Neuffen: Winegrowing, Castle and Hiking

Neuffen combines winegrowing history, historic buildings and hiking. If you’re looking for a hotel in Neuffen, these highlights can help you plan your stay: Would you like to explore the history of winegrowing, visit cultural monuments or hike the premium trail to Hohenneuffen Castle? Neuffen’s attractions range from Kelterplatz to sweeping views over the Swabian Jura and the Neckar region.

Winegrowing and Kelterplatz

Winegrowing is closely tied to Neuffen’s history and was first mentioned there in 1239. Records confirm that there were four wine presses in the Middle Ages. At Kelterplatz, a barn stands between two listed buildings. It was built in 2006 as a market barn for a producers’ market or weekly market. Kelterplatz thus brings together a distinctive location and the long history of winegrowing.

White grape varieties account for 50 percent of the vineyard area in Neuffen: these include Silvaner, Müller-Thurgau, Kerner, Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Ruländer. Red varieties include Pinot Noir, Schwarzriesling, Dornfelder, Portugieser, Lemberger, Trollinger and Acolon. The mix of varieties planted may change over time. The town and wine tour offers a feast for the eyes and palate; first impressions and stories at Kelterplatz reveal the close connection between the town’s history and its winegrowing heritage.

St. Martin’s Church and the Great House

St. Martin’s Church offers a glimpse of several eras: its origins probably date back to the 6th century, while the church in its present dimensions was built in the first half of the 14th century. The Mount of Olives in St. Martin’s Church is a stone-carving artwork donated by Albert Schaich in 1504. It depicts Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane and Judas’s betrayal, and survived the devastating fire.

St. Martin’s Church is listed as open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April to October. Check the opening hours before your visit. The Great House also brings together culture and architectural history: it houses the town museum and public library and is a rare surviving example of an aristocratic residence within the town wall. If you plan to visit the museum or library, check the current visitor information in advance.

Hiking to Hohenneuffen Castle

The “hochgehkeltert” premium hiking trail starts right in Neuffen and leads through vineyards and the Neuffener Heide heathland up to Hohenneuffen Castle, which has a panoramic restaurant. The castle is one of the area’s best-known attractions. From there, the view stretches along the Swabian Jura ridge across the Neckar region and the heights around Stuttgart, as far as the Black Forest and the Swabian-Franconian Forest. The route described brings together vineyards, heathland and sweeping panoramas.

For further guidance, the Neuffen hiking map features five routes put together with support from the Neuffen branch of the Swabian Alb Association. Alongside the “hochgehkeltert” trail, the map therefore offers several hiking suggestions, without implying that the map itself represents a particular route.

Experience the town’s history and landscape together

The Neuffen town and wine tour focuses on the local connection between the town and wine; the first impressions and stories begin at Kelterplatz. Together with St. Martin’s Church and the Great House, it offers a cultural focus, while the premium hiking trail and the five routes on the hiking map bring the landscape to the fore. These different highlights can help you shape your stay around your interests in architectural history, winegrowing or hiking.

Discover more destinations: Ohmden, Neidlingen, Nellingen, Oberboihingen, Reichenbach An Der Fils, Aichtal, Großbettlingen, Weilheim An Der Teck.

Return to the main travel overview: Esslingen.