Leidinger’s Moonlight Tour for Connoisseurs

What makes the evening even more memorable is that Friedrich and the Leidinger team enrich the historical tour with culinary delights that are anything but ordinary. I first joined the tour in August 2016, and have since participated a second time. I’m sure there will be a third — the stories Friedrich tells throughout the evening are so numerous that you can never absorb them all at once. Moreover, the routes and highlights vary depending on the day of the week: Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday tours each offer a slightly different experience.

The Moonlight Tour begins at Ludwigsplatz, one of the most beautiful Baroque squares in Germany. The square itself, the surrounding buildings, and the Ludwigskirche (St. Ludwig’s Church) provide plenty of fascinating stories to start the evening. From there, the group strolls towards Saarbrücken Castle, through Wilhelm-Heinrich-Straße — with anecdotes about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Hermann Hesse, who both visited Saarbrücken — and then into the charming alleys of Alt-Saarbrücken.

Once at the castle, the tour varies depending on the day: Wednesdays; Visit to the Old Collection of the Saarland Museum, Thursdays: Exploration of the Historical Museum Saar and the underground casemates of the old Renaissance castle; Saturdays: A deeper dive into the Baroque architecture of Friedrich Joachim Stengel, discovering unusual perspectives on old Saarbrücken.

Crossing the old pedestrian bridge past the State Theatre, the tour continues from Old Saarbrücken to St. Johann, via the St. Johanner Markt, to the historic house built in 1812, now home to Hotel Leidinger. Here begins the truly delightful culinary part of the evening. Guests are greeted with a glass of sparkling Saar wine before enjoying a specially curated menu based on original regional recipes from 1769, researched from a cookbook found in Zweibrücken. Each dish is introduced and explained by Klaus Friedrich himself, and paired with outstanding local wines from the Saar and Upper Moselle regions. This part of the evening takes place in a cozy vaulted cellar — one of the true highlights of the tour. In addition, guest speakers enrich the experience: On Thursdays, Armin Schönenberger, the Saarland’s first certified Water Sommelier, shares fascinating insights into the elixir of life — water. On Saturdays, the focus shifts to premium wines from the Upper Moselle and Saar, accompanied by traditional cheeses from the Hirztaler village dairy in Illingen-Hirzweiler, and homemade chutneys by Andrea Dumont’s Fruchteria, located just across the street from the Leidinger.

After being well-fed and intellectually enriched, some guests might feel tempted to call it a night and head home to the couch. But that would be a mistake — the Moonlight Tour isn’t over yet! From the rear exit of the Leidinger, the group continues through the atmospherically lit streets and alleys of St. Johann, learning more about both old and modern Saarbrücken. Depending on the tour, the evening concludes at different locations. Possible final stops include: The Stiefel-Bräu at St. Johanner Markt, where guests can relax with a freshly tapped Stiefel beer, or one of the two historic buildings still standing on Bahnhofstraße, such as Juwelier Kraemer, where participants are introduced to one of Saarbrücken’s oldest families — the Kraemer goldsmiths and the Hofer printers, who founded the Saarbrücker Zeitung in 1761 on behalf of Prince Wilhelm Heinrich.

The price for the Moonlight Tour is currently around €44 per person. In my opinion, you get far more value for your money than with most other events of any kind. You truly see Saarbrücken with new eyes afterward. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Ticket Regional or directly at Hotel Leidinger. Participation is limited — early booking is highly recommended!