Vellberg: The Little Town, Fossils and the Wine Fountain Festival

If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, local attractions can guide your plans: Vellberg combines its medieval little town with fossil history, hiking trails and its own festival tradition. The attractions offer different experiences—from searching for fossils along a trail to viewing historic finds in a museum.

Fossil Trail and Museum Finds

The 6 km Urschildkröten (Ancient Turtles) themed trail connects Vellberg’s old town with the site where the ancient turtle was found in the Schumann quarry in Vellberg-Eschenau. At the “Fossil Box” activity station, visitors of all ages can search for fossils. The route thus leads from the old town to a specific find site; at the station, the focus is on searching for fossils yourself.

The Vellberg Municipal Museum of Natural History and Local Heritage, established in 1986, displays, among other things, Celtic finds from Stöckenburg. Also on display are fossils from the area around Vellberg, especially from the Eschenau limestone quarry. These include dinosaur finds and other fossils. Bringing together the themed-trail station and the museum offers a chance to experience both searching along the trail and seeing regional fossils and finds in an exhibition.

The Little Town, Guided Tours and Art Trails

Public guided tours take visitors through medieval Vellberg’s little town. Towers, castles, historic buildings and the underground defensive passage are among the stops along the way; knowledgeable local guides accompany visitors. If you plan to join a tour, check the latest dates before your visit.

A separate walking route explores the art in the little town: the sculpture trail is a circular route through Vellberg, with twelve sculptures to discover along the way. It starts at the information board by the half-timbered Fiebich House, Im Städtle 11. This gives you a precisely identified starting point for a town walk, while the public guided tours focus on historic buildings and the defensive passage.

From July to October, Vellberg’s street gallery presents a temporary exhibition that changes every year and is created by artists from Vellberg and the surrounding area. It complements the permanent trails with a seasonal exhibition set within the townscape. The July-to-October period is a useful planning guide; the exhibition is temporary and changes annually.

Stöckenburg, Hiking Trails and Cycling Route

Stöckenburg is described as the oldest inhabited part of the entire region. The Protestant St. Martin’s Church stands on Stöckenburg and is described as the region’s original church. Its high altar is from the Riemenschneider school. The church thus brings together two distinct historical points of reference: its regional designation and the art-historical attribution of the altar.

Vellberg offers seven circular hiking trails, ranging from 6 to 12 km. A distinctive landmark is the wrought-iron landscape frame on Schönblickstraße: it frames the view of Vellberg’s skyline, and some hiking trails pass by it. If you would rather plan a cycling route, Vellberg is the centerpiece of the 46 km BühlerTour. It runs from Geislingen am Kocher via Vellberg to Abtsgmünd. The hiking trails and this cycling route differ considerably in their stated lengths and modes of travel; these figures give you concrete points of reference for planning.

Wine Fountain Festival and Mineral Outdoor Pool

The historic Wine Fountain Festival has been held every year on the first weekend in July since 1968. Its highlights are the delivery of the wine tithe from the Unterland and the herald’s opening of the wine fountain. During the three-day festival, Württemberg red wine flows from the 1720 market fountain every year. As exact festival dates and programs may change, check the latest information if you would like to plan your stay around the festival.

Near Vellberg, the Mühlweg mineral outdoor pool lies between Vellberg and Talheim, surrounded by wooded hills. Its facilities include a beach volleyball court and a soccer tennis net. Bathers can play 18-hole mini golf during the outdoor pool’s opening hours for a small fee. If you plan to make time for it, check the current opening hours: mini golf is available only during those hours.

Discover more destinations: Bühlerzell, Langenburg, Döttingen, Kreßberg, Kirchberg an der Jagst, Oberrot, Bühlertann, Rosengarten.

See the main travel overview: Schwäbisch Hall.