Mittelstadt: Neckar Hills Natural Area

If you’re looking for a hotel in Mittelstadt, you can start by planning your trip around your interests. The Neckar Hills are the local natural highlight; museums, architectural history and hiking trails are additional themes in the wider Reutlingen destination. The following places and facts provide a starting point for deciding which aspects of your stay to focus on, based on your interests.

Neckar Hills Natural Area

The Neckar Hills natural area in Mittelstadt was designated in 1972 and covers about eight hectares. Its landscape features include meadow orchards, former sheep pastures, quarry grounds, hedgerows, ponds, hillside woodland and developing reed beds. Part of the area is designated as a natural monument. Open areas, trees and shrubs, and wetlands sit side by side here—different facets of a relatively small natural area.

The wildlife is also part of this picture. The protected area provides breeding habitat for cavity-nesting birds, woodpeckers, warblers and leaf warblers. Golden orioles, bats and amphibians find shelter and food there; the varied habitats also support insects and spiders. These details cover several groups of birds as well as other animals found in the area’s different habitats.

The NABU information center next to the Mittelstadt protected area serves as a meeting point for excursions and nature experience days. Access rules may vary, so it is a good idea to check the conditions for a specific visit in advance.

Culture in the wider Reutlingen destination

In Reutlingen, the Natural History Museum has been housed in the listed Old Lyceum since 1998, a stately half-timbered building dating from 1727. The Industrial Museum offers a different perspective on the city’s history: it displays machinery and products from Reutlingen’s textile industry and mechanical engineering sector. The collection includes a loom made by Hermann Wangner in 1849 and a steam engine made by Ulrich Kohllöffel in 1886.

The Kunstmuseum Reutlingen in the Spendhaus has its own focus: its collection centers on woodcuts and relief printing from the 19th century to the present day. The six-story Spendhaus was built in 1518 as a grain store for the Spendenpflege, the institution responsible for administering charitable donations. Here, a distinctive collection focus meets the building’s original purpose.

Another historic building in Reutlingen is the Tübingen Gate. It was built in 1235 as part of the construction of the medieval city wall. The Natural History Museum, Industrial Museum, Kunstmuseum and city gate offer different points of interest: natural history collections, industrial history, printmaking and medieval architecture.

Hiking and nature in Reutlingen

The official “Aussichtsreich” hiking guide features 14 routes, all within the city limits of Reutlingen. As conditions on individual trails can change, it is a good idea to check the relevant route before setting out.

The Listhof nature reserve on the outskirts of Reutlingen can be explored on foot. The Listhof Environmental Education Center offers several nature experience areas, biotopes and a small-animal house where visitors can explore and experiment. Another landscape landmark is the 707-meter-high Achalm, Reutlingen’s own mountain and an important symbol of the city. Listhof, the hiking guide and the Achalm represent different nature and outdoor activities in the wider Reutlingen destination.

For the wider travel overview: Reutlingen.