Fairy Tales…

 

Hallo Freunde!

 

Willkommen in Deutschland!

As you travel along,

discovering ‘Simply Irresistible’ European destinations,

we have a truly irresistible place to share with you!

Rustic, romantic, charming… 

Come experience

the quaint, medieval town of

Bacharach, Germany.

Antique Postcard of Bacharach, Germany {Photo credit: http://www.papergreats.com}

Just imagine…

strolling along the cobblestone streets,

church bells ringing,

villagers greeting one another with a smile,

and a hearty “Guten Morgen!”

Dreams like this

can feel like a fairy tale…

But dreams and fairy tales can come true!

Ours did!

Willkommen to the fairy tale that is Bacharach, Germany today!

 Bacharach is a storybook town,

sitting on the banks of the beautiful Rhine River.

This romantic village transports visitors back to the days

of medieval kingdoms, castles, and legends of old.

 Bacharach’s crowning glory is its 12th century castle, Burg Stahleck.

Winding our way up to the castle,

we climbed stairs well-worn through centuries of footsteps,

walked along the sturdy, stone walls that once protected this city,

and followed the footpaths along the vineyards,

bearing grapes for the new wine.

Fairy tales…

 Fleeting feelings drew us

back to the Middle Ages,

when Bacharach was the biggest wine-trading town

on the Rhine River.

Today, Burg Stahleck is a family-friendly hostel,

where guests enjoy the charming views

of the half-timbered town of Bacharach

and the picturesque Rhine Valley below.

Winding our way back down the path from the castle,

we admired wildflowers,

bravely growing on the strong, stone walls,

and delicate blossoms here and there,

as the first hints of Autumn filled the air.

Fairy tales…

Oberstrasse,

the main street of Bacharach,

welcomes visitors

with its timeworn cobblestones.

Bacharach’s residents

are friendly and welcoming,

as they share their storybook town

with those who come to visit.

From the moment that we rang the tiny bell,

at the front door of the Hotel zur Post,

Ute was most charming and welcoming.

We knew that we had come to a very special place!

Fairy tales…

Visitors come to celebrate the new wine,

walk along the quiet streets,

and find beauty everywhere they look!

Fairy tales…

 The oldest house in Bacharach,

built in 1368,

shows off its small, round, glass window panes.

It was modern glass-blowing technology in the Middle Ages.

Stepping inside is to truly step back in time!

The house is filled with old etchings, photos, and medieval charm.

We enjoyed our romantic, candlelit,

traditional German dinner

in the “Altes Haus” restaurant.

We cherished magical walks, hand-in-hand, through the Malerwinkel (“Painters’ Corner”),

with its babbling brook, colorful gardens, and views of the vineyards above.

Fairy tales…

We hiked up to

the ruins of the 15th century chapel,

Wernerkapelle

(built 1289-1430),

admiring its beautiful skeleton

as the afternoon light shined upon its ruins.

“No doors, no roof or windows,

a magnificent skeleton

puts its silhouette against the sky.

Above it, the ivy-covered castle ruins provide a fitting crown.

This is Bacharach,

land of fairy tales,

covered with legends and sagas”

~ Victor Hugo ~

(From:  Excursions Along the Banks of the Rhine ~ 1842 travel book)

Fairy tales…

Visitors come to Bacharach each day by ship, train, car, or bike.

Some visit for only a short time.

We are so happy that we decided to make Bacharach our ‘home base’ for a whole week,

as we explored the middle Rhine Valley.

River boats and trains made it easy to enjoy the castles

in the most romantic stretch of the Rhine,

from Mainz to Koblenz.

We enjoyed the legendary Lorelei,

and visited the historic Deutsche Eck,

at the confluence of  the Rhine and Mosel Rivers.

One day, we traveled by trains, taxi, and a long walk through an enchanted forest

to visit Burg Eltz, our favorite castle in Europe.  Truly magical!

 

It was so wonderful to return to Bacharach each evening, for quiet strolls along the cobblestones.

We will always savor the small delights of dining in Bacharach ~

the German pastries,

the Turkish Doner Kebab, the friendly Irish Pub, and the Eis Cafe.

Our stay in Bacharach was simply irresistible.

The kind of fairy tale that comes along once in a lifetime ~

a romantic second honeymoon,

a celebration of retirement,

and

a wonderful prelude to our most special destination of all…

We were on our way to spend

very special times

with dear friends

near the Black Forest!

May all of your fairy tales and travel dreams come true!

♡♡

With special thanks to Rick Steves for his exquisite guidebook: Germany 2012.

For every European destination, we use Rick Steves’ travel guides to plan the most wonderful adventures.

Thank you,  dear Anita, for inspiring everyone to share such creativity! You are simply amazing! ♡

Safe travels!

♡Dawn

                                P.S.  Which simply irresistible European destinations do you dream about most often?