Erbach brings together two distinct histories of church architecture, along with winegrowing and hiking trails. These themes offer different points of focus when planning: the churches can be compared historically, while the routes offer a range of distances and stated walking times.

Church Architecture and Local History

The neo-Gothic St. John’s Church was built from 1861 to 1865 and is the first Protestant church in the Upper Rheingau. St. Mark’s makes a different architectural statement: the Catholic parish church was built towards the end of the 16th century as a three-aisled hall church and was extended in the 18th century. As a result, it now gives the impression of a basilica. The two churches thus showcase different periods and forms of construction.

Since September 2019, visitors have been able to explore St. John’s Church with an audio guide included in the church app. Professional guides are available for tours of the church. Since the availability of these options may change, check the latest information if you are planning to use the audio guide or take a tour. Reinhartshausen Castle is located at the edge of Erbach on the road towards Hattenheim.

Hikes with Different Route Profiles

The easy “From Erbach to the Gothic Wine Village of Kiedrich” route starts at the market square in Eltville-Erbach, passes through the vineyards to Kiedrich and is 7.1 km long. The Rheinsteig hiking tour also starts at the market square in Erbach. It covers 10.2 km, with a stated walking time of 3 to 4 hours. This gives you a choice between a shorter tour ending in Kiedrich and a longer route with a stated walking time.

The Gutenberg Trail passes through Erbach and is considerably longer, at 24.1 km. The stated walking time is 6 hours and 20 minutes. This easy, family-oriented hiking and discovery trail provides information on 26 boards. Its length and information boards set it apart from the two shorter tours. Since official route details may change, check the information before setting out.

Winegrowing and Seasonal Events

The Marcobrunn vineyard site lies between Erbach and Hattenheim. The deep, calcareous, clay-rich marl soils are used exclusively to grow “Marcobrunner,” a Riesling. The estate wines of Weingut Schloss Reinhartshausen are made exclusively from base wines sourced from its own officially classified vineyards in Erbach, Hattenheim and Kiedrich. This provenance may change.

At the Erbach wine-tasting stand, different winemakers take turns serving wine. On the weekends when wine is served at WeinTreff Erbach, wines from different vineyard sites across the Rheingau are available. This means that a rotating line-up of winemakers and a selection from several Rheingau vineyard sites offer two different wine experiences. WeinTreff’s schedule is seasonal and may change; check the serving dates before making plans.

Erbach’s traditional Strawberry Festival is all about strawberries. The exact dates vary, so plan your trip to coincide with the festival date announced for that year.

Discover more destinations: Hattenheim, Rauenthal, Martinsthal

For the broader travel overview: Eltville on the Rhine.