Enrico Pizzorni & Franconia, Germany

Hello my friends!

I’m writing in from Acqui Terme in Piedmont, Italy. Everything is going well here in Piedmont. I still have a full-time, fulfilling job teaching physical education here in my town. My two sons, Riccardo and Michele continue to participate in various sports and the new Ciclismo Classico bike tour season is about to begin. I’m here to tell you a bit about the amazing northern-eastern part of Germany called Franconia–otherwise known as Bavaria.

What do I love most about Germany?  I think the better question is: where do I begin?

Grown above the slopes of the Main River, the wines from Franconia are usually more fuller-bodied than typical German wines. The summers here are warm and dry, but the winters are rainy and cold. Not a lot of Riesling grapes can survive those kinds of winter temperatures, but Müller-Thurgau and Silvanner are hearty enough to make it through the cold. Würzburg’s Stein vineyard has given rise to the name Steinwein: a generic term for all dry white wines from Franconia. Traditionally bottled in a bocksbeuteul, you can’t mistake a tasty Franconian white for something else. It’s very distinct.

We spend the night in Würzburg: a UNESCO heritage site and one of Germany’s most fascinating towns. The town is what feels like Germany’s quasi-Baroque movement.  The Residence Palace is a remarkable example of this unique architecture. The Imperial Chambers were constructed around 1740. The Marienberg Fortress is without a doubt the most imposing feature of the city. Towering over the valley, it is visible from every corner of the town. In 704, the city’s first church sat on this same plateau originally replacing the ancient Celtic palisade. The townspeople constructed the present fortress in the 13th c.  to protect the village.

The name “romantic” is a general term for the amount of beauty and culture you’ll see along this route. Small roads and pathways connect quaint German hamlets and villages weaving in vineyards, architecture, and half-timbered houses. Imagine pedaling your way amongst German walled medieval cities, Rococo churches, and ancient castles. For example, we’ll roll through the town of Rothenburg ob der Taub. This a perfectly preserved medieval and renaissance village, right down to the buildings and the town square.  What most people aren’t aware of is the rich Jewish history and legacy in Rothenburg. In 1180, the town experienced a blossoming of Jewish culture thanks to the esteemed Rabbi Meir ben Baruch van Rothenburg. He taught in this city for over 40 years and founded a Yeshiva that attracted scholars from all over Europe.

The German word for ‘bath’ is bad. So anytime you find yourself in a ‘bad’ town, that’s a good thing. Bad Steffelstein is one of those gems of German Bavaria which holds a special secret. Deep under the surface (about 1,600m or so) lies the salt-water source that brings Bad Steffelstein’s concentrated brine to the surface. Today the locals take advantage of this source, with 16 indoor and outdoor pools in the “ThermenMeer” of various temperatures. Bad Steffelstein is so focused on spa culture and thermal therapy; they even have a stage in the middle of a thermal pond. The venue can hold up to 1000 spectators and the amazing acoustics of the water means that there is no need for speakers and wires. Smart spa! Concerts run from May until September. Local music, choir, and theatre troupes hold performances in the space.

Anyone who knows me knows that I enjoy the unknown villages and towns of Europe. As Ciclismo Classico’s Research and Development Coordinator my passion is to find new and exciting itineraries to keep our guests engaged, enlightened and entertained.  Germany’s Franconia district offers all of this and more.

If you haven’t been to Germany (and even if you have) this trip will surely top them all!

Enrico