Offenau reveals itself through a variety of highlights: buildings and a historic circular trail tell the story of the town, while the nature-oriented Johann-Michl-Promenade invites you to take a short walk or pause for a rest. During your stay, you can choose between culture, exercise and travelling by train.

History told through buildings and stops

The Graf von Westerholt Chapel, built in 1892, stands next to the Saline cultural forum in Offenau. At the edge of town in the direction of Jagstfeld, the salt storehouse, built in 1780, points to the town’s salt-making history. St. Alban’s Church stands on the banks of the Neckar; its interior contains an impressive example of Baroque art. Together, these buildings illustrate different aspects of Offenau’s history: salt production, sacred architecture and Baroque design.

The Offenau Historic Circular Trail passes 17 stops and covers more than 1,200 years of the town’s history as a former spa town. You can explore it with a guided tour led by the municipal archivist. The circular trail thus complements the individual buildings with a route that takes in a long period of the town’s history.

Promenade, water skiing and the Neckar

The approximately one-kilometre-long Johann-Michl-Promenade is designed to blend in with nature and has benches for sitting and reclining. It is suitable for a short walk or as a rest stop for cyclists. Here, the focus is on walking and taking a break, while the Historic Circular Trail conveys the town’s history through its stops.

Water skiing is another attraction: Offenau is home to one of the few water-skiing courses on an inland waterway in Germany. It runs along the Neckar for about two kilometres downstream to Gundelsheim lock. This offers a different way to experience Offenau than a walk along the promenade: the route is described as a water-skiing course, with the Neckar as its course and the lock as its endpoint.

Getting here and finding accommodation

Offenau station is on the Stuttgart–Heidelberg DB railway line and the Heilbronn–Mosbach S-Bahn line. The station platforms are step-free. As train services may change, check current connections and accessibility information before travelling.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Offenau, you can start by deciding what matters most for your trip: are you interested in local history, would you prefer a short walk, or are you planning to travel by train?

The wider destination of Heilbronn

The wider destination of Heilbronn offers cyclists further inspiration in the district. The Neckar Valley Cycle Route is one of the featured cycling routes there. There are also around 1,000 kilometres of signposted day-tour circuits in the Kraichgau, Zabergäu, Weinsberg Valley and Schozach-Bottwartal. The tours are spread across these four named areas.

Cultural destinations are also part of the wider Heilbronn destination. The Güglingen Roman Museum offers a family tour of the permanent exhibition at 3 pm on the third Sunday of each month; check the date before travelling. The Bad Friedrichshall Visitor Salt Mine focuses on history and changing mining techniques in former mining areas. An interactive tour 180 metres underground includes light displays and laser shows. As visitor information may vary seasonally, check it before making plans.

Discover more destinations: Massenbachhausen, Hardthausen Am Kocher, Heilbronn, Flein, Gundelsheim, Beilstein, Neckarwestheim, Schwaigern.

Return to the main travel overview: Heilbronn.