Travelling in the Pfalz

If  you are travelling to the Pfalz, the Pfalz Tourist (Pfalz.Touristik e.V.) and Wine (Pfalzwein e.V.)  Associations have good publications and maps.  Email info@pfalz-touristik.de for tourist info and info@zum-wohl-die-pfalz.de for wine region information. 

Wine tasting:  There is no shortage of highly-regarded wineries as well as local cooperatives, most of which are open to the public.   The German Wine Route with cycling path goes through the Pfalz and is marked with a yellow sign signifying “Deutsche Weinstrasse” with a grape cluster.  There is also a hiking path which is marked on maps available through Pfalzwein.  A map of the Southern Wine Route is on the english website:  www.suedlicheweinstrasse.de/en

Where to stay:  a very nice centrally located hotel is the Deidesheimer Hof  Hotel and Restaurant in Deidesheim.  It is an historic and charming hotel with a very good restaurant where my colleague – a professional chef – and I dined the two nights we stayed there.   I had one of my most memorable German dishes there called saumagen and it is a specialty of the Pfalz.  Saumagen is a pig’s stomach filled with seasoned pork, potatoes, carrots and herbs and spices.  I had a slice of it sauteed and placed on top of a mountain of mashed potatoes and accompanied by more sausage.  My colleague said that the plate was bigger than my head and I ate the whole thing.  It was a perfect example of how extreme contrasts in food and wine pair beautifully, in this case, salty, unctuous sausages with a piercing riesling.

Deidesheimer Hof

Am Marktplatz

67146 Deidsheim/Weinstrasse

Telephone:  06326 96870

www.deidesheimerhof.de