Markt Nordheim: Wine, Hiking Trails and History

Markt Nordheim combines wine experiences, hiking trails, protected nature and history. When planning your trip, you can plan your stay around a market day, a wine tour or a particular route. The following highlights offer different points of reference to help you weigh up what to focus on during your visit before looking for a hotel for your stay.

Markets and Wine Experiences

Two annual markets offer different seasonal occasions: the spring market takes place on the second Sunday after Easter Sunday. The autumn market follows on the first Sunday after September 14. If you want to plan your trip around one of the markets, check the specific dates in advance.

Tours and wine tastings are also part of what Markt Nordheim has to offer. Vineyard tours are available with tastings; experiential tours take visitors on a wine tasting through the wine village or the historic landscape. The Häckerwirtschaften offer enjoyable wine tastings with a hearty snack. On a guided wine-and-food hike, the route crosses bridges and stops at the Mühlenbrunnen, where a glass of wine or water is provided.

Nature Reserve and Hiking Trails

The core area of the Nordheim gypsum hills, with the Höllern gypsum cave and the “Sieben Buckel” gypsum hills, has been designated a nature reserve since 1986. It covers 10.0 hectares and bears site number 500.026. Höllern is characterized by rare animal and plant life. The nature experience area in Markt Nordheim includes a barefoot trail, a fire pit, a lake and a hilltop viewpoint.

The routes offer a range of different experiences. The “Culture and Nature” circular hiking trail runs through Markt Nordheim. The “Over Seven Buckels You Must Go” trail connects a hiking path, a nature reserve and vineyards. As a circular hiking trail, MN 1 passes through the forests of the Kehrenberg, which are rich in animal and plant species; butterflies are among the animals mentioned. A waymarked hiking trail leads through extensive mixed woodland to the ruins of Hohenlandsberg Castle. There, remnants of vaulted structures evoke times gone by.

The wine landscape can also be explored by bike: the “Bocksbeutel Tour” valley floodplain cycle path is a leisurely route through the villages of the WeinWanderWelt. Unlike the hiking trails, this route offers a way to discover the area by bike; the hiking trails mentioned, by contrast, differ in their connections to forests, nature and vineyards.

Church and Other Places in the Municipality

St. George’s Church in Markt Nordheim dates from the 14th century and contains an epitaph of the von Seinsheim family. For a look beyond the village, there are other destinations within the municipality: in the village of Ulsenheim, the “Nature and Vineyard” meditation trail lies among the vineyards and is complemented by the “Small Worlds of Growth” educational and adventure trail. Public concerts have been held at Seehaus Castle since 2001. The Osing Museum in Herbolzheim provides information about the history, flora and fauna of the Osing cultural monument.

The Osing land lottery is also rooted in the municipality and has been included in the Federal Republic of Germany’s National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage, maintained under the auspices of UNESCO. It takes place only once every ten years. At the lottery held from September 20 to 22, 2024, 274 hectares of land were distributed among 213 rights holders.

For the broader travel overview: Uffenheim.