Odenwald: Castles, Sea of Rocks and Roman Traces
Accommodation in Odenwald
In the Odenwald, a castle more than 850 years old, a sea of rocks shaped by geological processes and Roman relics come together. The destinations offer different points of interest: at Breuberg Castle, you can explore medieval history, while at the Sea of Rocks, the focus is on rock formations and Roman stoneworking. There are also trekking opportunities and regional dishes. The experiences you want to combine can help determine where you stay and which holiday apartment you choose.
File:Odenwald - In the forest of the elves.jpg
Photo: Stefan Heß via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Rocks with a long history
The crystalline Odenwald contains plutonic rocks such as gabbro, diorite, granodiorite and granite, as well as metamorphic rocks. These rocks tell of geological events in the distant past: the metamorphic rocks provide evidence of a continent-continent collision that took place between 400 and 320 million years ago. Geological processes at the Sea of Rocks in Lautertal began more than 340 million years ago. The landscape can therefore also be read as natural history, with a different focus from the region’s historic sites.
At the Sea of Rocks, nature and the past come together. Numerous relics of Roman stoneworking from the 3rd and 4th centuries give the site historical significance. The Sea of Rocks Information Centre provides information about the formation of the Sea of Rocks, Roman stoneworking, the Siegfried Spring and the Bergstraße-Odenwald Nature Park. You can also book tours and talks through the centre on geological development, stoneworking, legends, wildlife and the habitat of Felsberg. This lets you tailor your visit to different interests, from looking at the rocks to learning how they were used in the past.
Castles and Roman heritage
Breuberg Castle is one of the largest and best-preserved castles in southern Germany. Its history spans more than 850 years, and the castle houses the Breuberg Museum. Those interested in castles and their long history will find a different way to explore the past here than at the Sea of Rocks. An adventure trail leads uphill from the historic market square in Neustadt to the castle. Along the way, there are viewing platforms and a large slide.
Roman-era heritage can also be found at several locations. The Odenwald Limes is one of the region’s Roman relics. Near Hummetroth lies the excavated and reconstructed Roman Villa Haselburg, a villa rustica dating from the 2nd century AD. At the Gottersdorf Open-Air Museum, visitors can experience the Odenwald’s past up close. In the southern Odenwald, Neckarsteinach is surrounded by four medieval castles. These examples offer different starting points for a trip focused more on Roman history, castles or life in times gone by.
Exploring and regional cuisine
The Odenwald has four nature-focused trekking camps for multi-day trips. Day stages link the camps, and the routes are suitable for a single day, a weekend or several days. Neckarsteinach also has a 5-kilometre car-free riverside promenade, with signposted hiking and cycling paths. During the summer months, boats operated by the White Fleet run regularly between Heidelberg and Neckarsteinach. When planning your outings, you can choose between trekking, riverside routes and a boat connection for different kinds of experiences.
The Sea of Rocks Information Centre has a bistro serving regional dishes. Odenwald inns also offer dishes such as green spelt and game. Farm shops and vending machines selling regional products provide supplies for outdoor cooking. If you like to round off the day with regional food or cook for yourself using local produce, you can take these interests into account when choosing where to stay.
Discover places in the Odenwald
If you’re looking for a specific place in the Odenwald, you can also consider these towns and municipalities: Reichelsheim, Brombachtal, Breuberg, Brensbach, Fränkisch-Crumbach, Michelstadt, Erbach, Lützelbach, Mossautal, Beerfelden, Rothenberg, Höchst Im Odenwald, Bad König, Hesseneck and Sensbachtal.
For the broader travel overview: Hesse.
