Hallau: Wine, Trails and Local History

Hallau combines a distinctive wine-growing landscape with nature trails and a rich local history. This offers a range of options for planning a stay: explore the vineyards on a hike or guided tour, learn more about plants and animals, or discover winegrowing and village history.

Vineyards and Trails Around Hallau

Hallau lies between the High Rhine and the Black Forest, surrounded by the vineyards, fields and forests of the fertile Klettgau region. With 150 hectares, the village has the largest contiguous vineyard area in German-speaking Switzerland. The Hallauerberg is also a highlight of a hiking route: the trail climbs towards the vineyards, passes St. Moritz mountain church and reaches the highest point of the Hallauerberg. This is considered the largest vineyard in Eastern Switzerland.

The 2.6-kilometre Hallau nature trail offers a chance to learn about the natural world. It runs west from the «Tisch + Bänk» picnic area to the «Teissen». Fifty information panels cover the German and Latin names of trees and shrubs, their uses and medicinal properties, and the animals that depend on them. From the trail, you can look out across the Klettgau; on a clear day, the Alpine panorama stretches from the Austrian Alps to the Bernese Alps. The route combines a manageable distance with information about plants and their habitats.

If you are interested in a guided introduction to winegrowing, consider the Hallauer Reben tour. Led by an expert, it follows easily accessible paths through the Hallau vineyards and offers insights into viticulture and winemaking. A glass of Hallau wine is included. The Rebenbummler can accommodate 60 guests and is wheelchair accessible.

Rötiweiher is also part of the natural surroundings of Hallau: following repeated restoration work, it once again provides a spawning ground for frogs, toads and newts. The area offers a range of ways to explore its themes—from winegrowing to natural history and the pond habitat.

Wine and Hallau’s History

The Weinkrone Wine Museum tells the story of regional winegrowing in a historic winemaker’s house. Weinkrone also has a wine shop, where 55 wines from 25 wineries in the Schaffhausen Pinot Noir region are available to taste and buy. The museum and wine shop offer different perspectives: one focuses on the history of winegrowing, the other on wines from the region.

St. Moritz mountain church connects a specific construction date with the older history of the village. It was built in 1491, after farmers discovered graves with grave goods in St. Moritzfeld, which belonged to the village chapel. Archaeological investigations inside the church also uncovered graves dated to the 7th century. The church is usually open for visits and quiet reflection, though access may differ on certain days. Check that it is accessible before visiting.

Hallau’s streetscape also gives the village its distinctive character: imposing houses, fountains, picturesque lanes and squares shape the town. The stately town hall and welcoming inns stand along the main street, which has an almost small-town feel. The Hallau Local Museum adds to this impression with exhibitions on village history, agriculture and crafts.

The Hallau Autumn Festivals are a regular fixture on the calendar. They have been held every year in October since 1935. If you would like to plan your trip around the festivals, check the specific dates in advance. This lets you combine an interest in local life in Hallau with your own travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Schleitheim, Neuhausen Am Rheinfall, Beringen, Schaffhausen, Trasadingen.

Return to the overview of the region: Schaffhausen.