SWABIAN

7
The
ALB
Infoguide
keys to the Swabian Alb. .

n A l b
o n S w a b i a
Fa s c i n a t i
discover & explore
 Welcome to the 7 keys to the
Swabian Alb
The Swabian Alb (or Jura) is a treasure trove of natural recreation
and of things to see and do for everyone – untouched country-
side, situated centrally in Europe and in the south of Germany,
easy to reach, full of exciting legends, loveable people and relax-
ing peace and quiet. A landscape for you to discover and experi-
ence, full of enchantment and surprises, perfect for exciting hol-
idays and for recharging your batteries in untouched countryside.
Information and facts, how to get here from wherever you live,
seven keys and much more await you on the following pages:
4 - 11

1 Experience the holiday routes

Six holiday routes run through the Swabian Alb. Whether you fol-
low the Swabian Alb Route, the Hohenstaufen Route, the Hohen-
zollern Route, the German Limes Route, the Neckar-Alb Roman
Route or the Upper Swabian Baroque Route – on foot, by bike,
on the Alb train or by car – you will everywhere find culture,
exciting legends, a diversity of landscapes, informative and inter-
esting facts and, above all, loads of fun.
12 - 13

2 The adventure of geology

Anyone who gets to the bottom of the Swabian Alb will find fan-
tastic testimony to the most varied epochs of the Earth’s history:
fossilized marine crocodiles, ammonites and ichthyosaurs from
the Lower Jurassic, Middle Jurassic rock strata in the Tiefer Stollen
demonstration mine, limestone from the Upper Jurassic epoch,
Keuper strata, volcanic vents and meteorite impacts from the Ter-
tiary... to name but a few...
14 - 15

3 The fascination of hiking

The Swabian Alb is perfect for man’s most natural and healthiest
way of getting around: hiking. Germany’s largest ramblers’ associ-
ation, the Schwäbischer Albverein, maintains an intensive net-
work of paths that are systematically signposted and cover more
than 14,000 kilometres. And many places offering accommoda-
tion will also offer you hiking opportunities, whether with or
without packs. Welcome to the Swabian Alb, an El Dorado for
16 - 17 hikers.

4 Cycling à la carte
Whether with the whole family, with good friends, or on your
own, by simple bike, racing bike or mountain bike – the Swabian
Alb is a cyclist’s paradise. While the going is easy on the Alb
plateau and in the river valleys, the more adventurous can
attempt the climb to the top. Surrounded by juniper scrub, castles,
palaces, rivers, woods and friendly hosts: enjoy life, we’ll give
you tips for tours.
18 - 19
 5 Naturally healthy
The wide open spaces and beauty of the Swabian Alb’s varied
landscapes are sources of health on their own. But they are com-
plemented by the inexhaustible healing properties of the ground,
water and air: thermal and mineral baths, spas, and resorts re-
nowned for their pure air. From a relaxing short break to a spa
cure, from traditional remedies to the most modern forms of ther-
apy – let yourself be spoiled back to health.
20 - 21

6 Country holidays
The completely natural holiday still exists. In the midst of the un-
touched Swabian Alb you will again rediscover a holiday feeling
reminiscent of the long lost days of childhood: riding on a tractor,
helping the farmer in the cow shed, chopping firewood, sniffing
meadow flowers, feeling the cooling water of a stream on your feet,
enjoying regional specialities cooked on the farm – all this is possible
when you stay on the Swabian Alb.
22 - 23

7 Town and life

Romantically modern towns that have developed organically over the
centuries, with ornately decorated half-timbered houses, magnificent
churches, and old and new universities await you on the Swabian Alb.
Far away from the everyday world, enchanted and yet somehow inti-
mate. You will quickly feel at home here, and find everything within a
small area: museums, theatres, historic monuments, art and gastronomic
delights, traditional festivals and places to shop. The liveliness of the
Alb’s towns is an inspiration. 24 - 25

Top events
From January to December, there’s always something on: tradi-
tional festivals, children’s festivals, open-air concerts, summer
theatre seasons, Christmas markets, ”Fastnacht” carnival celebra-
tions, and, and, and... 26 - 27
Castles and palaces
Scarcely anywhere can match the Swabian Alb for its many cas-
tles and palaces. The Swabian Alb is home to two great ruling
dynasties who once ruled Europe and Germany – the Staufer
(Hohenstaufen) and the Hohenzollerns. 28 - 29
The German Danube
The beautiful, often celebrated Danube rises not far from the
Swabian Alb, disappears under the Swabian Alb only to reappear
again a few kilometres further along, then gnaws its way through
the Alb and meanders dreamily along its flank, an outstanding
natural spectacle. 30 - 31
Contact addresses and help
with planning
Further contact addresses and brochures about the Swabian Alb
and its surroundings. 32
 KEY INFO FROM THE CE

SWABI

Schwäbische Alb
Tourismusverband
Marktplatz 1
D-72574 Bad Urach
Tel. +49 (0)7125 / 94 81 06
Fax +49 (0)7125 / 94 81 08
tgsa@schwaebischealb.de
www.schwaebischealb.de

GB
Hamburg
Amsterdam
London
NL Berlin Warsaw

Brussels Cologne D
Dresden PL
B
Frankfurt
Paris L Prague
Stuttgart CZ
Strasbourg
SWABIAN SK
ALB München
Vienna Bratislava
F Salzburg
Zurich Innsbruck
CH A
Budapest
Lyon H
SLO
Lubiljana
Milan Venice
Zagreb
Marseille HR
I

Madrid Barcelona

Rome
E
Naples

GR

Close to wherever you live …

The Swabian Alb – the holiday experience in the heart of south Germany, in the centre of Europe. The Swabian Alb is centrally situ-
ated and within easy reach of wherever you live. Stuttgart’s airport is one gateway to the Swabian Alb, and is no more than two hour’s
flight from anywhere in Europe. In magnificent countryside or romantic towns, your holiday will be an experience with people, coun-
tryside and legend(s). Varied, quiet countryside, wonderful hikes, food and drink, relaxation, challenges for sportspersons – they are all
here as a matter of course, waiting for you and your imagination to discover them.
4
 RMATION
NTRE OF EUROPE

AN ALB

Essen /Saxony
Leipzig Sachsen
Düsseldorf

Dresden
Köln Erfurt
/Cologne Chemnitz
Thüringen
Bonn /Thuringia
BELGIEN /BELGIUM
Suhl
Hessen /Hesse
Prag/Prague

Frankfurt
Wiesbaden
Rhineland-Palatinate Mainz TSCHECHIEN
Rheinland-Pfalz Würzburg
LUX. TSCHECHIEN/
CZECH REPUBLIC
Saarland Nürnberg /Nuremberg

Saarbrücken
Heidelberg

Regensburg
Baden-Württemberg
Bayern /Bavaria
Stuttgart
Straßburg/
Strasbourg

lbe
e cAh
/
ld

chis
Augsburg
rest
Blac arzwa

FRANKREICH/FRANCE
wbä
isb b
ä
SScchhSwwaA n Al
k Fo

München /Munich
Freiburg
bialb
w
Sch

ÖSTERREICH
Bodensee /
Lake Constance Salzburg

SCHWEIZ
Basel/Basle Zürich/Zurich
Innsbruck
Bern/ ÖSTERREICH/AUSTRIA
Berne SCHWEIZ
/SWITZERLAND

And not far from other destinations ...

The Swabian Alb is at the heart of it all, surrounded by many scenic areas and countries. To the west of the Alb lies the Black Forest,
steeped in legend, while to the south you will find beautiful Lake Constance, bordered by Germany, Switzerland and Austria. To the
north-east of the Alb, directly after the Swabian Forest, you enter Franconia, with its greatly prized wines – which is not to forget the
good wines to be found in Baden and Württemberg. ”Bavarian Swabia”, whose principal city is Augsburg, borders on the Alb’s east-
ern edge. And Alsace (France) is also only a stone’s throw away. The Alb is an ideal base for discovering all these areas.
5
 KEY INFO Schleswig-
Holstein
Rostock

Mecklenburg-
Schwerin Vorpommern
Bremerhaven Hamburg
North Sea
Emden

Bremen
700 km
POLEN
Niedersachsen
Berlin
Amsterdam Hannover Potsdam

Magdeburg Brandenburg
NIEDERLANDE

Sachsen-Anhalt
Nordrhein-Westfalen
Halle
660 km
Essen
Leipzig Sachsen
Düsseldorf
670 km Dresden
Brüssel
Köln Erfurt Farrenberg, near Mössingen
Chemnitz
Thüringen
Bonn
BELGIEN
Suhl
Hessen
400 km Prag
600 km
250 km
Frankfurt
Wiesbaden
Mainz 540 km TSCHECHIEN
LUX. Rheinland-Pfalz

Saarland Würzburg Nürnberg

Saarbrücken
Heidelberg Rothenburg
o.d. Tauber
530 km
Regensburg
Baden-Württemberg
Bayern
Stuttgart
Straßburg

190 km he
FRANKREICH
w ä bisc lb
Bad Urach
190 km
Sch äAbilsbche A
München

Freiburg
ÖSTERREICH
hw
Sc
240 km 290 km
Achalm, Reutlingen
Basel
SCHWEIZ
Zürich
190 km Innsbruck
SCHWEIZ

Frankfurt
A7
A9
A3
Würzburg
A5
Heidelberg
A 67 Nürnberg A6
A 81
A6
A 61
Heilbronn A3
Karlsruhe A7
A8 Stuttgart
Aalen
Schw. Gmünd Danube gorge near Beuron
Reutlingen
A9
Tübingen Ulm A8

A5
Sigmaringen München
A 81 A 96

Konstanz
Basel
Zürich Austria
Österreich
Switzerland
Schweiz

How to get there: Stuttgart-Leinfelden airport is approx. 15 km from the middle of the northern edge of the Swabian
Alb. There are train connections from here to many Alb destinations. Zurich, Munich and Frankfurt airports also have
good train and motorway connections to the Swabian Alb. The best train connections are by ICE bullet train via
Stuttgart and Ulm, or by branch lines to your holiday destination. The A8 motorway from Stuttgart to Ulm runs directly Hölderlin’s tower, Tübingen

over the Swabian Alb, while the north-south A7 motorway crosses the eastern part of the Alb and the A81 motorway
runs from north to south to the western edge of the Swabian Alb. For cars and coaches, access roads are good and
direct, as is the extensive network of roads on the Swabian Alb itself.

6
RMATION
7 KEY FACTS:
Geographical location:
Between the Swiss and the Franconian Jura, the Swabian Jura (Alb) is the central part of a Jura chain
stretching right through central Europe. Bordered by the Black Forest and Baar region to the south-west, the
upper Neckar valley to the north, the Ries crater to the east and the Danube to the south, the Swabian Alb
runs right across Baden-Württemberg over a length of approx. 220 km and at a breadth of up to 80 km. It is
a range of secondary mountains rising up from the surrounding countryside, reaching a height of between
700 and 1000 metres above sea level at its northern edge and between 450 and 500 metres above sea level
at its southern edge and towards the Danube.

Climate:
Healthy, moderately to strongly bracing climate throughout the Swabian Alb. Traditional spas, thermal and
mineral baths, resorts for convalescence and pure air.

Area of natural beauty:

As an area of the most diverse natural beauty, the Swabian Alb is without parallel. Gently rolling mountains
and soft ranges of hills, cheerful mixed woodlands, meandering valleys, juniper scrub and deep green mead-
ows. Discover the traces of stone-age hunters in underground (dripstone) caves, walk around the ”Blautopf”,
one of Germany’s most beautiful river sources, admire the spectacular craggy cliffs overlooking the Danube
gorge, climb to the top of a dormant volcano, walk about in a million-year-old meteorite crater, use a ham-
mer to look for fossils. The Swabian Alb is discovery pure, an unforgettable experience.

Water courses:
”Water’s struggle on the Swabian Alb” is a fascinating one: here you find the European watershed, the line
between the water that flows into the Rhine and the water that flows into the Danube. The courses of its
streams and rivers are breathtakingly romantic, their banks dotted with mediaeval castles. The most dramatic
scenery is to be found in the upper Danube valley. The springs gurgling out of Jurassic stone, the meander-
ing rivers and almost mystical spring pools (Blautopf, Brenztopf) are unforgettable natural phenomena that
make this area so attractive.

Flora and fauna:

The Swabian Alb is an oasis for man, animals and plants. Its extensive, romantic mixed woods comprise
charming, typical steppe heathland with its juniper bushes, beeches, oaks, maples, elms and conifers. The
fields, woods and meadows are hemmed with hazel, dog rose, sloe and hawthorn. The rare plants to be found
range from carline thistles to orchid species. The diverse fauna and microfauna, with its amphibians, reptiles,
insects and birds to be found on the margins of fields and woods, ponds and wetlands, makes you want to
(re)discover your environment. Walking along the rivers and streams, you will discover trout, storks and
herons. The woods are still home to badgers, foxes, deer, hare and wild boar.

History:
The early traces of human habitation reach back approx. 35,000 years. The German word ”Alb” comes
from the Celtic word alpis, which means a nurturing mountain. ”Swabian” comes from the Germanic
Suevi tribe (who settled on the Rhine and Neckar during Julius Caesar’s time). The Romans occupied this area
between 15 BC and AD 260, after which the Alemannic tribes appeared. Place names ending in ”-ingen” date
from this time (this suffix was added on to the names of famous persons or landowners). As Christianity spread
in the 6th century, the area began to be integrated into the Frankish empire. Hohenstaufen, Zähringer, Würt-
temberger and Hohenzollern – great imperial and ruling dynasties – come from the Swabian Alb.

