Magical Christmas Markets of Germany from Nuremberg

Nuremberg commands the imagination on two levels: as the glittering medieval city where Holy Roman Emperors held court, Albrecht Dürer was born, and craftsmen produced the first pocket watch — and as the site of the 20th century's darkest chapter, where Nazi rallies and subsequent war crimes trials left permanent marks on European history and conscience. The Kaiserburg castle crowning the hill above the perfectly preserved old town offers sweeping views of a cityscape that, despite wartime bombing, remains one of Germany's most beautiful. The Documentation Centre on the former Nazi Rally Grounds is essential, sobering history; the Christmas Market on the Hauptmarkt, held since 1628, is among Europe's finest. Visit May through October or December.

Bamberg, the 'Franconian Rome,' is a UNESCO World Heritage city whose medieval old town — seven hills, four Romanesque-Gothic cathedral towers, and an Old Town Hall balanced impossibly on an island in the Regnitz River — survived World War II entirely intact, a miracle of preservation unique in Germany. The city is equally celebrated for its extraordinary smoked beer, Rauchbier, a speciality brewed in family-owned breweries for centuries and best tasted in the old quarter's atmospheric taverns beside a plate of smoked meats. Spring and early summer are ideal for the surrounding Franconian countryside in bloom. Nuremberg is forty minutes by rail.

Würzburg, presiding over the Main River at the northern gateway of the Romantic Road, is Bavaria's most elegantly baroque city — its skyline commanded by the medieval Marienberg Fortress and its streets presided over by the magnificent Residenz, a UNESCO-listed princely palace whose frescoed Treppenhaus ceiling by Tiepolo is considered the largest fresco in the world. The surrounding Franconian wine country produces some of Germany's most distinctive Silvaner and Riesling, sold in the iconic bocksbeutel flask from cellars carved directly beneath the old city. Spring through autumn reveals the vine-clad hillsides in their most photogenic splendor; the historic Weinfest am Stein wine festival each September is a highlight of the Franconian calendar.

Perched at the confluence of the Main and Tauber rivers beneath the romantic ruins of a 12th-century count's castle, Wertheim is one of Franconia's most perfectly preserved medieval towns — a place where timber-framed houses lean over cobbled market squares and where the bone-dry Silvaner poured from the distinctive Bocksbeutel bottle defines the regional table. Day trips to baroque Würzburg, the medieval perfection of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, and the half-timbered town of Miltenberg complete the picture. September's wine harvest brings the Tauber Valley to its most golden.

Rüdesheim am Rhein, a jewel of the UNESCO-listed Upper Middle Rhine Valley, is where Germany's most storied wine river cuts through vine-terraced slopes and medieval castle ruins. The pedestrianised Drosselgasse laneway — beloved since the Romantic era — hums with wine taverns pouring the region's celebrated Rieslings, crisp and mineral from the slate soils. The Niederwald Monument surveys the river from the heights, reached by cable car above the vineyards. Day trips by boat unlock Bacharach, Boppard, and the legendary Lorelei rock. September's harvest festivals transform the entire valley into a convivial celebration of the vintage.

The Rhine Gorge, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a stunning section of the Rhine River renowned for its historic castles and picturesque towns. Must-do experiences include savoring local Riesling wines and exploring the charming markets. The best season to visit is in late spring through early autumn when the vineyards are lush and the weather is delightful.

Koblenz stands at the Deutsches Eck — the German Corner — where the Moselle river pours into the Rhine in a confluence so geographically commanding that the Romans built a fortress here in 9 BC. The result is a city of exceptional Rhine Gorge scenery, with the formidable Ehrenbreitstein Fortress, one of Europe's largest, crowning the opposite bank and reachable by gondola for panoramas that stretch across three river valleys. A Rhine wine tasting at one of the city's historic Weinstuben, followed by a stroll through the Altstadt's baroque squares, is the definitive Koblenz afternoon. The finest weather arrives April through October, with the Rhine in Flames fireworks festival in August being particularly spectacular.

Mainz is where the modern world was printed into existence: Johannes Gutenberg's invention of movable-type printing around 1440 transformed this ancient Rhine city into the birthplace of the information age, a legacy honoured at the extraordinary Gutenberg Museum, home to one of the surviving original Bibles. The Romanesque cathedral of St. Martin, built over a millennium from the year 975, anchors a charming old town of wine taverns and market squares where Rhenish Rieslings flow freely. Visit between spring and autumn for the famous Mainz Wine Market held beside the Rhine. A day-cruise port with surprising cultural depth.

Frankfurt’s port is a dynamic entry point to the heart of Germany, blending modern finance with rich history. Must-do experiences include savoring traditional dishes like Frankfurter Rippchen and exploring the bustling Kleinmarkthalle. The best season to visit is during the spring, when the city comes alive with festivals and outdoor markets.