Bad Boll: Discover Spa History and Nature

Bad Boll combines a long spa history with distinctive natural sites: on a hill, the Romanesque Evangelical Collegiate Church of St. Cyriacus shapes the townscape, while the Teufelsloch-Kaltenwang nature reserve encompasses deep gorges, streams and ravines. There is also the historic spa park, a literary salon and trails for a range of discoveries. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Bad Boll, these contrasts can help you choose the focus of your stay: culture and local history, or nature and outdoor activities.

Nature Among Gorges and Orchard Meadows

The Teufelsloch-Kaltenwang nature reserve covers 122 hectares and stretches from the orchard meadows near Eckwälden to the Franzosenbrücke. The area includes deeply incised gorges, streams and ravines. One part of it is the 18-hectare Teufelsloch forest reserve. At the “Breiter Stein” waterfall bench, the water plunges around 50 metres. The area’s scale and varied landscape features give it a different character from the landscaped spa park: here, the focus is on gorges, water and forest.

The Boller Heide also offers a natural place to spend time. There is a shelter and a barbecue area where visitors can relax, picnic and barbecue. Children can discover nature on the surrounding trails. If you would like to combine an outing with a specific theme, you can follow the Badwäldle nature trail in the Bad Boll forest. Eleven information boards explain the forest’s role as a habitat and protective forest, as well as its importance as a place of economic activity and timber production.

Spa History and Culture in the Town

The history of the Historic Spa House dates back to 1595. That year, Heinrich Schickhardt built the first bathhouse on behalf of Duke Frederick I. The spa house is also home to the sulphur spring, dating from 1595, one of the oldest surviving traces of Bad Boll’s spa tradition. These details make the spa history tangible through specific places and objects, rather than reducing it to a general place name.

The spa park was laid out in 1823 and includes a historic covered promenade. It is open to all visitors; concerts are held there on Sundays from May to September. The Evangelical Collegiate Church of St. Cyriacus is a Romanesque building from the Hohenstaufen period and is open daily until nightfall. Above the spa house stands the small “Tempele” viewing pavilion, built in 1824 as a belvedere and a popular destination for walks.

Another cultural stop is Blumhardt’s Literary Salon in Villa Vopelius. It displays portraits, autographs and books belonging to notable figures such as Eduard Mörike, Ottilie Wildermuth, Hermann Hesse and Karl Barth. Admission is free, and the salon is open daily. You can choose between different highlights for your outings: the architectural history of the church and spa house, the literary collection or time spent in the park.

Hiking and Mountain Biking

The approximately 14.5-kilometre “Berta-Hörnle-Tour” starts at the Pappelweg hiking car park in Bad Boll. It follows the Sinneswandel past experience stations and leads to the Albtraufgänger quality hiking trail. The stated length can help you factor this route into your trip planning; no information about its duration or difficulty is provided.

Mountain bikers can take the Löwentrail “Teufelsloch loop”, a route around Bad Boll and Gruibingen with views of the foothills of the Swabian Jura. The options described therefore differ considerably: the Berta-Hörnle-Tour is described by its approximate length and route past experience stations, while the Löwentrail focuses on mountain biking and views of the Alb foothills. Whether you prefer to explore on foot or by mountain bike gives your search for a holiday apartment in Bad Boll a personal direction.

Discover More Places

Other destinations include Wäschenbeuren, Ebersbach An Der Fils, Donzdorf, Göppingen, Wiesensteig, Adelberg, Hattenhofen and Aichelberg.

Back to the main travel overview: Göppingen.