Once the episcopal seat of the influential Prince-Electors, the "civilized" origins of Mainz date back to around 38 BC, when the Romans built a citadel here.  The city's location at the confluence of the Rhine and the Main is ideal for trade, something reflected by the artifacts kept in the Landesmuseum, that show there have been settlements here since 300,000 BC!  The most logical starting point is the Dom, or Cathedral of St Martin and St Stephan, especially on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, when the farmers market is open.  Although the cathedral was actually started in 975, most of what is seen today was built from the 1000's to the 1200's.  At the Dom und Diözesanmuseum in the cathedral cloisters, you can truly witness the opulence and wealth controlled by the Church in Mainz. 

Mainz is also the home of the man identified by Time magazine as the most important individual in the last millennium, Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of the moveable type printing press.  At the Gutenberg Museum (Liebfrauenpl 5, Ph: 011 49 06131 1266-4044, Website: www.gutenberg.de), there are reconstructions of print shops and Gutenberg's hand press, an exhibition of incunabula, and the first two Gutenberg bibles are on display in a strong room.  They also have a section devoted to the far East with colored woodcarvings and prints from Japan, China and Korea. 

Another museum unique to Mainz is the Museum für Antike Schiffahrt (Museum of Ancient Navigation), where the remains of five 5th century Roman warships have been restored.  These ships were found when the local Hilton was expanding its property.  Mainz holds its Sektfest celebrating the region's sparkling wines in early June and quickly follows that up later in the month with a huge wine festival called the Johannismarkt.  The town's official website is www.mainz.de and more online information is available at Frommers, Yahoo!, and Germany-Tourism.

Nackenheim is where the Roter Hang, or Red Slope, begins.  Colored by a type of red slate, these soils produce incredible Rieslings that MUST be experienced.  The town celebrates these wines with their wine festival on the last weekend of July.

Located right on the Rhine, Nierstein is the home of the largest (and oldest) wine-growing community in Germany.  Most of these vineyards have tasting stands right on the roads and bike paths that run along the river.  In early August, they hold their annual wine festival, complete with costume parade.

Finished in 1439, Oppenheim's Gothic St Katharine's Church is the site of numerous concerts throughout the year.  Nearby, there is an open-air theater in Burgruine Landskrone, a 12th century fortress with an incredible view of the city and river.  The town also has the Deutsches Weinbaumuseum (Womser Str. 49, Ph: 011 49 06133 2544), where you can see wine-related artifacts dating back 2000 years.  Oppenheim holds its annual wine festival in mid August each year.

Originally founded almost 6000 years ago, Worms has played a key role in German history, with its current incarnation being founded by Charlemagne.  The city's bishopric was dates back to the fourth century and the Dom of St. Peter and St Paul, which was completed in 1325 and survived the destruction of World War II.  The town is famous for the Diet of Worms, to which Luther was summoned in 1521 and before which he refused to retract his beliefs. As a result, he was banned to the outer reaches of the empire. We can still see many vestiges of the old city walls, particularly the Torturmplatz and the Karolingerstrasse.  Additional information is available at the official city website, Yahoo!, and Frommers.