Remains of Roman settlements, fortress ruins and castles all feature along the route, and there is a circular Roman marked trail tracing the history of viniculture. Bad Dürkheim, a state approved spa resort, boasts the biggest wine barrel in the world: its capacity would be 1.7 million litres of wine, if it were not actually a restaurant for 650 people. The world's biggest wine festival, the Dürkheim Wurstmarkt (literally "sausage market"), takes place here every autumn. On the last Sunday in August, the German Wine Route holds a discovery day when the whole route is closed to motorised traffic, leaving walkers and cyclists free to enjoy the route at leisure. The German Wine Route is not a race track though, not only because it winds its way through the narrow streets of wine villages and twists and turns around vineyards, but also because you could easily stop and taste the wine in every village.
Wonderful wines from famous vineyards can be enjoyed everywhere, in tasting rooms and countless wine taverns or even at stalls at the side of the road. Pretty little towns and wine villages, often more than a thousand years old, are strung out like pearls along the German Wine Route. The route makes its way through the Palatinate's sea of grapes, sometimes hugging the slopes of the Palatinate Forest, then through the hills further away. Viticulture has shaped the landscape of this region and the rhythm of its people's lives who live for the wine that gives them a living. You'll enjoy every minute exploring the whole region on well-marked footpaths and cycle trails through its wine-growing villages and vineyards and up to its castles and ancient ruins. The German Wine Route is packed with romantic corners, interesting places, museums and historical sites. Allow yourself plenty of time for the German Wine Route - the winemakers will welcome you with open arms.