Cultural treasures:
A journey through the Swabian Alb is always also a journey through vivid, still topical, history and the cul-
tural wealth that is typical of southern Germany. Many of these cultural treasures are to be found on the
Swabian Alb, mankind’s oldest artworks (30,000 years old), the world’s highest church steeple (Ulm Cathe-
dral), remains of the Limes, the German frontier wall, Celtic centres of cult worship, churches from every
epoch, and towns that have developed over the centuries with their surviving traditions. The Swabian Alb has
one of the highest concentrations of castles in Germany and, not least, famous people such as Hölderlin,
Uhland, Einstein, Daimler and Hauff were born here, to name but a few.

7
 Experience the holiday routes
See unparalleled scenery and learn the fascinating
story/stories of the Swabian Alb
Six varied and interesting thematic routes, all of them well-signposted, run through the
Swabian Alb. Fascinating legends, the history of the great personages of central European
(cultural) history, all of it to be experienced at first hand. Excursions through untouched
countryside, fascinating landscapes, natural wonders and much more await you on the
Swabian Alb Route. Follow in the footsteps of the Romans when you take the Neckar-Alb
Roman Route or the German Limes Route. The Hohenstaufen Route leads you to the cra-
dle of the great Hohenstaufen dynasty and the scenes of its undertakings on the Swabian
Alb. The Hohenzollern Route takes you to the homeland of the German emperors, that
beautiful area known as Hohenzollerische Lande. Finally, the Upper Swabian Baroque
Route offers you art history at close quarters. The brochure shown here on the left, and
the tourist information offices shown below have more information for you.

Swabian Alb Route Covering a length of approx. 200 km, the Swabian Alb Route crosses the ”length” of the
Swabian Alb from south-west to north-east. It begins on two branches in Tuttlingen and
Trossingen, crosses the Alb in a straight east-west direction from Dürbheim to Heidenheim,
and ends again on two branches in either Nördlingen or Aalen.
The Swabian Alb Route has a variety of attractions, entertainment and special features for hikers,
cyclists, convalescents and spa guests, and art lovers: juniper scrub, gently rounded peaks, cas-
Lichtenstein Castle

tles, palaces, maars, healing springs, the ”Danube Seepage” near Tuttlingen, Albstadt-Tailfin-
gen’s textiles museum, the Bärenhöhle and Nebelhöhle caves,
the summer toboggan-run at Sonnenbühl-Erpfingen, and much, Schwäbische Alb Tourismusverband
Marktplatz 1
much more… 72574 Bad Urach
Tel. +49 (0) 71 25/94 81 06
Stages on the Swabian Alb Route (from east to west): Trossingen or Tuttlingen, Dürbheim, Königsheim, Messtetten, Albstadt, Burladin- Fax +49 (0) 71 25/94 81 08
gen, Sonnenbühl, Engstingen, St. Johann, Bad Urach, Römerstein, Westerheim, Wiesensteig, Mühlhausen im Täle, Bad Ditzenbach, Bad eMail: tgsa@schwaebischealb.de
Überkingen, Geislingen a.d. Steige, Böhmenkirch, Heidenheim a.d. Brenz, Aalen or Nattheim, Dischingen, Neresheim, Nördlingen
www.schwaebischealb.de

Verein Deutsche Limes-Straße

Marktplatz 2
The German Limes Route is some 700 km long, and fol- German Limes Route
73430 Aalen lows the former Roman frontier wall known as the
Tel. +49 (0) 73 61 / 52 23 58 Upper Germanic or Rhaetian Limes, which ran from the
Fax +49 (0) 73 61 / 52 19 07 Rhine to the Danube. The route starts in Rheinbrohl/Bad
eMail: touristik-service@aalen.de

Rainau open air museum

www.limesstrasse.de Hönningen on the River Rhine and ends in Regensburg, on the
River Danube. Along the way it passes many sites of cultural-
historical importance that bear witness to the Roman past in the
Rhineland Palatinate, Hesse, Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. The route takes you to Roman
monuments, reconstructed sites, museums and excavations along what was once the frontier of
the Roman Empire. The Limes is regarded as Germany’s most significant archaeological monu-
ment. Between Lorch and Tannhausen on the Swabian Alb, it presents the visitor with especially interesting and varied testimony of
Roman history.
Stages on the German Limes Route (on the Swabian Alb): Lorch, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Böbingen, Aalen, Hüttlingen, Rainau, Ellwangen

Hohenstaufen The Hohenstaufen Route is more than 300 km long, and takes in almost all the important sites in
the Hohenstaufen heartland that are connected with the history, art, culture and politics of the
Route Hohenstaufen epoch. The outstanding landmark of this area is the conical Hohenstaufen hill,
where you will find a room documenting Hohenstaufen history. From about 1079, this was the
principal castle and home of the Hohenstaufen. The Hohenstaufen Route guides you through
Emperor Frederick II

the heartland of the most prominent dynasty of German and European history between the 11th
and 13th centuries.

Stages on the Hohenstaufen Route: Göppingen, Bad Boll, Göppingen Touristikgemeinschaft Stauferland e. V.
Faurndau, Wangen-Oberwälden, Adelberg, Wäschenbeuren, Lorch, Marktplatz 37/1
Schwäbisch Gmünd, Schwäbisch Gmünd Rechberg, Donzdorf, 73525 Schwäbisch Gmünd
Bartholomä, Königsbronn, Dischingen, Giengen a.d. Brenz, Sontheim a.d. Brenz, Bissingen ob Lonetal, Herbrechtingen, Hei-
Tel. 0 71 71 / 6 03 - 42 50
Fax 0 71 71 / 6 03 - 42 99
denheim, Steinheim am Albuch, Geislingen an der Steige, Süßen, Hohenstaufen. Between Lorch and Schwäbisch Gmünd the eMail: info@stauferland.de
route runs parallel with the German Limes Route. www.stauferland.de

12
 Touristic routes on the Swabian Alb
■ Schwäbische Albstraße/Swabian Alb Route
■ Deutsche Limes-Straße/German Limes Route
■ Straße der Staufer/Hohenstaufen Route
■ Hohenzollernstraße/Hohenzollern Route
■ Römerstraße Neckar-Alb/Neckar Alb Roman Route
■ Oberschwäbische Barockstraße/

NO
RD

Kurverwaltung Glatt
Im Schloss
72172 Sulz-Glatt
Over a distance of some 230 km, the Hohenzollern Route takes
you through the countryside and to the many sights that once made
Hohenzollern Route
Tel. +49 (0) 74 82 / 316up ”Hohenzollern country”. The route starts from the Neckar val-
Fax +49 (0) 74 82 / 72 49
ley in the north and runs down almost as far as Lake Constance in
the south, traversing the Swabian Alb on the way. Hohenzollern Castle was

Hohenzollern Castle
the cradle of the Hohenzollern dynasty of princes, kings and emperors, a family which still exists
today. From their palaces in the residential towns of Haigerloch, Hechingen and Sigmaringen, the
Hohenzollerns ruled for centuries over an extensive area between Baden and Württemberg. From
the principal castle of this old aristocratic dynasty, Hohenzollern Castle near Bisingen, visitors have
a wonderful view of the Swabian Alb and its foothills.

Stages on the Hohenzollern Route: Haigerloch, Hechingen-Stein, Salmendingen, Trochtelfingen, Neufra, Gammertingen, Laucherttal, Sigmaringen, Leibertingen, Hausen im Tal,
Beuron monastery, Irndorf, Schwenningen, Meßstetten, Stetten a.k.M. Albstadt, Balingen, Schömberg, Rosenfeld, Sulz-Glattt

Neckar-Alb Roman The Neckar-Alb Roman Route, opened in 1999, gives visitors a chance to see and re-live
the Roman past of the Alb region. The route, which for the time being is approx. 100 km
Route long, follows the traces of old Roman roads, from the former garrison and village of
Burladingen, through the Killer valley, via the villa rustica (farm) in Hechingen-Stein, Rot-
Villa rustica near Hechingen

tenburg am Neckar (the town known as Sumelocenna in Antiquity) and Nürtingen-Oberensin-

gen (Roman farm) to Köngen (fortress and Vicus Grinario). The route therefore takes in every
type of settlement of the Roman era. Between the Neckar and the Swabian Alb, the Roman
Route leads the visitor to typical Roman excavations, monuments
Römerstraße Neckar-Alb e.V.
and (open air) museums – a fascinating voyage of discovery in the Postfach 29
Romans’ footsteps. 72101 Rottenburg am Neckar
Tel. 0 74 72 / 1 65-3 51
Fax 0 74 72 / 1 65-3 92
Stages on the Neckar-Alb Roman Route: Köngen, Nürtingen-Oberensingen, Pliezhausen, Kirchentellinsfurt, Rottenburg am Neckar, Ober- eMail: info@rsna.de
nau, Bad Niedernau, Hirrlingen/Rangendingen, Hechingen-Stein, Burladingen, Balingen, Geislingen-Hasenbühl, Rosenfeld, Sulz am Neckar, www.roemerstrasse-neckar-alb.de
Oberndorf-Bochingen, Rottweil

Gebietsgemeinschaft
Allgäu-Bodensee-Oberschwaben
From the Danube in the north to Lake Con- Upper Swabian Baroque Route
Postfach 1420 stance in the south, the main Upper Swabian
88331 Bad Waldsee Baroque Route and its three side routes take
Tel. +49 (0) 75 24 / 94 13 - 43
Fax +49 (0) 75 24 / 94 13 - 45 in the entire variety of the Baroque move-
eMail: info@bad-waldsee.de ment in the unique cultural setting of Upper Swabia. The
northern part of the route goes from Ulm (the last major church
Zwiefalten abbey

to be built in Upper Swabia, 1714-81) via Blaubeuren (including a Late Gothic abbey with a
splendid winged altar and choir stalls) and Ehingen (Late Baroque assembly house, High Ba-
roque manor house, Early Baroque Franciscan St. Mary’s Church) to Zwiefalten (cathedral, one
of the best examples of German Rococo), as well as through a charming part of the southern
Swabian Alb, taking in a number of Gothic and Baroque gems along its way.

Stages on the Upper Swabian Baroque Route: Ulm-Wiblingen, Erbach, Oberdischingen, Blaubeuren, Ehingen/Donau, Munderkingen, Obermarchtal, Zwiefalten, Riedlingen/ Donau

13
 The adventure of geology
The entire Swabian Alb is basically one single geolo-
gical theme park
Where else in this day and age can you experience 200 million years of the various epochs
and phenomena of Earth history so directly and in such variety? In a Hollywood film or a Jules
Verne novel, perhaps, but most certainly when you take a trip to the Swabian Alb, that low
range of mountains at the heart of Baden-Württemberg and Europe. Just a few kilometres to
the south-east of Stuttgart, the state capital, a veritable ”Jurassic Park” opens up for the visitor,
where, millions of years ago, real saurians and veritable sea monsters up to 18 metres in length
splashed around, together with huge cuttlefish, crocodiles, pterosaurs and colonies of sea-
lilies. Like a speeded-up film, the Swabian Alb gives you at first hand an exciting and intelli-
gible introduction to the evolution of the Earth, from the Triassic to the present day. The
brochure shown on the left describes this topic in more detail.

Ichthyosaur, 3 metres long

Geological the
Park Swabian Alb –
Earth’s history experienced live
Climb to the top of a Swabian volcano, which has been peacefully dormant for mil-
lions of years. Make your way through the wild Danube gorge with its craggy cliffs,
on foot, by bike, by canoe or on the national park express. Rest in the Bärenhöhle cave like a Stone Age hunter, or make your own Stone
Age tools in the Prehistoric Museum in Blaubeuren. Take a trip to the underworld: Wasseralfingen’s demonstration mine, the only subter-
ranean river in Germany open to the public, or the marvellous world of caves. See how the Danube, one of Europe’s mightiest rivers, simply
disappears near Immendingen. Look for your own ammonites in Holzmaden, or for a fossilized sponge on the Alb. Discover a sea cliff on
dry land, with the holes made by boring clams 60 million years ago.
Jurassic Sea Blautopf, Blaubeuren

Lower Jurassic Where water and stones disappear

Sun, sea and saurians
Almost 200 million years ago, the area of south
Germany that is now dominated by the Swabian
Alb was covered by a sea – the Jurassic Sea.
With the exception of a few islands, all of Europe
was covered by this sea for approx. 50 million years… It was tropi-
cally warm. During the Lower Jurassic epoch between 208 and 180
million years ago, dark limestone, clays, marl and oil-shale were
deposited on the Alb. Fossils from this period can be seen in Urwelt-
museum Hauff and Werkforum Dotternhausen.
Karstification
Karstification is the name for the chemical
weathering of pervious limestone: rainwater
absorbs CO2, becomes acid and dissolves the
limestone, cracks and fissures develop, surface
water seeps away and drains away underground. This led and
leads to the formation of extensive networks of caves inside the
Swabian Alb, or means that the Danube simply disappears near
Immendingen…

Tertiary Volcanoes erupt,

The Alb’s feet of clay
Middle Jurassic meteorites strike
Randeck maar, volcanic

After 50 million years, the Jurassic Sea

During the Middle Jurassic, between 180 and
159 million years ago, fine-grained clays
Demonstration mine were deposited, with intermediate layers of
limestone and iron oolites. Iron ore has been quarried near Aalen
and Geislingen/Steige. Ulm Cathedral was built using Middle Juras-
sic stone.
Juniper scrub near Lochenstein
Sea coast and
receded, and the Alb became emerged
land. Only a few traces from the Creta-
ceous and early Tertiary have been pre-
served. However, the volcanic eruptions that can still be recog-
nized in the region’s physical geography occurred during this
time. Within an approx. 40 km radius of Kirchheim and Bad
Cave bear Urach, there are 350 volcanic vents.

