Malterdingen: Winegrowing, panoramic trails and historic townscape

Malterdingen combines winegrowing with distinctive historic architecture and the Augenweide panoramic trails. If you are looking for a hotel in Malterdingen, these themes can help shape your choice of where to stay: they offer different ways to spend your free time. Architectural history, wine and trails each provide their own way to explore the town. You can plan your trip around whether you would most like to focus on local history, winegrowing or trails.

Historic townscape

The historic townscape has an almost urban character, thanks to its layout and architecture. The Evangelical parish church stands out for its uncovered frescoes and Baroque organ. The Renaissance townhouses feature oriel windows, medieval vaulted cellars and a stair tower. The half-timbered gatehouse is a landmark associated with the town’s former fortifications. These examples range from church furnishings and residential architectural details to a landmark linked to the former fortifications. The almost urban impression applies to the townscape as a whole; the oriel windows, vaulted cellars and stair tower draw attention to individual features of the townhouses. The gatehouse adds a connection to the former fortifications.

Augenweide and trails

The Augenweide panoramic trail was created in 2016 to mark the village’s 1,000th anniversary. Along the Augenweide panoramic routes, five panorama panels name mountain peaks; around eleven themed panels focus on local history. These are two different ways of finding your bearings: the peak names draw your attention to the landscape, while the other panels put Malterdingen’s history in the spotlight. The trail network also includes the Baden dialect quiz “Weisch Bscheid?”, which can also be found in the southern section. Malterdingen is a starting point for hikes and walks through the vineyards. Signposted cycling routes pass through Breisgau and the Kaiserstuhl. For trip planning, local vineyard walks and history-themed panoramic content are complemented by cycle routes that take in the wider landscapes of Breisgau and the Kaiserstuhl.

Winegrowing in the town

Red winegrowing in Malterdingen was first documented in 1285. The vineyard area covers more than 137 hectares; area figures may change over time. Pinot Noir is grown on 55 percent of Malterdingen’s vineyard area. The municipality provides an overview of wineries in Malterdingen and the surrounding area. As listed businesses may change, it is worth checking the listing before contacting a particular winery. The figures answer different questions: the year puts the winegrowing tradition in historical context, the area figure shows its scale, and the percentage indicates the importance of Pinot Noir.

Emmendingen as a regional context

At the wider Emmendingen destination level, the focus expands to the district. The district’s cycle route network covers 900 kilometres, including 250 kilometres of signposted routes; the district also has 800 kilometres of hiking trails and hiking routes. These distances apply to Emmendingen district, not just Malterdingen. They help distinguish the locally mentioned vineyard walks and Augenweide routes from a possible wider regional itinerary. When planning your stay, you can decide whether to focus on Malterdingen’s local history and winegrowing or to plan a broader range of outings.

Hochburg also provides a distinct historic point of interest within the wider Emmendingen destination. It was first mentioned in writing in 1161 and is one of the largest castle complexes in Baden. The Verein zur Erhaltung der Ruine Hochburg (Association for the Preservation of Hochburg Castle Ruins) runs a museum at the ruins and offers guided tours. If you are planning a guided tour, check the latest dates in advance.

Discover more destinations: Weisweil, Herbolzheim, Forchheim, Elzach, Wyhl am Kaiserstuhl, Emmendingen, Vörstetten, Waldkirch

Back to the wider travel guide: Emmendingen.