Breakfast in bakery served outdoor, ()
Filled with food, fun, museums and shops, Kusel is a small town that is worth meandering around for the day. Kusel is located roughly 20 minutes by car (and 35 minutes on public transit) from Baumholder and Ramstein and less than an hour by car and public transit from Kaiserslautern. (It’s also a quick drive or pleasant walk from my house so I love popping into town myself).
Fuel up with coffee and pastry: There are a couple of places I can personally recommend to get your morning fuel for a day in Kusel. Café Auszeit is a great place to grab a coffee, pastry and sandwiches. They’ve got a small area in the back set up for kids, so you can catch up with friends while watching the kids play. Unfortunately, they are not open on Sundays. However, the bakery at the WASGAU Bäckerei is open on Sundays and has a fantastic latte macchiato and a huge pastry selection.
Go Shopping: Literary nerds rejoice there are not one but TWO bookstores in Kusel and they are a one-minute walk from each other: Buchhandlung Wolf oHG and Buchhandlung Schneider. And, if neither store has what you are looking for, they will happily order it for you. Treasure hunters will want to go see what the DRK Sozialkaufhaus (German Red Cross Thrift Store) has to offer. Looking for a new outfit? Check out Takko Fashion which specializes in quality products at discount prices.
Fests Year-Round: It seems like there is always something going on. The biggest fair in town is the Hutmacherfest in June. There is also a large fall fest in September. You can find small church fests throughout the year, too. However, what should be on your radar now is the Christmas Market at the nearby medieval castle, Burg Lichtenburg.
Learn Something: Kusel can trace its roots to over 1000 years ago as a part of a Franconian royal court. It has been burned by enemies three times, with the last time being in the 1700s by the French. Since the last attack, it has maintained the Baroque and classical style of the final rebuild. To learn more, you can visit the City and Local History Museum in Kusel. It is open Tuesday-Sunday 2-5 p.m., so it’s a good way to walk off a big lunch. It is recommended to make an appointment to visit, which can be done onsite, by calling 06381-8222 or by e-mail at museum@kusel.de.
Lunch and Dinner: If you want to eat with the locals, head to the Bier Stubb in the town center. You will have two choices for lunch: the daily special or schnitzel; either is a fine choice. You can choose between sitting in the “smoking permitted” bar or the restaurant section. I was hesitant to include this next one because it feels like my own little secret, but for a great Italian afternoon or night out, I recommend Ristorante Nino Ziegelhütte. At least two Friday nights a month, you will find me there ordering an appetizer of Insalata Caprese and enjoying one of their pizza, pasta or monthly specials. My favorite is the cannelloni. They also have a fantastic dessert selection and I always make sure to have room to choose one.
