Achern combines a distinctive cultural history with a circular trail through vineyards and Baden’s fruit-growing region. Illenau and the Klauskirchl offer contrasting historical highlights, while the Three Cherries Trail turns your attention to the landscape and the seasons. When choosing your stay, you can focus on history, events or outdoor activities.
Illenau and the Klauskirchl: local history
Illenau was founded in 1842 as a Baden institution for the care and treatment of people with mental illness, and opened under its first director, Dr. Christian Roller. The ensemble of buildings, designed by building councillor Hans Voß, is considered an important example of Classicist architecture. The date, the institution’s founding and the architecture give the site several historical dimensions: its history encompasses both the establishment of the institution and the design of the ensemble.
The Illenau Arkaden Museum presents the history of Illenau, from its beginnings and development through its tragic end and the transition to a new beginning. A public guided tour is generally held on the last Friday of each month. It may take visitors through the museum, around the grounds or through the Illenau cemetery; registration via the Tourist Information Office is required. Check the date and registration details in advance if you plan to join the tour.
The Klauskirchl, also known as St. Nicholas Chapel, is considered Achern’s oldest building and a landmark of the city. Its oldest parts date back to the 9th century. The building acquired its present Gothic appearance in the second half of the 15th century. The distinction between its early building fabric and later form makes the chapel a destination in its own right for anyone interested in architectural history.
Groups can take a historical walking tour of Achern’s town centre, visiting the “Achern Milestones.” Stops include the Klauskirchl, the Leopold Monument and the Brecht House. This group tour complements the individual themes of Illenau and the chapel with a route linking several named historical sites, so you can plan your visit around your preferred focus.
The Three Cherries Trail and other activities
The 21-kilometre Three Cherries Trail is a circular route around Achern through vineyards and Baden’s fruit-growing region. It is particularly impressive during cherry blossom season. Along the way, there are views across the Achertal valley, the Rhine Plain and as far as Alsace. At 21 kilometres, the trail is a substantial choice for a day’s itinerary, with cherry blossom providing a seasonal highlight. The route and its landscape are quite different from a stay focused mainly on historical sites and the museum.
Beach volleyball is listed as an activity at the swimming pool on BadstraĂźe. If you plan to take part during your visit, check in advance whether it will be available at the time. Alongside cultural attractions and the longer circular trail, events and a sporting activity offer other ways to shape your stay.
Events and uses of the Reithalle
Events are regularly held at the Reithalle Achern. The renovated complex includes a market hall, a café, a florist, a package-free shop, a bookshop, an exhibition space, apartments and offices. With its mix of events and other uses, the Reithalle is another place for culture and everyday life in Achern. As individual businesses and programmes may change, it is worth checking the current programme before your visit.
This gives you a choice of different ways to plan your visit rather than a fixed sightseeing itinerary: the history of Illenau, the architectural history of the Klauskirchl, a guided group tour of the town, events at the Reithalle or a longer walk through vineyards and fruit-growing country. If you want to see the cherry blossoms, the seasonal note about the Three Cherries Trail is relevant; for a tour or an event, the date and registration details or programme are the practical points to check in advance.
Achern in its wider regional context
The wider Ortenaukreis travel destination lies between the Rhine and the Black Forest. The Ortenaukreis has 23 nature reserves covering a total area of around 3,110 hectares, extending from the Rhine Plain to the higher elevations of the Black Forest. This is the regional context for choosing a trip; the local Three Cherries Trail, in turn, loops around Achern through vineyards and Baden’s fruit-growing region, with views as far as Alsace. The region’s diverse landscapes and a specific named trail therefore offer two different scales of exploration.
Discover more destinations: Zell Am Harmersbach, Oberharmersbach, Biberach, Bad Peterstal-Griesbach, Lautenbach, Ottenhöfen Im Schwarzwald, Ohlsbach, Lauf.
Go to the wider travel overview: Ortenaukreis.
