Edingen-Neckarhausen: Palace Park, Neckar and Nature

Edingen-Neckarhausen is at its best where the Neckar, green spaces and history meet. The fish nursery between the two districts, the paths along the river and the palace park offer different ways to discover the area. There is also a leisure pool and a connection across the Neckar to Ladenburg. When planning your stay, you can decide whether nature watching and walks, water activities or cultural history should take centre stage.

Neckar Landscape and Nature Watching

The fish nursery, covering around 13,000 square metres between Edingen and Neckarhausen, is a side channel of the Neckar. It serves as a spawning and refuge area for fish and gives the public access to the water. A riverside path and viewing platforms invite visitors to observe nature. On the river, the site is complemented by an outdoor classroom with a sun sail and tiered seating; it is intended for schools and young anglers.

The Neckar riverbank itself is also a local recreation area with extensive walking paths. The Neckar and its floodplain are used for paddling, fishing and relaxation. Walks by the river and wildlife watching at the fish nursery offer different focuses: one puts the riverside path first, while the other takes in the side channel and its natural environment.

The Neckarhausen ferry crosses the Neckar to Ladenburg. Ferry service may be suspended in bad weather or during high water; check the latest information before travelling. A railway bridge also connects Edingen-Neckarhausen with Ladenburg and can be used by cyclists and pedestrians. The two options can therefore be distinguished by mode of transport and prevailing conditions.

The Edinger Ried adds another landscape to the municipality. In the Rhine floodplains, it features marshland, deciduous woodland, ponds, small lakes and an old arm of the Rhine. Broad walking paths run along the Rhine dikes. Those planning days of nature and activity can choose between the Neckar riverbank and the paths through the Ried, while keeping the two landscapes distinct.

Palace Park, History and Leisure Pool

Neckarhausen Palace originated as a Thurn und Taxis postal station, which had been operating in Neckarhausen since at least 1634. The palace park, covering around three hectares, lies in the old town centre. A diverse collection of trees, meadow valleys and open sightlines define the park and invite visitors to linger and take a walk. For many years, it has also been home to hundreds of Alexandrine parakeets.

An ice cellar in the palace park recalls an earlier way of keeping things cool: during winter, blocks of ice sawn from the frozen Neckar were stored there. The orangery was fully restored in 2008 and is available for cultural events. The park thus brings together green spaces and cultural history, while the ice cellar offers a tangible glimpse into how ice was used in the past.

The Edingen-Neckarhausen leisure pool has a 25-metre pool with a diving tower, a whirlpool with an exercise pool, and an outdoor pool with reclining hollows. It also has a toddlers’ pool, a sunbathing lawn with views of the Neckar, a massage practice and a sauna. The toddlers’ pool is a specific facility to consider when planning with young children; the other areas offer further options for a day at the pool.

More Culture in the Rhine-Neckar District

Elsewhere in the broader Rhine-Neckar District destination, other places have their own cultural highlights. Schwetzingen’s Electoral Palatinate Palace has a Rococo theatre and a world-famous park. In Ladenburg’s historic town centre, much of the townscape still reflects the Middle Ages and, in part, Roman times. These examples broaden the view of the region, while the palace park and Neckar riverbank remain Edingen-Neckarhausen’s distinctive themes.

You can tailor your stay to the activities you want, without turning the different places and attractions into a fixed itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Reichartshausen, Oftersheim, Waibstadt, Reilingen, Walldorf, Dielheim, Nußloch, Sinsheim.

Go to the broader travel overview: Rhine-Neckar District.