Conclusion of our Wine Tour 2025

Time flies so quickly, and here I am sitting in front of the computer reflecting on this more than 5-week motorcycle journey.

First of all: We are grateful to have returned home healthy and without any breakdowns or accidents!

We experienced temperatures ranging from 2 degrees at departure to 32 degrees upon arrival after a day's ride.

There was snow (beside the road) on the Jaufenpass, and we arrived at Lake Garda in the rain. We sweated through our motorcycle gear multiple times, but there were also days when we had to put on a fleece jacket. The contrasts were quite stark.

During our trip, there were two critical moments. Once the rear wheel slid in a curve in wet conditions due to a change in road surface. I managed to regain control, and everything turned out fine. The second critical situation was a slipping front wheel on a pedestrian crossing in wet conditions. My heart sank, and I reflexively released the brake so that we did not crash.

With our accommodations, we were generally satisfied, with one exception.

And these were them:

• Harzhotel Güntersberge

Simple, clean, and affordable rooms in the village in the Harz. Very friendly staff, delicious food, and a good breakfast buffet.

• Wagners Hotel in Frankenwald

We had a somewhat older room with a terrace. The food was okay, and the breakfast buffet was fine as well.

• Appartmenthaus Florian

The apartment house is located in the Bavarian Forest in the village of Lam. Our apartment with a terrace was sufficient for 2 people. The highlight was the small indoor swimming pool, which we had all to ourselves. Otherwise, the town of Lam is small, and not much is happening.

• Gasthof zur Post

In fact, for one night, our most expensive accommodation in a very nicely renovated room. The inn is rustic Bavarian with a lot of wood, and when you hear the locals speak, it becomes quite amusing.

• Residence Falgerhof

What a cozy place we found there! We knew the accommodation from 2012. In the meantime, the house has been thoroughly renovated, and we had a 65 m² apartment with a balcony. The landlady (around our age) was very nice and open-minded. Next door, they have the best pizzas!

• Hotel Villa Beatrice

Located directly on Lake Garda, separated only by a footpath. We had a double room on the 3rd floor with a correspondingly beautiful view. However, the room felt too small for our 4-day stay. The breakfast is Italian. One has to make compromises.

• Apartment in Lazise

To meet up with our friends, we moved from Brenzone to Lazise. There we had a house of 85 m² for ourselves. This was also, by far, the most expensive accommodation. The furnishings were tasteless and unattractive. The amenities left much to be desired (no coffee machine, no egg cups, no toaster, little dishware, and the dishwasher was broken and could not be repaired).

• Hotel Löwenwirt

Very nice and large double room, tastefully decorated with lots of wood. The beer garden is pleasantly shaded and invites you to linger. The breakfast buffet was excellent.

• Hotel Buckelhof

The accommodation is very quiet and is run by a Dutch couple. The dining/breakfast room is very nice and seemed freshly renovated. Our double room was adequately sized, but noticeably older. From the furniture, we would guess it dates back to the 80s or 90s. The breakfast buffet could be improved.

• Pension Forelle

We already know this place from several vacations. The Pension Forelle is located at the Riedberg Pass, the highest pass in Germany. From Obermaiselstein, you can take great tours. We had a very nice double room with a balcony. The breakfast buffet is small, but fine. What increasingly bothers us with advancing age is the 3-course meal starting from 6:30 pm. At 'Forelle,' you can only book with half board.

• Zum Löwen unteres Wirtshaus

We have been here several times as well. We had booked an apartment with breakfast for 4 nights. Here we felt very comfortable again. We had plenty of space in our apartment and a nice balcony with a view of nature. The breakfast buffet with plenty of options and fresh products deserves special mention.

• Hotel St. Martiner Castell

Here we had the largest double room of our trip, with a separate sleeping area. It is a typical wine region, and the dining area is cozy, furnished with lots of wood. There is no draft beer here. The only downside was the staff who gossiped about other guests in our presence.

• Hotel Maas

We have also been here several times. We booked a small apartment with a terrace. The only downside is that the sofa bed is unusable. It is so hard that after a short time, your bones start to ache. But at least we had a double bed in the bedroom. The kitchen at Hotel Maas is excellent, and the breakfast buffet is quite good as well.

• Dorint Resort Winterberg

The 4**** hotel disappointed us. You can only access the hotel via a barrier system. The QR code sent to me by email did not work. In the room, neither the landline phone nor the induction charger for the phones worked. The terrace was overgrown with grass, and roof tiles had clearly been stored on our terrace for a long time. The breakfast buffet was okay. Since we arrived 1.5 hours before check-in time, they wanted to charge us €40, which we declined. We then went out for a meal.

• Ringhotel Forellenhof

Our insider tip for a vacation in the countryside. And the Ringhotel Forellenhof is also a 4**** hotel, but completely relaxed. Very good food, an excellent breakfast buffet, and friendly, laid-back staff. Our room was small but functional. It was the cheapest room in the hotel, located in the basement, which was an advantage in the heat.