Neckarsteinach: Riverside Paths, Art and History

Neckarsteinach can be explored along the river, on a long riverside promenade and on a route that takes in the castles and old town. The paved riverside promenade is five kilometres long and free of car traffic. The audio-guide walk, around four kilometres long, leads from the mouth of the Steinach uphill along the riverside promenade to the four castles, back through the historic old town and to the information centre.

Along the Neckar

The promenade and audio-guide walk offer different kinds of routes: one is a five-kilometre riverside stretch, while the other is a route of around four kilometres taking in the Neckar, castles, old town and information centre. The historic ferry is also a useful way to get around the area. It runs between Neckarsteinach, Neckarhausen and Neckarhäuserhof daily on demand at the scheduled ferry times. If you plan to cross the river, check these times in advance.

Art and culture in town

The Treidlerbrunnen fountain stands on Treidlerplatz, near the Neckar. The ferry hut in Neckarsteinach was built in 1904 and is now a listed monument. Six works of art made of sandstone, wood, canvas and paint are installed along the Neckarsteinach Art Trail. The materials thus range from solid materials to canvas and paint; the trail brings together several artistic works along its route.

Educational tours of the church are offered at the Protestant church, during which participants actively explore the church interior. Depending on the group, they last 30 to 45 minutes; tours take place only during the summer months and by arrangement. The information centre in Neckarsteinach provides information on locations, topics and activities in the Bergstraße-Odenwald Nature Park, as well as on tourism in the town. It is also the endpoint of the audio-guide walk.

In the wider Bergstraße destination

At the regional level, there are further nature, hiking and food-and-wine experiences to discover. In the Bergstraße district, gentle vineyards meet the Odenwald. In Heppenheim, the “Wine & Stone” adventure trail is around 6.9 kilometres long and has around 70 information stations. The annual autumn hike along the trail takes place on 3 October from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; along the route, hikers can enjoy wines and food at five stations in the vineyards. Check the event details before making plans.

Riesling is the Bergstraße’s characteristic white wine grape, while Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) dominates among red wines. Visitors can sample Roter Riesling and other Bergstraße specialities directly from producers, in wine taverns or at wine festivals. For longer hikes, the 120-kilometre Burgensteig Bergstraße, with nine stages, offers a route of its own. The Nibelungensteig leads from Zwingenberg via the Felsenmeer and Grasellenbach and continues through the Odenwald to Freudenberg on the Main.

Culture and family activities are also among the region’s options: Lorsch Abbey is home to one of the best-preserved Carolingian buildings north of the Alps; the abbey was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991. Public tours are offered for groups of two or more; check current times and prices for your visit. At the Lauresham open-air laboratory, families can explore the grounds on their own with an explorer’s kit. It contains activities, puzzles and experiments; check the applicable opening conditions.

When looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide what you would most like to focus on: Neckarsteinach itself, with its riverside promenade, audio walk and cultural sites, or other Bergstraße experiences such as wine, longer hiking trails and Lorsch. This way, you can choose a location based on the experiences you would like to include in your stay.

Discover more destinations: Lorsch, Lampertheim, Gorxheimertal, Groß-Rohrheim, Birkenau, Mörlenbach, Lindenfels, Hirschhorn am Neckar.

Back to the main travel overview: Bergstraße.