Usingen brings together history, rock formations and waterside activities. If you are looking for a hotel, you can decide in advance what to focus on during your stay: scheduled museum visits and events, or destinations such as the Eschbach Cliffs and Hattsteinweiher. The palace gardens and museums offer different historical perspectives; Taunusbad and the bathing area provide different ways to enjoy the water.
Palace gardens: from princely times to the present
The surviving grounds of the palace gardens are located near the former Usingen Palace and Palace Square. Their origins date back to the 17th century, to the time of Walrad (1635–1702), the first Prince of Nassau-Usingen. In the upper section, which is open to visitors today, you will find a fountain, a monument to Prince Walrad erected in 1905, and a war memorial. The palace gardens also include the adjoining rose garden and a nature playground in the upper section. The upper section thus brings together older traces of the gardens and places that are now part of a visit to the palace gardens. Check before visiting whether the nature playground is open for use.
Two museums, different periods
In the cellar of the historic town hall, the Museum of Prehistory and Early History displays archaeological finds from the Usingen region, from the Palaeolithic Age to the Germanic period. The exhibition is open every other Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. from spring to autumn. Special guided tours for groups, including school classes, and, in exceptional cases, for individuals can be arranged outside regular opening hours by appointment. It is best to plan your visit around the opening hours.
The Usingen Town Museum in the historic Kavaliershaus presents famous Usingen personalities as well as historic household items and tools dating from the 17th century to around 1950. This gives you a choice between two different museum interests: archaeological finds from early periods, and insights into personalities and everyday objects from later centuries.
Eschbach Cliffs and waterside activities
The Buchstein rock formation, also known as the Eschbach Cliffs, is a popular destination for hikers and a popular climbing spot with views over the Usingen Basin and the Taunus. The 12-metre-high rock formations lie in the heart of the Usingen region and form a striking contrast to the gently rolling landscape of Taunus Nature Park. Parking is available close to the cliffs; as parking arrangements may change, it is worth checking shortly before setting off.
Usingen’s Taunusbad has a 25-metre sports pool, 1-metre and 3-metre springboards or diving platforms, and diving blocks. Hattsteinweiher is located near Usingen, northwest of the town on the edge of the municipal forest. The bathing area is around four metres deep; the body of water, which covers about 1.6 hectares, has a designated non-swimmer area, as well as a sunbathing lawn and sandy beach. The options for enjoying the water therefore differ: Taunusbad offers sports and diving facilities, while the bathing area at Hattsteinweiher includes a beach and sunbathing lawn.
Plan around events
The Usingen Laurentius Market takes place in September and includes the Laurentius fair, a general market, a country fair and district livestock shows. Various events are held in the palace gardens in summer, including a family festival during the Hessian summer holidays, a summer night festival and a rose garden festival. Specific event dates and programmes may vary. If a market or festival is the reason for your trip, check the dates for your planned visit.
Coordinate your travel and accommodation
Usingen has good connections via the A3 and A5 motorways and is connected to the Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund rail network. For your specific journey, it is worth checking the connection for your travel date.
Discover more destinations: Eschbach, Grävenwiesbach, Glashütten, Friedrichsdorf, Bad Homburg Vor Der Höhe, Neu-Anspach, Oberursel, Weilrod.
Go to the main travel overview: Hochtaunus.
