Nürburgring

ABOVE: Tourists can drive on the Nürburgring's classic Nordschleife circuit at designated times, but a "race taxi" offers a much faster and more exciting experience.

By Durant Imboden

The Nürburgring, long known to motor racers as "the Green Hell," is Germany's most famous racetrack and one of the most legendary auto-racing circuits in the world.

The track, which opened in 1927, lies 90 km (60 miles) southwest of Cologne near the spa town of Bad Neunahr-Ahrweiler, in a forested setting beneath an ancient volcano.

With two race circuits, a racing museum, 100 races, 200 other events, and some 2 million visitors per year, the Nürburgring is one of the premier automotive attractions in Germany. It's well worth a side trip from Cologne or Bonn, especially if you do what I did and ride sidekick with a professional driver in a "race taxi" on the Nordschleife, the Nürburgring's original Formula I circuit that now doubles as a racetrack and a high-speed test circuit for German car companies, tire manufacturers, and automotive magazines.