new in 2016: the new mainzcardplus. For holders of the card the benefits include free entry to museums in Mainz, such as to Gutenberg Museum, free use of public transport and free participation in a sightseeing walk.

Neustadt/Weinstraße – simply a pleasure  
Since 15 October 2015, Germany's secret wine capital has been a German member of the "Culinary Heritage Network" (www.culinary-heritage.com), to which Angus in Scotland also belongs. The focus is on the marketing and development of the regional and the culinary heritage of the various regions. Culinary Heritage has been a guide for regional dishes and culinary traditions since 1995. The network now covers 44 European regions and it has 1,450 members. In Neustadt people simply let go and relax while enjoying a glass of wine. And this is how it is to be on German Wine Route Experience Day on 28 August 2016. The oldest wine tourist route in the world will be blocked off for motorised traffic from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The longest wine festival in the Palatinate attracts 250,000 to 300,000 visitors every year.

Worms – simply fantastic
It's currently all systems go for the Luther and Nibelung town as it prepares for a big jubilee in 2021. Martin Luther defended his theses before Kaiser Karl V. ("Diet of Worms") from 16 to 25 April 1521. But Worms is also worth a visit before this anniversary. Located in the cross-border Rhine-Neckar metropolitan area in the south west of Germany and right next to Mannheim, which will in 2017 be celebrating the 200-year anniversary of the invention of the bicycle by Karl Drais, Worms is an ideal starting point for a wide variety of theme bicycle tours. One highlight is the Deutsche Weinstraße cycle route from Worms to Neustadt. Alternatively, what about the Barbarossa-, Salier- and Rhine cycle route?

Koblenz – simply mystical
Following the calling of the Loreley, the triad of a fortress (second-largest after Gibraltar), a cable car and the Romanticum make a visit to this unique city on the Rhine and Moselle rivers unforgettable. And the stunning architecture of Forum Confluentes, located right in the heart of the city, sets standards in Germany. With its many castles and palaces, Koblenz is more than "merely" the gateway to the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage site. Another Federal Horticultural Show could be held here in 2031 following the successful show already held in Koblenz in 2011 and leaving a lasting mark. It is also the magnificent setting of the Middle Rhine Music Festival (29 April - 11 September 2016), which offers an exceptionally diverse programme of first-class events with top artists and young talents. It's hard to equal these venues. The choice is huge! http://www.mittelrheinmusik.de/spielstaetten

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