German Wine Route

The Deutsche Weinstrasse runs about eighty-five kilometres along the eastern edge of the Palatinate Forest from Bockenheim in the north to the Weintor at Schweigen on the French border, and was the first designated wine route in Germany, opened in 1935. The strip is sheltered by the forest and unusually warm, so almonds, figs, lemons and sweet chestnuts grow alongside the vines; almond blossom in March turns the roadside pink and is the season's main event. Villages along it keep sandstone churches and wine estates, and the Palatinate is the second largest German wine region by area.

What you actually see

• The almond blossom - roadside trees flowering pink in March.
• The Weintor - a stone gateway marking the southern end at Schweigen.
• The warm strip - figs, lemons and chestnuts growing among the vines.
• The wine villages - sandstone churches and estates along the route.

When to go

March for the almond blossom, or September and October for harvest and the wine festivals. Summer is hot; this is among the warmest parts of Germany.

Honest expectations

Almond blossom lasts about two weeks and the timing shifts each year. Festival weekends crowd the small villages. The route is ordinary road driving.

Nearby

The Palatinate Forest rises west; Speyer lies east.