Discover Mengen: Half-timbered houses, history and tours

Mengen is a destination that appeals to a range of interests: as a half-timbered town, it offers a historical focus, along with guided tours, culture across the municipality, and cycling and hiking options. If you are looking for a hotel in Mengen, you can plan your stay around what matters most to you: the town’s history, a guided experience, or getting active on signposted routes.

Half-timbered houses and town history

Mengen is a half-timbered town, a feature that is especially evident along its broad main street, which is lined with half-timbered houses. Mengen is also located on the Upper Swabian Baroque Route. The Old Post House offers a glimpse into the town’s architectural history: it is housed in a half-timbered building dating from 1702, which once served as a post house on the Thurn and Taxis postal route.

The Old Post House brings Mengen’s history, from early settlement to modern times, to life. At the museum, you can see documents and finds from the town’s history, the municipal art collection featuring paintings by Gottfried Graf and Theo Barfus, and sculptures by Upper Swabian masters from the Middle Ages to the Baroque period. Historical artefacts and works of art from different periods are displayed side by side, offering a distinct focus for anyone who wants to discover Mengen beyond its half-timbered houses.

Guided tours and culture across the municipality

On an immersive tour of Mengen, a carter, a washerwoman, a night watchman and a market woman appear as historical figures. The “In the Footsteps of the Habsburgs” tour combines a walk around the town with historically inspired dishes at three restaurants. The dishes are intended to transport you back to the time before 1806. If you would like to include a guided tour in your travel plans, check the specific dates in advance.

The Old Church of Rulfingen is located in Rulfingen, a district within the municipality. The former village church dates from 1759 and has a Late Gothic tower. It serves as a venue for cabaret, concerts, theatre and comedy. Since its official opening in 1999, it has hosted more than 300 events. This venue adds a cultural option across the municipality to the town tours.

Cycling and hiking routes around Mengen

The Danube Cycle Path passes through Mengen, and there are also signposted cycling routes around the town. Mengen takes part in the Danube Discovery Tours with the Fuhrmann Tour 1. The route profile for this tour gives a distance of 46.1 kilometres, a duration of 3 hours and 10 minutes, and an elevation gain of 168 metres. These figures give you concrete points of reference for planning your time; as route profiles may be updated, check the latest figures before setting out.

The Fuhrmann hiking trails are marked with the town of Mengen’s walking carter emblem. You can start in Mengen or in one of its districts. The Zielfinger Seen accessible trail in the municipality is also 8.5 kilometres long and is suitable for all types of wheelchairs, walking aids and strollers. In Mengen-Ennetach, the Archaeological Trail passes twelve stations where you can learn more about the lives of the Romans on the Danube Limes. The routes offer different experiences: one is designed for people using a wheelchair, walking aid or stroller, while the other combines hiking with Roman history.

Cyclists can make use of two specialist bike shops in Mengen, lockable bike boxes in the town centre and e-bike charging stations. As details of such facilities can change, check the information before your visit. Together with the Danube Cycle Path and the signposted tours, these facilities give the town a clear focus on cycling for travel planning, without requiring you to choose the same route or daily itinerary.

A culinary highlight in Mengen-Ennetach

The Gaggli NudelLaden in Mengen-Ennetach offers more than 100 varieties of Buck noodle specialities. This adds a distinctive product focus to the destination’s historical and active attractions. If you would like to combine different interests, town history, guided tours, cycling and hiking options, and noodle specialities all offer different ways to shape your stay in Mengen.

Discover more destinations: Bad Saulgau, Herdwangen-Schönach, Scheer, Schwenningen, Herbertingen, Hohentengen, Bingen, Beuron

Return to the overview of destinations: Sigmaringen.