Upper Jurassic
juniper scrub
Of mammoth ivory and
The strata of the Upper Jurassic, formed
Quaternary
reindeer hunters
between 159 and 144 million years ago, are Roughly 700,000 years ago, homo sapiens
mainly white limestone. The picturesque cliffs appeared on the Alb. Some of the caves inhab-
on the Alb slopes originate from this epoch, made up of countless ited by Stone Age dwellers can be visited near
remains of shells and lime secretions from sponges, seaweed and Blaubeuren, in the valleys leading to the Danube and in the Danube
corals. valley itself. A sculpture more than 30,000 years old was discovered
here, the world’s oldest work of art.
14
 Geological highlights
Aalen: ”Tiefer Stollen” demonstration mine
Bad Boll: Teufelsloch
Bad Urach: Urach waterfall & Güterstein waterfall
Bad Urach – Kirchheim-Teck: ”Swabian volcano”
Bärenthal: tufaceous limestone quarry
Blaubeuren: Blautopf
Burg Teck: Jusi
Donzdorf: Donzdorf sandstone
Im Hegau: source of the Aach
Heldenfingen: Heldenfinger Kliff
Immendingen, Fridingen, Tuttlingen: ”Danube Seepage”
Königsbronn: Brenztopf
Mössingen: Mössinger Bergrutsch
Upper Danube national park: Danube valley
Schopfloch: Randeck maar and Schopfloch peat bog
Steinheim a. Albuch: Steinheimer Becken (crater)
Untermarchtal: lime-kiln museum
Unterschneidheim, Wössingen, Unterwiflingen und
Zipplingen: geological outcrops (suevite)
”Zeugenberge”: Hohenzollern, Achalm, 3 Kaiserberge
Near Zwiefalten: ”Gauing marble”

Dripstone cave „bizarre underworld“

Geological museums and collections

Reichstädter Str. 1, Tue. - Sun. 10-12 a.m. - noon + 2-5 p.m, Tel. +49 (0) 73 61 / 52 22 31
Aalen Urweltmuseum f. Geologie u. Paläontologie
OT Ebingen, Im Hof 19, prehistory and early history of the Ebingen Alb. May-Oct.: Wed, Sat, Sun, public holi-
Albstadt Museum im Kräuterkasten days: 2-5 p.m., Nov.- Apr.: Wed: 2.30-7 p.m.+ every 1st Sun in the month: 2-5 p.m., Tel. +49 (0) 74 31/160 14 65
Permanent exhibition: ”Journey into the Past – Prehistoric Finds from Bad Boll”, daily 9 a.m. – noon and 2 – 6
Bad Boll Kurhaus p.m., guided tours on request, Tel. +49 (0) 71 64/8 10
Tue.-Sun.: 2-5 p.m., admission free, guided tours by arrangement,
Balingen Heimatmuseum in der Zehntscheuer Tel. +49 (0) 74 33/1 68 10 + 17 02 61
Karlstr. 21, opening times on request, Tel. +49 (0) 73 44/92 10 30
Blaubeuren Urgeschichtliches Museum
Spitalplatz 1, Apr.-Oct.: Tue.-Fri: 2-4 p.m., Sa t.+ Su.+ public holidays: 2-5 p.m., Nov.-Mar: Sat.+ Sun.:
Bopfingen Museum im Seelhaus 2-5 p.m., Tel. +49 (0) 73 62/38 55 + 801-0
Dormettinger Str. 23, Tue., Wed., Thu.: 1-5 p.m.; Sun.+ public holidays: 1 a.m.-5 p.m., closed from 1 Dec. -
Dotternhausen Fossilienmuseum im Werkforum 6 Jan. Guided tour at 6 p.m. every 1st Tue. in the month. Tel. +49 (0) 74 27/7 92 11
Sun.: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Wed.: 10 a.m. noon and 2-6 p.m., Tel. +49 (0) 7 37 91/7 50 64
Ehingen an der Donau Stadtmuseum
Sun. and public holidays: 10 a.m. - noon and 1- 5 p.m., guided tours by arrangement,
Giengen an der Brenz Stadtmuseum Tel. +49 (0) 73 24/54 45
Jebenhausen, Boller Str. 102, mid-Apr. - mid-Nov.: Wed., Sat., Sun., public holidays: 10 a.m. - noon + 2-5 p.m.,
Göppingen Naturkundliches Museum Tel. +49 (0) 71 61/47 42 + 97 95 21
Aichelberger Str. 90, Tue. - Sun. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., closed Mon., Tel. +49 (0) 70 23/28 73
Holzmaden Urweltmuseum Hauff
Hindenburgstr. 2, May - Sept., every 1st Mon. in the month: 2-4 p.m., Tel. +49 (0) 74 62/240
Immendingen Heimatmuseum
Museum für Höhlenkunde, Schallenau 1, from Easter holidays to end of autumn holidays: daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.,
Laichingen Museum für Höhlenkunde Tel. +49 (0) 73 33/55 86
Fleinheimer Str. 2, opening hours by arrangement, Bürgermeisteramt Nattheim: Tel. +49 (0) 73 21/9 78 40
Nattheim Korallen- und Heimatmuseum
Eugene-Shoemaker-Platz 1, Tue. - Sun. 10 a.m. - noon + 1.30-4.30 p.m., Tel. +49 (0) 90 81/2 73 82 20
Nördlingen Riesenkrater-Museum
Am Weibermarkt 4, Tue., Wed., Fri., Sat. + Sun.: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Thu. 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.,
Reutlingen Naturkundemuseum Tel. +49 (0) 71 21/3 03 20 22
Spitalgasse 6, every 1st Sun. in the month: 10 a.m. - noon and 2-4 p.m., guided tours by arrangement,
Schelklingen Heimatmuseum Tel. +49 (0) 73 94/28 76
Im Prediger, Tue. - Fri.: 2-5 p.m.; Sat. + Sun.: 10 a.m. - noon and 2-5 p.m., Tel. +49 (0) 71 71/57 37
Schwäbisch Gmünd Museum f. Natur u. Stadtkultur
Hochfeldweg 4, Tue. - Sun.: 10 a.m. - noon and 1.30-4.30 p.m.,
Steinheim am Albuch Meteorkrater-Museum Tel. +49 (0) 73 29/73 70
Museum am Löwentor, Rosenstein 1, Tue. - Fri.: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Sat., Sun. and public holidays: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.,
Stuttgart Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Tel. +49 (0) 7 11/8 93 60
Geologische Sammlung, Apr. - 6 Jan.: Sun.: 2-5 p.m., by arrangement,
Trossingen Heimatmuseum Trossingen Tel. +49 (0) 74 25/2 77 03
Sigwartstr. 10, Mon. - Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., closed on public holidays, opening hours possibly restricted during
Tübingen Geologisch-Paläontologisches Museum university vacation, Tel. +49 (0) 70 71/297-7 75 61 + (7 69 89) + (7 24 89)
Donaustr. 50, Sat. + Sun. 2-5 p.m., Tel. +49 (0) 74 61 / 77 01 84
Tuttlingen Geologische Sammlung im Fruchtkasten
Ulm, Tue. - Sun. 10 a.m. - noon and 2-5 p.m. , Tel. +49 (0) 7 31/1 61 47 42
Ulm/Neu-Ulm Naturkundl. Sammlungen der Stadt
Albstadt, Schwäb. Albverein, OG Onstmettingen, Lichtenstein Honau, Apr. - Nov.: every 1st Sun. in
Linkenboldshöhle Tel.+49 (0) 74 32/2 25 69 + 2 15 21, opening Olgahöhle the month: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Tel. +49 (0) 7129/5179
hours on request
Bad Überkingen, on prior application , Römerstein, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Sundays, from Palm Sun-
Kahlensteinhöhle Tel. +49 (0) 73 31/6 66 60 (Mr. Dohmke) Schertelshöhle day to 15 Nov., working days: 15 May - 30 Sept.,
Tel.+49 (0) 73 82/93980
C a v e s

Giengen Hürben, Apr. - Oct.: 8.30-11.30 a.m. +
Charlottenhöhle 1.30-4.30 p.m., Tel. +49 (0) 73 24/72 96 u. 13 91
Friedrichshöhle/ Hayingen, Apr. - Oct.: 9 a.m. - 5.30 p.m., Nov. -
Mar. on request, Tel. +49 (0) 73 73/28 13
Wimsener Höhle (Gasthaus zur Friedrichshöhle)
Heroldstatt, May - Oct.: Sat.: 2-6 p.m., Sun.: 9 a.m.
Sontheimer Höhle - 6 p.m., on request, Höhlenverein,
Tel. +49 (0) 7 38 9/6 82
Laichingen, from Easter to 1 Nov.: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.,
Laichinger Tiefenhöhle Höhlen- u. Heimatverein, Tel. +49 (0) 73 33/55 86
Schelklingen, on prior application, Tel. +49 (0)
Hohler Fels 73 94/21 30 (Mr. Bauer), 23 40
(Mr. Weyler), 16 40 (Mr. Blumentritt)
Sonnenbühl-Erpfingen, Apr. - Oct.: 9 a.m. - 5.30
Bärenhöhle p.m., Nov. + Mar.: Sun. and public holidays 9
a.m. - 5.30 p.m., Tel. +49 (0) 71 28/6 96 + 635
Sonnenbühl-Genkingen, Apr. - Oct.: 9 a.m. - 5.30
Nebelhöhle p.m., Nov. + Mar.: Sun. and public holidays 9
a.m. - 5.30 p.m., Tel. +49 (0) 71 28/6 05 + 6 82
Kolbingen, Mar. - Oct.: Sat. 1-5 p.m. + Sun. 10 a.m.
Kolbinger Höhle - 5 p.m. Groups during the week on prior applic.,
Bürgermeisteramt (Mayor’s office): +49 (0) 7463/97083

15
 The fascination of hiking
Hike with the seasons: walk back to happiness in the
Swabian Alb’s marvellous hiking country

With its hills that can be both craggy and gentle, its atmosphere of magnificent views and
wonderful valleys, the Swabian Alb is a tantalizing prospect for any hiker, inducing him
to drop everything and savour pure contentment: walking is an almost automatic state
here. The walk to the top is always also a journey to one’s inner self; hiking brings you
back to basics and gives your thoughts time to roam.
The brochure Faszination Wandern (”The Fascination of Hiking”) gives you a rough idea
of the many destinations that hikers can reach in this wonderful hiking country on the
Swabian Alb. You will also find tips for tours and further details about the Swabian Alb’s
marvellous hiking country.

The ”stone virgins” in Eselsburg valley

The Swabian Alb: one huge geological theme park for the hiker
Experience the Earth’s history live, hike to a dripstone cave, to one of the 350 vents of the Swabian
volcano between Kirchheim and Bad Urach – the biggest are Jusi and Randeck maar – or to the
Steinheim basin, the site of a meteorite impact in the Albuch area 15 million years ago.
Historic steam train

So many fascinating things to see: discover the countryside and its people
Eduard Mörike called it a surviving ”savage paradise”: meadows and forests give way to idyllic set-
tlements, friendly hosts invite you to sit down and rest. Travelling on the Swabian railway and slowly
roaming the romantic countryside by nostalgic railbus – that's what the Swabian Alb is about.
Roman Festival in Aalen

History at every turn: Celts, Romans, Alemannians

Hike per pedes, as the Romans would say, to the remains and partial reconstruction of a villa rus-
tica – a Roman farm – near Hechingen-Stein, to the Heuneburg Celtic settlement near Her-
bertingen or to the Limes museum in Aalen. Let the past come alive and fascinate you.
Lichtenstein Castle

Castles, palaces and ruins: real film sets wherever you look
You will find more than 100 castles, palaces and ruins on the Swabian Alb –whether in the middle of
town, as in the case of Göppingen, or high on a mountain like Lichtenstein or Hohenzollern castles.
In other words, there are more than 100 hikes that can have these ”high spots” as their destination.
Emperor Barbarossa, the ”Cappenberg bust”

At the peak of power: emperors and kings from the Swabian Alb
Two great dynasties originated on the Swabian Alb. From Hohenstaufen castle, the eponymous
dynasty began its rise to become rulers of Europe. Hohenzollern castle is the home of the last Ger-
man emperors and was rebuilt at the command of Frederick William IV of Prussia from 1850.
Neresheim monastery church, Härtsfeld

The marvel of churches and monasteries: silent paths to the heart

On the Swabian Alb,youwill find enchanting churches, monasteries and buildings from the Romanesque,Gothic,Renais-
sance, Baroque and Jugendstil (art nouveau) periods. To hike to these sites and discover them as places of introspection,
as places to come to an understanding of art, of faith, or indeed of oneself, is a uniquely valuable experience.
Tübingen, on the River Neckar

An incredible journey: of fairytales, myths and more

Uhland and Hegel, Mörike and Hauff are the rule rather than the exception, part of every child’s
primary school education here on the Swabian Alb. Follow the traces of our poets and philo-
sophers, to the scenes of their stories, to the Blautopf, to Hölderlin’s tower, and many more…

