Another very beautiful vineyard hotel is Reinhartshausen Castle. The estate Reinhartshausen extends over 80 hectares and is one of the most renowned wine manufacturers in the world. The Vineyard Hotel Schloss Reinhartshausen offers its guests 63 elegantly furnished  rooms and suites, a spa and three restaurants, in which guest enjoy local specialties as well as international cuisine in a rustic or elegant ambience. With 16 banquet and conference rooms, the hotel is also popular for events.

Weinromantikhotel Richtershof is also a Vineyard Hotel worth a visit. The vineyard has been discontinued and is now a 10,000 square meter park, but the hotel is situated in the vineyards of the Mosel region, and the hotel cooperates with many winemakers for events like wine tastings. Besides wine events, Weinromantikhotel Richtershof features 43 individually, and very elegantly furnished rooms and suites, a Roman spa and an excellent restaurant.

More Vineyard hotels can be found in France and the region of Tuscany, Italy. And Austria also has one or two charming vineyard hotels to offer. More on these in one of my next article…

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After Breakfasts it’s shopping. Try the boutiques at the “5 Höfe” luxury at Maximiliansstraße or trendy boutiques in the Glockenbachviertel. For lunch, take a break at the Viktualienmarkt, where you can both grab a bite and shop some more culinary delights for at home.

On a warm day in spring you should end your shopping trip in the late afternoon with, of course, a visit to the beer garden. The best still is the Seehaus beer garden the English Garden, and it comes with a stroll through one of the largest and perhaps the most beautiful urban park in the world. Walk past surfers at the Eisbach, sunbathers around the Chinese Tower and you will reach the Kleinhesseloher lake. Restore your strengths with a cold beer and some Bavarian food.

After the beer garden you should visit friends, or get prepared for Munich’s night life. In addition to the still popular P1 bar and P1 terrace, try out new and hip bars around the Gärtnerplatz, like the Zephyr Bar Munich with its liquid kitchen concept, or more alternative pubs and clubs with younger, trendier audience.

Sundays of a perfect Munich trip in the spring are best started with brunch, for example, at Cafe Klenze in the Alte Pinakothek, which boasts beautiful surroundings and pool position to Munich’s art quarter. Between the Pinakotheken (Old, New, Modern) and the Museum Brandhorst opened in 2009 you can for sure spend more than a single Sunday afternoon. Those fortunate enough to have a little more time at hand should end the day in the beer garden of the Park Cafe, which is in walking distance to the art quarter and on the way to central station and the subway lines to the airport.

The landscape of Tuscany is dominated by rolling hills and cypress trees. No wonder the region that thrives on vine, olive oil and tourism, has many fans who appreciate the nature and culinary delights of the region. But not only the beautiful landscape, also art and culture, make a trip to Tuscany worthwhile. Discover Renaissance palaces in Florence, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Cathedral of Siena during short day trips from your country inn in Tuscany.

One of my favorite country inns for a holiday in Tuscany is the five-star hotel Le Fontanelle near Sienna. Charming rooms and stunning views make this hotel unique. An excellent restaurant, a swimming pool and a small spa are also among the comforts of this hotel, which is also popular for Tskany destination weddings.

A great country inn in the lower price category is the three-stars hotel Residence Borgo Tre Rose in the Pisa region. Located beautifully on a hill between Montepulciano and Trasimeno lake, this country inn features traditional style, beautifully appointed rooms and suites and a romantic restaurant, which is also suitable for celebrations of all kinds.

Of course Tuscany has many more beautiful country inns to offer. Find romantic Tuscany inns online or ask your travel agent for recommendations on the most beautiful country inns in Tuscany.

Also keep televisions and laptop at home – and if you are lucky (or have planned well enough) you might end up somewhere without cell phone network. And who wouldn’t care for a weekend without iPhone, Blackberry & Co?

Especially couples from the city should appreciate a break in the wilderness. For when would you ever be undisturbed for two days? When would you ever spend a whole weekend talking, cuddling and solving basic problems together (e.g. how do I make a camp fire?)

Most couples experience more intimacy camping than even on the most spectacular romantic luxury shopping trip to London or Paris.

And what could be more romantic than an evening under millions of stars? And after a glass of wine from plastic cups (which you will of course take back home with you), even the mattress in the tent isn’t as hard…

But the real luxury of a vacation on Mount Desert Island lies in idleness. Take your time. Time to breathe, for a walk, to paint, read, or just sit in the sun and look out on the sea. To relax and enjoy avoid staying in a hotel and rent one of the popular cottages instead.

One of my favorite are Seaside Cottages at Blue Hill Bay on Mount Dessert Island. On the cliffs overlooking the bay 4 cottages of different sizes await guests. Pamper yourself  with quietness, the sounds of the ocean and a breathtaking sunset. The National Park and the town of Bar Harbor is just a few minutes away.

Also nice, but slightly further away from the National Park is Linda’s Seaside Cottage, located in Trenton, Maine. It offers two bedrooms for up to 6 people, direct sea access and a breathtaking view of Mount Dessert Island and Cadillac Mountain. If you dare, you may even cook your own Maine Lobster here.

Spectacular, though a bit more expensive, is the Great Duck Island House on Great Duck Island. This charming house offers breathtaking sea views and accommodates up to six guests. Located off North East Harbor, this private island keeps its promise of peace and solitude. Guest share the island only with a bird sanctuary and a lighthouse.

More information about Arcadia National Park, as well as more cottages, inns and hotels can be found in ArcadiaMagic.com.

