Bergstrasse

Länder: Baden-Württemberg and Hesse

The Bergstrasse, the Roman strata montana, runs alongside the rift valley of the Upper Rhine, on the western slopes of the Odenwald, from Darmstadt to Heidelberg. The region is famed for its mild climate, and in spring - which comes here earlier than in the rest of Germany - it is a sea of blossom. The influx of visitors reaches its peak in late March and early April. In addition to fruit and vegetables the region also produces figs and almonds, and exotic trees grow in the parks.

From the hilltops, crowned by old castles, there are magnificent views. The finest of the hills is Melibokus (515 m/1,690ft), near Zwingenberg. In the picturesque little town of Bensheim the Bergstrasse cuts