Sankt Martin combines trails through vineyards and countryside with places that tell the story of the town. There are different ways to explore the area: a circular trail around the Heck cattle enclosure, a short barefoot path, a wine and stone trail, and cycling options. Restaurants, inns and wineries are also part of the tourist offering. You can shape your stay around nature, winegrowing, culture or outdoor activities.
Countryside and trails
The St. Martin grazing project uses ten Heck cattle to manage the landscape across around 44 hectares near the Sandwiesenweiher. The family-friendly Auerochsenweg is 4.6 kilometres long and forms a circular route around the Heck cattle enclosure. Its precise length and the landscape management project provide two useful points of reference when planning your visit.
The Sandwiesenweiher barefoot path is about 500 metres long and includes eleven sensory stations. It is considerably shorter than the Auerochsenweg, and the stations give it a different focus from the circular route around the enclosure. The Sandwiesen recreation area in the valley also includes a small lake and benches.
Vineyard trails and cycling
The paved Wine and Stone Trail is 1.5 kilometres long and runs through the vineyards above Sankt Martin. Along the way, there are views towards the Rhine plain and the town. Information boards introduce 18 grape varieties, each paired with a stone or mineral. The trail thus combines views of winegrowing with a dedicated focus on rocks.
The Palatinate Wine Trail is also linked to Sankt Martin: one stage runs from Neustadt an der WeinstraĂźe to Sankt Martin. Cycling options include circular routes, themed routes and the German Wine Route cycle path. Nearby, you can rent e-bikes and find e-bike charging stations.
Church, grotto and historic sites
The Bible Garden is an outdoor planting of biblical plants around the church in Sankt Martin. In the forest, the Lourdes Grotto—a Marian grotto—was built around 1912, modelled on the grotto in Lourdes, France. It is a place for quiet reflection and prayer, about ten minutes from Kropsburg.
The Poets’ Grove was created in 1929 in honour of three Palatinate poets; their reliefs are carved into the rock. The history of Kropsburg goes back further: it was built around 1200 and became the seat of the Knights of Dalberg in 1441. The interior of the castle is closed to visitors, but the castle tavern in the forecourt is open.
The NATO bunker in Sankt Martin is another site with a historical story. It was built between 1964 and 1972; the complex has around 3,000 square metres of floor space for traffic. Seasonal restrictions are in place to protect bats. If you plan to visit, check the current tour options before your trip.
Art and local offerings
Beyond Sankt Martin, the VG Maikammer Art Trail connects Maikammer, Kirrweiler and Sankt Martin through sculptures, galleries, studios and temporary open-air exhibitions. Together with the trails and historic sites, it offers another way to experience the area, without limiting your stay to a single theme.
The tourist offering in Sankt Martin includes hiking and cycling, as well as numerous restaurants, inns and wineries. When planning your visit, you can first consider whether you would like to focus more on the trails, cultural sites or cycling options.
Discover more destinations: Maikammer, Kapellen-Drusweiler, Heuchelheim-Klingen, Eschbach, Birkweiler, Steinfeld, Essingen, KlingenmĂĽnster
View the regional travel overview: Southern Wine Route.
