Legendary highwaymen and gemstones. A rich vein of German history

The enchanting villages of the Hunsrück region are scattered like jewels across an almost completely unspoilt landscape. Devotedly attached to the native soil, the locals are justifiably proud of the places where they live with their historical slate and timber-framed houses. In contrast to the varied countryside and wine growing that characterise the Nahe region, the Hunsrück bears all the hallmarks of untouched natural scenery. The region is famous for its jewellery and gemstone industries, which date back more than 500 years.

Ravengiersburg

The history of Ravengiersburg is inextricably linked with that of the abbey which shares its name. Ravengiersburg Abbey was built in the 10th century on a steep hillside above the Simmerbach river. Its main feature is the Romanesque twin-steeple church of St. Christopher, known as the Hunsrück cathedral. Now a popular venue for weddings, it was originally founded as an Augustine canon seminary in 1074, before becoming a Catholic parish church in 1699. In a historical deed of gift for estates handed over to the abbey, the Hunsrück was mentioned for the first time as Hunsruche.

Bad Kreuznach

Here, in 1958, Germany and France finally drew a line under centuries of hostility. The French President Charles de Gaulle and the West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer met at the town's spa assembly rooms to rebuild the relationship between their two countries. This led to the Treaty of Élysée in 1963 and marked a new chapter for modernday Europe. Bad Kreuznach is assured a place in history as the setting for this major political summit but there is much more to admire about the pretty little town. Things to look out for include its warren of narrow lanes, the medieval houses that stand on the old Nahe bridge from 1300, the `Little Venice' at the mouth of the Ellerbach river, Kauzenburg Castle, a Roman hall and St. Paul's Church.

Stromberg

Every year, Stromberg holds a medieval town festival in honour of its most famous son: Michel, the national personification of Germany in the mould of John Bull and Uncle Sam. Michel is an ambivalent figure, of great stature yet down to earth. Stromberg is considered the home of Michel. Here, people see the courageous General Hans Michael Elias von Obentraut ­ who fought on the side of the Protestant Union in the Thirty Years' War ­ as the embodiment of the famous character. At the Michel Festival in Stromberg, knights do battle and there is entertainment from minstrels, artisans and strolling players.

Kastellaun Castle

Kastellaun Castle originally belonged to the Counts of Sponheim, whose territories extended from the Rhine to the Moselle and Nahe rivers and incorporated the eastern part of the Hunsrück hills. The original castle probably dates back to the 13th century. It was then rebuilt after being destroyed in 1689 during the Palatinate war of succession. The Portal of History opened at Kastellaun Castle in 2006. Exhibitions on three floors chart the history of Kastellaun and the local area from Celtic and Roman times to the Cold War era.

The jewel of the Nahe

Home of the German Gemstone Museum and Europe's only gemstone mine open for public viewing, Idar-Oberstein can rightly call itself Germany's gemstone capital. It is also the starting point of the German Gemstone Route, a treasure trove of natural beauty which links numerous small operators specialised in the polishing and cutting of precious stones. The exhibition at Fischbach copper mine offers an insight into how copper was mined in the olden days.

The story of Schinderhannes

The low-born Johannes Bückler, under the guise of Schinderhannes, brought terror to the Hunsrück forests in the late 18th century. In 1803, the legendary outlaw was sentenced to death and executed in Mainz. Tales of Schinderhannes' notorious life are still recounted today. The Schinderhannes Tower in Simmern town centre can be climbed right to the top.

German food with a Brazilian twist

An established element of the culinary and cultural traditions in Idar-Oberstein and the surrounding region, spiessbraten pork steaks are the subject of the largest public festival on the Upper Nahe, the Spiessbratenfest. The skewered meat is grilled over an open fire in a tradition that travelled all the way from Brazil. Gemcutters from the region voyaged to South America in the 18th century. When they transported their gemstones back to Germany, they also brought a wealth of new knowledge including how to cook meat on a spit.