Crailsheim: Discover history and nature

Crailsheim combines the city’s history with nature trails, green spaces and destinations by the water. There are also circular trails with a wide variety of themes and longer cycling routes. This lets you choose the focus of your stay: historical discoveries, active days or outings together in the countryside.

Discover the city’s history and architecture

The Crailsheim City Museum is housed in two buildings and the chapel of the former Holy Spirit Hospital, in a well-preserved historic part of the city. The water tower also tells a story of the past: it is one of the last structures of its kind and an industrial monument that points to Crailsheim’s significant railway history. A tour of the historic towers in the city centre brings together the city’s history and architecture. If you would rather explore the city with a particular theme in mind, you can plan guided city tours and themed tours focusing on individual buildings and selected aspects of the city’s history.

Walking trails with a range of themes

The 16 walking loops around Crailsheim combine nature and history. The circular routes are marked with yellow signs and lead to viewpoints as well as historically significant sites. There are also trails whose stops focus on a particular theme: the nature trail in Eichwald is 2.7 kilometres long and has 17 stations about tree species, their size, life expectancy and fruit. In Schönebürgwald, the approximately two-kilometre-long fitness trail passes a variety of exercise stations.

Another circular route shares knowledge in a different way: the Planet Trail begins at the villa on Kreckelberg and runs for around two kilometres, passing wooden markers from Mercury to Neptune. The progressively increasing distances, true to scale, illustrate the actual distances in the solar system. At around 1.5 kilometres, the nature trail at Degenbachsee near Jagstheim is shorter. Nine information boards introduce families to the animal and plant life around the lake. The different lengths and themes help you choose a suitable route, without implying that all trails offer the same experience.

Cycling routes and stages in Crailsheim

Crailsheim is the starting point for the Wäldertour Ost, a day ride of just under 75 kilometres. It leads through extensive forests and unspoilt villages and past numerous ponds and lakes. Crailsheim can also serve as a starting point or stopover on the approximately 332-kilometre Kocher-Jagst Cycle Route. The Kocher-Jagst Trail is a different route: Crailsheim is the destination of its second stage and the starting point of its third. Stage two runs from Kirchberg to Crailsheim, while stage three continues to Fichtenau-Wildenstein.

Those looking for mountain bike trails will find three legal routes of varying lengths in Crailsheim, established in 2024. Check current trail conditions before setting out. For a different kind of climbing, there is a bouldering block on the grounds of the Realschule am Karlsberg: climbers go without ropes, with a variety of routes and holds for all ages and ability levels.

Green spaces, water and family destinations

Spitalpark is a green space in the city centre, with wide lawns, shady paths and areas to lie down, making it a place to walk, linger and relax. The Jagstaue is also a local recreation area along the Jagst, with wide lawns and shady paths inviting you to enjoy a relaxed stroll. The Jagstaue is also home to the Horaffen playground, with numerous play structures as well as a water and sand area by the Jagst.

At Degenbachsee near Jagstheim, swimming, sunbathing and relaxing on warm days are among the leisure activities described. On Kreckelberg, the villa offers views over Crailsheim and the surrounding area from Wilhelmshöhe. The bird and animal park is right next to the villa and has various animal species, including birds and pygmy goats; it is designed with families in mind and has a playground.

Choose the focus of your stay

When looking for a holiday apartment in Crailsheim, you can first consider what you would like your holiday to centre on: the city’s history and architecture, themed trails, longer cycling trips or outings connected with nature and water. The options range from short circular walks to extensive cycling routes.

Discover more destinations: Gerabronn, Bühlerzell, Cröffelbach, Blaufelden, Michelbach An Der Bilz, Kirchberg An Der Jagst, Fichtenau, Bühlertann.

Back to the main travel overview: Schwäbisch Hall.