Bockenheim on the Wine Route is a starting point for exploring on foot and by bike: the German Wine Route begins here, at the transition from the Palatinate wine-growing region to Rheinhessen. The various routes offer different ways to plan your stay—from a hiking route with a specified distance to planning individual stages.
Viticulture and the Character of the Town
Around 400 hectares of vineyards shape Bockenheim; this figure may change over time. The House of the German Wine Route represents Palatinate wine culture. Bockenheim thus brings together the Wine Route as a long-distance route and viticulture as a local theme.
Hikes and Stages
The Wine Hiking Trail begins in Bockenheim and follows the German Wine Route to Schweigen in the Southern Palatinate. The German Wine Route Hiking Trail runs from Bockenheim to Schweigen-Rechtenbach and is around 100 kilometres long. It is marked throughout with a green grape on a white background. Check the route and trail markings before setting out.
A shorter option with a clearly specified distance is the Sänger Hiking Trail: the nine-kilometre route starts and ends at the House of the German Wine Route. At nine kilometres, it is considerably shorter than the German Wine Route Hiking Trail, which is listed as around 100 kilometres long. Parking is available at the House of the German Wine Route; check the parking regulations before travelling.
Cycling and Planning Stages
The Wine Route Cycle Path, the Kraut & Rüben Cycle Route and the Barbarossa Cycle Route meet in Bockenheim. These three named routes give cyclists several options for planning their rides. Check the routes and signage before your trip.
There are also connections to train and bus stops for stages along the German Wine Route Hiking Trail, allowing you to plan your trip individually. Check connections and timetables before setting off. This lets you tailor your choice of a single hiking route, longer sections of the trail or a cycling tour to your planned stay.
Churches and History
Bockenheim’s churches preserve a range of examples of architectural and art history. The Romanesque St Martin’s Church in Klein-Bockenheim contains a baptismal font with four lions and Gothic murals. The Catholic parish church of St Lambertus preserves a Madonna with grapes dating from 1480. The medieval Protestant Lambertskirche has a tower whose origins date back to the 11th century. From 1700 to 1921, this Lambertskirche was shared by Protestant and Catholic congregations. Each building highlights different aspects: Romanesque origins and Gothic paintings, a dated Madonna, and a medieval tower with a long history of shared use.
Events Throughout the Year
Bockenheim hosts the Mundarttage dialect festival and a dialect poetry competition every year. The Wine Route Marathon starts at the House of the German Wine Route every two years. If you would like to plan your trip around one of these events, check the dates; for the marathon, also check the participation information in advance.
Discover more destinations: Battenberg, Ebertsheim, Kindenheim, Asselheim, Neuleiningen, Gerolsheim, Dirmstein, Bissersheim.
Go to the main travel overview: Grünstadt.
