Inspiration and entertainment are provided all year round by numerous festivals, markets and events. Culture lovers can enjoy castle concerts of international standing, open-air theatre and castle festivals and interesting exhibitions. The route passes through regions once ruled by dukes and princes, and places associated with the Nibelungs and Charlemagne. The landscape between the Elbe river and the Weserbergland hills is full of contrasts. Culture lovers are in for a treat in the section between the Elbe Valley meadows and the Harz mountains. The upland scenery between the Harz and Thuringia is dotted with meticulously restored half-timbered buildings and myths and fairytales abound between Reinhardswald Forest and the Waldecker Land region. Some of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe are located in the Weserbergland and Vogelsberg hills. Ancient, brightly painted timber-framed houses are to be seen on the section from Waldhessen to the Vogelsberg hills, and imposing half-timbered façades are frequently found between the Lahn Valley and the Rheingau.
The best examples of south Hessian timber framing can be seen between the Rhine and Main rivers and in the Odenwald region. 23 romantic medieval towns forming a star-shaped route from the Neckar region to the Black Forest and Lake Constance feature different styles of timber-framed construction, mainly the "Alemannic" and the Franconian. Whether you're travelling by car, bike, train or motor home, explore Germany's half-timbered heritage and discover many ancient craft skills and living traditions along the way. Find out why timber-framed buildings in Lower Saxony are so different from those near Lake Constance. More than a hundred medieval towns have banded together under the slogan "Fachwerk verbindet" (literally "half-timbering connects"), to promote this fascinating building style that is such a feature of their townscapes. The German Half-Timbered Houses Route is not just a thread linking stunning scenery and sites of historical interest, it is a real connection between places where people live and work.
