Waldburg: Castle, Planet Trail and Orchards

Waldburg offers several ways to explore its history and surroundings: the castle complex, a trail through the planets and an educational trail with fruit trees. There are also regional products and small field chapels in the wider area. When planning your visit, you can choose between culture at the castle, two trails with different themes and an insight into the region’s traditional orchards.

Castle History and Puzzles at Waldburg

Waldburg is considered one of the best-preserved castle complexes in southern Germany. The castle presents the Waldseemüller map as the “birth certificate of America” and as a UNESCO Memory of the World document. The castle rally offers a different way to explore: visitors aged 12 to 99 solve puzzles in the castle. The two activities have different emphases—one focuses on a remarkable exhibit, the other on exploring for yourself.

Knight-themed feasts are also held in the deep vaulted cellar of Waldburg, for occasions such as birthdays, company outings and corporate celebrations. The focus is on authentic medieval fare. Arrange a date with the provider in advance.

Two Trails with Different Themes

The Planet Trail begins at the town hall in the center of town and runs along Hauptstraße and Amtzeller Straße, across the schoolyard and on to the observatory. Information boards along the way provide information about the planets. The trail thus leads from the town hall through the town center to its destination at the observatory, connecting these stops through an astronomical theme.

The Waldburg Fruit Tree Educational Trail has a different focus. It runs from Hof Sutter, north of Waldburg, to Schädlers Kreuz. Forty different fruit trees stand along the route, each with an information board. The trail therefore differs not only in its endpoints but also in its theme: here, the focus is on fruit trees and their signs, while the Planet Trail is about the planets.

Traditional Orchards, Tastings and Field Chapels

Today, ADRIAN Genussmanufaktur uses apples and pears from Upper Swabian traditional orchards to produce specialty vinegars, fruit juices and sparkling wines. Various ADRIAN products can be sampled in the vaulted cellar. If you plan a tasting, check the visit details with the provider in advance.

The wider area is also home to four small field chapels. Three of the old chapels are locally known as Hustenkäpele, Grimmen- and Oißenkäppele.

Ravensburg: A Distinct Cultural Focus

Ravensburg offers a cultural focus distinct from Waldburg’s local character. The Humpis Quarter Museum in Ravensburg opened in July 2009. Its permanent exhibition spans five buildings in a late medieval residential quarter. Regular public tours and tours that can be booked individually are offered for school groups, children and adults. If you plan a tour, check the dates in advance.

Ravensburg’s attractions also include Achberg Castle. It is the cultural center of Ravensburg district, sits high above the Argen Valley and showcases Baroque architecture. The castle is open to all visitors and offers educational activities for children. The circular hiking trails starting there pass through varied landscapes: across gentle, rolling meadows on the high riverbank and along steep slopes with ravines on the valley side of the Argen Valley. In this Ravensburg context, cultural attractions and hiking trails offer a different focus from Waldburg’s castle, Planet Trail and fruit tree trail.

Choose Accommodation to Suit Your Interests

If you are looking for accommodation in Waldburg, your planned activities can help guide your choice of location: do you mainly want to explore the castle and its offerings, include one of the themed trails in your plans, or focus on regional products? When choosing a particular place to stay, check whether its location suits the places you want to visit during your stay. For additional cultural attractions, Ravensburg offers a distinct setting; the attractions mentioned there are separate from Waldburg’s local character.

Discover more destinations: Bad Wurzach, Achberg, Isny Im Allgäu, Kißlegg, Wangen Im Allgäu, Schwarzenbach, Bergatreute, Ravensburg.

Return to the main travel guide: Ravensburg.