Speyer

In the Palatinate (Pfalz), an area famous for wine, sweet figs and almonds, you'll find one of Germany's oldest cities, founded in pre-Celtic times and expanded by Romans. Today, Speyer is a beautiful town on the German wine route. Visitors need to combine local trains and the Intercity-Express (one-time change) to get to Speyer from Frankfurt, but once there, it's easy to walk and a place to spend the day to relax. The main pedestrian shopping street is Maximilianstraße, with shops and cafes stretching either side from the city's west gate. The 13th-century Altpörtel is one of the central cathedrals. Take a stroll along the Rhine or through the iconic little neighborhood called “Hesenpfuhl” (“rabbit puddle”); visit the ruins of Speyer synagogue – the oldest remaining Jewish place of worship in Europe; or enjoy a drink in the beer garden, or a meal at one of the many traditional restaurants in town.