Nusbaum: Forest Trails and Cultural Sites

Nusbaum is located in the Southern Eifel Nature Park. South of the village lies the Nusbaumer Hardt, one of the largest contiguous woodland areas in Rhineland-Palatinate. Forest trails, the Fraubillenkreuz and churches with different architectural styles offer several possible focuses for your trip. When planning, it is worth deciding first whether you would like to set aside more time for hikes or for cultural and historical discoveries. This decision can also help you tailor your search for suitable accommodation to your itinerary.

Compare Forest Trails and Distances

Route 46 in the Southern Eifel Nature Park runs entirely along forest trails through the Nusbaumer Hardt. It is signposted throughout and does not cross any roads used by motor vehicles. Two Swiss-Tracs can be borrowed for the route. The route’s certification is valid until 31 July 2028; check whether the devices are available before your trip.

Hiking options around Nusbaum include the 12-kilometre Nusbaumer-Hardt circular trail, the 6.2-kilometre Nusbaum-Schankweiler circular trail and the 14.6-kilometre Nusbaum-Kruchten route. There is a choice of different distances: the circular trail between Nusbaum and Schankweiler is the shortest of the three options listed, while the route to Kruchten is the longest. These figures help you gauge the scope of a hiking day before adding other interests to your plans.

The Nusbaumer Hardt is a distinctive natural landmark: it lies south of Nusbaum and is one of the largest contiguous woodland areas in the state. If you would like to combine nature and culture, you can add a hiking day and visits to historic sites to your stay. The combination that suits your trip depends on how much time you would like to devote to the trails and buildings.

Discover the Fraubillenkreuz and Churches

The Fraubillenkreuz is three and a half metres high and has shallow niches on both sides. It was first mentioned in writing in 1470 and may have originated as a menhir. The Fraubillenkreuz is freely accessible at all times.

St Peter’s Church in Nusbaum is a hall church built between 1848 and 1850. Neo-Romanesque motifs define the building, alongside a Neoclassical west tower. The furnishings also reflect different styles: the pulpit and the fronts of the pews feature Rococo forms and presumably date back to the previous church. The building’s design and its furnishings thus offer different points of interest for a visit focused on cultural history.

St Cornelius Chapel in Freilingen was first mentioned in a visitation record in 1570. Its tower formerly served as a defensive tower, and the chapel contains three Baroque altars. It was listed as a historic monument in 1984. Together with St Peter’s Church and the Fraubillenkreuz, it offers a distinct focus for travellers interested in religious buildings, historic uses and traditional forms.

Plan Your Stay and Accommodation

When choosing accommodation, you can start with the focus you want for your trip: would you like to prioritise the hiking options of different lengths, or mainly plan cultural visits to the Fraubillenkreuz and the churches? It is best to choose accommodation based on the location that suits your own daily itinerary. That way, your search reflects the experiences that interest you most in Nusbaum, rather than a general idea of what a stay should be.

More Places to Visit in the Broader Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm Destination

The broader Eifelkreis Bitburg-Prüm destination offers further visitor attractions, each with its own focus. The Mühlenberger Stollen Bleialf Visitor Mine includes a mining trail with numerous information boards about the area’s mining history. One-hour guided tours through the tunnels cover ore mining in Bleialf, from geology to applied technology. In Waxweiler, the Devonium presents complex topics in palaeontology and the science of fossil life in a playful way. Mining history and technology thus sit alongside the study of fossils and science.

The Westwall Museum is housed across three accessible floors of a bunker. Its underground corridors and rooms contain a military history exhibition. Rittersdorf Water Castle, around 700 years old, has remained almost unchanged since it was built and offers a vivid picture of late medieval and early modern Renaissance residential culture. The castle also has a privately run restaurant serving fine regional cuisine. If you plan to visit the restaurant, check whether it will be open before your trip.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Emmelbaum, Niedersgegen, Heilbach, Berkoth, Ammeldingen An Der Our, Kruchten, Zweifelscheid, Hüttingen Bei Lahr.

Back to the broader travel overview: Neuerburg.