.SOMETIMES RAW.

Hello out there! A reader asked me recently if I could write a post on Coburg with insider tips so it would make his trip to my beloved hometown easier! Of course I can and I loved writing this article! 

I look outside the window and it is raining; it is cold and nasty and usually this is the time when I miss “home” the most. Home! What do I even consider home when I am  constantly traveling this beautiful planet with my family? Home is where my heart is, but my base is definitely in Coburg, Germany. I love this town because it has everything I need and a bit more. But to realize and appreciate all this I had to leave first. I moved to Munich and when this became boring I needed a new challenge and I ended up in New York City. 

If you ever want to spend a vacation in Bavaria/Germany with good food, Bratwurst and beer, read on. My initial thought to bombard you with history details but I will just send you to this page for that. I want to focus this post entirely on places to visit, attractions, accommodations, and of course food and restaurants. If you have questions feel free to send me an email! 

You arrived safely in Coburg and want to know what to do next? 

Where to stay: Some friends of mine stayed at hotel “Goldener Anker”  which is in close proximity to the market place and in walking distance to the main attractions and one of the best hotels in Coburg. Obviously I stay at my parents’ house so I don’t need accommodation 😉 You can trust my friends on this one! 

Information Center/Tourism: This page is very helpful to find your way around. Under Service&Info you can find maps to download, guides and calendars with current events. 

Places to visit: You want to see one of Germany’s largest castles? Visit the Fortress Coburg! 

The Fortress had been built in 1225 and Martin Luther spent approximately six months there while he translated the Bible into German. There are three museums you can visit that display great exhibits.You will see Martin Luther’s room from 1530, the Armory, old master paintings, an amazing collection of coins, prints and drawings, and the highlight – their collection of Venetian Glass (famous worldwide). Never miss the view from one of the towers to appreciate the lovely smooth hills of “Coburger Land”. Also, sure you explore the Hofgarten (the park and garden) surrounding the fortress. There are just beautiful paths to walk and explore and a huge playground for kids. See what is currently displayed at the museum here. If you are into castles you will love Coburg. There are just so many. Visit Ehrenburg Palace (a former Franciscan Monastery) or Castle Callenberg. Castle Rödental is so beautiful too. I spent a lot of time in that park with my son this spring and summer.

Things to do: What else is Coburg famous for? Well, according to my father it would be hand’s down: THE Coburg Christmas Market. Okay, he is right! It is the best thing to do in December and the Glühwein and Honey-wine (“Met”-debet) is just the best. You have a plethora of food, sweets, handcrafted thingies and attractions for kids. My family and I have tried several christmas markets but there is none like the one on Coburg. Trust me! 

If you visit Coburg in the summertime you can enjoy the Samba Festival in July. It is not a little dance party, cocktails and some naked skin! Coburg is actually referred to as “Europe’s Capital of Samba” and it is true!

When you are at the market place, try the world’s famous Coburger Bratwurst. 

It is also knows as “Coburger” and you can buy one of these right at the market place at a little stand that is there year-round. I am a vegetarian but I get myself a Bratwurst once in a while. Yep, that good! So what it this Bratwurst? It is a 10-inch sausage made from pork and beef. They put raw eggs in it as a binding agent and a lot of seasoning. Salt, nutmeg, pepper… you name it! The secret why it tastes to good is that it is grilled over a pine-cone fire. It is a tradition to get your Bratwurst at the market place at this one Bratwurst-Stand. 

After you visited the Castles, the Hofgarten, strolled around some more and had a Bratwurst, I think it is time for some reading. There are two places in Coburg to find great books, good coffee and cake and just browse. One is The SunnySide close to the market place. They serve awesome coffee, breakfast or snacks and have a great selection of books. It is a place to rest, think, have good conversations with Patrick, read and drink a cup! The other bookstore I want to mention is Riemann Buchhandlung.  This bookstore is literally at the market place and has a nice little café and a good assortment of books. Check both out for sure! 

What? You are hungry again? Okay, let’s go to this little café and have another cup of coffee and a sandwich that keeps you going until dinner. Café Sorgenfrei is famous for Latte Art by Benjamin Reimers and has nice brunch/lunch options. 

Now you walk around some more and explore all the stores Coburg has to offer before it is time for dinner. Walk all the little side-roads and paths and see the tiny stores that are so awesome! You should also take a walk to the Coburg State Theater. The theater is beautiful and a gem in Coburg. If you are into fairy tales, musicals, operas or ballets, this is the place to go to see a play. They offer a variety of shows and have an awesome program. Check out their website here. 

