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Germany by train
Seen through a window: taverns, baroque architecture and the Black Forest. By Inder Raj Ahluwalia

One, two, three! One, two, three... It had been segmented literally into seconds, each bringing a different vista, and the first thing that struck me was that these views flashing by probably did more justice to the country than any promotional brochure. The scenery just gets framed as the famous ICE Expresses glide along eating up the miles at commercial speed.

My train jaunt across Germany had taken some planning. The first hurdle was choosing an itinerary, a job not made any easier by all those exotic sounding names: Bamberg, Regensburg, Wurzburg. Well, that's Germany for you.

But it had all fallen into place. My bags deposited in the overhead rack, and cup of coffee and map of Germany deftly juggled in my hands, I settled down by the large window as we pulled out of Frankfurt Haupbahnof, crossing the river Main. The early morning sunlight was a pale yellow. The city was only half awake. Minutes out, the scenery changed. Factory boilers gave way to suburbia, then rolling meadows that stretched all along the river as we pulled up at our first stop. And quite a stop it turned out to be: Situated in the middle of the Rheingau vineyards at the entrance to the Loreley valley, Rudesheim am Rhein is one smart town. Whereas earlier it inspired German and English romantic writers, it now has a similar effect on tourists, who throng its idyllic surroundings and narrow streets, souvenir shopping, eating ice creams and sampling the world-famous Rudesheimer Riesling and special brandy flambé coffee with Asbach Uralt.

There are two local must-dos and I did both. Glided along above the rolling vineyards to the Niederwald Memorial with its statue of Germania, the 38m high memorial built to commemorate the Franco-German War of 1870-1871 and the re-establishment of the German Empire. And dropped in at the celebrated – since 1729 – Breur's Rudesheimer Schloss for a traditional meal and the local specialty, Asbach Uralt. I then did the rounds of must-sees like ancient manors including the Klunkartshof – a wonderful 16th century half-timber house; the fortified Adlerturm; Bassenheimer Hof; Osteiner Hof and Ritter' scher Hof. A short walk brought me to the unusual and delightful Siegfried's Mechanisches Musikkabinett – the music museum – a charming institution featuring one of the biggest self-playing mechanical musical instruments' collection from the 18-20th centuries. Just before leaving, I dropped in at Rudesheim's shining jewel, a little street that takes a minute to walk through but a whole day to discover. 144m of vivacious fun and festive atmosphere emanate from the Drosselgasse, a little, world-famous lane with its taverns, live music and special pulsating ambience that draws tourists like a magnet.

The next day saw me making tracks once again, arriving at another historical gem. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bamberg's beautiful cathedrals, churches and palaces that stare down at the old town give it picture-book charm and world-renowned beauty. Time slowed down as I uncovered the local attractions on foot. There are wonderful views from the hills over the rooftops of patrician houses, the most stunning being from the rose garden by the side of the cathedral. Mighty structures nestle alongside quaint, tiny ones, making Bamberg's fabled architecture a fine mesh of baroque, renaissance, Gothic and Romanesque. Clustered in harmony are churches, palaces, towers, gables, alleyways, squares, and courtyards. Also contributing to the town's fame are narrow alleys that wind through the old quarter, and houses with flower-filled balconies that literally lean out over the water of the narrow canals that criss-cross the town.

Evening brought a pleasant surprise. Monuments and heritage apart, Bamberg is also famous for its Franconian cuisine, reason enough by itself to drop in. The Germans call their special brew Rauchbier, and it's Bamberg's very own specialty. Around for some 400 years, it is drunk heartily by initiated lovers with an 'acquired, refined' taste.

