'''Hesse''' (German: ''Hessen'' [http://www.hessen-tourismus.de]) is one of the states of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Regions

North Hessen or ''Kur-Hessen''.

Cities

  • Bad Hersfeld
  • Bad Homburg
  • Darmstadt
  • Dreieich
  • Frankfurt
  • Fulda
  • Giessen
  • Gelnhausen
  • Hanau
  • Herborn
  • Kassel
  • Marburg
  • Oberaula
  • Offenbach am Main
  • Reinheim
  • Wiesbaden state capital
  • Wetzlar
  • Villages

  • Rosdorf
  • Erzhausen
  • Dipperz
  • Seligenstadt
  • Other destinations

  • '''Grosser Feldberg'''. The highest mountain in Taunus (881 metres). On its summit, there is a 40 metre tall observation tower. A much more remarkable tower on its summit is the telecommunication tower, which cannot normally be visited.
  • Understand

    You can talk English in Hesse without Problems, but it's better when you talk slow, some people are not good English-speaker, especialy in small towns and on the country is a possibility that People can't speak good English. Most of the young People speaks a good English with the normal German-English Accent. Maybee you are surprised at the friendly people, Hessish People are very friendly and nice when you are friendly too. You can get some good Tips from the People, mostly you must only ask. If you can't talk German good, don't be wundered when People are smiling about your German it didn't mean any harm.

    Internet Cafes

    On the Country not so much, in some small Towns none. On big Citys like Frankfurt or Wiesbaden no problem to find one.

    Telephone

    Telephone Cells are rare in some areas, and you need a Special Card for it, you buy this card mostly on the Post Office and small Shops. But is there an case of emergency most people let you telephone from there Privat Telephone.

    Accidents

    The Number for Police is 110 and for fire brigade and ambulance 112, they often talk English.

    Rules in Understanding

    Ask when you need someone! This is an importaint Rules, it is very uncommon that people don't help you.

    Talk

    Natives of Hesse have a strong dialect of German, that can even be confusing to other Germans. They will understand and speak high ("standard") German as well. Since many also speak at least rudimentary English you shouldn't have any problems communicating with them.

    Get in

    By plane

    International visitors will arrive mostly at Frankfurt Airport, the second largest airport in Europe and a major hub for the German carrier Lufthansa. Frankfurt's central station is less than 15 minutes away by subway.

    Hahn, somewhat misleadingly officially called "Frankfurt Hahn" even though the city is over 100 km away, is a former military airfield being used by "no frills" low budget airlines. Getting from Hahn to Frankfurt takes about 90 minutes.

    By train

    Regular and high-speed Intercity trains connect Hesse to the rest of the nation as well as to various international destinations.

    Get around

    There are large regional networks of public transport:
  • Nordhessischer VerkehrsVerbund (NVV)
  • Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund (RMV)
  • German National Railways offer the Schones-Wochenende-Ticket for day-long unlimited travel on local trains nationwide.
  • See

  • Frankfurt's skyline of highrises clustered in the downtown city is a rare sight in Europe.
  • Not necessarily touristy Rudesheim, but the valley of the river Rhine with its castles and vineyards
  • Eberbach Abbey[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eberbach_Abbey], a cistercian monastery where 'The Name of the Rose' was shot
  • Hessenpark[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hessenpark], an open-air museum showcasing half-timbered buildings from the land of Hesse
  • Do

  • Shopping, museums, opera, theater and ballet options abound in Frankfurt.
  • Take a boat trip on the rivers Main and Rhine.
  • Go canoeing on the Lahn river.
  • Do some hiking up the Feldberg/Taunus or in the Spessart woods.
  • Eat

  • A vegetarian option for the daring is ''Handkas mit Musik'', literally: hand cheese with music, a traditional dish where dry, round, low-fat cheese is marinated in oil with caraway and raw onions (hence the "music").
  • Another Hesse specialty is ''Rippchen mit Kraut'', cooked pork chops with loads of Sauerkraut.
  • Not to mention the original ''Frankfurter Wuerstchen'', which are essentially the same as ''Wiener''.
  • For pastries, try the ''Frankfurter Kranz'' (Frankfurt Wreath).
  • Drink

    Local specialties include wine from grapes, especially white grapes, and from apples (a kind of cider). This apple wine ''(ebbelwei)'' may be enjoyed straight ''(pur)'' or mixed ''(gespritzt)''. The latter versions distinguish between "sweet" and "sour", i.e. mixed with either some citrus soda ''(Susgesprizter)'' or sparkling mineral water ''(Sauerngesprizter)''.

    Sleep

    Across the state and the country is a dense network of Youth Hostels (membership required).

    Get out