Discover Offenburg
Accommodation in Offenburg
In Offenburg, urban history and culture meet green trails and activities on the water. To help you find your way, both rail connections and the centrally located station with its onward connections are important. The range of local highlights includes everything from archaeological finds and the history of democracy to forests, circular routes and water sports.
Arriving and finding your way
Offenburg is on the Hamburg–Basel ICE route and the Offenburg–Paris TGV route. The city centre is an easy walk from the centrally located station. The central bus station, with connections to the city bus and regional networks, is opposite. You can therefore plan your train arrival, walk into the city centre and bus connections as different aspects of finding your way around.
Museums and history
The Museum im Ritterhaus displays more than 10,000 objects, including archaeological finds and artefacts documenting the city's history from the Middle Ages to the present day. The natural history section, “Forest, Land, River”, complements these topics with regional natural history and geological exhibits from the Ortenau region. It is designed as a family museum. Children can choose from more than 60 museum education courses and celebrate their birthday at the museum. The programme may change; check the current offerings before your visit. Temporary exhibitions and an events programme round out the museum experience.
At the Salmen, the permanent exhibition explains the context surrounding the proclamation of the “13 Demands of the People” on 12 September 1847. A second exhibition room in the front building tells the story of Offenburg's Jewish community, from the pre-war period through persecution and destruction during the Second World War to Jewish life in Offenburg today. The restored Salmen is regarded as one of the cradles of German democracy.
Kulturforum and underground Offenburg
On the Platz der Verfassungsfreunde in the Kulturforum stands the 20 m-high aluminium sculpture “Freedom – Male/Female” by American artist Jonathan Borofsky. It commemorates Offenburg's important role in the German democracy movement. The former parade ground is also home to the city library, music school, art school, adult education centre and riding hall. These institutions represent the city's diverse cultural scene.
A two-hour tour of underground Offenburg explains the city's history through four typical vaulted cellars. The cellars date back to the Middle Ages. The tour thus combines a clearly defined two-hour visit with insights into older traces of the city's history.
Forest, trails and landscapes
The alluvial forest to the west and northwest of Offenburg covers 1,569.6 ha. The 625.7 ha mountain forest lies in the foothills of the Black Forest at an elevation of between 170 and 680 m. The city forest has hiking and cycling trails, as well as fitness and educational trails. The two forest areas and their trails offer different ways to add nature and active leisure to your stay.
The Gustav-Weg is a circular route of just under 48 kilometres linking Offenburg's central town with its eleven districts. It passes through three types of landscape: the fertile Ried, the foothills with their many viewpoints, and the Black Forest with its quiet trails. The See-Wiesen-Ried Tour has a different, clearly defined profile: it is easy to cycle, mostly flat and family-friendly. This makes it possible to distinguish the Gustav-Weg's length and changing landscapes from the cycling and terrain features described for this tour.
Gifiz Lake and activities on the water
The 19 ha Gifiz Lake includes the designated Gifiz lido. Boat hire, rowing, swimming, sailing and surfing are available there. Swimming may be restricted seasonally or temporarily. Check the lido's current conditions before your visit.
Discover more travel destinations: Neuried, Renchen, MeiĂźenheim, Schuttertal, Ohlsbach, Oberwolfach, Sasbach, Sasbachwalden
View the wider travel overview: Ortenaukreis.
