Nickenich: Roman History and Volcanism

Nickenich offers several different ways to enjoy your holiday: Roman tombs, a Celtic Tree Circle and insights into the volcanic history of the surrounding area. The routes also vary considerably in length. If you are looking for a holiday destination where nature and culture both play a part, these specific themes make it easy to get a sense of what Nickenich has to offer.

Roman Tombs and Celtic Tree Lore

The tumulus in Nickenich is a Roman tomb with an elaborate circular stone structure. It was built from tuff from the Meurin Roman mine. The tumulus is located by the Nickenich sports ground. Another Roman tomb in the form of a stele was unveiled in 2010. The two tombs give the town a clear connection to its Roman past; their different forms—a circular structure and a stele—each make their own impression.

The Celtic Tree Circle offers a different cultural perspective. It presents some aspects of ancient Celtic knowledge about trees, including the qualities attributed to trees and the division of the year into periods. There is an information board and benches at the Tree Circle. A path of about 100 metres leads from the Keller Kreuz/Heimschule car park to the site.

The Nickenich row of trees is 100 metres from the Tree Circle. It includes the ginkgo, the “Tree of the Millennium”, and the “Trees of the Year” from 2000 onwards. Information boards provide details about remarkable trees. This gives you the opportunity to explore both the traditional beliefs represented by the Tree Circle and the distinctive trees in the row.

Volcanic Traces and Trails

The Eppelsberg is a natural volcanic monument in Nickenich. Its deposits come from five different volcanic eruption phases. Information boards about volcanism are located at the viewpoint. The viewpoint can be reached after about 2 kilometres along a gently ascending forest path. These details link a specific route to a subject that can also be explored on site through the deposits of the Eppelsberg.

Nickenich also lies on the edge of the “Laacher See” nature reserve. This means that various nature-related themes are relevant to your holiday planning: the town’s location by the protected area and the volcanic origins of the Eppelsberg. Nickenich is also on the “German Volcano Route” and the “Road of the Romans”. The two route names point to different themes associated with the town—volcanism and Roman history.

There are several circular routes of clearly stated lengths for walks and hikes: the “Nickenicher Hochwald” circular route is 7 kilometres long, “Rund um den Hummerich” is 9 kilometres, and the “Von Aare Weg” is 9.5 kilometres. The “Pellenzer Seepfad” dream trail is considerably longer at 16 kilometres and has an elevation difference of 594 metres. The listed starting car parks are the Hotel Burgklause, the Kultur- und Infoscheune, the tumulus and Keller Kreuz. The route lengths and stated elevation difference can help you choose a trail to suit the distance you have planned for the day; they do not provide any further information about trail conditions or walking time.

Deciding Whether Nickenich Is Right for Your Holiday

If you are considering whether a holiday apartment in Nickenich would suit your stay, use your interests as a guide: would you like to discover Roman tombs and learn about trees, take a closer look at volcanism, or plan one of the circular routes of varying lengths? The highlights described here offer specific guidance without limiting you to just one kind of outing. For families, it may be helpful to take the stated route lengths into account when planning the day; these do not indicate walking time or difficulty. This way, you can connect your search for accommodation with the question of what you would like your holiday to include.

More places in this overview: Ochtendung, Lonnig, Niederelz, Baar, Lasserg, Kürrenberg, Löf, Kettig.

Back to the main travel overview: Mayen-Koblenz.