Esslingen: Fossils, Roman History and Cycling Routes

The Esslingen district is one of the ten districts in the Swabian Alb UNESCO Global Geopark. Anyone planning a trip to Esslingen will find a range of points of interest here: fossils from the Jurassic period, Roman history, varied landscapes and routes for cycling and themed walks. The attractions are spread across different places in the district; the following examples show which themes you might want to consider when planning your trip.

Fossils in Holzmaden and Roman history in Köngen

The Hauff Prehistoric Museum in Holzmaden displays fossils from the Posidonia Shale. It is located right in the Holzmaden fossil site and has around 1,000 square metres of exhibition space. The museum is one of Germany’s largest privately run natural history museums. Here, the fossils and the site where they were found are in close proximity, making Holzmaden a distinctive destination for anyone interested in the history of the Earth.

Another historical highlight is the Köngen Roman Park. The site consists of a museum building and an open-air area and is located where the former Roman fort of Grinario once stood. The Romans built the fort between 90 and 95 AD and abandoned it in 155. The villagers subsequently used the site, among other things, to build a Roman bath. The chronology runs from the Roman fort to its abandonment and its later use by the villagers.

Landscapes and cycling routes in the district

Six distinct landscapes shape the Esslingen district: the Schurwald, Schönbuch, Filder plain, Neckar Valley, Alb foothills and Alb escarpment. The landscape is also shaped by traditional orchard meadows with 1.5 million fruit trees. The regional setting thus ranges from orchards to the named landscape areas. You can consider these themes alongside the individual cultural and historical attractions when planning your trip.

Since 2020, cyclists have had around 1,200 kilometres of district cycling routes to choose from. Continuous cycle-route signage is in place throughout the district. The approximate total distance and continuous signage describe the cycling network at district level; they do not indicate the length of any one tour. When there is enough snow, three cross-country ski trails are also available. This option is explicitly dependent on suitable snow conditions.

Themed routes near Beuren and at the Heidengraben

The Beuren Open-Air Museum offers a themed trail with 18 stops. It covers natural and cultural landscapes, varieties of orchard fruit and cultivated plants. The Beuren Soil Trail offers a closer look at the ground: its soil profile pits are open from April to October. Guided tours are offered regularly, and group tours can be arranged individually. If you would like to see the soil profile pits, plan your visit within this period. No set tour times are specified here.

Further afield in the Swabian Alb, the Celtic Experience Trail is an approximately six-kilometre circular route through the Late Celtic oppidum of Heidengraben. The route has eight information and interactive stops, which visitors can explore using a free multimedia app. The circular route, stops and app combine exercise with information about archaeological history. This makes the trail distinct in theme from the fossils in Holzmaden and the Roman history of Köngen.

These examples each focus on different themes: Holzmaden is known for its fossils, Köngen for the history of the fort of Grinario, and the routes near Beuren and at the Heidengraben combine themes related to nature, landscapes and history. When choosing a hotel in Esslingen, you can start by considering which of these themes matter most for your trip.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Filderstadt, Ostfildern, Altbach, Esslingen, Großbettlingen, Kirchheim unter Teck, Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Nürtingen, Plochingen, Neuhausen auf den Fildern, Weilheim an der Teck, Dettingen unter Teck, Aichtal, Wernau, Nellingen, Reichenbach an der Fils, Wolfschlugen, Frickenhausen, Denkendorf, Beuren, Ohmden, Neckartenzlingen, Wendlingen, Köngen, Lenningen, Erkenbrechtsweiler, Bissingen an der Teck, Neuenhaus, Neuffen, Owen, Deizisau, Bempflingen, Oberboihingen, Holzmaden and Neidlingen.

For the regional travel overview: Baden-Württemberg.