Most of this castle hotels are relatively small, family-run hotels, providing guests with historic charm, romantic ambience and culinary delights. The following Castle hotels between Würzburg and Aaachen and are my personal favorites…

Hotel Burg Trendlburg
Region: Kassel-Göttingen

Where once Rapunzel let down her long hair the Hotel Burg Trendlburg is located. Crushed stone walls, valuable antiques and artfully carved wooden wall ornaments give Trendlburg historic charm. Individually decorated, romantic rooms (double rooms from 130 € / night for two people) and culinary delights in a historic setting make Trendlburg a charming stay. This hotel satisfies lovers of fairy tales and old myths.

Hotel auf der Wartburg
Region: Kassel-Erfurt

True to their motto “The Wartburg has preserved its friendly hospitality from the days pilgrims knocked on its doors” guests of the Wartburg in Eisenach enjoy 35 historic rooms (double rooms from 192 € / night for two people), a combination of historic charm, comfortable atmosphere and breathtaking views. The culinary well-being of guests is catered to by its Varta two star restaurant “Landgrafenstube” as well as the rustic “Burgschenke Gadem”.

Castle Hotel Kronenburg
Region: Aachen-Bonn-Koblenz

From 2005 to 2008 lovingly restored, Kronenburg now hosts a nostalgic and romantic hotel with 20 rooms (double rooms from 125 € / night for two people). From the terrace, guests enjoy the panoramic views over Kylltal and the Kronenburger lake, enjoy fine cuisine in the hotel’s own restaurant, or relax in the small spa or the outdoor pool in the garden. Friends of unusual dinner entertainment will enjoy Kronenburg even more on an evening with mystery or a musical dinner.

Schloss Rheinfeld
Region: Wiesbaden – Koblenz

Hotel Schloss Rheinfeld is located in the UNESCO World Heritage mark “Valley of the Loreley” and welcomes guests with a combination of historic charm and hospitality. Balconies of the 63 romantically decorated rooms (double rooms from € / night for two people) offer river view. The hotel also has a spa with an indoor pool and a variety of gastronomic offers. The romantic castle restaurant overlooks the river Rhein and the rustic “Burgschänke” pampers its guests in historic setting. A number of arrangements from Magic fondue to classic car weekends further enhance the stay at Schloss Rheinfeld.

Castle Hotel Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Region: Nürnberg-Würzburg-Heilbronn

Built on the old city walls, the Castle Hotel Rothenburg ob der Tauber, is located in charming historic settings and features wonderful views over the Tauber Valley as well as 15 individually decorated rooms, suites and apartments (double rooms from 145 € / night for two people). Romantic rooms and a charming cloister garden make the hotel especially popular with romance-seekers. Music lovers enjoy the “Steinway basement” of the castle hotel – with a stylish bar and excellent acoustics.

All Castle Hotel on the map:

Besides skiing and snowboarding, winter sports fans can experience snowshoeing, cross country skiing, snow kiting, ice climbing and much more. In the winter 2009/2010 IGLOO VILLAGE Kühtai attracted companies and group events. But all in all, Kühtai remains a quiet small resort with only about 20 hotels, apartment houses and pensions. It is the perfect place to relax and unwind. During the day you can enjoy the mountain sun, uncrowded slopes and cozy little huts such as the DreiSeen-Hütte, and the evenings are best spent relaxing with family or friends in your hotel or apartment.

For the end of ski season the Kaunertal, the most western of the Tyrolean valleys, is popular particularly among snowboarders.  The Kaunertal Glacier has a relaxed vibe and cheap private accommodation and apartment rentals in the main town of the valley, Feichten, has made the Kaunertal an insider tip for many years.

The Kaunertal is a scenic spring classic with snowboard and ski tourers. It’s impressive peaks Glockturm (3.355m), Hohe Aifner Spitze (2.779 m) and Mittlere Hintereis Spitze (3.451m) attract mainly experienced ski tourers with appropriate physical condition. Ski tours are possible throughout the winter and into May. In high alpine conditions and partly glaciated area it is a safe choice to take a local or experienced guide along on every tour.

For more on ski holidays in Tyrol have a look at my articles about skiing in the Zillertal valley and the ski resorts of Innsbruck.

Families, beginners and intermediate skiers find a variety of different ski areas suitable for their skill level just outside the city. My favorite is the Axamer Lizum with a variety of slopes suitable for beginners as well as more advanced skiers.

Experienced skiers and snowboarders will fall in love Innsbruck’s home mountain, the 2.334 meters high Nordkette (Northern Range). Nowhere else in the world you can ski up to 70 degrees steep powder runs as convenient and impressively as in Innsbruck – the famous Hafelekar does not only offer easy access by cable car and is pretty secure to ride because of the Nordketten resorts avalanche experts monitoring the runs. It also offers a breathtaking view of the 100,000 inhabitants city of Innsbruck while riding this incredible mountain.

For more on ski holidays in Tyrol have a look at my articles about skiing the Zillertal and snowboarding in Western Tyrol.

Regardless of the level of your skiing or snowboarding, you should plan visiting the Kristallhütte (Crystal Hut). This ski lodge features a mix of modern art and contemporary romantic cottage, including an open fireplace and a stylish wine bar with panoramic windows and views to die for. For those who plan ahead of time, the place offers a small, but fastly booked-out hotel, too.

Another highlight fpr skiers and snowboarders in the Zillertal are the higher, and therefore less frequented ski resorts of Gerlos and Königsleiten. Especially for the drive up to Königleiten a car with for wheel drive ia recommended, but powder enthusiasts will be rewarded with great skiing above the tree line and off the beaten track of the rest of the busy Zillertal.

More tips for ski holidays in Tyrol you’ll find in our articles about skiing in Innsbruck in ski holidays in Western Tyrol.