Dinkelsbühl

Dinkelsbühl is a picture perfect medieval walled city set in the countryside of southwestern Franconia.  I actually made two visits here in July.  First stop was when we went on a bier tour of the region with some local friends.  This city was the first stop to check out the two breweries there.  Brauerei Hauf and Weib's Brauhaus.  What we found in addition to some really nice beer was a beautiful city.  I liked it so much I took my daughter and her friend back here for the last night of our trip before going home.  The day of our beer tour we happened to be there on the first day of their week long festival commemorating the 30 years war.  The second day there we caught the last day of the festival.  I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking:

First beer at Weib's.  Very refreshing lager, especially on a warm sunny day.

It's a small brewery and fairly new not much unlike a American brewpub.

Just outside one of the gates we stopped for some Hauf Festbier at the Wildemann pub.  The sign almost looks a bit like Thor battling the Midgard serpent.

Lots of folks drinking at the pub were in costume getting ready to recreate the Swedish invasion of the city.

... and the conquest of the city begins:

One week later we came back to find the main square of the town (where out hotel was) roped off to celebrate the end of the festival with lots of live music.  It was a challenge trying to check in but it was worth it to spend the last night of the vacation in such a perfect setting.  I had a few Hauf Festbier from one of the outdoor stands that night in the square while the festivities were going on.