Weinheim combines paths through an unusual collection of trees with castle history, a city museum and historic quarters. For planning your trip, a simple guide can help: nature and circular walking trails take center stage in the Exotenwald, while Windeck, Wachenburg and the Gerberbach quarter reveal different aspects of the city’s history. Seasonal events and water sports at Waidsee are also on offer.
The Exotenwald and its forest trails
Weinheim’s Exotenwald covers around 60 hectares and includes tree species from different parts of the world, including giant sequoias, Chilean monkey-puzzle trees, Japanese and North American magnolias, and California incense cedars. Three signposted circular walking trails lead through the forest. If you would prefer to join a scheduled event, you can plan for a public guided tour, held once a month from March to November. Check the specific tour dates before your trip.
The Kneipp facility can also be included in your route. It is about a 15-minute walk from the palace gardens. Both the Exotenwald circular trail and the Große Rundweg pass by the facility. This gives you two named trails to choose from if you want to combine a walk in the forest with a visit to the Kneipp facility; in contrast, planning for the monthly guided tour depends on its scheduled date.
Castles, museum and old town
Windeck Castle was built after 1100 as a defensive castle for Lorsch Abbey. In fine weather, the view from there stretches over Weinheim and the Rhine Plain as far as the Palatinate. Guided tours of the castle are also available. Wachenburg offers a different historical perspective: it was built between 1907 and 1928 as a memorial and meeting place for the Weinheimer Senioren-Convent and its active student corps.
The Gerberbach quarter is characterized by old tanners’ houses and workshops, winding lanes, small courtyards and half-timbered houses. For a museum visit, the Museum of the City of Weinheim has a permanent exhibition spanning around 1,000 square meters, as well as regular special exhibitions. Its collection preserves objects relating to the history of the city and region. An audio guide featuring Ingrid Noll leads visitors through Weinheim at 13 stops and presents the city from her perspective. You can therefore choose between exploring at your own pace, a guided visit to the castle, and museum or audio-guide experiences, without having to combine these different options into a single tour.
Events and seasonal activities
The Weinheim Sommertagszug takes place every year in March on Laetare Sunday and involves around 3,000 participants. The Altstadt-Kerwe is celebrated in the Gerberbach quarter on the second weekend of August. If one of these events is a deciding factor for your trip, check the specific dates in advance.
At Waidsee beach, a water sports area is available for stand-up paddleboarding, surfing and canoeing; diving is also possible there. The beach also has a children’s playground with a zip line and a designated non-swimmer area. Plan your visit with seasonal opening and changing access rules in mind, and check the conditions in advance.
Another destination in the nearby area is the Mühlental valley, with its six mills, between Weinheim and Birkenau. The valley extends beyond the city limits. It adds another option to your itinerary, but is distinct from the circular trails in the Exotenwald and the sights in Weinheim.
Getting there and choosing a focus for your trip
Weinheim is accessible via RNV tram line 5 from the direction of Mannheim and Heidelberg, as well as by several bus routes from the Odenwald. As routes and timetables may change, check the connection for your travel date. The activities listed here involve different interests and scheduling considerations.
Discover more destinations: Helmstadt-Bargen, Gaiberg, Hockenheim, Epfenbach, Neidenstein, Heiligkreuzsteinach, Sankt Leon-Rot, Altlußheim.
Go to the regional travel overview: Rhine-Neckar District.
