Erlangen-Höchstadt: Cherry Orchards, Ponds and Culture

Cherry orchards, forest ponds, protected wetlands and places with a long history shape experiences in Erlangen-Höchstadt. There are also museums and leisure activities covering a wide range of interests. When planning your trip, consider whether you would like to focus on nature trails, cultural history or activities to enjoy together.

Cherry Orchards, Ponds and Trails

A three-kilometre circular trail leads through the Kalchreuth cherry orchards. Information boards explore cherries, the surrounding landscape and Kalchreuth; interactive stations focus on nature. St. Andreas Church in Kalchreuth is also home to a famous Passion altarpiece: a winged shrine altar by Michael Wolgemut, Dürer’s teacher.

The trails near Höchstadt also vary in length and landscape. The signposted, flat Eisvogelweg (Kingfisher Trail) is about 2.6 kilometres long and forms a circular route through the Franconian pond country. The Seerosenweg (Water Lily Trail) runs for about 2.4 kilometres, mostly on flat ground, through the historic Gretelmark forest; forest ponds, water lilies, stands of bulrushes and kingfishers are characteristic of the route. The roughly 2.2-kilometre Orchideenweg (Orchid Trail) is a route for vehicles and pedestrians, passing through a cultivated landscape of reed-fringed ponds, wet meadows, waterbirds and orchids such as the marsh helleborine. It is worth checking local route information before setting out.

The district’s network of cycling and hiking trails stretches from the Aischgrund to the Erlanger Oberland. The Bösenbechhofen ponds offer a different perspective on the landscape: north of the district of Bösenbechhofen near Höchstadt, they form a chain of ponds fed by rainwater in the Gretelmark forest. The area, including its surrounding habitats, covers 23.06 hectares and was designated a nature reserve on 15 December 2012. The Weihergebiet bei Mohrhof bird sanctuary is an Important Bird Area and is among the early Natura 2000 Habitats and Birds Directive sites. Its habitats include wetlands and species-rich wet meadows with orchids; rare bird species also live there.

Museums and Experiences for Different Interests

The Spix Museum in Höchstadt is located in the birthplace of natural scientist Johann Baptist Ritter von Spix. Interactive exhibits present his life and the history of the house. One of the exhibition’s highlights is a computer-controlled, light-operated rainforest diorama with animal figures and sounds, which is particularly recommended for children.

Those interested in other leisure activities will find a summer toboggan run and a mini-golf course at the FreizeitAktiv-Paradies in Vestenbergsgreuth. The ice rink in Höchstadt offers public skating, speed skating and an ice disco; visitors can also play ice hockey themselves or watch the Höchstadt Alligators. Facilities at the Atlantis leisure pool in Herzogenaurach include a wave pool, the “Rocket” and “Roter Riese” slides, a lazy river and a children’s adventure area. For a specific visit, it is worth checking the latest information about seasonal programs and facilities.

The region’s history also features along its trails. In the district, the Jakobus-Radpilgerweg (St James Cycling Pilgrimage Route) passes through Kalchreuth and Uttenreuth, following residential areas there and otherwise running through forests and meadows. The 183-kilometre Upper Franconian Way of St James runs from Hof to Nuremberg via Kalchreuth. This gives you two routes to choose from, with different lengths and itineraries.

Local History and Regional Culture

In Mühlhausen, the former synagogue was built in 1756/57 on the southern edge of the town centre. Together with the Jewish cemetery established about fifteen years earlier, where 373 gravestones have survived, it is the community’s only authentic surviving architectural record of more than 500 years of Jewish history. The Jewish cemetery in Baiersdorf was established in the late Middle Ages, possibly after 1388. Together with the cemetery in Hemhofen, it is among the oldest surviving Jewish cemeteries in the region.

Bubenreuth tells a different cultural story: after the Second World War, more than 2,000 musical instrument makers from the Saxon-Bohemian musical region found a new home there. Bubenreuth subsequently developed into a European centre for string instrument making. The Bubenreutheum in the town hall features an 80-square-metre permanent exhibition about music and integration.

In Herzogenaurach, the city museum explores local history, industry and folk beliefs. It is located in the former Heilig-Geist-Spital, a late-medieval half-timbered building that was extensively restored using historic techniques. The Weisendorf Local History Museum focuses on the former rural way of life and work in the Seebachgrund, self-sufficiency and hunting exhibits; displays include preserved examples of native game mammals and birds.

Höchstadt: Architectural History and Carp Tradition

Höchstadt’s castle and town tower reflect different periods of construction. The castle incorporates the foundations of an early 13th-century tower, which measured twelve by twelve metres and had walls three metres thick. The castle acquired its present appearance around 1714. The surviving 14th-century town tower is a gate tower, belonged to the second of three town walls or rings of fortifications, and is regarded as a landmark of the town. Historical town tours and Kellerberg cellar tours in Höchstadt and the surrounding area are available; it is advisable to check dates in advance.

A regional culinary speciality in Höchstadt is Aischgründer Spiegelkarpfen mirror carp from the surrounding sky ponds. The product has protected geographical indication status and is served in various preparations. Its season falls in the months with an “R” in their German names, from September to April. Each year, the district publishes an updated brochure listing restaurants whose owners serve carp and can register to be included.

Discover More Places in the Destination

Höchstadt an der Aisch, Baiersdorf, Weisendorf, Heßdorf, Herzogenaurach, Heroldsberg, Erlangen, Wachenroth, Bubenreuth, Gremsdorf, Kalchreuth, Adelsdorf, Uttenreuth, Eckental, Marloffstein, Hemhofen, Röttenbach.

For the broader travel overview: Bavaria.