Sueden the Travel Magazine of Southwest Germany 2021 Compressed.Pdf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Natural highs Mystical mountains in the Murg valley Natural reboot Hike the Swabian Alb meditation trails Natural wellness Salt-water spas, thermal baths: wellness holidays in Bad Dürrheim CONTENTS FRA 38 Tauber Mannheim Time to yourself 81 The Meditation Trail on the Heidelberg Jagst Ehinger Alb gives hikers HOHENLOHE Kocher new insights and ideas 6 Heilbronn 5 Schwäbisch Hall Karlsruhe Pforzheim Ludwigsburg Aalen Stuttgart Baden-Baden FKB STR 7 ckar 8 Ne Rhine Tübingen Giengen Metzingen Shopping Ulm BLACK FOREST SWABIAN ALB Danube 5 81 Rottweil Freiburg UPPER SWABIA FMM LAKE CONSTANCE Titisee 98 96 BLACK FOREST HIGHLANDS 16 Mainau Island Konstanz FDH Idyllic village holidays in the Black Forest BSL Lörrach Welcome Romancing the stones Visit the Giersteine in the Murg Valley; to SouthWest see ancient boulders, sites with power, aura and mysterious myths Germany 22 12 Take it easy Suggestions for sustainable and unusual experiences 46 The world turns faster and faster; we Small towns, big hearts always have to be in touch. That’s why SouthWest Germany’s small towns 26 Pilgrimage paths we need to get the most out of a holiday, are historic, full of charm and look Broaden your external and straight out of a fairy tale internal horizons as you hike by slowing down and refreshing both 28 Relax naturally: Healthy breaks body and soul. This edition of our annual 32 Up and away in a hot-air balloon in Bad Dürrheim magazine is dedicated to relaxation in Fly silently over the Swabian Alb Apples grown with love sunny SouthWest Germany. Tips range On Lake Constance, the Röhrenbach 42 Nature’s bounty 56 Sleep more soundly from quiet spots off the beaten track, family offers a warm welcome on their Spa treatments using the natural Sustainable places to stay unspoiled countryside and spiritual hikes apple farm power of earth, water and air 58 64 Handmade sheep’s cheeses to health-oriented breaks, slow food and 44 Water is good for you Slow food in Hohenlohe organic regional produce. We suggest The most beautiful thermal baths relaxing places to stay and how to unwind. Time out in the city in the Swabian Alb 68 Good food takes time Nine towns and cities in SouthWest SouthWest Germany’s taste treats We hope you enjoy reading Süden – Germany that provide green oases 54 Spa hopping and then planning your visit! 70 to unwind and relax Try something new 74 Contacts, social media, brochures 2 3 SUNNY SOUTHWEST GERMANY Peace of mind and body The more frantic your everyday life, the more you need – and benefit from – a change of pace on holiday. The choice is yours: wellness breaks, with natural remedies; staying in a pretty village; eating and drinking with local producers; hiking along an old pilgrimage trail; taking flight, soaring high in a hot air balloon. These are all authentic experiences and they are as relaxing as a siesta in a hammock. So, kick back and let go. Holidays generate energy. And so do happy memories. RELAX IN Special tip CIT TASLOW Cittaslow is an international network of towns that value SOUTHWEST the quality of life. SouthWest Germany’s members include Bad Schussenried, Bad Wimpfen, Schwetzingen, GERMANY Überlingen and Waldkirch. Slow down. Switch off. Here are some holiday ideas offering peace and quiet 4 5 SUNNY SOUTHWEST GERMANY Ancient stones, ancient tales German author and poet Johann Peter Hebel once wrote: “Belchen Mountain is the first stop between heaven and earth.” At 1,414 m/ 4,600 ft, this smooth, massive hump of rock is the fourth highest point in the Black Forest, with great views over the forest itself and into the Rhine Valley. But as far back as Celtic times, the Belchen has been ascribed mystical powers. In the Celtic language, it was called “the radiant one“. One of several mysterious granite domes in the Black Forest (see page 22), it retains a very special, calm aura, best enjoyed on an easy hike. Located south of Freiburg, near Münstertal. Special tip FUN FOR ALL With its impressive and unusual rock formations, Kandel Mountain rears high above the village of Wald- kirch, northeast of Freiburg. Popular with hikers, cyclists, climbers and paragliders, this mountain provides fun for all ages. 6 7 SUNNY SOUTHWEST GERMANY Celestial flowers In Schwetzingen Palace Gardens, northwest of Stuttgart, the Japanese ornamental cherry trees bloom in March-April. The trunks may be gnarled and mossy, but the overarching blossom is fluffy and pink. So, walking along the tree-lined avenues is like walking under a pink sky. Originally, this area was a kitchen garden, growing fruit and vegetables for the court of the 18th-century Prince Elector, Carl Theodor. Then, in the 1960s, Japanese ornamental cherry trees were planted. Come here to refresh