Tondorf combines a distinctive historic villagescape with walking routes and recurring village festivals. The historic village center lies below St. Lambertus Church, with narrow lanes lined by historic farmsteads. When choosing accommodation, the village offers several themes for a stay: church and village history, activities around Tondorf, and additional destinations in the wider destination of Nettersheim.
Church, Village Center, and Festival Days
St. Lambertus Church was built in 1812 on the site of an earlier building. Its history includes two bells dating from 1495 and 1497; both were cast by Johann Schursgyn of Cologne. These dates provide a specific chronological link to the church’s history.
The pipe organ also brings together different periods of construction: it was rebuilt in 2006 using the historic façade of the former Gebrüder Müller organ from the 19th century. The instrument has 14 sounding stops and 20 stop draw knobs. This makes it easy to distinguish the new construction phase from the older façade.
The Marian Chapel houses a statue of the Virgin Mary that once adorned the Marian altar in St. Lambertus Church. This detail from the past adds to the story of the village’s religious history.
Tondorf has recurring annual village festivals, including the Waldfest and the Kirmes. The Waldfest has been held at Mühlenhecken on the third weekend in July since the 1970s. The Kirmes is celebrated every year on the third weekend in September. It opens with a procession: villagers follow the Junggesellenverein (Bachelors’ Association) and village musicians, accompanied by the fire brigade. If you are planning your trip around one of the festivals, check the specific date for that year’s event in advance.
Routes Around Tondorf
There are hiking trails and cycling routes around Tondorf for road bikes, mountain bikes, and trekking bikes. A historic Way of St. James route from Cologne to Trier passes through the municipality of Nettersheim and directly by Tondorf. Alongside the routes around the village, it offers a historic connection in the direction of Cologne and Trier. Numerous fieldside benches in Tondorf and around the village invite you to pause and provide additional opportunities to rest along the way.
More to Discover in the Nettersheim Destination
The wider destination of Nettersheim brings together Roman history and landscape experiences. At the Archaeological Landscape Park in Nettersheim, parts of a Roman settlement and the Roman road have been made visible to visitors in the landscape. The circular trail is about 4.5 kilometers long, has eight stops, and starts at the Eifel Nature Center. Partial reconstructions there show the results of excavations in the vicus of Nettersheim.
If you would like to compare a cycling loop by distance and estimated time, the Via Velo in Nettersheim is another option: the route is 22.5 kilometers long, follows a circular route, and has an estimated cycling time of about two to three hours. The Eifel Nature Center, which houses the tourist information office in Nettersheim, can be used as a starting point. Around Tondorf, by contrast, routes are designated for different types of bike: road bikes, mountain bikes, and trekking bikes.
For hiking, the 20-kilometer Eifel Herb Trail leads from the Eifelsteig in Nettersheim to Bad MĂĽnstereifel. It introduces hikers to local herbs and plants through all five senses. From the Eifel Nature Center in Nettersheim, various nature trails also provide access on foot or by bike to orchid meadows, Roman temples, and fossil-rich areas. Nettersheim can be reached by train on the Eifel line between Cologne and Trier.
Discover more destinations: Dahlem, Hellenthal, Dahlem-Frauenkron, Bronsfeld, Bad Münstereifel, Blankenheim, Schöneseiffen, Ahrhütte
Go to the overview of the wider destination: Euskirchen.