If you want to relax you definitely should go to Aquaria. This amazing pool in Coburg offers many ways for you to unwind and have a SPA day. Sauna, massages, fitness, and in the summertime an outdoor pool. If you are into sports or want to see a Volleyball or Handball game, Coburg has two great teams. My godmother said that I cannot send this article out without mentioning the Glass Museum in Rödental. She is right! Go check it out! 

For dinner I can recommend Tie Restaurant which is mostly vegetarian or vegan. They do have some meat-choices as well. Great food, great ambience. If you are into Tapas and more, check out Bar Celona.  My friend Sylvia recommended “Cosmo’s tapas & wine”. They are currently working on their website, so here is their Facebook link. 

Are you getting tired or are you up for a last drink before it is time to go back to the hotel? 

Check out Sonderbar! (Hey Judith!) Sonderbar has great food, cocktails, and usually live music; sometimes even during the week. This place is more of a Hipster place but great to end a day and have one more drink. I hope you enjoyed this little Coburg Insider Guide. Let me know if I forgot to mention something. Leave a comment below or send me an email through Contact! 

Thank you for reading my blog. 

Hey there. It is time to share a great recipe again for this week. These days I am all about salads and healthy eating because my husband lost so much weight and I don’t want to be out of shape next to him ha! Also because I am getting a bit sick so I try to add more vitamins to my diet. So here I want to share an easy recipe that keeps your stomach full for a couple of hours, is a healthy alternative and changes the menu up. You can vary the recipe by adding other ingredients to make it a nice meal. I have a variation of this salad at least twice a week. It also makes a great side dish or quick lunch. When it is getting colder outside a need to eat something warm and a cold salad just keeps me searching for food all day long. (My translation option does not work yet unfortunately but I am trying to fix it- desperately! For my german readers: Farro is Dinkel!) 😉 

Here you have a simple filling salad recipe. I hope you try it and be all creative with it. 

Footnote: You can substitute quinoa for ferro which is really great too. 

Thank you for reading my blog. 

I discovered podcasts when I purchased my first apple computer – I believe in 2006. This computer was the best – the simple white MacBook. I found my way around which was a bit difficult at first. When I discovered iTunes and Podcasts I signed up for as many as I could, making my morning commute to the city bearable and entertaining. I used to have my headphones on most of the time, walking around, working out while listening to all these podcasts. Listening to podcasts on long car rides makes the time go by so much faster too. Especially with kids on the backseat. Always bring headphones! 🙂 You don’t know how to get a podcast on your device? Click here to find out how to download them. My favorite podcast of all times was and is:

This American Life.  A while ago I read that This American Life has more than 2.2 million listeners and I believe it was one of the first podcasts out there. I love this podcast because it is mostly non-fiction with interesting themes on public radio. The show lasts 60 minutes which was exactly how long my commute was. If you want to start with one episode I would recommend this one. It aired first in 2007 and I listened to it about one million times. haha! I love how each episode has a specific title (“Break up” for example) and usually has three or sometimes four well thought-through and provoking stories on this specific topic. Plus I love Ira Glass and I have seen him live at the 92nd Street Y! 😉 

The Moth.  If you love a good story that is told live and is unique, this is your podcast. The Moth first launched in 1997 and the presenters (usually regular people) speak without notes for approximately five minutes and share their personal stories. Sometimes they have really awesome actors and writers on the show too like Ethan Hawke. My favorite podcast is by Starlee Kine. Maybe you want to try this episode “Waiting for Marina Abramavić”. 

Another podcast I want to share is called Spilled Milk. It is a really funny show every time hosted by writers/comedians Molly Wizenberg and Matthew Amster-Burton. They usually start out by talking about a food-related topic. Simple things like peaches and “run with it as far as they can go -and, regrettably, sometimes further.” I really enjoyed Episode 195: Norwegian Junk Food. So funny! 

If you are into comedians and want to literally lough out loud you need to listen to WTF with Marc Maron. Marc is a standup comedian and just so so funny. He records out of a garage! Listen to this one to start with Barack Obama.  Yes, he interviewed Obama. Here are some pictures of Obama’s visit to the Garage. 

The last podcast I want to recommend is The Dinner Party Download. Dinner Party is a one hour show with guest from Elizabeth Gilbert, to Tony Bennett, Scarlett Johansson and Steve Martin to just name a few. It is a fun show about food, culture, conversation, wisdom and recipes and it’s “public radio’s arts & leisure section”. My favorite episode so far is with Novelist Salman Rushdie, Alice Cooper and Carly Rae Jepson. Click here if you would like to listen. 

Thank you for reading my blog. Let me know what podcasts you listen to. I am always up for something new.