Gutach im Breisgau between riverside landscapes and architectural history

Gutach im Breisgau combines riverside landscapes, architectural history and active days away. The municipality lies at the confluence of the Wilde Gutach and the Elz. Villas and Art Nouveau buildings continue to shape the townscape along the Elz. In Gutach, you can discover both the influence of the rivers and traces of different periods of construction.

Hiking, cycling and discovering the forest

The Elztal Cycle Route passes through Gutach and Bleibach and is around 29 kilometres long. Most of the route follows paved paths and is suitable for families and less experienced cyclists. The Hörnleberg Forest Discovery Trail offers a family-friendly way to learn about the forest. The two activities have different focuses: the cycle route centres on travelling a longer distance, while the forest trail invites you to learn about the forest as a habitat.

For hikers, the ZweiTälersteig offers a longer route: this certified quality hiking trail comprises five stages and 106 kilometres, circling all seven towns of ZweiTälerLand. Local dining is also part of the hiking experience: rustic, staffed huts in the Schwarzwald Hut Corner serve regional specialities along trails in the Southern Black Forest Nature Park. So, as well as exercise, you can consider forest knowledge and regional cuisine as different interests when planning your days away.

Architectural history on a tour

The architecture tour takes you through 500 years of architectural history in Gutach. It is rated easy, is 3.71 kilometres long and takes one hour. Stops include a visit to St George’s Church, whose choir dates back to 1514. The tour thus combines a short walk with a close-up look at the town’s architectural history.

At the Sonnenensemble Bleibach stop, the tour includes a visit to a farm, followed by a snack with drinks and a tasting of fruit brandies from the Elztal distillery. Here, the architectural walk combines impressions of local buildings with regional specialities. For those interested in culture, the Bleibach Dance of Death in the charnel house chapel adds to the historical picture: it dates from 1723 and is considered the only fully preserved Dance of Death in southern Germany, as well as one of the few surviving examples in Europe.

Local history and distinctive settings

Gutach’s modern history is linked to the establishment of the Gütermann sewing thread company, which brought prosperity to the town more than 100 years ago. The present-day townscape also tells the story of different periods: the villas and Art Nouveau buildings along the Elz continue to shape it. If you are interested in the town’s development, you can explore these architectural traces in relation to the architecture tour and its stops.

A very different setting is offered by the traditional nine-hole golf course, which has been here for more than 100 years. It lies in a park landscape among old villas, lakes, streams and mature trees. These surroundings shape the character of the course as much as its long history. Together with the rivers and Art Nouveau buildings, the course shows how different landscape and architectural themes define Gutach.

Choose the focus that suits your trip

The activities vary considerably in scale: the architecture tour is an easy, one-hour circuit, the Elztal Cycle Route is around 29 kilometres long, and the ZweiTälersteig covers five stages and 106 kilometres. Families will find plenty to enjoy on the cycle route and family-friendly forest discovery trail; those interested in culture can include the architectural history tour and the Bleibach Dance of Death.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Kenzingen, Freiamt, Elzach, Winden im Elztal, Bahlingen, Sexau, Wyhl am Kaiserstuhl, Malterdingen.

Back to the main travel overview: Emmendingen.