- Romanesque Architecture of the Salian and Staufen Imperial Dynasties, e.g. in Mainz, Worms, Speyer, Otterberg and Maulbronn.
- The Austere Baroque Architecture of the Palatine Court as is still visible in Heidelberg, Schwetzingen, and Mannheim.
- The Dramatic Cultural Landscape of the Rhine Valley

For a region so central to German geography, the Electoral Palatinate is a region far off the radar for most tourists. Heidelberg, of course, features prominently in travel guides to Germany, but few guides give cities like Speyer or Mainz similar weight. Three German states now divide the ancient region of the Palatinate, and these modern borders prevent easy travel across the old territory. This guide reconnects the divided pieces of the Palatinate and retraces the forgotten connections that once defined one of the most powerful states of the Holy Roman Empire.
The Elector Palatine
Remnants of a Forgotten Empire
Hike: Redcliff Canyon
One of Germany’s truly hidden gems is the Nahe Valley and the dramatic gorge that the river carves through the landscape. The Rothenfels or the…
Hike: Palatine Meadows
Highland meadow landscapes are confined to the well-known areas in the Alps. The Palatinate has a small meadow-landscape thanks to centuries of pasture animals grazing…
Hike: Nahe Valley Panorama
The Nahe Valley has several spectacular viewpoints. This hike focuses on one, in particular, simply the “The Best Nahe Viewpoint” or the “Two Land Viewpoint.”…
Hike: Kirner Dolomites
The Nahe Valley is one of the underrated natural gems of Germany. The river flows from the Saarland into the Rhine and cuts through a…
Hiking: Vineyards of the Wormser Heights
The vineyards of the Palatinate stretch across the rolling hills of the Rhine Valley without end. Above the city of Worms are old terraces with…
Hiking: The Donnersberg Highlands
The Donnersberg “Mountain” is a large volcanic hill on the edge of the Rhine valley. It’s full of interesting rock formations, castle ruins, and ancient…
- Hype: 4.3
- Growth: 2.5
- Wealth: 6.7
- Recognition: 8.9
- Accommodation: 2.6
- Transportation: 7.5
- Ease of Planning: 7.6
- Infrastructure: 6.4
- Interactivity: 8.9
- Airport: No
- Historical Context: 7.1
- Monuments: 6.2
- Quality*: 8.0
- Landscape: 4.8
- Vineyards: 10
- Undiscovered: 9.4
- Cultural Immersion: 6.7
- Tradition*: 5.0