German sausage tour
While most people travel to experience different sights and sounds, culinary fanatics tend to give special importance to the unique tastes offered by various countries. Germany’s fascinating cuisine makes it no exception to travelers led by curious taste buds. Having over 1,500 types of sausages, each city is sure to have at least one specialty. This travel plan will allow you to explore Germany’s famed sausage tradition while you go on your planned German sightseeing tour.
While you’re on your German tour, your travelling options include local flights, trains, and buses. Germany has a wide range of local flights available, but the train system is equally efficient and expansive. If you wish to take the more affordable route, it’s best to ride trains throughout your tour. As for the bus system, the availability of the buses depends on the season. Since several private companies own the nationwide buses, transferring buses tend to be confusing.
Stop 1. It’s a good way to start your German sausage tour in Berlin. Upon your arrival at the Tegel Airport, you can either take a bus or a taxi to your hotel. Buses going to the city of Berlin are stationed just outside the terminal; just be sure to grab a copy of the city transport map at the airport’s information center. You may also take a cab, which may cost 15 to 20 Euro. German cab drivers often expect to be tipped, and it’s polite to give them around 10% of the fare.
Berlin’s most popular sausage is the currywurst. Currywurst is a pork sausage served with a special curry-tomato (or curry and catsup) sauce. This type of sausage is considered fast food and is available in most sausage stalls. While you can canvass for stalls to buy currywurst from, it’s best to get it from the people who have been making it for 70 years, the Konopke Imbiss. It’s a small take-away restaurant at the U-Bahnhof Eberswalder Strasse. The best part about the Imbiss is that it is open late at night, which makes it easy to visit if your flight arrives in the evening and you’re ready to embark on your sausage tour. Most people say that currywurst is best served with fries and beer, and since Germany also produces top-quality beer, that makes for a delicious combination. Many people, including celebrities like Madonna and political figures like President George W. Bush, don’t leave Berlin without trying their famous currywurst.
Stop 2. Take a train to Erfurt in Thuringen. Here you will find the Thuringian Bratwurst, a sausage wrapped in the thin lining of pork bowels. The bratwurst is roasted, and often bought from stalls. The best place to buy the bratwurst is on the Domplatz at the Cathedral Square, although you may get it from restaurants as well. The color of the bratwurst ranges from red to gray. It is best served with sauerkraut or vegetable soup. Thuringen is also famous for its cakes and pastries, so be sure to try one for dessert. One of their popular cakes, the Matschekuchen, is served with fruits and nuts.
Stop 3. Frankfurt-am-main is the hometown of the famous frankfurter pork sausage. Also known as the Frankfurter Wustchen, this is said to be the origin of the common American hotdog (although there is a distinct difference in taste). Served with bread and mustard, it tastes best when accompanied by Apfelwein (a hard apple cider also known as ebbelwoi). The best Apfelwein comes from taverns in Sachsenhausen. It wouldn’t be hard to find Apfelwein, since its popularity in Frankfurt-am-main surpasses even wine or beer. If you are a fan of German literature, feel free to visit the Goethehaus where German’s literary giant was born. It was said that he completed some of his greatest work in this old manor. To complete your Goethe experience, you may want to try eggs in Hessian green sauce. This is said to be Goethe’s favorite food. The Hessian green sauce is the most popular sauce in the Frankfurt-am-main and Hessen area, which makes it easy to find.
Stop 4. It’s a short trip from Frankfurt-am-main to Rheinland, Rheinland’s main sausage is the famous Blood Sausage or Blutwurst. The blutwurst could very well be the first sausage mentioned in history since the process of making it was mentioned in Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey. Commonly, the blutwurst is made from congealed pig or cow’s blood, as well as meat and fat for filler. However, the town of Eschweiler in Rheinland offers traditional fried blutwurst made out of horsemeat. Another horsemeat specialty in Eschweiler is sauerbraten, which contains sweetening agents like juniper cloves or apple syrup.
It’s time to make your way back to Berlin on the second half of your sausage tour of Germany. The return trip to Berlin has the same range of tastes for the average traveler.
Stop 5. Making your way back to Berlin from the Rheinland area, the Bavarian district of Munich is a must for your sausage tour. The sausage specialty of Munich is the "weibwurste" or the white sausage. This is usually served with mustard, pretzels, and the usual beer (in this case, the Weizenbier or wheat bear is commonly chosen). Germans usually eat the weibwurste meal for second breakfast, and it is suggested that tourists do the same. After all, the weibwurste easily expires, so it’s best to follow tradition and eat it before noon. Keep in mind that it’s unlikely for you to find the weibwurste elsewhere, so be sure to have a taste of it in Munich while you can.
Munich also plays host to the annual Oktoberfest, which is held every September. If you are also a fan of beer, then it’s best to plan your trip to coincide with the Oktoberfest. But if you wish to avoid the drunken crowds of tourists, then you should definitely avoid passing by Munich during Oktoberfest.
Stop 6. Just like Munich, Nuremberg can be found in the Bavarian area of Germany. Nuremberg is said to have the best bratwurst in this area, called the Frankische or Franconian bratwurst. Unlike the Thuringer bratwurst, the ones found in Nuremberg are white and smaller. The Franconian bratwurst is roasted and served two in a bread roll with mustard.
Nuremberg is also famous for having the best gingerbread in Germany. Known as "lebkuchen" it is traditionally served during Christmas. The Nuremberg gingerbread cookies of the highest quality are called "Elisenlebkuchen" You should definitely try these as well. These gingerbread cookies are exported all over the world, and some are even made in the shape of "witch houses" like the one mentioned in the fairytale "Hansel and Gretel"
Stop 7. If you have time for more sweets, then feel free to make a stop at Dresden to buy some of their stollen, a cinnamon flavored fruitcake. Dresden is said to make the best stollen, which is sold at the Striezelmarkt, Germany’s oldest recorded Christmas market.
It’s easy to take a train to Berlin from Dresden. If you wish to purchase sausages to take home with you, your best bet is to go to the KaDeWe Department Store in Berlin. It sells over 1,000 varieties of German cheeses and sausages, as well as hundreds of types of bread.
Be sure to arrive at the Berlin Tegel International Airport at least an hour and a half before your check-in time. Perhaps you should go on a vegetarian diet upon returning home for health reasons. While it’s good to get a taste of the best food a culture has to offer, it’s also important to know when you’ve had too much.
This concludes the second part of a "sausage tradition" travel plan of Germany. Guten Appetit!
German sausage tour discussion
If you are planning a vacation then take a look at this Book-a-Trip Travel Directory for great Travel Planning Tips & Ideas as well as maps, weather, flights and hotels.