Rococo, waterside landscapes and an interactive walk give a stay in Weiterstadt a variety of highlights. Local attractions include Braunshardt Palace, Steinrodsee and Braunshardter Tännchen. This gives you different themes to choose from when planning your visit: cultural significance, outdoor activities or a trail with interactive stations.
Culture and discovery
In terms of art history, Braunshardt Palace is one of Germany’s most significant Rococo complexes. Gräfenhausen Evangelical Church, with its furnishings, is to be preserved as a cultural monument because of its historical and artistic significance. For a different way to spend time outdoors, visit the wooded area of Braunshardter Tännchen: on a walk, you can turn, guess, feel and marvel at six stations.
Steinrodsee and renaturation
Steinrodsee in Gräfenhausen is about 12 hectares in area and 4 metres deep. As a recreational area, it is popular for walking, jogging and Nordic walking. To the south of Steinrodsee, a second-hand biotope developed in a former water retention basin, or polder, after renaturation work began in 1994. It has developed very well over the years. The difference between these two nature-focused options is clear: Steinrodsee is all about exercise and relaxation, while a walk through Braunshardter Tännchen includes six stations.
Check opening hours
The grounds of the Kellerranch animal welfare association in Weiterstadt are open to visitors daily from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Check the opening hours before your visit, as they may change.
Darmstadt-Dieburg as a wider destination
If you want to complement your visit to Weiterstadt with a look at the wider Darmstadt-Dieburg destination, you’ll find further natural and cultural attractions there. The district encompasses the Hessian Rhine Plain, the Untermain Plain, the Messel Hills, the Reinheim Hills, the Vorderer Odenwald and the Sandstone Odenwald. Its landscapes range from plains and rolling hills to the Odenwald.
A special cultural and natural attraction is the Messel Pit UNESCO World Heritage Site. This fossil site preserves uniquely well-preserved and diverse fossils that document the history of the Earth 47 million years ago. The visitor centre presents the history and significance of Germany’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The wider Darmstadt-Dieburg destination has an extensive network of well-marked routes for hiking, walking and Nordic walking. The family cycling route runs for about 40 kilometres through the district, from Erzhausen to Seeheim-Jugenheim. If you’d like to include more regional activities, this network of paths and the cycling route can be highlights in their own right when planning your trip.
The district’s natural attractions also offer a range of experiences. Reinheimer Teich nature reserve lies in the north-western foothills of the Odenwald, is surrounded by meadows and fields, and can be explored along a circular path or from one of its many benches. Pfungstadt Moor consists of three sections, covers around 103 hectares and can be explored along designated paths.
Discover more destinations: GroĂź-Zimmern, GroĂź-Umstadt, Reinheim, Fischbachtal, MĂĽhltal, Seeheim-Jugenheim, Babenhausen, Dieburg.
View the wider travel overview: Darmstadt-Dieburg.
