Gärtringen: Church, Mills and Trails in the Schönbuch

Gärtringen combines striking architectural history with discoveries in Rohrau and trails through Schönbuch Nature Park. You can focus your stay on culture, plan hikes and cycling tours, or combine different experiences. The holiday apartment that suits your trip therefore depends above all on which of these aspects of the area you would like to focus on.

Church, Mills and Culture in Gärtringen

St. Veit’s Church acquired its present appearance between 1485 and 1500. Remains of the defensive wall have been preserved; based on its overall layout and, in particular, the shape of its tower, the church can be classified as a fortified church. At this one building, you can encounter several aspects of its historical form: its present appearance, the surviving remains of the wall and its special classification as a fortified church.

In the district of Rohrau, the plaster and sand mill tells a different story: it was built in 1799 and later became a small museum, officially opened in March 1988. A historic smithy stands beside the sand mill. Together, the two form a museum complex and can be visited together. If you would like to experience the mill visit at a particular time, German Mill Day offers a special opportunity: the sand mill takes part every year on Whit Monday, is open then, and demonstrates sand milling live under original conditions at a mill gathering from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon.

Another cultural destination is Villa Schwalbenhof. An exhibition there commemorates Friedrich Sieburg (1893–1964); the rooms, preserved true to their original condition, where he lived illustrate his life and work. The municipal “Culture at the Villa” series includes cabaret, music, literature, theatre and children’s theatre. Visitors travelling with children can therefore enjoy not only historical exhibitions but also a stage format explicitly intended for children as part of the cultural programme.

Hiking and Cycling Around Gärtringen

In the district of Rohrau, a hiking trail follows the particularly picturesque Jägerpfad in the Schönbuch. The trail runs through Schönbuch Nature Park, which covers around 156 km². Three circular hikes proposed by the Gärtringen branch of the Black Forest Association are also available in Gärtringen. This gives you different options when planning a hike: the route along the Jägerpfad or one of the proposed circular hikes.

Cycling can also be part of your trip. Signposted cycle routes begin at Gärtringen S-Bahn station and head towards nearby communities, as well as Herrenberg and Böblingen. The ADFC also regularly offers guided cycling tours starting and finishing in Gärtringen. S-Bahn line 1 runs from Gärtringen station every half hour, and every 15 minutes during peak hours, directly towards Böblingen, Stuttgart and Kirchheim/Teck, as well as towards Herrenberg. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can therefore consider whether you would prefer to spend your days exploring hiking trails, cycling routes or cultural attractions.

More Experiences

Gärtringen’s solar-heated outdoor swimming pool has a 50-metre swimming pool, diving boards and platforms from 1 to 3 metres, a water slide, a large sunbathing lawn with shade and a sun deck. If you are looking for a special outdoor experience, the Kameloase offers one-hour camel rides through the countryside as well as taster riding sessions. Every year on the Sunday before the summer holidays, “Jazz in the Park” is also held at Kieferpark: a jazz matinée featuring the Hardt Stompers. These activities add different highlights to your trip, from swimming and animal experiences to music in the park.

Discover More Places

For further options, you can also visit the town pages for Rutesheim, Jettingen, Ehningen, Leonberg, Deckenpfronn, Weissach, Bondorf and Steinenbronn.

For the broader travel overview: Böblingen.