The town of Bad Dürkheim offers a variety of sites.  The baths date back to the 14th century, with the Kurhaus and its gardens a must-see.  Open-air concerts can be found in the summertime in the English-style gardens at the remains of the Kloster Limburg, a monastery built in the 11th century.  For those who are looking to work off the German food, the Palatinate Forest is a popular site for locals to go hiking and biking.  Amidst these woods is the Heidenmauer (Heathen Wall), the remains of an ancient Celtic wall.

Deep in the heart of wine country, Schloss Diedesheim is an excellent stop for lunch.  This 13th century fortress is now a wine estate, pub, and gardens (they were formerly the castle's moat).  Just north of Diedesheim a three other famous wine village (Forst, Wachenheim, and Friedelsheim) that are worth exploring.  The town of Deidesheim is one of the most typical of the wine-growing communities along the wine route, with an attractively decorated market place and half-timbered houses.

The city of Speyer had been a bishopric since the 7th century and it became an Imperial City in 1294.  More than 50 Imperial Diets were held there, the last being in 1570.  Speyer was razed to the ground by Louis XIV's troops during the Palatinate War of Succession. 

After a brief period of French rule - it was handed over to the French in 1797 - Speyer passed into the hands of the Bavarian monarchs. Its reputation as an administrative center dates from this period when many authorities were moved to the town.  One of the great cities of the Holy Roman Empire, Speyer has one of the most incredible Romanesque cathedrals in the world, the Kaiserdom, or Speyerer Dom (www.dom-speyer.de).  Founded by Conrad II in 1030 and remodeled at the end of the 11th century, the Speyer Cathedral was expertly and accurately renovated after World War II to remain one of the most important Romanesque monuments from the time of the Holy Roman Empire.  The burial place of the German emperors for almost 300 years, Speyer Cathedral has a basilica with four towers and two domes and is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

Across the street from the cathedral is Historiches Museum der Pfalz (Ph: 011 49 06232 13250), which houses the tomb furnishings of the emperors and kings, like the funerary crown of Konrad II, the imperial orb of Henrich III, the crown of Heinrich IV, clothing and liturgical objects.  The Wine Museum here includes displays on regional winemaking from Roman times to the present.  Another site not to be missed is the Technik-Museum (Technology Museum, website www.technik-museum.de), which has displayed in exhibition halls and the open air an impressive number of aircraft, locomotives and cars by all the great manufacturers.  Apart from a collection of model boats, the museum also possesses an extensive collection of musical automats.  Their genuine u-boat shows life aboard the World War II submarine, enabling us to realize just how little space there is for the crew of a submarine.  In addition, there is an IMAX theater here.

More online information is available at the official city website, Yahoo!, and Frommers.

The midpoint of the Wine Road, Neustadt is a wine town in every sense of the word.  The Haus des Weines (opposite the town hall) offers over 100 wines from the surrounding vineyards to sample.  Every October, the German Wine Festival is held here with a large parade and culminating with the coronation of the German Wine Queen.  On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, the Marktplatz comes alive as vendors sell local fruits and vegetables (perfect for preparing for your picnic!).  Train buffs will enjoy the Eisenbahn Museum (Ph: 011 49 06325 8626), located next to the train station.  Between Easter and Harvest, you can ride their historical steam trains from Neustadt to Elmstein on Sundays.

Just south of town (in Hambach) is the Hambacher Schloss (Ph: 011 49 06321 355 871), considered to be the German cradle of democracy.  This is where 30,000 Germans first raised the German colors in 1832.  Gradually rebuilt over the last fifty years, it is a fabulous setting for concerts and offers a breathtaking view to the south (as far as Strasbourg on a clear day).

Just east of Neustadt is another break for kids tired of castle ruins.  Hassloch Holiday Park  (Ph: 011 49 06324 599 3900), one of Europe's largest amusement parks complete with shows, rides and kids' programming.   Their website is www.holidaypark.de.

The entire Altstadt (Old Town) of St. Martin has been designated for historic protection and is a wonderful stop to wander around aimlessly.  St. Martin's holds a wine festival on the Feast of St. Martin's, November 11th.

In the midst of a bizarre microclimate that creates a warm spot, Gleisweiler has a subtropical park that is a great place to stop for a picnic.  The park supports flora that is usually found far to the south like camellias, bananas, and citrus trees.

Just to the north of Gleisweiler are two sites that are worth the side trip.  Schloss Villa Ludwigshöhe was built by Ludwig I of Bavaria to be his summer residence and has extensive vineyards that can be explored.  The neoclassical palace is a nice break for those who are tired of seeing medieval castle ruins.  From here, you can hike (or take a chairlift) to the ruins of Rietburg castle for a breathtaking view of the Pfalz.

Although off the wine route, this is a good stop to pick up information on the rest of the route.  The süw Shop (An der Kreuzmühle 2, Ph: 011 49 06341 940 407) in Landau's Südliche Weinstraße tourist office offers regional gifts (including wine-related items) and regional maps for driving, biking, and hiking.

Annweiler is a good stop if you have animal lovers or young children tired of seeing museums and ruins.  The Wild-und Wanderpark Südliche Weinstraße (Ph: 011 49 06346 5588) is a wild game park 6 miles south of Annweiler.  Deer, Scottish Highland cattle, wild sheep, mountain goats, and birds of prey freely roam through the park.  There is also a petting zoo and playground.  Northeast of Annweiler is Burg Trifels (Ph: 011 49 0 63 46 84 70), a fortress built in the 12th and 13th centuries by the Hohenstaufen emperors.    Tradition has it that this was where England's Richard the Lionhearted was imprisoned in the 12th century until he was ransomed. 

Although it was never conquered, lightening in the 17th century damaged it.  In the 1930's, it was renovated as part of an effort to reclaim the glories of the past.  Sadly, the result wasn't historically accurate.  It is still worth the drive up to.

This village's roots are based in a Benedictine monastery that was originally founded here in the 7th century.  The current church was built in the 12th century is still is use.  The main draw to this town, though, is a 30-minute walk away from the monastery, the ruins of Burg Landeck.  A 13th century fortress built to protect the monastery, the keep and inner walls is still accessible across the 33-foot deep moat.  The view of the Rhine Valley and Black forest from atop the fortress is well worth the hike.

The southernmost village in the Pfalz, this is the starting/ending point of the Deutsches Weinstraße (Wine Road), which takes you the length of the Pfalz wine region.  To truly start your wine tour off, a good place to visit is the Weinlehrpfad (wine path), which is a ½ mile footpath that takes you through the vineyards and is equipped with signs and exhibits and explains the history of wine making in the region.