Early morning saw me back on tracks. Time flew as the ICE Express ate up the miles. Sooner than I'd wanted, I arrived in the charming medieval city of Regensburg, which straddles the swiftly flowing Danube, with the Stone Bridge, the city's signature structure. This delightful town was made for walking. From picturesque old alleys I stepped into squares and wide streets flanked by patrician castles and palaces, took a ferry cruise on the river, and backtracked to see the cathedral. Regensburg offers the best Franconian cuisine. All roads lead to the Historical Sausage Kitchen, an 850 year old institution famed for its sausages, potato soup and sauerkraut. Seconds away is Dampfnudel-Uli, the famous café serving its legendary steam pastry with vanilla sauce. "President Reagan was here," the affable owner told me.

Another day, another rail joyride – this time to what's described as a 'baroque city with southern flair.’ Located on the River Main, the ancient and beautiful city of Wurzburg is the 'gateway to the romantic road' and features outstanding monuments like the Palace of the Prince-Bishops, listed in UNESCO's World Heritage Catalogue; the Cathedral of St Kilian and the massive Fom Marienberg Fortress, the local symbol, with its ornate interiors and stunning city and river views. My walking tour took me past leafy parks flanked by stately monuments and buildings, to little cafés with tables spilling out onto the pavement and through cobbled streets overlooked by balconies and old lamp posts.

The next day saw me on the move again, headed for the Bavarian capital, described as a 'city with a million people and a heart.’ Munich's charms unfold like the layers of an onion. Tourist-style, I started my exploration at the Marienplatz, the city's vibrant heart, a cheerful jumble of trendy boutiques cum souvenir shops and cafés. With historical sites dotting the city, it’s hard to choose favourites, but my pick would be baroque architectural style monuments like Old Peter and Asam Kirche churches and the magnificent Nymphenburg Palace, a stunning building set in beautiful gardens.

There's this famous Bavarian saying: 'There's no harm in a festival ending, provided another one starts immediately.' And Munich hosts them all. Small, zestful festivals set the tone for the internationally known Oktoberfest and Faschingszeit. And when there's no festival on, one can pretend there is one, can't one? Not too difficult with all that brew around. Needless to say, no one ever complains.

On the move once again, I didn't speed through farmland but slowed down to traverse countryside dotted with low hills and valleys with sharp bends and great views, stopping in the heart of Germany's famed Black Forest region. Small, quaint and charming, Baiersbronn station seemed to leap right out of the movies. So named because of its tall coniferous tree dark forests, the Black Forest's scenery is world-renowned. Bewitching tourists is an unbeatable package of stunning scenery, 1,100km of hiking trails, countless lookout points, romantic valleys with little cafés, quaint farmsteads that entice you with home cooking and classy wellness and spa centres. I was fortunate to see the region's two outstanding hotels, the highly upscale and classy Hotel Bareiss Im Schwarzwald, and Hotel Traube Tonback, whose famous restaurants boast a combined six Michelin stars.

Came time for my final stop, and I'd ceased calculating exactly what to expect. Germany's oldest university town, Heidelberg is world renowned for its scenic layout, and with good reason. Within minutes of arriving, I was walking the streets of Germany's most romantic city, caught up in a swirl of international tourists. Every turn brings beautiful views, none more so than the one from the Old Bridge, with the river Neckar snaking its way through mountains, woods and sloping vineyards on one side, straddled by the city on the other. Crowning the city is its most famous landmark, the absolutely magnificent Heidelberg Castle that dwarfs the narrow lanes and picturesque roofs of the Old Town. The castle, the forest below it and the river still further below form the ideal three-tiered scenery that endeared the town to so many poets and romanticists in the past, and to tourists today. In the shadow of the castle, I strolled the narrow lanes, window-shopped and explored student taverns high on atmosphere but low on prices. It was the good life, expeditiously laid out.

I packed my bags one last time for my final leg back to Frankfurt Airport. A week had slipped by as I'd travelled 2,000km through ever-changing landscapes, stopping at Germany's tourist icons. It was time to wrap it all up for memory's sake. At over 250km an hour you might say the ICE Express' are fast. But they do allow one a chance to enjoy the German countryside's unrivalled beauty. About the only thing missing was the romance of steam engines!