16
 Hike without packs
along the European watershed
This 52-page brochure provides detailed descrip-
tions of 17 ”flexibly hikeable” routes that can be
booked in advance, together with background in-
formation about the course taken by the European
watershed on each particular route, tips on places
to eat, sights, and much more. You can book indi-
vidual sections of the route in advance, or put
more substantial tours together. Reading this
brochure alone is enough to make you want to set
out to trace this geological topic and to get to know
it better at first hand. For a free brochure and book-
ings, contact: Schwäbische Alb Tourismusverband,
Marktplatz 1, 72574 Bad Urach, Tel. +49
(0) 71 25 / 94 81 06, Fax 94 81 08, eMail: tgsa@
schwaebischealb.de, www.schwaebischealb.de
Cascade, Bad Urach

Schwäbische Alb Tourismusverband, Marktplatz 1, 72574 Bad Urach, Tel. +49 (0) 71 25 / 94 81 06, Fax +49 (0) 71 25 / 94 81 08,
a b u n d a n c e

TV Schwäbische Alb www.schwaebischealb.de, tgsa@scwaebischealb.de

Fremdenverkehrsverein Ries-Ostalb, Marktplatz 1, 73441 Bopfingen, Tel. +49 (0) 73 62 / 8 01 21, Fax +49 (0) 73 62 / 8 01 50
Ries-Ostalb www.bopfingen.de, Stadt@Bopfingen.de
Verkehrsverband Gastliches Härtsfeld e.V., Hauptstr. 21, 73450 Neresheim, Tel. +49 (0) 73 26 / 81 49, Fax +49 (0) 73 26 / 81 46,
Gastliches Härtsfeld www.neresheim.de, tourist@neresheim.de
Erlebnisregion Erlebnisregion Schwäbische Ostalb, Spitalstr. 4, 73479 Ellwangen, Tel. +49 (0) 79 61 / 8 43 03, Fax +49 (0) 79 61 / 5 52 67,
Schwäbische Ostalb www.aalen.de, touristik-service@aalen.de, www.ellwangen.de, info@ellwangen.de
Tourist-Info Heidenheim, Hauptstr. 34, 89522 Heidenheim, Tel. +49 (0) 73 21 / 32 73 40, Fax +49 (0) 73 21 / 32 76 87
Heidenheim www.heidenheim.de, tourist-information@heidenheim.de
Touristik-Gemeinschaft Stauferland, Marktplatz 37/1, 73525 Schwäbisch Gmünd, Tel. +49 (0) 71 71 / 6 03 42 50, Fax 6 03 42 99
Stauferland www.stauferland.de, info@stauferland.de
Verkehrsamt Lorch, Hauptstr. 19, 73547 Lorch, Tel. +49 (0) 71 72 / 18 01 19, Fax +49 (0) 71 72 / 18 01 59, www.stadt-lorch.de,
Lorch info@stadt-lorch.de
Touristik- und Kulturbüro, Schillerstr. 2, 73312 Geislingen an der Steige, Tel. +49 (0) 73 31 / 2 43 62 oder 2 42 66, Fax 2 43 76
Geislingen a. d. Steige www.geislingen.de, info@geislingen.de
Tourist-Info Göppingen, Hauptstr. 1, 73033 Göppingen, Tel. +49 (0) 71 61 / 65 02 92, Fax 65 02 99 · www.goeppingen.de,
Göppingen touristinfo@Goeppingen.de
Klosterpark Adelberg, Sport- und Erholungszentrum, 73099 Adelberg, Tel. +49 (0) 71 66 / 9 12 10 - 0, Fax 9 12 10 - 29
Adelberg www.adelberg.de, klosterpark@adelberg.de
Bädergemeinschaft Geschäftsstelle der Bädergemeinschaft, Bad Boll-Info, Hauptstr. 81, 73087 Bad Boll, Tel. +49 (0) 71 64 / 8 08 28, Fax 90 23 09 www.bad-boll.de,
Bad Boll, Bad Ditzenbach, Bad Überkingen info@verkehrsamt-bad-boll.de, www.badditzenbach.de, touristinfo@badditzenbach.de, www.badueberkingen.de, info@badueberkingen.de
Alb-Donau-Kreis Tourismusförderung, Schillerstr. 30, 89070 Ulm, Tel. +49 (0) 7 31 / 1850, Fax +49 (0) 7 31 / 1 85 13 04
Alb-Donau-Kreis www.alb-donau-kreis.de, wirtschaft@alb-donau-kreis.de
Esslinger Stadtmarketing u. Tourismus GmbH, Marktplatz 16, 73728 Esslingen/Neckar, Tel. +49 (0) 7 11 / 39 69 39 69, Fax 39 69 39 39
Esslingen www.esslingen-tourist.de, info@esslingen-tourist.de
i n

Stadtverwaltung, Marktplatz 15, 89601 Schelklingen, Tel. +49 (0) 73 94 / 24 80, Fax +49 (0) 73 94 / 2 48 50, www.schelklingen.de,
Schmiechtal info@schelklingen.de
Kurverwaltung, Am Thermalbad 5, 72660 Beuren Tel. +49 (0) 70 25 / 91 04 00, Fax +49 (0) 70 25 / 9 10 30 10, www.beuren.de,
Beuren beuren@beuren.de
Tourist-Informationsbüro im Rathaus, Bachwiesenstr. 7, 72525 Münsingen, Tel. +49 (0) 73 81 / 18 21 45, Fax 18 21 01,
Münsinger Alb www.muensingen.de, touristinfo@muensingen.de
c o u n t r y

Verkehrsverein Teck-Neuffen e.V., Max-Eyth-Str. 15, 73230 Kirchheim unter Teck, Tel. +49 (0) 70 21 / 30 27, Fax 48 05 38,
Teck-Neuffen www.albtrauf.de, tourist@kirchheim-teck.de
Fremdenverkehrsbüro, Kirchenplatz 16, 72589 Westerheim, Tel. +49 (0) 73 33 / 96 66 12, Fax +49 (0) 73 33 / 96 66 20,
Westerheim www.westerheim.de, info@westerheim.de
Städtische Kurverwaltung, Bei den Thermen 4, 72574 Bad Urach, Tel. +49 (0) 71 25 / 9 43 20, Fax +49 (0) 71 25 / 94 32 22,
Reutlingen/Mythos Schwalb www.mythosschwalb.de, kbu@badurach.de
Touristik-Gemeinschaft St. Johann, Kirchstr. 1, 72813 St. Johann-Upfingen, Tel. +49 (0) 71 22 / 92 31, Fax +49 (0) 71 22 / 36 79,
St. Johann www.st-johann.de, Touristik-St.Johann@t-online.de
WTG Rottenburg, Marktplatz 18, 72108 Rottenburg am Neckar, Tel. +49 (0) 74 72 / 91 62 36, Fax +49 (0) 74 72 / 91 62 33,
Rottenburg am Neckar www.rottenburg.de, stadt@rottenburg.de
BMA, Hauptstr. 49, 72393 Burladingen, Tel. +49 (0) 74 75 / 89 20, Fax +49 (0) 74 75 / 89 21 55, www.burladingen.de, info@burla-
Burladingen dingen.de
Kurverwaltung Glatt im Schloss, 72172 Sulz-Glatt, Tel. 0 74 82 / 3 16, Tel. + Fax 0 74 82 / 72 48, www.burg-hohenzollern.de,
Hohenzollern verwaltung@burg-hohenzollern.com
Erlebniskreis Tourist-Info Sigmaringen, Schwabstr. 1, 72488 Sigmaringen, Tel. +49 (0) 75 71 / 106-223, Fax 106-177, www.landkreis-sigmaringen.de,
Sigmaringen tourismus@lrasig.de
Zollern-Alb Tourist-Info, Hirschbergstr. 29, 72336 Balingen, Tel. +49 (0) 74 33 / 92 13 92 oder 92 11 39, Fax 92 16 10,
Zollernalbkreis www.zollernalbkreis.de, tourismus@zollernalbkreis.de
Touristikgemeinschaft Oberes Schlichemtal, Schillerstr. 29, 72355 Schömberg Tel. +49 (0) 74 27 / 94 98-0, Fax 94 98-30,
Oberes Schlichemtal
H i k i n g

www.oberes-schlichemtal.de, gvv@oberes-schlichemtal.de
Büro Ulrike Schätzle, Im Dörfle 14, Postfach 46, 78586 Deilingen, Tel. +49 (0) 74 26 / 5 10 36, Fax +49 (0) 74 26 / 91 22 06,
”Region der 10 Tausender” www.region-der-zehn-tausender.de, Ulrike.Schaetzle@t-online.de
Verkehrsamt im Rathaus, Kirchplatz 2, 78567 Fridingen/Donau, Tel. +49 (0) 74 63 / 83 70, Fax 83750, www.donau-heuberg.de,
Donau-Heuberg verkehrsamt@donau-heuberg.de
Touristik- u. Verkehrsbüro, Hermann-Leiber-Str. 4, 78532 Tuttlingen-Möhringen, Tel. +49 (0) 74 61 / 3 40 oder 94 82 20, Fax 75 72,
Landkreis Tuttlingen www.tuttlingen.de, info@tuttlingen.de
Naturpark Obere Donau e.V., Geschäftsstelle, 88631 Beuron, Tel. +49 (0) 74 66 / 92 80-14, Fax 9280 23, www.naturpark-
Naturpark Obere Donau obere-donau.de, Kontakt@Naturpark-Obere-Donau.de
BMA Schwenningen, Alte Pfarrstr. 9, 72477 Schwenningen, Tel. +49 (0) 75 79 / 92 12 12, Fax +49 (0) 75 79 / 92 12 50,
Schwenningen/Heuberg www.schwenningen.de, info.schwenningen@t-online.de
Tourist-Informationsbüro im Rathaus, Bachwiesenstr. 7, 72525 Münsingen, Tel. +49 (0) 73 81 / 18 21 45, Fax +49 (0) 73 81 / 18 21 01,
Großes Lautertal www.grosses-lautertal.de, touristinfo@muensingen.de

17
 Cycling à la carte
Leave stress behind you: rediscover time on the
Swabian Alb

On the Swabian Alb, cyclists will find the hills and valleys that will allow fitness, health
and contentment to be restored to their natural state. Whether with the whole family,
with good friends, or on your own, by simple bike, racing bike or mountain bike. Simply
get going and enjoy the healthy air, sun and wind, or discover cultural sights and geo-
logical highlights by bike – that’s what the Swabian Alb is about.
The brochures shown here put together some of the finest tours for you. The altitude pro-
files given for each individual tour give you an idea of the hills you will have to climb
on your way. Leave stress behind you and experience time anew: let the good times roll.

12 In the Blinde Rot valley, Abtsgmünd Mountainbike special

tips for cycle tours Map pages in ”Cycling à la carte”:

Tour 12 Seen6/7/10 und Römern

These 12 selected tours offer you recre- Schweighausen

Orrotsee ●
ation, relaxation and excitement, as well as the Hohenberg ● ● ● Kalkhöfe/Fischbachsee
Hinderbrand ● ● Rindelbach
finest destinations on the Swabian Alb. The alti-
● Ellwangen
tude profiles (see the example on the right) give Leinenfirst ●
Schrezheim ●
Ramsenstrut ●
you an idea of the highs and lows of each tour, and Bronnen ●
● Saverwang
● Schwabsberg
Buch ●
are an ideal aid to planning a route, as are the small Abtsgmünd ● ● ●
Waiblingen
outline maps showing the most important towns and Hüttlingen

villages for easy orientation.

1) To lakes and Roman sites around Ellwangen
2) From Härtsfeld to the Ries
With these and your cyclist’s map 3) Around the Albuch area
(see below) you will be ideally 4) Brenz, Blau and the bleak Alb
equipped for fun and sport on the 5)
6)
Hohenstaufen country
From Fils to Erms
Swabian Alb. The individual 7) Through the Lauter, Danube and Lauchert valleys
tours are as follows: 8) ”Von dr Alb ra” to the countryside at the foot of the Alb
9) Enjoy the Sonnenalb area
10) Breathtaking gorges and open spaces (Upper Danube
national park)
11) Hohenzollern country
12) Heuberg, the highest part of the Alb
Hohenzollern Castle
Tour 12 Rund um Ellwangen Höhenprofil
Tour 1 Altitude profile

650 650
Height above sealevel

600 600
550 550
Burghardsmühle 400 m

Bucher Stausee 430 m

Hohenberg 520 m

500 500
Hüttenhof 500 m

Abtsgmünd 380 m

Hüttlingen 415 m
Ellwangen 450 m

Ellwangen 450 m
Gaishardt 485 m

450 15 % 450
400 400
350 350
300 300
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Entfernung in Kilometern insgesamt 50 km; Höhenmeter insgesamt: 380 m
Total distance 50 km; total ascent/descent 380 m

Offizieller

Radwanderführer
für den Bereich
”Cycling à la carte” cycle tour guide Schwäbische Alb

Tourismusverband

On 35 pages of detailed maps and 80 pages full of information, ”Cycling à la carte” tells you everything
you need to know if you are planning a cycling holiday on the Alb: 1:100,000 scale maps, a basic net-
work of cycle routes (for the first time, all the Swabian Alb in one book), supplementary cycle routes,
practical spiral binding, tourist routes on the Swabian Alb, descriptions of places, addresses for informa-
tion. practical tips (cycle hire, cycle repairs, camp sites, youth hostels), what to see, useful facts. (price:
€ 12–, can be ordered direct from Schwäbische Alb Tourismusverband, Marktplatz 1, 72574 Bad Urach,
Tel. +49 (0) 71 25 / 94 81 06, Fax +49 (0) 71 25 / 94 81 08, tgsa@schwaebischealb.de, www.schwae-
bischealb.de).

