Neuburg on the Rhine: Between the Swimming Lake and River History

Neuburg on the Rhine offers a variety of reasons to explore the town and its surroundings: Epple swimming lake, with its beach and sunbathing lawn; a signposted village trail; and stories closely connected with the Rhine. The Rhine floodplains also shape the character of the region. Depending on whether you want to enjoy time by the water, culture or nature, you can give your trip different priorities.

Lake, beach and village trail

Epple swimming lake lies at the westernmost point of Neuburg on the Rhine. It offers a large sunbathing lawn and a long sandy beach, as well as free admission. The lake also has beach volleyball and other sports facilities. If you are planning a day by the water, you can combine your visit with a look at local notices.

The signposted village trail offers a different perspective. It is about 6.5 kilometres long and passes eight stops with information boards on history, everyday life and the landscape. The route runs from the town centre to the Rhine floodplains, taking in both the town and its natural surroundings. The boards give the trail a thematic focus that goes beyond a simple route description.

The Epplesee Festival takes place at Epple Lake every three years. The festival features live music by various bands, a children’s programme with creative activities and face painting, as well as attractions on and around the lake. On Sunday, there is a festival church service followed by a traditional late-morning gathering. Individual programme items may vary; if you want to plan your trip around the festival, check the specific event dates.

Stories by the Rhine

The Rheinaue Museum opened in 1983. It provides information about life on the Rhine, fishing and the history of navigation. Exhibits include Neuburg traditional costumes, historic tools from local workshops, and maps showing the course of the Rhine and Neuburg’s location in different centuries. The collection brings together everyday history and the changes to a river that has shaped the region.

The Rhine Floodplain and Navigation Museum tells the story of the village, which once stood on the other side of the Rhine, and of the lives of boatmen and fishermen. The close connection between the people and the river is also part of this story. The Lautermuschel at the mouth of the Lauter offers another link to navigation: since 1995, the former cargo ship has been used as a floating museum and restaurant. Check current visitor information before your visit.

The Rhine’s history also includes the “Baden-Pfalz” ferry, which directly connects Neuburg with Neuburgweier on the Baden side of the Rhine. A ferry service between the two places has been documented since 1724. Water levels and weather can affect the ferry service, so check the operator’s information before travelling.

Rhine floodplains and regional discoveries

Close to Neuburg are the extensive, richly structured reed beds along the old Rhine channels of the Wörther Altrhein and the Kleines and Großes Altwasser. They are of national importance as breeding, resting and wintering grounds for birds, especially reed-dwelling species. So, alongside the swimming lake, the surrounding area also offers landscapes whose main significance lies in their role as bird habitats.

The village trail in Neuburg and the 44.4-kilometre Bienwald-Rhine Floodplains Tour offer different scales of exploration. The cycle route passes through the Bienwald and the Rhine floodplains near Hagenbach and Neuburg on the Rhine, in the southern Palatinate near the French border. This places local exploration within a wider landscape without suggesting that the two routes offer the same experience.

The wider Germersheim travel region offers other distinct themes related to nature and history. Germersheim Fortress is considered the largest Bavarian fortress outside Bavaria; numerous significant preserved buildings surround the entire town centre. Near Bellheim, the Queich Mills Circular Hiking Trail connects four of the six surviving mills, bringing the region’s historic milling heritage to life.

The Germersheim Water Diversity cycle tour is another example from the wider Germersheim travel region. It follows mostly paved cycle paths past numerous bodies of water, along the Rhine bank, the mouth of the Queich and the old Rhine channels of the Palatinate. The tour is suitable for family outings and can be shortened. These regional options complement an exploration of Neuburg, but they are separate excursion destinations, each with a different focus.

Choose accommodation to suit your plans

When looking for accommodation, you can start by considering what you want your trip to centre on: time at the swimming lake, local history, the village trail or exploring the Rhine floodplains. If you want to include the Epplesee Festival, bear in mind that it takes place every three years and check the specific dates. For ferry trips, it is worth checking the operator’s information.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Steinweiler, Winden, Germersheim, Zeiskam, Jockgrim, Freisbach, Wörth on the Rhine, Rülzheim.

Back to the main travel overview: Germersheim.