your mind and feel the approach of spring. Special tip WHEN TO VISIT The annual cherry blossom is a brief, moveable show. To know when the gardens are at their peak, check the website‘s ‘flower barometer’: schloesser-und- gaerten.de/en/home 8 9 SUNNY SOUTHWEST GERMANY A royal treat In SouthWest Germany, going to spas and thermal baths can be a special treat as much as a treatment. Take Bad Wildbad’s Palais Thermal. Some 150 years ago, the Duke of Württemberg commissioned a Greek-style classical bathhouse to be built right on top of the thermal spring in the town, an hour west of Stuttgart. With its romantic architecture, Bad Wildbad soon became one of Germany’s most popular spa destinations. Fame brought expansion, with pools, columns, arches and fountains in Moorish and Art Nouveau styles. Taking the waters here became as much about the experience as the curative benefits of the mineral-rich spring. Special tip SO MANY CHOICES Against this glamorous backdrop, today’s guests can now choose between whirlpools, massage and pools, Finnish saunas, a Roman-style steam bath and wellness treatments. Try a soap brush massage or water shiatsu therapy! bad-wildbad.eu 10 11 HOLIDAY MEDLEY Take it easy According to the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, the greatest events are not at the noisiest times, but at the quietest. Here are some tips for peaceful, relaxed and enjoyable breaks HERITAGE CENTRAL The Good Old Days How are plant and animal varieties bred? Why are some in danger of extinction? What is a gene bank and why are tradi- tional varieties important for our future? The open-air museum Erlebnis.Genuss. Zentrum in Beuren, an hour southeast of Stuttgart is all about preserving heritage varieties of fruit, vegetables and grains. And out in the fields, rare heritage breeds of domestic animals are reared. Regular events include tastings, cookery courses and gardening workshops. freilichtmuseum-beuren.de MARVEL AT THE STARS WEINGUT WOLF It is getting harder and harder to Zeiss Planetarium explains the enjoy the marvels of the night sky, beauty of the solar system. But especially in big cities. Luckily, many across the region, there are special Born to be wild regions of SouthWest Germany events held at night. In Upper do not suffer from light pollution, Swabia, the Berggasthof Höchsten so the stars can shine in all their inn hosts “full moon buffets” in Brackenheim, near Heilbronn, is Württemberg‘s largest wine-growing glory. One example is the Swabian summer, with a campfire, story- community. The landscape is criss-crossed with geometric lines of Alb Star Park, a region southeast telling and stargazing. Summer vines, all meticulously pruned. By contrast, Lothar Wolf’s vineyard of Stuttgart. In Heilbronn, the roof also brings shooting stars. On the looks like a jungle. Here, the old vines are allowed to grow almost of the Experimenta science centre Feldberg Mountain in the Black untouched by secateurs. The only pruning is done by the sheep that boasts one of the world‘s largest Forest, astronomers invite you to use the vineyard as their pasture. But this unusual style of viniculture telescopic domes (photo above), watch the phenomenon through makes sense, giving the grapes great depth of flavour and distinctive offering spectacular views of the their telescopes – and, of course to In the Black Forest, the Milky character to create excellent wines. weingutwolf.de night sky. In Stuttgart, the Carl make a wish! Way shines clearly 12 13 EUROPA-PARK Theme park wellness Let’s face it: Europa-Park is famous for thrill rides and entertainment, right? Well, yes – but this theme park in Rust also offers ways to slow down and recharge your batteries. In the park‘s six themed hotels, you can chill out after an exciting day. Choose from numerous saunas, steam baths, massages, quiet areas, outdoor pools and solariums. New: in the Rulantica indoor water park, Hyggedal is a 1,000-sq-m / 10,000-sq-ft relaxation and sauna area above the Lumålunda restaurant. europapark.de/en BADER ALM HOP IN THE TUB In India, a saying goes: “From time to time, we have to stop and take a break and wait for our souls to catch up with us again.“ The Bergdorf Bader Alm inn, near Freudenstadt in the Black Forest, follows that thinking, with an unusual break from the daily routine. You spend the night in rustic rooms, then take herbal treatments outdoors in wooden tubs, in meadows higher up the moun- tain. Wearing old-fashioned swimwear, you can have massages and peeling. “Up here there are no worries,“ says Fritz Bader, who bought the 17th-century farm on a whim, several years ago. “All you hear is water splashing, birds twittering and the wind in the trees.” The outdoor bathing experience is like stepping back in time: staff wear retro clothing; a vintage car takes you up to the alpine meadow.