18
 Baden-Württemberg
state cycle routes
Discover Baden-Württemberg by bike.
Seven of the 16 signposted state cycle routes that
cross Baden-Württemberg run through the cycling
centre that is the Swabian Alb:

· Neckar Valley Cycle Path

· Swabian Alb Cycle Path
· Alb-Danube Cycle Path
· Alb-Neckar Cycle Path
· Hohenzollern Cycle Path
· Hohenlohe Cycle Path
· Kocher-Jagst Cycle Path
For more details contact:
TMBW GmbH, Esslinger Str. 8, 70182 Stuttgart
Tel. +49 (0) 7 11 / 2 38 58-0 Fax 2 38 58-99
info@tourismus-baden-wuerttemberg.de
www.tourismus-baden-wuerttemberg.de

Bichishausen. Großes Lautertal

Swabian Alb – tips for tours and fantastic scenery

Ries-Ostalb Touristik-Büro, Marktplatz 1, 73441 Bopfingen, Tel. +49 (0) 73 62 / 80 10, Fax +49 (0) 73 62 / 8 01 50, www.bopfingen.de, Stadt@Bopfingen.de

Gastliches Härtsfeld Verkehrsverband Gastliches Härtsfeld, 73450 Neresheim, Tel. +49 (0) 73 26 / 8149, Fax +49 (0) 73 26 / 8146, www.neresheim.de, tourist@neresheim.de

Erlebnisregion Schwäbische Ostalb Spitalstr. 4, 73479 Ellwangen, Tel. +49 (0) 79 61 / 84-303, Fax +49 (0) 79 61 / 55267, www.ellwangen.de, info@ellwangen.de oder
Markplatz 2, 73430 Aalen, Tel. +49 (0) 73 61 / 52-23 60, Fax +49 (0) 73 61 / 52-19 07, www.aalen.de, touristik-service@aalen.de

Heidenheim Tourist-Info Heidenheim, Hauptstr. 34, 89522 Heidenheim, Tel. +49 (0) 73 21 / 32 73 40, Fax 32 76 87www.heidenheim.de, tourist-information@heidenheim.de
Stauferland Touristik-Gemeinschaft, marktplatz 37/1, 73525 Schwäbisch Gmünd, Tel. +49 (0) 71 71 / 603-42 50, Fax 603-42 99, www.stauferland.de, info@stauferland.de
Filstal-Route Touristik- und Kulturbüro, Schillerstr. 2, 73312 Geislingen an der Steige, Tel. +49 (0) 73 31/ 42-362 oder 24-266, Fax 2 43 76, www.geislingen.de, info@geislingen.de
Adelberg Klosterpark, Sport- und Erholungszentrum, 73099 Adelberg, Tel. +49 (0) 71 66 / 9 12 10-0, Fax 9 12 10-29, www.adelberg.de, klosterpark@adelberg.de
Alb-Donau-Kreis Tourismusförderung, Schillerstr 30, 89077 Ulm, Tel. +49 (0) 7 31 / 18 50, Fax 1 85 13 04, www.alb-donau-kreis.de, wirtschaft@alb-donau-kreis.de
Ulm/Neu-Ulm Tourist-Information, Münsterplatz 50 (Stadthaus), 89073 Ulm/Donau, Tel. +49 (0) 7 31 / 161-28 30, Fax 161-16 41, www.tourismus.ulm.de

Westerheim Verkehrsbüro, 72589 Westerheim, Tel. 0 73 33 / 96 66 12, Fax 0 73 33 / 96 66 20, www.westerheim.de, info@westerheim.de
Esslingen, Stadt und Landkreis Pulverwiesen 11, 73726 Esslingen a.N., Tel. +49 (0) 7 11 / 39 02, Fax 39 02 10 30, www.esslingen.de, Stadt.Esslingen@esslingen.de oder

Esslinger Stadtmarketing u. Tourismus GmbH, Marktplatz 16, 73728 Esslingen a. Neckar, Tel. +49 (0) 7 11 / 39 69 39 69, Fax 39 69 39 39, info@esslingen-tourist.de

Münsinger Alb mountain-bike tours, information from: Helmut Schneiderhahn, Grundstr. 1, 72525 Münsingen, Tel. +49 (0) 73 81 / 20 89, Fax +49 (0) 73 81 / 47 28
Teck-Neuffen Fremdenverkehrsverein, Max-Eyth-Str. 15, 73230 Kirchheim u. Teck, Tel. +49 (0) 70 21 / 30 27, Fax 48 05 38, www.albtrauf.de, tourist@kirchheim-teck.de
LKR Reutlingen/Mythos Schwalb Postfach 11 09, 72562 Bad Urach, Tel. +49 (0) 71 25 / 9 43 20, Fax 94 32 22, www.mythosschwalb.de, kbu@badurach.de
St. Johann Touristikgemeinschaft, Kirchstr. 1, 72813 St.-Johann-Upfingen, Tel. +49 (0) 71 22 / 9231, Fax 36 79, www.st-johann.de, Touristik-St.Johann@t-online.de
Erlebniskreis Sigmaringen Tourismusreferat Landratsamt Sigmaringen, Leopoldstr. 4, 72488 Sigmaringen, Tel. +49 (0) 75 71 / 102-358, Fax 75 71 / 102-439,

www.landkreis-sigmaringen.de, tourismus@lrasig.de

Zollernalb Tourist-Info, Hirschbergstr. 29, 72336 Balingen, Tel. +49 (0) 74 33 / 92 13 92 oder 92 11 39, Fax 961666, www.zollernalbkreis.de, wfg@zollernalbkreis.de
Oberes Schlichemtal Touristik-Gemeinschaft, Schillerstr. 29, 72355 Schömberg, Tel. +49 (0) 74 27 / 94 98-0, Fax 94 98-30 www.oberes-schlichemtal.de, gvv@oberes-schlichemtal.de
Hohenzollern Kurverwaltung Glatt, Im Schloß, 72172 Sulz-Glatt, Tel. +49 (0) 74 82/316 oder 913433, Fax 7249, www.burg-hohenzollern.de, verwaltung@burg-hohenzollern.com
Donau-Heuberg Verkehrsamt, Kirchplatz 2, 78567 Fridingen a.d. Donau, Tel. +49 (0) 74 63 / 837-0, Fax 837-50, www.donau-heuberg.de, verkehrsamt@donau-heuberg.de

Tuttlingen Touristik- u. Verkehrsbüro, Hermann-Leiber-Str. 4, 78532 Tuttlingen-Möhringen, Tel. +49 (0) 74 62 / 340 u. 94 82-20, Fax 75 72, www.tuttlingen.de, info@tuttlingen.de
Naturpark Obere Donau Geschäftsstelle, 88631 Beuron, Tel. +49 (0) 74 66 / 92 80-14, Fax 92 80-23, www.naturpark-obere-donau.de, Kontakt@Naturpark-Obere-Donau.de
ARGE-Deutsche Donau Platz der Deutschen Einheit 1, 86633 Neuburg a.d. Donau, Tel. +49 (0) 84 31 / 5 72 37, Fax 5 72 05, www.deutsche-donau.de, info@deutsche-donau.de
Großes Lautertal Tourist-Informationsbüro, Bachwiesenstr. 7, 72525 Münsingen, Tel. +49 (0) 73 81 / 18 21 45, Fax 18 21 01, www.grosses-lautertal.de,touristinfo@muensingen.de

19
 Naturally healthy!
Completely in your element:
the spas and health resorts of the Swabian Alb

On the Swabian Alb you will find every way and means of restoring the balance between
body and soul. The health resorts on the Swabian Alb have first class spa facilities and many
different types of spa cure to offer, allowing you to regain health, contentment and energy.
They are open to all kinds of guests, whether inpatients or outpatients, as a preventative
measure or for rehabilitation and supplementary treatment, for private patients or patients
in statutory health insurance schemes. According to holistic principles, a comprehensive
treatment method combines physical and psychological aspects with the natural remedies
found in the ground, water and air, and tailors them to the individual patient. And it does
you good! Reinforce your health and harmony, or regain them again after illness or an acci-
dent. For further details, consult the brochure shown on the left.

● Medicinal mineral water comes from pure sources.
Its physical or chemical properties makes it suitable as
a medicine
Our ● Hot springs from the depths of the earth bestow a feel-
remedies ing of well-being, and are ideal for kinesitherapy.
● Mineral water has seeped through various rock strata,
absorbing many minerals that are essential for us:
drink yourself back to health!
● Sulphurated water is excellent for the treatment of
skin conditions, rheumatism and arthrosis
● Fango is mineral mud of volcanic origin, excellent for
relieving many conditions
● Curative mine gallery air: the extremely pure air mix-
ture to be found deep inside a mountain is excellent
for treating respiratory and skin conditions, as well as
allergies
● Climatotherapy: constantly pure air and a mildly
bracing climate are the best fresh air spa cure

Kneipp cure (hydrotherapy): therapy involving water applications, promoting holistic acti-
vation of human powers of self-healing. Taking the waters: regular drinking of untreated
medicinal water promotes the reorganization of daily rhythms of digestion and metabolism
functions. Heat and cold: alternating applications of hot and cold elements build up the
Bad Überkingen

cardiovascular and immunological systems, are anti-inflammatory, relieve pain, stimulate

Bad Urach
the blood flow, generally tone up, and relax.

Massages: classical foulage and many varied techniques for the connective tissue, tendons
and their insertions. Kinesitherapy: the buoyancy of mineral water baths relaxes the mus-
Classical cles, relieves the joints, relieves the pressure on the intervertebral disks, loosens connec-
tive tissue, removes pain not related to inflammation. Baths: medical tub baths from baths
spa cures to cure colds to relaxation baths. Baths such as CO2 baths draw heat or are thermally neu-
tral, thereby improving blood flow to the skin, slightly increasing respiratory volume and

Beuren
partial oxygen pressure in the tissue.

Speleotherapy: the air inside caves, such as that to be found inside disused mines or old
galleries, is not affected by pollution and is purer than a marine or mountain climate. It
aids the healing and relieving process in asthmatic conditions, allergies or chronic inflam-
mation of the skin. Sulphur photo (individually tailored UV phototherapy of the skin in
combination with baths in sulphurated water) is ideal for skin conditions, especially
Bad Imnau

chronic eczema, neurodermatitis, psoriasis, rheumatic musculoskeletal disorders.

Bad Boll

● Fasting cure: cleansing body and soul. Deposits and
and their waste products in the body are removed. The ideal fast
takes place away from everyday life, best of all in a group.
complemen- ● Homeopathy: a healing method based on the law of
similitude. Instead of prescribing drugs that coun-
tary remedies teract the symptoms of the illness, something similar
to the illness is administered in order to activate the
body’s self-healing powers.
● Phytotherapy: treatment with purely plant-based
medicines. In many cases, the recipes for these tinc-
Bad Ditzenbach
spas and health resorts, and which guests are again
made aware of at seminars and in guidelines.
● Oxygen therapy: insufficient oxygen is the cause of
many complaints. Inhalation, positive pressure
breathing and autohaemotherapy improve the body’s
supply of oxygen.
● Neural therapy: acupuncture, electrotherapy, mud
packs, CO2 baths, specific pain treatment to treat ner-
vous disorders, rheumatism and slipped disks or as
part of follow-up treatment.

tures and extracts have been known for centuries. ● Relaxation: autogenic training or Far Eastern rela-
Physicians such as Kneipp modified or refined them. xation techniques allow us to preserve the calmness
● Food: Hippocrates knew that food is the best medicine. and collectedness we need to survive in our every-
This is a rule that is especially observed in medicinal day life.

