Rheinau brings together attractions that can take on different levels of importance during a stay: the fish ladder and its visitor centre explore the Rhine as a habitat, the Rheinau Museum is devoted to local history, and World of Living focuses on architecture and modern living. There are also churches, historic chapels and routes through the Rhine floodplains. If you are looking for a hotel, you can first decide whether culture, architecture and living, or outdoor activities should be your main focus. Each attraction has its own character, and they need not be treated as a set itinerary.

Fish Ladder and the Rhine

The Rheinau-Gambsheim fish ladder is one of the largest in Europe. An exhibition at the visitor centre explains how the facility was built, how the Rhine is regulated, how salmon are being reintroduced, and which fish species live in the Rhine. This brings together human intervention in the river and questions about its inhabitants. Visitors can touch and feed the fish.

The visitor centre is designed for a self-guided tour, which takes 45 minutes. The exhibition is available in French, German and English. Check the latest visitor information before setting off so you can factor the duration and available languages into your plans.

Local History, Work and Shipping

The Rheinau Museum is housed in a half-timbered building dating from 1745. Its permanent exhibition documents the history of Rheinau and its districts. It also displays tools and equipment related to growing and processing hemp and tobacco. An extensive collection of ship models covers canal and Rhine shipping, from its beginnings to modern push-tow convoys. Local history, agricultural work and shipping are thus brought together in the same museum. Depending on your interests, you can focus on the history of the districts, the tools used for work, or the development of ships.

Architecture and Erlen Park

World of Living in Rheinau is a building, living and adventure park that brings together architecture, modern living, nature and entertainment. The Universe of Time presents a journey through 20,000 years of building and living history. The Hall of Creation offers more than 3,500 square metres of exhibition space to explore materials, designs and home ideas. This gives World of Living a different focus from the museum, with building and living at its heart.

Erlen Park includes a treehouse with views across the grounds, a large adventure playground, an 800-square-metre biotope and a lake. The park complements the exhibition themes with outdoor features. Architecture and living can therefore play as much a part in choosing what to visit as nature and entertainment.

Routes, Churches and Chapels

Hiking and cycling routes cross Rheinau and lead into the Rhine floodplains. They offer a distinct focus alongside the museums and exhibitions, and appeal to travellers who want to include routes through the landscape in their plans. Numerous churches and historic chapels attract art enthusiasts. When planning your stay, you can choose between local history, art, architecture and outdoor activities, weighting these themes according to your own interests.

The Wider Setting: Ortenau District

The wider Ortenau district lies between the Rhine and the Black Forest. The district has 23 nature reserves covering a total area of around 3,110 hectares. They extend from the Rhine plain up to the higher elevations of the Black Forest. This regional context broadens the view from Rheinau to the landscape of the wider destination.

Discover more destinations: Kehl, Renchen, Fischerbach, Lauf, Hofstetten, Sasbach, Ichenheim, Wolfach.

Go to the broader travel overview: Ortenau District.