Yep, it’s true: Freiburg is Germany’s sunniest city. But there are many more reasons than the vitamin D that make this place special. Born and bred Freiburger Peter Kalchthaler, the director of Freiburg’s Museum of Urban History, walked me through some of this city’s greatest hits, including its cathedral and market that dates back to the 11th Century!

Freiburg is located just outside of the Black Forest. And from a culinary standpoint, when it comes to that region, its namesake cake comes to mind. Well, forget it… it’s the kaesekuchen that’s truly special. Peter introduced me to Stefan of Stefans Kasekuchen fame. Sixteen years ago, Stefan started making cheesecake for Black Forest hikers and bikers looking for quick and easy energy. They fell in love with his product, so much so that Stefan took his treats from the forest to the city’s market. Today, he has over 40 stalls all over the country.

You can sample the stuff yourself at Freiburg’s market, open every day except Sundays.

Next stop along the Rhine? Strasbourg, France. This is the seventh largest city in France and began as a Roman camp in the 1^st Century. Much of this city looks as through time stopped in the 16th Century, making it every traveler’s dream of a storybook European city.

You’ll find another… wait for it… cathedral at the heart of Strasbourg. Construction on this cathedral began in the 13th century. And when you visit, the first thing you’ll notice is all that scaffolding. Really, does the construction ever end on a historic building like this? Not really. I had the pleasure of visiting the stone mason’s workshop, where skilled masons recreate and repair the church’s stone pieces. This workshop has existed since the 1300, and still relies on the same techniques used in the middle ages. It would seem that type of work would take quite a long time, which is why it’s no surprise that when they’ve finished restoring the cathedral, it’s time to start all over again.

Rivers work as a natural border between France and Germany, so bouncing between the two is just one of the many perks of cruising. I fell in love with Heidelberg, a little jewel of a city nestled along the Neckar River’s thickly wooded mountains. This city doesn’t have a cathedral, but it does have another European superstar… a castle!

My local guide Klaus Mombrei showed me around Heidelberg Castle, known as more of a ruin. From the outside, this place doesn’t have a huge wow factor– in fact, it was slated for demolition in the 19th Century. Luckily for us, some romantics saved it. Once you cross through the main gates, you’ll stop dead in your tracks. This castle is humongous, beautiful, and now one of the biggest tourist destinations in Germany.

Heidelberg is a University town. Founded in 1386, this is the country’s (and one of the world’s) oldest surviving universities. My tour guide Klaus didn’t take me to its great lecture halls or some fancy quad. He brought me to a building whose inside was covered in graffiti. There are rooms with bars, beds, and not much else. As it turns out, this was a student jail!

You’d think imprisonment was a bad thing, but in the olden days, spending a few night in the clink was a badge of honor– students added their names and a silhouettes to the walls as proof they’d spent at last one night there.

There are many popular destinations along the Rhine, but Mainz, Germany has managed to stay a bit under the radar. It’s a beautiful city with lovely churches, laidback cafes and gelato shops, and the best part? You don’t have to battle the crowds.

Mainz has a claim to fame like no other destination in the world, as the birthplace of Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press. The Gutenberg Museum celebrates printing of all sorts, along with their most famous local who created a machine that changed the world.

What’s a trip to Europe without some seriously delicious wine? That’s why I headed to Rudesheim. This valley is famous for one particular grape: riesling. It’s a wine I love, but I also find it a bit confusing. How do you know if it’s going to be sweet, dry, or just right? That’s why I was thrilled to spend the day with Adolf Störzel of Störzel Winery.

People have been growing wine grapes here since the 900s. Adolf’s family has been growing grapes here for 400 years, and 80 percent of what he grows are riesling grapes. We sampled a few rieslings, a local rose and even a pinot noir, which is called blauer spätburgunder. To be honest, at the end of our day together, I still didn’t know how to tell if a riesling would be sweet or dry. But I did walk away with a lot more knowledge about this region, and had a heck of a fun afternoon day drinking!

Yep, another cathedral. And it’s a doozy of a gothic church! The Cologne Cathedral dates back to 1248, and is the world’s tallest twin-spired church at 515 feet tall. Kind of an amazing feat when you truly look at all the details!

The construction of this Gothic masterpiece was not completed until 1880. Over seven centuries, successive builders continued to work with the original plans. All those people keeping with the same vision may be the most incredible aspect of this building’s history.

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