20
 Soothing forces in a
healthy environment
A silent smile, rather than loud laughter, is
what characterizes the Swabian Alb.
Come to where even the Romans felt at
home, and the purest air can be breathed
in even today (Aalen), to a spa surrounded
by wild orchards, beech woods and dis-
tinctive geological features (Bad Boll), to
romantic water courses and juniper scrub
with a wealth of carline thistles and
orchids, located in the beautiful upper Fils
valley (Bad Ditzenbach and Bad Überkin-
gen), to a spa embedded in magnificent
natural surroundings and the peace of the
Alb foothills, surrounded by rare old trees
(Bad Imnau), to a sheltered spot set softly
in a valley, in the midst of beech woods
(Bad Urach), or to a spa half-way down
the slopes of the Alb, in a fertile landscape
of vineyards, meadows and orchards
(Beuren). Come and enjoy the health-giv-
ing treasures of the Swabian Alb.
Limesthermen Aalen

Aalen Aalen Touristik-Service · Marktplatz 2 · 73430 Aalen · Tel. +49 (0) 73 61 /
52 23 58 · Fax 52 19 07 · touristik-service@aalen.de · www.aalen.de
Indications
Chronic rheumatic disorders, disorders of the loco-
motor system, asthma, chronic bronchitis, hay
fever, chronic sinusitis, neurodermatitis, pseudo-
croup

Rheumatic disorders, spinal or intervertebral

Bad Boll Bad Boll-Info · Hauptstr. 81 · 73087 Bad Boll · Tel. +49 (0) 71 64 / disk damage, rehabilitation following accidents
808-28 · Fax 90 23-09 · info@verkehrsamt-bad-boll.de · www.bad-boll.de or surgery, skin conditions, cardiovascular dis-
orders

Cardiovascular disorders, spinal disorders and

Bad Tourismusbüro Haus d. Gastes · Helfensteinstr. 20 · 73342 Bad Ditzenbach · Tel. +49 (0) arthrosis, hip and knee replacement surgery,
Ditzenbach 73 34/ 69 11 · Fax 92 04 08 · touristinfo@badditzenbach.de · www.badditzenbach.de signs of wear, rheumatic disorders

Cardiovascular disorders, circulatory disorders,

Bad Imnau Stahlbad Imnau Kurverwaltung · Badstr. 64 · 72401 Bad Imnau disturbed metabolism or digestion, rheumatic
Tel. +49 (0) 74 74/699-0 · Fax 699-999 disorders, post-tumour follow-up

Signs of wear (arthrosis, arthritis), metabolic dis-

Bad Kurverwaltung · Gartenstr. 1 · 73337 Bad Überkingen · Tel. +49 (0) 73 31/ orders, gastro-intestinal disorders, urinary tract
Überkingen 96 19 19 · Fax 96 19 99 · info@bad-ueberkingen.de · www.bad-ueberkingen.de disorders, rheumatic disorders

Disorders of the supporting and locomotor apparatus,

Bad Urach Tourist Info · Postfach 12 06 · 72563 Bad Urach · Tel. +49 (0) 71 25 / rheumatic disorders, chronic forms of non-articular
94 32-0 · Fax 94 32-22 · kbu@badurach.de · www.badurach.de rheumatism, post-operative treatment, cardiovascular
disorders

Rheumatic complaints, signs of wear, sciatica,

Beuren Kurverwaltung in d. Therme · Am Thermalbad 5 · 72660 Beuren Tel. +49 (0) 70 post-trauma treatment, disorders of the locomo-
25 / 9 10 40-0 · Fax 9 10 40-10 · beuren@beuren.de · www.beuren.de tor system

pure air
Gomadingen Tourist-Information · Marktplatz 2 · 72532 Gomadingen Tel. +49 (0) 73 85/ health resort
96 96-33 · Fax 96 96-22 · info@gomadingen.de · www.gomadingen.de
Gesundheits-
pure air
Hayingen Verkehrsamt · Kirchstr. 15 · 72534 Hayingen Tel. +49 (0) 73 8 /97 77 23 health resort Service
Fax 97 77 33 · info@hayingen.de · www.hayingen.de
komplett:
pure air
Sonnenbühl Fremdenverkehrsbüro · Hauptstr. 2 (Rathaus) · 72820 Sonnenbühl-Undingen · Tel. health resort www.gek.de
+49 (0) 71 28/925-18 · Fax 925-50 · info@sonnenbuehl.de · www.sonnenbuehl.de
pure air
Tuttlingen Touristik- u. Verkehrsbüro · Herm.-Leiber-Str. 4 · 78532 Tuttlingen-Möhringen · Tel. health resort
Möhringen +49 (0) 74 62/340 + 94 82-20 · Fax 75 72 · info@tuttlingen.de · www.tuttlingen.de
pure air
Westerheim Tourismus-Info · Kirchenplatz 16 · 72589 Westerheim · Tel. +49 (0) 73 33 / 96 health resort
66-12 · Fax 96 66-20 · info@westerheim.de · www.westerheim.de

21
 Country holidays
Happy faces and good food are only natural: country
holidays on the Swabian Alb.

People on the Swabian Alb look forward to spring, are curious to see what the summer
will bring, enjoy the harvest, the festivals, the colours of the autumn leaves, and the silent
winter. Still being able to feel the passage of the seasons, to experience it with its sun, rain
and wind – here on the Alb this is one of the most beautiful and yet so simple experi-
ences, something that make a visit interesting whatever the season. Sitting comfortably on
a bench in front of your house, leaning back, telling stories, talking, laughing. There is a
good chance you will rediscover here the peace that gives you time again, and an envi-
ronment that gets you in the right mood for the really important things in life.
The LandFerien (”Country Holidays”) brochure will help you find the right accommodation for
yourself, your family and your friends, and provides tips for a super holiday in the country.

for you
how
s
a
Natural insights
e
it
qu

Naturschutzzentrum Schopflocher Alb

on

Vogelloch 1, 73252 Lenningen-Schopfloch, Tel. 0 70 26 / 9 50 12-0 ,

Fax 9 50 12-10
Opening hours: mid-April to mid-Oct.: Tue. to Fri. 2-5 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
We’ve put

mid-Oct. to mid-April: Tue. to Fri. 2-5 p.m., 1st Sun. in the month 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Exhibitions about the Swabian Alb and biotopes, slide show, landscape models,
children’s playroom, country garden, marble quarry, nature walks for groups, programme
of events.

Haus der Natur Obere Donau

Wolterstr. · 88631 Beuron Tel. 0 74 66 / 9 28 00 · Fax 92 80 23h
Opening hours: 1 April to 31 Oct.: Tue. to Fri. 9 a.m. - noon, Sat. and Sun. 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.
1 November - 31 March: Tue. to Fri. 9 a.m. - noon. Also open during the after-
noons all year on request.

A permanent exhibition gives the visitor an insight into the diversity of

natural habitats, the geological history of the area and the cultural
highlights of this national park. Lectures, seminars and excursions
provide further insight into various topics. Groups and
school classes are welcome, and can book various
activities.

22
 Uniquely delicious

Swabian cuisine
South German culinary art is of a very high quality, and
the cuisine of the Swabian Alb occupies a special posi-
tion within it. It ranges from a simple cold snack to a
5-star gastronomic menu. Whether plain and simple or
highly sophisticated, the names of the dishes are a de-
light in themselves: Linsen mit Saitenwürstle und Spät-
zle (lentils with sausages and spätzle – a kind of noo-
dle), Maultaschen (a kind of ravioli), either in soup or
”geschmelzt” or ”geröstet” (delicious but untranslatable!),
Wurstsalat (finely chopped sausage salad), Käsespätzle
(spätzle baked in the oven with cheese and onion): typ-
ically Swabian dishes, unique and incomparable.

Fresh, good and healthy

Farm produce
These dishes taste so good because hardly anywhere
else can match the Swabian Alb in its great variety of
regional suppliers and markets selling vegetables, meat,
fruit and other delicious produce of high ecological
quality (see the addresses in the LandFerien brochure).

Country holiday associations

Anbietergemeinschaft Östliche Alb Gerlinde Gross · Mozartstr. 40/1 · 73453 Abtsgmünd · Tel./Fax +49 (0) 73 66 / 92 05 67

Anbietergemeinschaft Östliche Alb
Anbietergemeinschaft Mittlere Alb
Anbietergemeinschaft im LKR Sigmaringen
Beate Kottmann · Braunhof 1 · 73550 Waldstetten · Tel./Fax +49 (0) 71 71 / 4 32 62
Anbietergemeinschaft Mittlere Alb Ferienring Schwäbische Alb · Gartenstraße 12 · 72534 Hayingen-
Münzdorf · Tel. +49 (0) 73 86 / 506
Landratsamt Sigmaringen · Tourismusreferat · Leopoldstr. 4 · 72488 Sigmaringen · Tel. +49 (0) 75 71 /
102-358 · Fax 0 75 71 / 102-540

Holiday villages on the Swabian Alb

Feriendorf Gomadingen Stuttgarter Weg 1 · 72532 Gomadingen · Tel. +49 (0) 73 85 / 96 98-0

Feriengebiet Lauterdörfle 72534 Hayingen · Tel. +49 (0) 73 86 / 97 94-0 · Fax +49 (0) 73 86 / 13 38

Ferien- und Erlebnisdorf Sonenmatte
Feriendorf Tieringen
Feriendorf Tuttlingen-Möhringen
Sonnenmatte 51/1 · 72820 Sonnenbühl · Tel. +49 (0) 71 28 / 92 99-0 · Fax 92 99-20 ·
die-sonnenmatte@t-online.de www.schwaben-international.de
72469 Meßstetten · Tel. +49 (0) 74 36 / 92 91-0 · Fax +49 (0) 74 36 / 92 91-20
Touristik- und Verkehrsbüro · Hermann-Leiber-Str. · 78532 Tuttlingen-Möhringen · Tel. +49 (0) 74 62 /
340 oder 94 82-20 · info@tuttlingen.de · www.tuttlingen.de

Alb-Guides and the ”Öko-Regio” tour – fun and new ideas in harmony with nature
Do you want to experience the Alb at close quarters? Then
come on an Alb-Guide-Tour around the
central Swabian Alb. There are 22 guided
tours around Münsingen, the Great Lauter
valley and the Alb slopes. Together with
an Alb-Guide, you can discover the
charming countryside on foot, by bike or
by coach, at set times or by individual
arrangement. Those who would prefer to see the region on their
own are advised to try the ”Öko-Regio” tour, a voyage of dis-
covery for young and old in the Münsingen area, with tips on
items of cultural interest, food and drink, outstanding natural
features, places to shop and plenty of fresh air and scenery.
For information, contact: Tourist-Info Münsingen/Großes
Lautertal (Manfred Waßner), Tel. +49 (0) 73 81 / 18 21-45,
Fax 18 21-01.
Both projects were set up on the initiative of NABU Lan-
desverband Baden-Württemberg (environmental association).

”On the Swabian railway”

The ”Swabian railway” is going through a renais-
sance. Disused tracks are awaking to new life: nos-
talgic railbuses and modern shuttle trains are taking
holidaymakers, hikers and cyclists to and across the
Swabian Alb. All aboard for a truly special rail and
scenic experience. On board the ”Ulm Sparrow” and
the Cycle Tour Shuttle you can take scenic round
trips on outstandingly romantic branch lines. Along
the way you will find many places to visit – the Mar-
bach stud farm, the car museum in Engstingen, Lichten-
stein Castle, Bärenhöhle caves, the romantic Great
Lauter valley. Walk or cycle along the latter with the
help of the ”Lauter Leisure Coach”, which can transport
up to 30 bikes.
For information, contact: Tourist-Info Münsingen, Bach-
wiesenstr. 7, 72525 Münsingen, Tel. +49 (0) 73 81 / 182-
145 Fax 182-101, eMail: Touristinfo@Muensingen.de

23
 Town and life
They have evolved naturally and are as lively today
as ever: the towns of the Swabian Alb

Old houses with a life of their own, trees that were planted centuries ago, traditions that
are passed down from one generation to the next and shape the towns’ culture and in-
habitants – this is what is so astonishing and special about the Alb towns’ cultural
inheritance.
Lively town centres and magnificent townscapes, intimate and romantic – there is so
much urban culture to discover and experience here. Here you will find squares where
you will quickly feel at home, and find time to watch time go by. Or perhaps you feel like
the hum of activity and surprising cultural events. All of this is here within a small area:
shopping, strolling, theatre, culture, art, restaurants. Be ready for natural relaxation and
excitement, for life in the towns on the Swabian Alb.
Schwäbish Gmünd’s Rococo Palace
Ulm-Wiblingen monastery library

”Becher” dance

History At the heart of things Celebrate, naturally

Pure romanticism Simply enjoy Buy Buy

Reutlingen

Every Swabian Alb town has a unique atmosphere of its

own, a special history whose repercussions can still be felt today. The first
Swabian university was founded in Tübingen in 1477. You will also find homes to the intellect
in Reutlingen and Nürtingen with their renowned technical colleges. Schwäbisch Gmünd, the oldest
Hohenstaufen city and former imperial city, is famous for its jewellery and design industry The Hohenstaufen city
Göppingen was influenced by Emperor Barbarossa and more recently by model railways, Giengen an der Brenz was founded
by the Hohenstaufens and is now famous for teddy bears, and Gottlieb Daimler was born in the Hohenstaufen town Schorndorf.
And although Aalen received its charter from the Hohenstaufens, it was a Roman metropolis as early as 150 BC, as was Heidenheim.
Ellwangen, Rottenburg and Blaubeuren have been shaped by a centuries-old spiritual tradition. The former imperial free city of Ulm
developed into a great trading centre from the 11th century on. And the former imperial city of Esslingen, as well as the city of Plochingen, were
early pioneers in the industrialization of the mid-Neckar region. Industries that have developed out of centuries-old craft trades in combination
with new, creative products: this is also typical of the ”textile towns” such as Albstadt, Münsingen and Metzingen. Tuttlingen is famous for
medical equipment, while Geislingen (with its five valleys) and Kirchheim unter Teck are renowned for metal goods, and Trossingen, the
harmonica town, for musical instruments. With their palaces and castles, residential seats such as Hechingen, Balingen, Haigerloch or
Sigmaringen are testimony to former rulers, especially the Hohenzollerns. Bad Urach, which today is one of the most frequented health
resorts in Germany, was for decades the residence of the Counts of Württemberg, and an important Alemannic settlement long before
that. And the history of Ehingen on the Danube, once a Lower Austrian town, or of the Württemberg country town Pfullingen,
reaches back to earliest Alemannic times. Diversity, history, tradition and modernity, festivals and celebration – the towns of the
Swabian Alb have a lively mixture for you.
24
 Dive in and come alive

Swimming pools
Fun for all the family, and especially for children.
That’s what the swimming pools on the Swabian Alb
offer. Swim in sea-like waves, slide down huge chutes,
play with sea monsters, lie on sunbeds, or relax outside
or inside. There are also jacuzzis, restaurants, cafés,
saunas, play areas, and much, much more. Enjoy!
Aalen Limes Thermen Tel. +49 (0) 73 61 / 9 49 30
Adelberg Wellenbad Klosterpark Tel. +49 (0) 7166 / 311
Albstadt badkap Tel. +49 (0) 74 31 / 7 20 72
Bad Urach Aquadrom Tel. +49 (0) 71 25 / 16 66
Blaustein Bad Blau Tel. +49 (0) 73 04 / 802-62/64
Ellwangen Wellenbad Tel. +49 (0) 79 61 / 5 22 80
Heidenheim Aquarena Tel. +49 (0) 73 21 / 32 81 30
Ulm Atlantis Tel. +49 (0) 7 31 / 98 59 90
”badkap”, Albstadt
A l b

