Dietenheim offers several reasons to stay: its traditional Christmas market, religious art and circular hiking trails through the Iller floodplains and across the surrounding ridges. When planning, it makes a difference whether you have a specific date in mind for your visit, are interested in a seasonal cultural offering or want to set aside time for exploring the local trails.
Christmas Market on the First Sunday of Advent
Dietenheim’s Christmas market has been held every year since 1986 on the first Sunday of Advent in the market square in the town centre. The programme includes an exhibition at the town hall, a visit from St Nicholas and an afternoon church concert. The stalls offer knitted and natural products, nativity figures, handicrafts and jewellery. There is also a wide selection of food and drink.
The range of offerings and programme details may change from year to year. If you are planning to visit the market in a particular year, check the town’s latest announcements. This helps distinguish the recurring date from the details of each year’s event.
St Martin’s Church and the Holy Sepulchre
Among Dietenheim’s attractions is St Martin’s Church; its tower is a landmark of the town. The Holy Sepulchre is set up in Dietenheim’s parish church of St Martinus three weeks before Easter. This seasonal offering gives the church calendar its own focal point at this time of year.
The Holy Sepulchre was created in 1727 in the Baroque style by Franz Xaver Forchner, a painter who moved to Dietenheim from Tyrol. Visits and guided tours are possible outside of church services. Check current arrangements with the parish in advance. If you are interested in the Holy Sepulchre, you can plan around both its history and the period when it is set up.
Swimming Lake and Trails Around Dietenheim
The swimming lake is on the northeastern edge of Dietenheim and is not signposted. Bear this in mind when finding your way; signage may change. The local branches of the Swabian Alb Association have created circular hiking trails around Dietenheim and Regglisweiler. The trails pass through the Iller floodplains and across the surrounding ridges. As routes may change, it is worth checking route information before setting off.
The Main-Danube-Lake Constance Trail and the Iller Cycle Hiking Trail also pass through Regglisweiler. These two named routes are distinct from the circular hiking trails around Dietenheim and Regglisweiler: when finding your way, it helps to keep the relevant route name in mind. This gives you a choice of specific destinations in the area and different route options for planning your trip, without combining them into a single route.
More Places to Discover in the Alb-Donau District
Other places in the wider travel destination of the Alb-Donau district add to its cultural and natural appeal. The Hohle Fels cave near Schelklingen is a UNESCO World Heritage cave and the findspot of the “Venus of Hohle Fels” and the “Geierknochenflöte” (Vulture Bone Flute); both finds are around 42,500 years old. The Stone Age village of Ehrenstein in Blaustein is a Neolithic settlement in the Blau Valley and is also part of the transnational serial UNESCO World Heritage property “Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps.”
Hiking options in the Alb-Donau district also vary in length and time required. The 20 circular “Ice Age Trails” are 6 to 14 kilometres long and are suitable for day hikes. The family-friendly “Ice Age Traces,” at 1 to 6 kilometres, are shorter; the Besinnungsweg (Contemplation Trail) is available for multi-day hikes. These regional options complement the local network of trails around Dietenheim and Regglisweiler.
Discover more destinations: Weidenstetten, BerghĂĽlen, Breitingen, Laichingen, Schelklingen, Ehingen, Ulm, Rammingen.
Return to the regional travel overview: Alb-Donau district.
