In the Bergstraße district, gentle vineyards meet the Odenwald. When choosing accommodation, it is worth first deciding what you want to focus on during your stay: wine trails, cultural history, or longer hikes and cycling tours. The region offers a variety of starting points, from a specific themed trail to routes that pass through several towns. Then choose your overnight location based on the places you actually want to visit.
Hiking trails and tours to suit you
The “Wine & Stone” themed trail in Heppenheim is about 6.9 kilometers long and has around 70 information stations. Its length and number of stations give you a concrete point of reference if the trail itself is to be the focus of your hiking plans. The Burgensteig Bergstraße offers a different scale: this hiking trail is 120 kilometers long and divided into nine stages. The Nibelungensteig runs from Zwingenberg via the Felsenmeer and Grasellenbach, continuing through the Odenwald to Freudenberg on the Main. The two routes can be distinguished by their different specifications and described itineraries; this does not mean they share a stage.
There is also a dedicated selection of cycling tours: the Bergstraße-Odenwald Geo-Nature Park offers more than 30 signposted mountain biking circuits within a network of routes. The Bergstraße-Odenwald network also arranges guided hikes and cycling tours; rangers from the Geo-Nature Park can be booked as tour guides. At the Felsenmeer in Lautertal, the Felsenmeer Information Center offers rallies. Felsenmeer guides can be booked there on site. Check the relevant booking details if you would like to include a guide in your plans.
Wine and regional specialties
The Bergstraße wine profile includes different grape varieties: Riesling is the characteristic white wine grape, while Pinot Noir dominates among red wines. You can sample Red Riesling and other Bergstraße specialties directly from producers, in wine taverns or at wine festivals. This lets you discover the region’s wines not only through their grape varieties, but also on a range of occasions.
The “Wine & Stone” themed trail in Heppenheim hosts its annual autumn hike on October 3 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Along the route, hikers can enjoy wine and food at five stations in the vineyards. Since specific event details should be checked before your trip, it is advisable to consult the latest information before planning your visit around the event.
Lorsch Abbey and Starkenburg
One of the best-preserved Carolingian buildings north of the Alps is located at the monastery in Lorsch. The monastery was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991; public guided tours are available for groups of two or more. Dates and prices may change, so you should check them before your visit. The Tourist Information Office at the Old Town Hall in Lorsch provides advice on leisure activities.
Another historical stop is Starkenburg above Heppenheim. It stands on the 295-meter-high Schlossberg and offers views of the Rhine plain and the Odenwald. It was built in 1065 to protect Lorsch Abbey. This brings two distinct historical points of reference together: the history of the castle’s construction and the later inclusion of the monastery on the UNESCO list. If cultural history is part of your trip, these facts can help you put the two places into context.
Landscape and practical information
The Bergstraße-Odenwald UNESCO Geo-Nature Park gives visitors the opportunity to discover nature. The Fürstenlager State Park offers a different kind of landscape: it covers around 46 hectares and features exotic trees and plants. Together with the transition from vineyards to the Odenwald, these places offer a variety of themes for planning your trip, from nature and scenery to wine and culture.
Lorsch can be reached by public transport and by car. If Lorsch is among your chosen destinations, check current connections and schedules before setting off.
Discover more destinations: Lindenfels, Wald-Michelbach, Viernheim, Lampertheim, Heppenheim, Bürstadt, Bensheim, Grasellenbach, Abtsteinach, Rimbach, Neckarsteinach, Mörlenbach, Lautertal, Lorsch, Biblis, Groß-Rohrheim, Einhausen, Zwingenberg, Birkenau, Fürth, Gorxheimertal, Hirschhorn Am Neckar.
For the overview of the wider region: Hesse.
