Bad Dürkheim | St. Michael''s Chapel | Frankfurt

Just 100 km and five centuries from Frankfurt is the largest wine festival in the world - as well as tasty German fare and joyous people.
In a linguistic age where "bad" means "good," sometimes bad is very good. And "Wurst" (pronounced "vurst") is even better. Since 1417, oeno-pilgrims have been trekking to the small German village of Bad Dürkheim to attend the marvel called Wurstmarkt. The definition of Bad, in this case, means bath, spa, and/or a mineral-water source. But nonetheless, Bad Dürkheim is good. Wurstmarkt's name says sausage, but the knowledgeable attendees clamor for wine. In fact, this has become the largest wine festival in the world.

Nestled within the small town's beautiful rolling hills are vineyards, with roots, so to speak, dating back to the Romans. The focal point is a historic church, the Michaelskapelle (St. Michael's Chapel), which sits on the Michaelsberg above the market site. Until the 15th century, pilgrims celebrated the beginning of Wurstmarkt by walking up the hill on St. Michael's Day.

To this day, the festival still takes place within the shadow of the church, where you'll find huge tents amply stocked with crisp, simple wines, some from the vineyards surrounding you. The hot griddles and display windows are piled high with all manner of sausages and other meats. Exhibitors offer crafts, and old-world calliope musical standards compete with American pop rock blaring from loudspeakers throughout the sprawling midway. And there is a winding mile or more of carnival rides and attractions. The myriad of lights related to this ear-ringing and eye-dazzling spectacle are likely visible from Skylab up above.

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