Ludwigsburg: Baroque, Celtic Trails and Wine Country

Ludwigsburg brings together baroque architecture, traces of the Celtic era and a landscape shaped by winegrowing. In the district, the Neckar Valley lies between the Stromberg, Strohgäu and the Löwenstein Hills. Terraced steep-slope vineyards along the Neckar and Enz shape the landscape; winegrowing has been a tradition here for centuries. When planning your trip, this means you can focus on culture and scenery, or combine both with walking and cycling routes.

Baroque and Celtic history

Ludwigsburg Residential Palace is one of Europe’s largest baroque buildings preserved in its original form. The Blooming Baroque, a garden show featuring a fairytale garden, is also located in Ludwigsburg. Those interested in early Celtic history can visit the Hochdorf/Enz Celtic Museum, which has a lavish burial chamber of a Celtic prince recreated true to the original. The exhibition also offers insights into the everyday life and crafts of the early Celtic people.

The Celtic Trail links nine significant Celtic-era finds along a route of about 35 kilometres through the district of Ludwigsburg. The Celtic Trail AR app brings these nine sites to life with interactive VR and AR features. This offers several ways to explore the past: the palace as a baroque building, the garden show with its fairytale garden, and archaeological sites along a longer trail.

Discover wine country on walking trails

If you would like to learn about winegrowing beyond simply seeing it in the landscape, there are several trails to choose from. The Wunnenstein Wine Experience Trail is about four kilometres long and features 60 illustrated information boards about winegrowing and winemaking. Viewpoints, restaurants, seating areas, barbecue spots and vineyard huts are also located along the trail.

The Geigersberg wine trail in Sachsenheim is shorter, at 1.9 kilometres. This circular route passes information boards about nature and wine culture, as well as rest areas. For a longer route combining landscapes and literature, there is the Wine and Literature Trail: it passes through the town of Marbach, known as Schillerstadt, and the Bottwar Valley. The full route is 35 kilometres long, with 15 literary stops along the way. The different lengths and themes make it easy to choose an outing based on whether you prefer a short circular walk or a longer route with cultural stops.

Explore on foot and by bike

The walking routes also each offer something different. The Milchsäules circular trail is 12.5 kilometres long and runs from Enzweihingen to Hochdorf along forest and field paths and through orchards. The circular route at Rosswager Halde starts and ends in Vaihingen an der Enz. Its 15.4 kilometres pass through the spectacular steep-slope vineyards of Rosswager Halde. The two tours differ in length, starting points and scenery, rather than forming a single combined route.

Cyclists can also choose from routes such as the Neckar Valley Cycle Route. This long-distance cycle route is around 350 kilometres long, has almost no climbs and runs steadily downhill; it is considered suitable for beginner cyclists and families with children. In the district of Ludwigsburg, it passes the most beautiful vineyard views along the steep slopes. The district’s cycle routes also pass Celtic landmarks and historic mills, and run through steep-slope vineyards and idyllic river valleys. There are suitable options for e-bike riders, too.

Another option is the nearly 29-kilometre Metter Cycle Route between Sternenfels-Diefenbach and Bietigheim-Bissingen. Along the way, vineyard slopes, orchards, streams and shady forests alternate; hilltop loungers and benches invite you to pause and enjoy the views. These longer routes can be combined with brief stops to enjoy the scenery and rest, while each bike ride retains its own character.

Plan your accommodation around your itinerary

When looking for accommodation in Ludwigsburg, it is worth first deciding what you would like to focus on: the palace and gardens, Celtic finds, wine trails, or a longer walk or bike ride. The experiences described are spread across different places and routes in the district. This lets you combine baroque architecture, history, wine country and outdoor activities to suit the days you want to plan.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Walheim, Kirchheim am Neckar, Tamm, Pleidelsheim, Marbach am Neckar, Ludwigsburg, Korntal-Münchingen, Großbottwar, Gerlingen, Freiberg am Neckar, Ditzingen, Remseck am Neckar, Markgröningen, Schwieberdingen, Oberstenfeld, Asperg, Steinheim an der Murr, Vaihingen an der Enz, Kornwestheim, Besigheim, Ingersheim, Affalterbach, Hessigheim, Mundelsheim, Sachsenheim, Bönnigheim, Löchgau, Erligheim, Freudental, Eberdingen, Gemmrigheim, Möglingen, Bietigheim-Bissingen.

Go to the main travel overview: Baden-Württemberg.