Post on 18-Jan-2021
The Central Swabian AlbVisitor Information
Information about the Biosphere Region Swabian Alb
2 // Central Swabian Alb
Be in the thick of it – the heart of the Alb
Gütersteiner Waterfalls
Visitor Information // 3
A Landscape as beautiful as a painting for you to discover – it is often called the “Mystic Swabian Alb” with a hundred faces and a thou-sand ways to be discovered. Be surprised by the magnificent activities it has to offer.
4 // Culinary Delights
Swabian culinary delights
Swabian sausage salad
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Swabian cuisine can be both delicate and hearty. After shopping, discover the diversity of Swabian cuisine in cozy street cafés and rustic taverns. Tasty regional specialties are also avail-able at various weekly markets.
Roast Beef with onions and Spätzle (typical, homemade noodles)(Zwiebelrostbraten mit Spätzle)
Lentils with Spätzle and sausages (Linsen mit Spätzle und Saitenwürstchen)
Mutscheln (Swabian bakery speciality)
6 // Hiking and Bicycling
Hiking and bicycling in the heart of nature
View of the Erms Valley
Large Lauter Valley
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Experience wide open spaces Enjoy a magnificent view of the Albtrauf, the rim of the Swabian Alb, deep valleys and ragged rock formations on well marked paths. Select a com-fortable route or go on a demanding tour – Set your own pace.
Canoe trip on the Lauter
8 // Highlights
Central Swabian Alb Highlights
In the heart of Baden-WurttembergOne of Germany’s most beautiful sceneries awaits you south of Stuttgart – grand palaces, castles, ruins and baroque churches.
Pointed rock in the Lauter Valley
Bear cave at Sonnenbühl
Baroque churchin Zwiefalten
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Lichtenstein castle, town landmark of Reutlingen
10 // Highlights
Bad Urach Waterfalls
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Central Swabian Alb Highlights
Water world Impressive waterfalls and mineral springs – simply dive in and relax.
Thermal springs in Bad Urach
Thermal springs in Bad Urach
12 // Highlights
Central Swabian Alb Highlights
Lauter Valley
Court and state farmat Marbach
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Fashion outlets in Metzingen
Urban shopping meets nature. A combination with a very special touch:Shop for discount brand name fashions at the outlet mall in Metzingen or shop in downtown Reutlingen. Stay a few extra days to relax and enjoy nature in the Central Swabian Alb region.
Fashion outlets in Metzingen
Market square in Reutlingen
Philharmonic Orchestra of Wurttemberg in Reutlingen
“Concrete Art” Endowmentin Reutlingen
14 // Highlights
Gothic Church of the Holy Mary in ReutlingenMarket hall in Reutlingen
Central Swabian Alb Highlights
Urban life and culture in the “small” metropolis of Reutlingen at the foot of the Swabian Alb. Stroll through this popular shopping city with a multitude of bargains, a weekly market and a modern market hall and relax in one of the many cafés and restaurants. Enjoy the superior cultural highlights – the Central Swabian Alb is more than just a unique piece of nature.
Leisure shopping Wilhelmstrasse Reutlingen
Visitor Information // 15
Biosphere Swabian Alb The northern rim of the Swabian Alb, the so-called Albtrauf, with expanded forest lined gorges, fruit orchards and a great multitude of hedgerows and juniper heaths on the high plains of the Alb contribute to the very special atmosphere of the Biosphere Swabian Alb. Meet up with 328 square miles of unequalled history and traditional culture. No place else in Baden-Württemberg you will encounter such a multitude of habitats, rare flora and fauna, as well as cultural and historic points of interest. That is why the UNESCO awarded this region the title “Biosphere Reserve” in 2009.
You and your family can hike and bicycle directly from your door, take a guided tour, walk along heritage and adventure trails, visit landmarks and museums, enjoy regional foods and experience a whole lot more in the peaceful and beautiful set-ting called the Biosphere Swabian Alb. Simply stop by and see for yourself!
