Eichstetten am Kaiserstuhl: Geo-Path, views and village history

Eichstetten am Kaiserstuhl is a wine- and vegetable-growing village. The Geo-Path, Eichelspitze Tower, village museum and historic archaeological sites offer concrete points of reference to help you decide which themes should shape your trip most.

Geology on the Geo-Path

The Geo-Path is 9.4 kilometres long and has 13 stops covering geological and geographical features. It explains how Kaiserstuhl rocks such as phonolite and carbonatite formed, while also addressing the influence of past and present agriculture on nature. This means the trail links Earth’s history with the question of how agriculture affects nature.

Along the route are old quarries, terraced woodland and a 35-metre-long walk-through loess tunnel. The starting point is at the seed garden at the upper end of Altweg; the Geo-Path runs mostly along unpaved paths. The route length and surface are practical details for planning your day, while the stops cover geological and geographical topics.

Landscape of the Kaiserstuhl

The landscape around Eichstetten in the Kaiserstuhl includes loess gullies, species-rich dry grassland, vineyard terraces and mixed forests on the heights. The landscape thus ranges from open, dry areas to wooded heights. Together with the Geo-Path’s themes, this gives you a broad view of nature and how the landscape is used.

Eichelspitze Tower: views and route

Eichelspitze Tower is 42.5 metres high and has 127 steps. Its viewing platform is 28 metres above ground. From there, the view extends across the Kaiserstuhl, the Breisgau Bay, the Black Forest and the Vosges. The platform and the named viewpoints give this destination a different focus from the Geo-Path’s geological stops.

The signposted route to Eichelspitze Tower starts at Eichstetten’s Breisgau S-Bahn station and is about five kilometres long. The distance from the station and the tower’s 127 steps describe two different parts of the planning: the route to get there and the tower’s dimensions.

Village museum and local history

The village museum was established in 1991 and presents changing exhibitions each year. Themed demonstrations take place on official opening days from May to November. Check the current opening days before your visit.

The museum building was built as a schoolhouse in 1765, after the former St. James’s Chapel was destroyed. In 1975, a nearly intact Merovingian burial ground was excavated on Wannenberg, a hill immediately beside Eichstetten’s town centre. The Protestant church is Eichstetten’s oldest church; a shard of pottery found at the site has been dated to the 11th century. The schoolhouse, archaeological find and church site thus represent different ways of exploring local history.

Wine, vegetables and festivals

Eichstetten is a wine- and vegetable-growing village. According to regional tourism information, 131 hectares are farmed organically, equivalent to 25 percent of the agricultural area. These figures put organic farming in context as one aspect of the village’s agricultural character.

The Schwiboge-Wifescht takes place every two years. It features wines, sparkling wines, food and cultural performances in decorated courtyards and at stands. If you would like to include the festival in your travel plans, check the dates and programme in advance.

Getting there

Junction 60, Teningen/Eichstetten, on the A5 is about four kilometres from Eichstetten.

Discover more destinations: Schallstadt, Merzhausen, Eisenbach, Munzingen, Lenzkirch, Ihringen Am Kaiserstuhl, Gundelfingen, Sulzburg

Go to the regional travel overview: Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald.