Discover Spalt: Hop Culture, Old Town and Hill Country

Spalt combines Late Gothic art and church history with hop and beer culture, as well as trails through the hill country. Discoveries range from a Madonna in the parish church to circular hikes past gorges and castles. When planning, you can consider whether you would rather spend your time in the old town, enjoying beer experiences or exploring the countryside.

Discover Church History and the Old Town

St. Emmeram Parish Church was built around 1150 to 1195 as the church of the noble collegiate chapter of St. Emmeram. It was rebuilt several times in the 16th and 17th centuries, and its interior was given a Baroque design. As a result, the church brings together different periods from its history.

The church is also home to the Late Gothic Spalatin Madonna. It originally stood in Wittenberg Castle Church and was given to Spalt, Georg Spalatin’s home town, by Spalatin himself. This work of art connects Spalt with Wittenberg in a special way and makes a visit to the parish church appealing to art enthusiasts, too.

The Spalt History Trail offers another way to explore the historic old town: you can choose a guided town tour or explore the trail on your own. This gives you the option of either a guided experience or independent exploration of the town’s history.

Experience Hops and Beer in Spalt

The HopfenBierGut brings the world of hops and beer to life interactively across 1,200 square metres in a building more than 550 years old. It is open to all visitors. The size of the exhibition and its interactive approach offer a unique way to discover subjects that also shape the landscape around Spalt.

At the Spalt Beer Workshop in the HopfenBierGut, participants can brew their own beer under the expert guidance of the brewmaster. If you would like to take part, check availability and booking terms before booking, as these may change.

The public tour of the Spalt town brewery has a different focus: visitors can watch the brewers at work and learn what makes Spalt beer special. Afterwards, they can sample various Spalt beer specialities. Tours are scheduled throughout the year on Saturdays at 11 a.m.; registration by the previous day is required.

Tours at the HopfenBierGut are held regularly on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Afterwards, visitors can sample 0.2 litres of Spalt beer at the ProBierBar and take home an original 0.2-litre HopfenBierGut glass. The brewery tour focuses on the brewers’ work, while the HopfenBierGut tour includes a tasting and a glass to take home. Check tour dates and tasting details before travelling, as the programme and tasting arrangements may change.

Circular Trails Through Spalt’s Hill Country

A circular trail through Spalt’s hill country, recognised by the German Hiking Association, leads to scenic gorges and natural monuments, and past castles and fortifications. Along the way, dark coniferous forests, light mixed forests and open pine forests shape the landscape. The trail also passes through church gardens with seasonal flowers or red cherries, as well as landscapes shaped by hop cultivation.

Spalt also has more than 20 circular hiking trails that pass natural monuments such as Schnittlinger Loch, Massendorfer Gorge and Wernfels Castle. When planning your trip, you can therefore consider the trails through the hill country alongside cultural attractions and beer experiences, without having to commit to a single circular route.

Plan Your Stay and Accommodation

There is free parking at the historic granary, from where you can explore Spalt. Check the parking information on site before travelling. When looking for accommodation in Spalt, it helps to first decide which experiences matter most to you: would you mainly like to explore the old town, plan a date for a beer tour or spend time on the circular trails? For guided beer experiences, be sure to include the scheduled dates and any required registration in your plans; the History Trail can be explored with a guide or independently.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Georgensgmünd, Hilpoltstein, Rednitzhembach, Thalmässing, Greding, Wendelstein, Schwanstetten, Abenberg.

For the regional travel overview: Roth.