UNESCO Biosphere Swabian Alb Office Biosphere Swabian Alb:Altes Lager Gebäude R 1372525 Münsingen-AuingenPhone: 07381 932938-10biosphaerengebiet@rpt.bwl.de www.biosphaerengebiet-alb.de
Falkenstein Cave
16 // Highlights
Pfullingen
ReutlingenWannweil
Pliezhausen
Walldorfhäslach Grafenberg
Pfronstetten
Riederich
Engstingen
Sonnenbühl
Trochtelfingen
Eningen u. Achalm
Metzingen
KohlbergNeuffen
OwenBeuren
Weilheima.d. Teck
Bissingena.d. Teck
GrabenstettenDettingena.d. Erms Wester-
heim
Münsingen
Mehrstetten
Römerstein
NeidlingenLenningen
Erkenbrechtsweiler
Hülben
Bad Urach
SanktJohann
Gomadingen Schelklingen
Hayingen
Hohenstein
Ehingen (Donau)
Lauterach
Zwiefalten
county ofReutlingen
external border ofthe biosphere
community border
development area
preservation area
core area
GutsbezirkMünsingen
Dettingenu. Teck
LichtensteinHolzelfingen
Stuttgart approx. 25km
Ulmapprox. 15km
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18 // Central Swabian Alb
People of the Central Swabian Alb are said to be a bit rough and unconventional, yet very endear-ing - just like the landscape that surrounds them. This low mountain range in the heart of Baden-Württemberg has an enchanting natural charm. It is located about 50 kilometers south of Stuttgart and offers a wide range of enjoyable experiences: Nature, culture and scenic villages.For an active holiday as well as for families with children, the Central Swabian Alb offers much to experience and discover. You can hike, bicy-cle or ride a horse along one of the many paths to explore the karst landscape with its juniper heaths, jagged rock formations and gentle val-leys beyond well worn tourist paths. All along the northern rim, the so-called Albtrauf, you have a splendid view onto the foreland.
Central Swabian Alb
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This region was recently awarded the UNESCO title “Biosphere Reserve” for its continuous develop-ment efforts that benefit both man and nature. It covers approx. 850 square kilometers and houses 29 communities. The heart of this “biosphere” is the former military training area in Münsingen, a great place to take a hike or go on a bicycle trip. These grasslands are typical for the highlands found on the Alb in the 19th century.The Large Lauter Valley enchants with magical nature and an exciting history: You can bicycle, canoe and visit the ruins of a number of medieval castles. From the castle tower you have a majes-tic view across the valley onto the winding silver loops of the Large Lauter river. Dense forests huddle against the hillside, sheep and horses graze on the meadows. Agriculture still plays an
important role in this part of the Central Swabian Alb, and many farmers have committed them-selves to ecologically sustainable. They produce a rich selection of regional specialities offered at homesteads and in restaurants throughout the region. Culinary delights like homemade cider from local orchards, the hearty filled dumplings called “Maultaschen” or cheese from genuine Alb buffaloes also make this region worth visiting.
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20 // Central Swabian Alb
When it comes to overnight accommodations the hosts on the Alb are very creative: the conven-tional hotel with a feather bed is replaced with a bed of hay in a shepherd’s carriage or a rustic bicycling hostel.Horse lovers must visit the court and state farm at Marbach. In the 15th century, noble men started having their horses bred here and today this state operated farm is especially known for breed-ing Arabian horses. Also discover the geologi-cal history of the Alb in a number of caves. This region was awarded the seal of quality “Geo Park Swabian Alb”. The Wimsener Höhle, the cave at Wimsen near Hayingen, for example, is the only water cave in Germany accessible by boat – here you can travel 75 yards into the earth. Also visit the Bärenhöhle, the bear cave, near Sonnenbühl to admire bizarre stalagmite formations and let the bear skeletons remind you of the ancient history of this part of the country.
The peripheral region of the Alb is also very attrac-tive: Ermstal, the Erms Valley, is known for its cherry trees with fabulous cherry blossoms in the spring time. The City of Metzingen offers an urban flair in an idyllic setting. It is surrounded by vine-yards and well known for its fashion outlets. Relax and regenerate yourself in the saunas and spas with hot springs in the nearby city of Bad Urach.(The word “Bad” before a city name means that a city is distinguished as spa city.)The old imperial town of Reutlingen, the University City of Tübingen on the Neckar and Ulm with its world famous minster are also worth visiting and can be conveniently reached by car.
