Holiday in Pfalz

What makes Pfalz special as a destination?

The Pfalz in Rhineland-Palatinate is Germany's largest contiguous wine-growing region and a place that uniquely combines enjoyment, history, and nature. The German Wine Route, opened in 1935 as the first tourist wine route in Germany, winds for 85 kilometers from Bockenheim in the north to the German Wine Gate in Schweigen-Rechtenbach at the French border. The Pfälzerwald is the largest contiguous forest area in Germany and has been designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve along with the adjacent French Northern Vosges. Bizarre sandstone cliffs, mighty castle ruins, and tranquil ponds shape a landscape that is unparalleled as a hiking paradise. The Dahner Felsenpfad and the Felsenland Sagenweg lead past bizarre rock formations. Bad Dürkheim is home to the Dürkheimer Wurstmarkt, the largest wine festival in the world: over 600,000 visitors celebrate for nine days every September with Pfälzer wine, Saumagen, and brass music. The giant barrel in Bad Dürkheim holds 1.7 million liters and houses a wine restaurant. The region surprises with an almost Mediterranean climate: figs, almonds, lemons, and kiwis thrive along the Wine Route. In spring, the Haardt transforms into a sea of pink blossoms when the almond trees bloom — the Pfälzer almond blossom is considered Germany's harbinger of spring.