Hops, beer culture, Late Gothic art and trails through the rolling hills give Spalt a variety of things to explore. You may be interested in the historic old town and its sights, choose activities centred on beer, or focus your stay on hiking trails. To help plan your trip, first consider which of these sides of the town you would most like to discover.
Old Town, Church and History
The parish church of St. Emmeram was built between about 1150 and 1195 as the church of the noble collegiate chapter of St. Emmeram. It was remodelled several times in the 16th and 17th centuries, and its interior was given a Baroque design. As a result, different periods of construction and design come together here.
The church is also home to the Late Gothic Spalatin Madonna. Originally located in Wittenberg Castle Church, it was given to Spalt, Georg Spalatin’s hometown, by Georg Spalatin. The Spalt History Trail offers another way to get to know the historic old town: on a guided tour or independently. You can choose between a guided walk and exploring on your own.
Discover Hops and Beer
The HopfenBierGut offers an interactive experience of the world of hops and beer across 1,200 square metres. It is housed in a building more than 550 years old and is open to all visitors. A visit therefore combines the subject of hops and beer with a glimpse inside a historic building.
At the Spalt Beer Workshop in the HopfenBierGut, participants can brew their own beer under the expert guidance of the brewmaster. Courses and booking terms may change; check the details before booking.
On a public tour of the Spalt town brewery, you can watch the brewers at work and find out what makes Spalt beer special. Afterwards, you can sample a selection of Spalt beer specialities. Tours are scheduled year-round on Saturdays at 11 a.m.; advance registration by the previous day is required. Check the dates and tasting arrangements before travelling.
Regular tours are also held at the HopfenBierGut on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Afterwards, visitors sample 0.2 litres of Spalt beer at the ProBierBar and receive the original 0.2-litre HopfenBierGut glass to take home. As the museum programme may change, check the tour details before travelling.
Circular Trails through the Spalt Hills
The circular trail through the Spalt Hills, awarded a quality seal by the German Hiking Association, passes impressive gorges and natural monuments, as well as castles and fortifications. The landscape along the route alternates between dark coniferous forests, lighter mixed forests and open pine forests. There are also church gardens with seasonal blossoms or red cherries, and landscapes shaped by hop cultivation.
There are more than 20 circular hiking trails in Spalt. Points of interest along the routes include Schnittlinger Loch, Massendorfer Gorge and Wernfels Castle. Those wishing to combine different landscape and cultural highlights have several options: the church and History Trail offer insights into the town’s past, while the circular trails take in gorges, forests, fortifications and hop-growing landscapes.
Planning Your Stay
There is free parking at the historic granary, from where you can explore Spalt. Check the parking information locally before you travel.
Discover more destinations: Wendelstein, Rohr, Allersberg, Schwabach, Abenberg, Greding, Roth near Nuremberg, Thalmässing.
For the overview of the wider area: Roth.
