Three different themes give your trip planning for Kappel-Grafenhausen a clear focus: water at the quarry lake in Kappel, the organ in St. James Parish Church in Grafenhausen and nature watching in the surrounding area. The wider setting is the Ortenau district, with its own nature and cultural destinations that offer further points to consider when planning your trip.
Lake, birdlife and organ history
The quarry lake in Kappel has a large sunbathing lawn and a shallow entry into the water. These are specific features to consider when choosing if spending time by the water is your priority. Swimming is at your own risk. Keep this in mind when planning your trip.
In the surrounding area, at Taubergießen, you can observe more than 200 bird species, including the increasingly rare kingfisher. This offers a different nature experience from the quarry lake: here, birdwatching is the focus, while the sunbathing lawn and shallow entry into the water shape a stay at the lake. Before comparing specific accommodation locations, consider whether you would rather spend time by the water or observe birdlife.
In Grafenhausen, the organ in St. James Parish Church adds a musical history aspect to the nature themes. In 1890, August Merklin expanded it by four stops and a second manual. The details specify both when the changes were made and two features added to the instrument—an informative point of interest for culture enthusiasts.
The Ortenau district as a regional setting
The Ortenau district lies between the Rhine and the Black Forest. Its 23 nature reserves cover a total of around 3,110 hectares and stretch from the Rhine Plain to the higher elevations of the Black Forest. Taubergießen covers 1,695 hectares and is one of Baden-Württemberg’s largest nature reserves. The figures refer to two different scales: Taubergießen as a single protected area, and the combined area of the 23 reserves in the Ortenau district.
Other destinations in the Ortenau district also have their own appeal. Europa-Park is located in the municipality of Rust. Rulantica offers water-based fun for the whole family all year round and features numerous indoor and outdoor water attractions, as well as the Hyggedal relaxation and sauna area. Compared with the quarry lake, these offer different water experiences: Rulantica combines indoor and outdoor attractions with its own relaxation and sauna area, while the quarry lake is characterized by the sunbathing lawn and shallow water entry described above.
The Ortenau district also offers further themes related to culture and history. A tour of the historic farmsteads at the Vogtsbauernhof Open-Air Museum shows how people lived and worked in the Black Forest up to 600 years ago. MiMa presents unique minerals from the Black Forest, collected by the Friends of Minerals and Mining Oberwolfach Association. The cultural themes also differ: one is about historic ways of life and work, while the other focuses on minerals and their collection.
Choose accommodation based on your travel interests
Next, check which specific accommodation location best suits your preference. If you would like to include other destinations in the Ortenau district, choose them according to your interests in nature, leisure or culture. You can prioritize the different themes without needing to include them all in one stay.
Discover more destinations: Zell Am Harmersbach, Bad Peterstal-Griesbach, Haslach Im Kinzigtal, Friesenheim, Oberwolfach, Gutach, Steinach, Achern.
For the regional travel overview: Ortenau district.