Aalen Touristik-Service Aalen · Marktplatz 2 · 73430 Aalen · Tel. +49 (0) 73 61 /52-23 58 · Fax 52-19 07 · touristik-service@aalen.de · www.aalen.de

Albstadt Tourist-Information · Marktstr. 35 · 72458 Albstadt · Tel. +49 (0) 74 31 / 160-12 04 · Fax 160-12 27 · stadtverwaltung@albstadt.de · www.albstadt.de

Bad Urach Tourist-Information · Bei den Thermen 4 · 72574 Bad Urach · Tel. +49 (0) 71 25 / 94 32-0 · Fax 94 32-22 · kbu@badurach.de · www.badurach.de

Balingen Tourist-Information · Neue Straße 33 · 72336 Balingen · Tel. +49 (0) 74 33 / 170-26 · Fax 170-127 · stadt@balingen.de · www.balingen.de

Blaubeuren Tourist-Information · Auf dem Graben 15 · 89143 Blaubeuren · Tel. +49 (0) 73 44 / 92 10 25 · Fax 96 69 36 · info@blaubeuren.de · www.blaubeuren.de
S w a b i a n

Ehingen Tourist-Information · Marktplatz 1 (Rathaus) · 89584 Ehingen (Donau) · Tel. +49 (0) 73 91 / 503-0 · Fax 503-222 · info@ehingen.de · www.ehingen.de

Ellwangen Tourist-Information · Spitalstraße 4 · 73479 Ellwangen (Jagst) · Tel. +49 (0) 79 61 / 84-303 · Fax 5 52 67 · info@ellwangen.de · www.ellwangen.de

Esslingen Stadtinformation · Marktplatz 2 · 73728 Esslingen · Tel. +49 (0) 7 11 / 35 12 33 30 · Fax 35 12 33 31 · info@esslingen-touristik.de · www.esslingen.de

Geislingen Touristik- und Kulturbüro · Schillerstr. 2 · 73301 Geislingen · Tel. +49 (0) 73 31 / 24-362 / -266 · Fax 24-376 · info@geislingen.de · www.geislingen.de

Giengen Tourist-Information · Im Schlössle 11 · 89537 Giengen an der Brenz · Tel. +49 (0) 73 22 / 952-292 · Fax 952-264 · info@giengen.de · www.giengen.de
a. d. Brenz

Göppingen Tourist-Information · Hauptstr. 1 · 73033 Göppingen · Tel. +49 (0) 71 61 / 650-292 · Fax 650-299 · touristinfo@goeppingen.de · www.goeppingen.de

Haigerloch Tourist-Information · Oberstadtstraße 11 · 72072 Haigerloch · Tel. +49 (0) 74 74 / 697-0 · Fax 697-725 · verkehrsamt@haigerloch.de · www.haigerloch.de

Hechingen Tourist-Information · Marktplatz 11 · 72379 Hechingen · Tel. +49 (0) 74 71 / 940-114 · Fax 940-108 · tourist-info@hechingen.de · www.hechingen.de

Heidenheim Tourist-Information · Hauptstraße 34 · 89522 Heidenheim · Tel. +49 (0) 73 21 / 327-340 · Fax 327-687 · rathaus@heidenheim.de · www.heidenheim.de

Kirchheim Verkehrsamt · Max-Eyth-Straße 15 · 73230 Kirchheim u. Teck · Tel. +49 (0) 70 21 / 30 27 · Fax 48 05 38 · tourist@kirchheim-teck.de · www.kirchheim-teck.de
t h e

unter Teck

Metzingen Stadt Metzingen · Stuttgarter Str. 2-4 · 72555 Metzingen · Tel. +49 (0) 71 23 / 925-0 · Fax 925-210 · metzingen.de@t-online.de · www.metzingen.de

Münsingen Tourist-Information · Bachwiesenstr. 7 · 72525 Münsingen · Tel. +49 (0) 73 81 / 182-0 · Fax 182-101 · touristinfo@muensingen.de · www.muensingen.de

Nürtingen Information · Marktstraße 7 · 72622 Nürtingen · Tel. +49 (0) 70 22 / 75-381 · Fax 0 70 22 / 75-380 · stadt@nuertingen.de · www.nuertingen.de

Pfullingen Tourist-Information · Marktplatz 5 · 72793 Pfullingen · Tel. +49 (0) 71 21 / 703-0 · Fax 703-213 · info@pfullingen.de · www.pfullingen.de
o f

Plochingen Kulturamt Plochingen · Schulstraße 7 · 73207 Plochingen · Tel. +49 (0) 71 53 / 70 05-0 · Fax 70 05-199 · krepela@plochingen.de · www.plochingen.de

Reutlingen Tourist-Information · Listplatz 1 · 72764 Reutlingen · Tel. +49 (0) 71 21 / 303-26 22 · Fax 33 95 90 · webmaster@reutlingen.de · www.reutlingen.de

Rottenburg Info-Center · Marktplatz 18 · 72108 Rottenburg · Tel. +49 (0) 74 72 / 91 62 36 · Fax 91 62 33 · rottenburg@gmx.de · www.rottenburg.de
T o w n s

Schorndorf Bürgermeisteramt · Öffentlichkeitsarbeit · Marktplatz 1 · 73614 Schorndorf · Tel. +49 (0) 71 81 / 602-103 · Fax 602-160 · melanie.wischkony@schorndorf.de

Schwäbisch I-Punkt · Marktplatz 37/1 · 73525 Schwäbisch Gmünd · Tel. +49 (0) 71 71 / 603-42 50 · Fax 603-42 99 · tourist-info@schwaebisch-gmuend.de · www.schwaebisch-gmuend.de
Gmünd
Sigmaringen Städtisches Verkehrsamt · Schwabstr. 1 · 72488 Sigmaringen · Tel. +49 (0) 75 71 / 10 62 23 · Fax 10 61 66 · tourismus@sigmaringen.de · www.sigmaringen.de

Trossingen Tourismus-Information · Hohnerstr.23 · 78647 Trossingen · Tel. +49 (0) 74 25 / 32 68 83 · Fax 32 69 85 · kultur-gmbh@trossingen.de · www.trossingen.de

Tübingen Tourist-Information · An der Neckarbrücke · 72072 Tübingen · Tel. +49 (0) 70 71 / 91 36-0 · Fax 3 50 70 · mail@tuebingen-info.de · www.tuebingen-info.de

Tuttlingen- Touristik- und Verkehrsbüro · Hermann-Leiber-Str. 4 · 78532 Tuttlingen-Möhringen · Tel. +49 (0) 74 62 / 34-0 und 9482-20 · Fax 75 72 · Info@Tuttlingen.de · www.tuttlingen.de
Möhringen
Ulm/ Tourist-Information Ulm/Neu-Ulm · Münsterplatz 50 (Stadthaus) · 89073 Ulm · Tel. +49 (0) 7 31 / 161-28 30 / - 28 00 · Fax 161-16 46 · unt@tourismus.ulm.de · www.ulm.de/tourismus
Neu-Ulm
Aalen
Roman Festival – every even year:
on the last weekend in September.
Europe's largest meeting of Romans on
the fortress site and in the Limes Museum
Albstadt
TOP E
Air day at Degerfeld:
on the last weekend in August every year.
There is always room in the sky: balloon
trips, gliding, air show and much more

Bad Urach Balingen Blaubeuren Ehingen

Urach Shepherds’ Race: Art exhibitions in the municipal hall: Theme-based hiking day: Ehingen Jazz Festival:
in June/July every odd year. Grand hi- from June to Sept. every odd year. always on 1 May. New topic each every year, on the second weekend in
storical and traditional festival, original- International exhibitions have fea- year, such as: ”How does water get October. Exciting program for jazz
ly the meeting of the shepherds’ guild tured Picasso, Chagall and Klee onto the Alb?” and blues fans, on 10 stages

NO
RD

Ellwangen
Kalter Markt:
begins every year on the Monday
after Epiphany. Has been one of
Baden-Württemberg’s major horse
markets since 1353.
Esslingen
Onion Festival:
end of July/beginning of August every year.
Onions versus the Devil. A magnificent
festival with wine and Swabian specialities.

Geislingen
Children’s Festival and procession:
always on the Monday before the
summer holidays. One of the best-
known and oldest German festivals.
Giengen
International Vintage Teddy Bear Rally:
always on the 3rd Sunday in August.
Bears for the ladies, gleaming vintage
cars for the men.

Göppingen May Days Festival, from
Friday to Monday:
in May/June, Göppingen always cele-
brates the withdrawal of troops from
the undestroyed town in 1650.
Haigerloch
Haigerloch Palace Concert Festival:
annual concert series – Baden-Würt-
temberg Intern. Festival: always from
Ascension Day to the end of July.
Hechingen Christmas market in
Hohenzollern Castle: always on the
first weekend in Advent. Unadulterated
Christmas market romanticism against a
historically unique backdrop.
Heidenheim
Opera Festival at Heidenheim Palace:
World-renowned artists in a musical
”stronghold”. A fine overture to the
open-air season.

26
VENTS
Münsingen
Town Festival: always on the last
weekend before the summer holidays.
Entertainment, hustle and bustle,
good Swabian food and drink.
Tübingen
Punt race on the Neckar:
always on the second Thursday in
June. The Oxford and Cambridge boat
race is a dry affair by comparison.
Nürtingen
Maientag – traditional festival for
schoolchildren:
every year in mid-May, Nürtingen’s
schoolchildren live it up.
Plochingen
Plochinger Marquardtfest:
always on the 2nd weekend in July Plochingen
celebrates its town festival to remember his fa-
mous medival citizen Marquardt v. Randeck.
Tuttlingen
Honberg Concert Summer: every year
in July, 18 days of outstanding concerts in
the courtyard in the castle ruins. A festival
under canvass in a unique setting.
27
Kirchheim
Haft und Hekafescht: always on the
last weekend in June. Traditional
town festival. Visitors are invited to
join in the fun. Open air concerts.
Pfullingen
May Market: always on the first Sat-
urday in May. All the bustle of a tra-
ditional fair. Roundabouts, stalls, beer
tent …
Rottenburg Swabian-Alemannic
Fastnet (carnival): every year, from
the Thursday before Ash Wednesday
till Ash Wednesday. Uninhibited mer-
rymaking and good cheer.
Celebrations without end: the
towns of the Swabian Alb have
exciting events in store for you all
the year round. Welcome!
Schwäbisch Gmünd
Carnival Music Festival:
always two weekends before Ash
Wednesday. Cacophony and high
spirits.
Trossingen
Kilbemärt: every year on the last
weekend in September. Autumn mar-
ket and conviviality – three days of
unfettered enjoyment.
Metzingen
Seven Winepresses Grape Harvest Fes-
tival: always in the third week in Octo-
ber. The town winepress becomes a
pub. pure Swabian enjoyment.
Reutlingen Mutscheltag: always on the
Thursday after Epiphany. All the bakers
bake them, and everyone in Reutlingen
tries to win them: the golden Mutscheln
buns with their wonderful aroma.
Schorndorf
Schorndorf Wine Market:
every year, on the first weekend in
September, Schorndorf celebrates its
traditional wine market.
Sigmaringen
Town Festival in the historical town centre:
on the last weekend in June every year.
Three days and nights of merrymaking
till the old walls shake.
Ulm Schwörmontag and water
procession: every year on the last but
one Monday in July. Ulm’s version of
Carnival. On the Danube – good wet
fun in the middle of summer.
 CASTLES AN ON THE

Albstadt – Lautlingen
Staufenberg Palace with the Jehle HOHENZOLLERN CASTLE
collection of musical artefacts.
Opening hours: Wed., Sat. Sun.
and public holidays 2-5 p.m.,
museum office (Ms. Goebel),
Tel. +49 (0) 74 31/ 1 60 14 65 or
Tourist-Information Albstadt,
Tel. +49 (0) 74 31 / 1 60 12 04

Aalen
Fachsenfeld Palace
Opening hours: Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m. -
noon, 2-5 p.m., weekdays by arrange-
ment. Palace office: Tel. +49 (0) 73
66 / 27 93
Bad Urach
Hohenurach Castle ruins
Hohenwittlingen Castle ruins
both ruins are accessible to the
public. For information, contact:
Kurverwaltung Bad Urach,
Tel. +49 (0) 71 25 / 94 32-0

Hohenzollern-Bisingen
Hohenzollern Castle
16 Mar. - 15 Oct. daily 9 a.m. - 5.30 p.m., 16 Oct. - 15 Mar. daily 9 a.m. -
4.30 p.m. Castle office: Tel. +49 (0) 74 71 / 24 28

Bad Urach Balingen

Bad Urach Town Palace
Guided tours by arrangement, visits
also without guide. Palace office (Mr.
Maier), Tel. +49 (0) 71 25 / 15 82 20
Zollern Palace
Opening hours on request,
Scarcely anywhere can
Stadtarchiv & Museen,
Tel. +49 (0) 74 33 / 170-216 match the Swabian Alb
for its many castles.

