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No trip to Columbus is complete without exploring German Village. Located just south of downtown, this charming 233-acre neighborhood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and rightly so, as it's filled with beautifully restored Italianate homes.

After grabbing a coffee or pastry at one of the many bakeries and coffee shops, start your tour at the German Village Society Meeting Haus and Visitor Center (588 S. Third St.; open Mon.-Sat.) where you can learn about the village's German settlers by viewing a short film. Pick up a village map and talk with modern-day residents who love the area so much they volunteer here.

Tucked between the home are unique shops, such as The Book Loft and the Golden Hobby Shop. One of the nation's largest independent book stores, The Book Loft stocks more than 100,000 titles in a labyrinth of 32 rooms. The Golden Hobby Shop is an old schoolhouse that sells a tremendous range of crafts made by local seniors.

Wonderful art galleries and craft stores are scattered among the brick streets, including Mars Creations, Caterina Ltd., Helen Winnemore Craft and Franklin Art Glass.
The centerpiece of the village is down Third Street at Schiller Park. Named for German poet Friedrich von Schiller, the park is home to fragrant gardens, sculpture and live Shakespeare, performed throughout the summer by Actor's Theatre Company.

Worked up an appetite? Dine on Bahama Mamas and other traditional German fare at Schmidt's Restaurant und Sausage Haus. Save room for dessert-the award-winning cream puffs are a half-pound of goodness. Barcelona is considered to have one of the best patios in Columbus, along with long-time favorite Lindey's.

Each June, the Society hosts the annual Haus und Garten Tour and provides the opportunity to look inside the doors and fences of some of the village's most intriguing homes. And in the fall, the German Village Oktoberfest fills the air with entertainment and the smell of bratwurst and sauerkraut.

BREWERY DISTRICT Adjacent to German Village and to the west is the Brewery District. In the late 1830s through the Prohibition era, the area was known for its collection of family-owned breweries established by German immigrants who resided in the German Village. Today the area has a few restaurants, watering holes such as Claddagh's Irish Pub and an event venue, Brewmaster's Gate.

The Columbus Brewing Company, a microbrewery/restaurant, is down the hill on Short Street and known for its Columbus Pale Ale, Ohio Honey Wheat and the unusual Columbus Apricot Ale.

Although the 19th century breweries are long gone, several of the buildings and the Italianate residences where the owners once lived still remain. The Schlee Bavarian Brewery, a successful turn-of-the century brewery, is now home to Handke's Cuisine, one of only two Ohio restaurants in Nation's Restaurants News' Fine Dining Hall of Fame. Certified Master Chef Harmut Hanke has won more culinary gold medals than any other U.S. chef.