Nestled in the heart of the Palatinate wine region, Neustadt an der Weinstrasse is a historic city on the banks of the Speyerbach river. It centres around an atmospheric old town clustered with churches and half-timbered houses and features one of only two museums run by the German Railway History Company.
Things to do in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse
At the heart of Neustadt an der Weinstrasse is its historic Altstadt, which is dominated by the soaring spires of the 14th-century Collegiate Church. Admire the neighbouring Marienkirche and the Casimirianum, a former Reformed academy founded by Count Palatine Johann Casimir in 1578. Also of architectural significance is the Steinhäuser Hof, a collection of half-timbered houses that date back to the 13th century.
Train enthusiasts shouldn’t miss a visit to the Neustadt/Weinstrasse Railway Museum, which is located within the locomotive shed of Neustadt an der Weinstrasse’s railway station. In addition to several steam locomotives, the museum’s collection includes passenger coaches, goods wagons and an engine built by the English engineer Thomas Russell Crampton. On select days, the Little Cuckoo Railway departs from Neustadt an der Weinstrasse and journeys west into the Palatine Forest.
No visit to Neustadt an der Weinstrasse is complete without cellar door hopping through the Palatinate wine region, which is one of the largest producers of Riesling in the world. Visit one of the family-run vineyards that dot the picturesque German Wine Route and learn about the Müller-Thurgau, Pinot Gris and Silvaner varietals also grown here.
Getting around Neustadt an der Weinstrasse
Neustadt an der Weinstrasse is just over an hour’s drive from Frankfurt Airport and is connected to destinations across Rhineland-Palatinate from the Neustadt railway station. Buses travel throughout the town, although the centre is best explored on foot.