Bopfingen Dischingen Ehingen Ellwangen

Baldern Palace
16 Mar. - 31 Oct. Tue. - Sun. 9 a.m. -
5 p.m. Palace office, Tel. +49 (0) 73
62 / 43 22
Katzenstein Castle
Bürgermeisteramt Dischingen,
Tel. +49 (0) 73 27 / 820
Mochental Palace Art gallery and
broom museum. Tue. - Fri. 10 a.m. -
noon & 2-5 p.m., Sat. 2-5 p.m., Sun.
10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Ewald & Dorothea
Schrade, Ehingen-Mochental,
Tel. +49 (0) 73 75 / 418 + 419
Ellwangen Palace
only Palace museum open to visitors:
Tue. - Fri. 2-5 p.m., Sat., Sun. & pub-
lic holidays 10 a.m. - noon, 2-5 p.m.
Grounds open to the public. Tel. +49
(0) 79 61 / 5 43 80 od. Tourist-Infor-
mation +49 (0) 79 61 / 8 43 03

Geislingen/Steige
Helfenstein Castle ruins
open to the public. Tourist informa-
tion: Verkehrsamt in der MAG,
Tel. +49 (0) 73 31 /24 266

Former town palace of the Counts of

Helfenstein
not open to visitors (council offices)

Göppingen
Hohenstaufen Castle ruins
open to the public. Tourist-Informa-
tion Göppingen, Tel. +49 (0) 71 61 /
65 02-92, -93, Fax -99
Göppingen
Renaissance Palace with vines
Mon. - Fri. during District Court
opening hours. Tourist-Information
Göppingen, Tel. +49 (0) 71 61 / 65
02-92, -93, Fax -99
Haigerloch
Haigerloch Palace
with the exception of the gallery, inte-
rior not open to visitors (hotel, confer-
ence centre). Verkehrsamt Haigerloch,
Tel. +49 (0) 74 74 / 69 3-0
Hayingen
Derneck Castle
Open to the public. Castle office
(Ms Stein), Tel. +49 (0) 73 83 / 12 97

28
D PALACES
SWABIAN ALB

LICHTENSTEIN CASTLE

Heidenheim Kirchheim unter Teck

Hellenstein Castle and Palace Hellen-
stein Palace Museum, opening hours:
Easter Sun. to 31 Oct.: Tue. - Sun.,
10 a.m. - noon, 2-5 p.m. Carriage
and Cart Museum, opening hours: 15
Mar. to 30 Nov.: Tue. - Sun., 10 a.m.
- noon, 2-5 p.m. 1 May. to 31 Oct.:
Sun. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tourist-Inform.
Teck Castle
Swabian Alb Association hikers’ hos-
tel. Opening hours: daily from 9
a.m., closed Mon. 2 p.m. - Wed. 8
a.m. , Tel. +49 (0) 7021 / 5 52 08

Lichtenstein
Lichtenstein Castle
Apr. - Oct.: daily 9 a.m. - noon, 1-5.30 p.m., Sun. and public holidays 9 a.m. -
5.30 p.m. Nov., Feb., Mar.: Sat. Sun., public holidays 9 a.m. - noon, 1-5 p.m.
Closed Dec. and Jan. Castle office (Mr. Wälder), Tel. +49 (0) 71 29 / 41 02

Lauchheim Leibertingen
THE CASTLES OF THE GREAT LAUTER VALLEY Kapfenburg Palace Wildenstein Castle
by arrangement, grounds open to the Tel. +49 (0) 74 66 / 411, Fax 417
public. Mr. Hacker, Tel. +49 (0) 73 63
/ 96 18-0

Reutlingen
Achalm Castle ruins
open to the public, Verkehrsamt
Reutlingen, Tel. +49 (0) 71 21 / 3 03-
25 26 oder 3 03-26 22

Rottenburg (Neckar)
Weitenburg Palace
privately owned, grounds, courtyard
and palace chapel open to visitors
(hotel, conference centre), Schloss
Neuffen Weitenburg, Tel. +49 (0) 74 57 /
Hohenneuffen Castle ruins 9 33-0
Great Lauter valley open to the public, Bürgermeisteramt
Bichishausen Castle ruins, Hohengundelfingen Castle ruins, Nieder- Neuffen, Tel. +49 (0) 70 25 / 106-0
gundelfingen Castle ruins, Hohenhundersingen Castle ruins
all open to the public
Tourist-Information Münsingen, Tel. +49 (0) 73 81 / 1 82-145

Tuttlingen
Honberg Castle ruins
open to the public, Touristik- und
Verkehrsbüro Tuttlingen-Möhringen,
Tel. +49 (0) 74 62 / 340 or 94 82-29

Wiesensteig
Helfenstein Palace
by request, Schlossverwaltung,
Tel. +49 (0) 73 35 / 27 21

Schwäbisch Gmünd Sigmaringen Tübingen Wiesensteig

Rechberg Castle ruins: Wed. – Sun.
from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (closes earlier
in inclement weather) Schw. Gmünd,
Tel. +49 (0) 71 71 / 6 03-455,
Fax -459, tourist-info@schwaebisch-
gmuend.de
Palace of the Princes of Hohen- Hohentübingen Palace Reussenstein Castle ruins
zollern-Sigmaringen: May - Oct. 9 Visitors can walk around the outside, open to the public, Verkehrsamt
a.m. - 4.45 p.m., Nov., Feb. - Apr. the palace courtyard and the gateway Wiesensteig, Tel. +49 (0) 73 35 /
daily from 9.30 a.m. - 4.30 p.m. (museum on request). Verkehrsverein 96 20-0
Palace office, Schlossverwaltung, Tel. Tübingen, Tel. +49 (0) 71 24 / 41 23
+49 (0) 75 71 / 72 90
29
THE GERMA
SWABIAN ALB UPPER
In Donaueschingen, near to the south-west- Ulm and its cathedral – views as
ern corner of the Swabian Alb, the source far as the Alps.
of the Danube is to be found in the grounds
of the Royal Fürstenberg Palace. At a length Ulm is the site of Germany’s sec-
of 2,800 km, the Danube is Europe’s second ond largest Gothic church,
longest river, which, after passing though which has the world’s highest
many different land- Arbeitsgemeinschaft church steeple (161.5 mtrs). It
Deutsche Donau
scapes and countries, Postfach 1540 also has a fascinating historical
flows into the Black Sea. 86620 Neuburg a.d. Donau
Tel. +49 (0) 84 31 / 5 72 17 city centre, with a romantic fish-
Fax +49 (0) 84 31 / 5 73 08 ermen’s quarter. Ulm’s museum
www.deutsche-donau.de
info@deutsche-donau.de with its prehistoric collection,
Source of the Danube – the the city hall (1370) and the
start of a fascinating river. annual Christmas market are
Danube gorge in the Upper also worth a visit.
Ulm Cathedral
The fountain in which the source Danube national park –
of the Danube has been set is to picturesque scenery in the midst
be found in the north-western of nature.
corner of Donaueschingen’s
palace grounds. The Royal After disappearing completely
Fürstenberg Palace with its near Tuttlingen (it seeps under-
renowned art gallery and zoo- ground), the Danube then cuts a
logical and mineralogical collec- gorge though the Swabian Alb.
tions, and St. John’s church, built The steep craggy cliffs are a
in the Bohemian Baroque style, breathtaking sight at any time of DONAUWÖRTH
are also well worth visiting. year. Not far from this natural
Donaueschingen itself has many spectacle, the visitor will find
art nouveau buildings. ULM
sites of cultural interest: Beuron
monastery, Sigmaringen Palace
NEU-ULM
and Heuneberg, a Celtic site
Donauwörth, Reichsstraße
near Herbertingen.

SIGMARINGEN
Source of the Danube
Danube gorge near Beuron

Donauwörth – imposing
houses with a story to tell.
TUTTLINGEN
Reichstrasse is the main street
DONAUESCHINGEN throughDonauwörth.See the C 15th
Tanzhaus, the town hall (built
betw. the C 13th and 19th), the cus-
toms house with its Late Gothic
bay window, the Baudrexel, the
Fuggerhaus (C 15th/16th).
30
N DANUBE
BAVARIA EASTERN BAVARIA
Walhalla – this monumental
Regensburg – experience an Parthenon with the busts of
unspoilt mediaeval metropolis at famous Germans was built for
Regensburg, cathedral and Steinerne Brücke
first hand. Ludwig I of Bavaria between
1830 and 1842.
Walhalla
Practically untouched by the
destruction of war, Regensburg
has almost 1500 historic build-
ings for the visitor. Probably
among the most splendid are the
Steinerne Brücke bridge, the old
town hall, the Porta Praetoria,
the History Museum and REGENSBURG
WALHALLA
St. Peter’s Cathedral, where you
can hear the world-famous PASSAU
Regensburg Domspatzen choir
every Sunday at 9 a.m.
Passau Cathedral
INGOLSTADT

KELHEIM
NEUBURG

Danube gorge near Weltenburg monastery

Neuburg Palace

Passau – a 2000-year-old town

at the confluence of the Danube,
Inn and Ilz.

Weltenburg monastery – where Celtic settlement, Roman for-

Neuburg on the Danube – a ro-
mantic town on a romantic river.
Perched on a limestone promon-
tory overlooking the Danube,
Neuburg is a picturesque town
full of Renaissance and Baroque
buildings erected by the enterpris-
ing Neuburg princes. The most
outstanding reminders of this
heyday (from the 15th century on)
are the Grünau hunting lodge,
the residential palace, Karlsplatz
square and the Hofkirche church.
the Danube again cuts a pic-
turesque gorge through the
mountains.
The Benedictine monastery at
Weltenburg is one of Bavaria’s
oldest monasteries, with the
world’s oldest monastery bre-
wery. Set directly on the Danube
gorge, the visitor can explore
this magnificent scenery – which
has won a European award as an
area of outstanding natural
beauty – by boat.
31
tress, prince-bishopric – Pas-
sau’s history is in evidence
everywhere in the town. There
are the picturesque old town,
the town hall chambers, the
Roman Museum, Boiotro
fortress, Veste Oberhaus Palace,
St. Paul’s church, St. Michael’s
church, Niederburg abbey with
Gisela’s tomb, St. Nicola’s uni-
versity church, Maria Hilf pil-
grimage church and St. Severin’s
church, while St. Steven’s Cathe-
dral has the world’s largest
organ.
CONTACT ADDRESSES
Schwäbische Alb Arbeitsgemeinschaft Representative for USA/Canada
Tourismusverband Deutsche Donau Jessica Tours & Travel Enterprise

Marktplatz 1 Postfach 1540 Jessica Nagpal

D-72574 Bad Urach
Tel. +49 (0) 71 25 / 94 81-06
Fax +49 (0) 71 25 / 94 81-08
tgsa@schwaebischealb.de
www.schwaebischealb.de
D-86620 Neuburg/Donau
Tel. +49 (0) 84 31 / 5 72 17
Fax +49 (0) 84 31 / 5 73 08
info@deutsche-donau.de
www.deutsche-donau.de
Director of Sales & Marketing
P.O. Box 3689
New York NY 10163
Tel. 001 718-847-7300
Fax 001 718 441-5949
JjessieN@aol.com

JTT
explore & discover

DETAILED HELP WITH YOUR PLANS

”The Swabian Alb – Informa- Information, Tips and Facts for

tion, Addresses and Maps”
In this brochure you will find
everything you need for a success-
ful visit to the Swabian Alb:
detailed information (such as
addresses and opening hours),
details on topics such as culture,
leisure, castles, museums, country-
side, health, and much more, in-
formative outline maps and many
contact addresses for further infor-
mation. The brochure is available
free of charge from Schwäbische
Alb Tourismusverband (see above).
a Carefree Journey Along the
German Danube
This brochure lists and describes
the holiday resorts along the Ger-
man stretch of the Danube, from
Donaueschingen to Passau. It also
provides useful tips on hiker’s hos-
tels, youth hostels, camp sites,
cycle hire and repairs, canoeing,
etc. The brochure is available free
of charge from ARGE Deutsche
Donau (see above).

Publishing details

Published by:
Schwäbische Alb Tourismusverband
Marktplatz 1
D-72574 Bad Urach
Tel. +49 (0) 71 25 / 94 81-06
Fax +49 (0) 71 25 / 94 81-08
tgsa@schwaebischealb.de
www.schwaebischealb.de
Supporting your natural recovery on the Swabian Alb:
Idea, text and design:
www.klumpp-kommunikation.de

Photographs:
Rainer Fieselmann, members of the
Schwäbische Alb Tourismusverbandes,
Bernd Klumpp

Mapwork:
Johannes Kiefer, Ulm
32
Discover
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 Your airport at the centre of Europe
Stuttgart Airport, at the heart of Europe, is an ideal base for discovering south
Germany’s most beautiful sights, and lies directly at the foot of the Swabian
Alb. It has everything for the perfect business or holiday flight experience. Its
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nd B27 trunk road ● 5 scheduled and
ar hire companies in the charter flights ●
erminal (Avis, Europcar, approx. 8 million
Hertz, National Car passengers in 2001
ental, Sixt). ● 7000 employees
at the airport

Stuttgart Airport
Contact: Flughafen Stuttgart GmbH · Marketing · Postfach 23 04 61 · 70624 Stuttgart · Telefon: 0049 (711) / 948-2461 · Fax:
3765 eMail: hadbawnik@airport-stuttgart.de · www.airport-stuttgart.de
Guided tours: call +49 (0) 711 / 948-2326 · Round flights: for information call +49 (0) 711 / 948-4843