Öpfingen: History and Routes

Öpfingen combines local history with a stage of the Way of St. Martin. When looking for hotels, you can consider whether architectural history, guided tours of the town or the route should be the focus of your stay. The wider travel destination of the Alb-Donau district offers further cultural and hiking topics.

Öpfingen: Local History and the Way of St. Martin

The choir of the parish church in Öpfingen has a late medieval core and was given a Baroque makeover in 1708. Its architectural history thus combines an older core with a later transformation that can be dated precisely. For a trip focused on cultural history, the church provides a specific connection to the town.

The ground floor of the Lower Castle houses the municipal administration, a council chamber and a cultural space. These rooms serve different municipal functions within the same building. The castle’s uses thus complement the architectural history of the parish church with another local connection.

The stage of the Way of St. Martin from Erbach to Ehingen passes through Öpfingen. If you include this route in your plans, check the latest route information before setting out. Renate Teske is named as a local guide for town tours. Check in advance whether a tour is available and when, if you would like to plan one into your trip.

Cultural Topics in the Alb-Donau District

The wider travel destination of the Alb-Donau district features prehistoric topics alongside monastic and architectural history. The Hohle Fels cave, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the place where the “Venus of Hohle Fels” and the “Geierknochenflöte” (Vulture Bone Flute) were found, is near Schelklingen. Both finds are around 42,500 years old. Another prehistoric highlight is the Stone Age village of Ehrenstein in Blaustein. The Neolithic settlement lies in the Blau Valley and is part of the transnational serial UNESCO World Heritage Site “Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps.”

The history of the monasteries spans a different period. Blaubeuren Monastery was founded as a Benedictine monastery in 1085. Today, it consists mainly of Gothic buildings dating from 1466 to 1510. The former Premonstratensian abbey of Obermarchtal is in the Alb-Donau district; its complex rises directly above the Danube and took on its present form between 1686 and 1795. The Alb-Donau district is also part of the Swabian Alb Biosphere Reserve.

Hiking and Cycling Tours in the Alb-Donau District

You can also choose among the hiking options based on distance and tour format. The 20 “Eiszeitpfade” (Ice Age Trails) circular routes are 6 to 14 km long and suitable for day hikes. The family-friendly “Eiszeitspuren” (Ice Age Tracks) cover 1 to 6 km. The Path of Reflection is designed for multi-day tours. The options listed therefore differ according to clear planning criteria: a day hike, a shorter route or a multi-day tour.

Three themed options are available for cycling trips in the region: the “Eiszeittäler” (Ice Age Valleys) tour is 75 km long, the “Berg Bier-Tour” 115 km, and the “Albtäler” cycle route 186 km. The “Albtäler” has been awarded four stars. The route lengths give you a concrete basis for comparing cycling options, while the hiking trails here are described by length and tour format.

Discover more destinations: Setzingen, Berghülen, Dornstadt, Erbach, Lonsee, Staig, Rammingen, Weidenstetten.

Back to the wider travel overview: Alb-Donau district.