Visitor Information // 21
Wimsener Höhle (Wimsen Cave)
Bärenhöhle (Bear cave)
22 //
The Central Swabian Alb: South of Stuttgart between Neckar and DonauMap scale 1 : 285 000
Visitor Information // 23
Tübingen
Reutlingen
Metzingen
Römerstein
Bad Urach
Münsingen
Zwiefalten
Trochtelfingen
Sonnenbühl
Stuttgart
Ulm
InterchangeStuttgart
InterchangeLeonberg
DirectionKarlsruhe
Direction Singen
DirectionHeilbronn
DirectionWürzburg
Direction Kempten
DirectionMünchen
A 8
A 8A 81
A 81
A 7
A 7
B 464
B 465
B 313
B 312
B 312
B 311
B 312B 313
B 465
B 28
B 27
B 28
B 28
Herrenberg
Böblingen DegerlochWendlingen
Kirchheim Teck Ost
Merklingen
K 7423 InterchangeUlmUlm O.
Ulm W.
How to get there
Via car> A 8 from Karlsruhe: Exit Stuttgart-Degerloch,
B 27 / 312 Metzingen / Reutlingen or B 28 Bad Urach.
> A 8 from Munich: Exit Merklingen, Bad Urach or Münsingen.
> A 81 from Singen: Exit Herrenberg, B 28 via Tübingen and Metzingen to Bad Urach.
Via train> Railway line Stuttgart-Tübingen to Metzingen,
transfer to connection Metzingen-Bad Urach,> Bus connection from Bad Urach, Reutlingen and
Münsingen to the Central Swabian Alb.
Via planeAirport Stuttgart (Echterdingen), continue via bus or train.
Imprint
Editor: Tourist Association Swabian Alb and Alb Foreland Admini-strative District Reutlingen e.V.
Chairman: Eugen Schäufele, Bank Director,Chairman Board of Directors Savings Bank ReutlingenChief Executive Officer: Wolfgang Schütz
Tourist Association “Mythos Schwäbische Alb”, Kaiserstrasse 27, 72764 Reutlingen, Phone 07121 480-3033info@mythos-alb.de, www.mythos-schwaebische-alb.de
Translation: Bettina Mauthe-Peters
Design, layout: Apollo 11 GmbH, Reutlingen
Photographs: Michael Abele (Reutlingen), Felix Fuchs (Römer-stein), Manfred Grohe (Kirchentellinsfurt), Thomas Kiehl (Met-zingen), Markus Mahle (Stuttgart), Achim Mende (Überlingen), Wolfgang Ott (Munich), Public Relations: Walter Röhm (Bad Urach), Schwabenlandfilm GmbH / Sabine Stumpp (Laible&Frisch), Achim Sperber (Hamburg), Bernhard Trucksäß (Munich), Tourist Office Picture Library or Tourist InformationRegional map: TÜK200, Federal Office for Carthography, FrankfurtMap: Geobasisinformations, © Federal Office for Cartography and Geodesy
Print: Print Shop Leibfarth + Schwarz, Dettingen / ErmsData was provided by the city and town managements, tourist information and the service providers for tourism.Version: October 2009. We are not responsible for the correctness of this information.Information about hosts and the current version of visitor informa-tion are available under www.mythos-schwaebische-alb.de
Tourism Association Mythos Schwäbische AlbKaiserstraße 27, 72764 ReutlingenPhone 07121 480-3033info@mythos-alb.dewww.mythos-schwaebische-alb.de
Magdeburg
Düsseldorf
Bochum
Wuppertal
Wiesbaden
MainzSaarbrücken
Stuttgart
München
DresdenErfurt
Leipzig
Potsdam
BerlinHannover
Bremen
HamburgSchwerin
Kiel
www.geopark-alb.de www.biosphaerengebiet-alb.de