Gengenbach: Half-timbered houses, Fasend and hiking trails

When choosing Gengenbach as your destination, you can plan your stay around culture, exercise or leisure. The historic Old Town brings together half-timbered houses, towers, gates, narrow lanes and the market square fountain; there are also museum and themed tours, sightseeing rides, and hiking and cycling tours. When planning, it helps to distinguish between a town itinerary and longer outings with a specified route or duration.

Culture and history in the Old Town

Gengenbach’s historic Old Town includes towers, gates, narrow lanes, the market square fountain and numerous half-timbered houses. The entire town centre has been protected as a historic monument since 1955. The Fools’ Museum in the Niggelturm presents Gengenbach Fasend and its history across seven floors, offering a unique insight into local tradition.

The town hall is also a feature of the seasonal events calendar: since 1996, during Advent it has been transformed into an Advent calendar house with 24 windows, described as the world’s largest. The dates and window designs vary from year to year. If you are considering a trip during Advent, check the specific dates.

Hiking and cycling

The “Himmel & Hölle” (Heaven & Hell) premium trail is a moderately challenging circular hiking route. The route is listed as taking 5 hours 45 minutes and covering 17.2 kilometres, with 676 metres of ascent and 677 metres of descent. The start and finish are in Gengenbach’s Old Town. This gives you a clear idea of the duration, route length and elevation profile before setting out.

Further hiking opportunities can be found on the Kandelhöhenweg, the Way of St. James, the Querweg and numerous circular trails around Gengenbach. The Moosgebirge near Gengenbach reaches an elevation of just under 900 metres; hikers and mountain bikers have more than 700 metres of elevation to tackle there. Cycling routes lead from Gengenbach into the side valleys and the Rhine plain.

Sightseeing rides, guided tours and leisure pool

The GengenBahn offers a sightseeing ride through Gengenbach, passing historic landmarks, half-timbered houses, winding lanes and idyllic countryside. If you prefer a guided tour, you can book tours of the historic Old Town, museum tours and themed tours with wine tasting. Specific dates and availability may vary; check the dates before planning your trip.

The Gengenbach Night Watchman’s tour includes 12 stops and the traditional night watchman’s song. Public tours are free of charge, and no registration is required. Check before your trip to see when tours are held.

Another leisure option is the “Die Insel” leisure pool at Grünstraße 65. It has six pools; its listed features include a giant waterslide, a current channel, a 50-metre lap pool and a children’s or paddling pool.

Gengenbach in the Ortenau district

The wider Ortenau district also provides geographical context: it lies between the Rhine and the Black Forest. The district’s 23 nature reserves cover around 3,110 hectares in total, stretching from the Rhine plain to the higher elevations of the Black Forest.

Discover more destinations: Mühlenbach, Sasbach, Meißenheim, Kippenheim, Oberharmersbach, Kappel-Grafenhausen, Kehl, Rheinau.

Go to the overview of the wider region: Ortenau district.