Saarland is the smallest of the German Länder. It is sandwiched between Rhineland-Palatinate and the borders of France and Luxembourg. It is a region where heavy industry developed from the 18th century, and its Celtic heritage dates back to the early Middle Ages.
The country since the Middle Ages was the object of rivalry between France and Germany. It became a particularly tasty morsel after starting the local smelters and mines. Today, the heavy industry is in the reverse, but its associated plants are still operating. The closed ones often become tourist attractions, like the UNESCO-listed Volkingen smelter.
What distinguishes Saar from other Länder is the Roman Celtic heritage, which is particularly emphasized in the north of the region. In Otzenhausen there is the so-called "Ring of Huns", one of the largest Celtic fortifications in Europe. In Blieskatel you can see menhirs, and in Nenning a reconstruction of a Roman villa.
Saarland is a mountainous region, and several hundred hiking trails have been marked out through the local Hunsrück mountains. There are also thematic, natural, historical and rock trails included in the Premium classification and allowing to explore the region's heritage.
