Bad Boll: Spa Park, Culture and Nature

Bad Boll combines visible traces of its spa history with a distinctive townscape and a varied natural setting. The Romanesque collegiate church on the hill, the historic spa park and Teufelsloch-Kaltenwang Nature Reserve offer different ways to experience the town. Cultural history, nature experiences and designated tours can each shape your trip in different ways, depending on your interests.

Cultural history around the church, spa house and park

The Evangelical Collegiate Church of St. Cyriacus, with its prominent position on a hill, defines the townscape. As a Romanesque building from the Hohenstaufen period, it brings an early architectural era into present-day Bad Boll. The church is open daily until nightfall. Check the latest visitor information before your visit.

The history of the Historic Spa House dates back to 1595. That year, Heinrich Schickhardt built the first bathhouse on behalf of Duke Frederick I. The spa house also contains the sulfur spring from the same year, one of the oldest surviving reminders of Bad Boll’s spa tradition. Above the spa house stands the small Tempele viewing pavilion: built in 1824 as a belvedere, it is a popular walking destination.

The spa park was laid out in 1823 and includes a historic promenade hall. It is open to all visitors. Concerts are held there on Sundays from May to September; check the latest dates when planning your visit. Another cultural attraction is Blumhardt’s Literary Salon in Villa Vopelius. Portraits, autographs and books belonging to notable figures such as Eduard Mörike, Ottilie Wildermuth, Hermann Hesse and Karl Barth are on display there. Admission is free, and the salon is open daily.

Protected landscapes and nature to discover

Teufelsloch-Kaltenwang Nature Reserve covers 122 hectares and stretches from the traditional orchards near Eckwälden to the Franzosenbrücke bridge. Deeply incised gorges, streams and ravines characterize the area; it also includes the 18-hectare Teufelsloch forest reserve. At the Breiter Stein waterfall bench, the water plunges around 50 metres.

Boller Heide offers a different way to spend time outdoors: this natural recreation area has a shelter and a barbecue area, and is suitable for relaxing, picnicking and barbecuing. Children can explore nature on the surrounding paths. If you want to learn about the forest not only as a landscape but also in its various roles, you can follow the Badwäldle Nature Trail in Bad Boll’s forest. Eleven information boards explain the forest as a habitat, protective forest and economic resource, as well as how timber is harvested.

Hiking and mountain biking tours

The Berta-Hörnle Tour starts at the Pappelweg hiking car park in Bad Boll and is about 14.5 kilometres long. It shares a route with Sinneswandel, passes experience stations and leads to the Albtraufgänger quality hiking trail. These details—the starting point, route length and course—provide practical guidance for planning your hike.

For mountain biking, the Löwentrail Teufelsloch loop offers a different focus. The route goes around Bad Boll and Gruibingen and offers views over the foothills of the Swabian Alb. You can choose between different ways of exploring: a described hiking route with experience stations or a mountain bike loop with views of the landscape.

Choose accommodation to suit your travel plans

When choosing accommodation in Bad Boll, use your main interests as a starting point: cultural attractions and the spa park, nature experiences, or a planned hiking or mountain biking tour. This helps you link your search to the experiences that matter during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Ebersbach An Der Fils, Eislingen/Fils, Wäschenbeuren, Heiningen, Bad Ditzenbach, Wiesensteig, Ottenbach, Wangen.

For the main travel overview: Göppingen.