Mengen: Half-timbered houses, history and experiences
Accommodation in Mengen
Mengen combines the character of a half-timbered town with experiences centred on local history, cycling and culture. Half-timbered houses line its broad main street, and Mengen is also on the Upper Swabian Baroque Route. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, consider Mengen as a destination if half-timbered architecture and historical discoveries are part of the stay you have in mind.
Discover half-timbered houses and local history
The Alte Posthalterei (Old Post House) is housed in a half-timbered building dating from 1702. The building once served as a post house on the Thurn and Taxis postal route. Today, the Alte Posthalterei brings Mengen’s history to life, from its early settlement to modern times. On display are documents and finds from the town’s history, as well as the municipal art collection, with paintings by Gottfried Graf and Theo Barfus. There are also sculptures by Upper Swabian masters, spanning the Middle Ages to the Baroque period. A visit thus takes you from early traces of settlement through the town’s history to artworks from different eras.
A guided experience tour of Mengen puts historical characters in the spotlight: a carter, a washerwoman, a night watchman and a market woman appear along the way. Another tour combines a walk around town with historically inspired dishes. “In the Footsteps of the Habsburgs” includes three restaurants, and the dishes are intended to transport diners back to the time before 1806. These offer different ways to explore the town’s history: the collection at the Alte Posthalterei, the characters on the experience tour, and the combination of a walking tour and a meal.
Church, art and regional cuisine
The municipality is home to the Alte Kirche Rulfingen (Old Church of Rulfingen), a former village church dating from 1759, with a Late Gothic tower. It serves as a venue for cabaret, concerts, theatre and comedy. Since its official opening in 1999, more than 300 events have been held there. Its historic architecture and role as an event venue offer two different ways to enjoy a culturally focused stay.
Regional pasta specialities are another discovery in the municipality: the Gaggli NudelLaden offers more than 100 varieties of Buck pasta specialities. For visitors who want to combine cultural outings with regional cuisine, this is another specific aspect of a stay, alongside art and history.
Explore on foot and by bike
The Fuhrmannswanderwege (Carter’s Walking Trails) are marked with Mengen’s walking carter mascot, the Fuhrmännle. You can start in Mengen or in one of its districts. The Danube Cycle Path passes through Mengen, and there are also signposted cycling routes around the town. Mengen also takes part in the Donauentdeckertouren (Danube Discovery Tours) with Fuhrmannstour 1. This tour is listed as 46.1 km long, takes 3 hours and 10 minutes, and has an elevation gain of 168 m. The stated distance and elevation gain may help when choosing a cycling route.
Cyclists can make use of two specialist bike shops in Mengen, lockable bicycle boxes in the town centre and e-bike charging stations. These facilities complement the opportunity to explore the area on a cycling tour. If you prefer to get around on foot, the Archaeological Walking Trail in Mengen-Ennetach has 12 stations where you can learn more about Roman life along the Danube Limes.
The Zielfinger Seen Rollwanderweg (Zielfingen Lakes Accessible Walking Trail) is another option in the municipality. It is 8.5 km long and suitable for all types of wheelchairs, walking aids and pushchairs. This information can help you decide whether the trail suits your mobility needs. When planning your holiday, you can choose between local history, cycling routes, the archaeological walking trail and a walking trail explicitly suited to various mobility aids.
Discover more destinations
If you would like to continue planning your trip beyond Mengen, you can find more destinations here: Meßkirch, Illmensee, Scheer, Herbertingen, Hohentengen, Krumbach, Pfullendorf and Herdwangen-Schönach.
For the broader travel overview: Sigmaringen.
