Swabian Alb map

Last Updated on 05/01/2023

On the Swabian Alb map there are cities and sights below Stuttgart (Stuttgart and surroundings have own map) up to Lake Constance.

Maps around:
North – Around Stuttgart places to visit map, Albtrauf
East – Allgäu
South – Lake Constance
West – Middle Black Forest Part 1, Part 2, Nothern Black Forest

Everything important that you can see in the region – with notes and links.

• 1 – top
• 2 – very good, although not so well known
• 3 – good for a short vacation or a layover. Several medium-level interesting places
• 4 – local or specific, not for everyone

Marks without brackets – I was there (there are links to the posts). With brackets – I wasn’t there. Of course, the notes are subjective

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1. Münsingen

Old town, historical railway with steam locomotives (http://www.bahnhof-muensingen.de/), valley Lautertal south of the city with the ruins of several castles.

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2. Lichtenstein

Picturesque Liechtenstein castle on the rock (www.schloss-lichtenstein.de), rope park (www.abenteuerpark-schlosslichtenstein.de).

Bus from Reutlingen

Two caves in the surroundings – Nebelhöhle and the most known in these region Bärenhöhle (www.hoehlenwelten-sonnenbuehl.de).

Near a small amusement park (www.freizeitpark-traumland.de).

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3. Gönningen

The small town advertises itself as a flower paradise and promises fields of tulips in the spring (visitors noted that there are flowers, but paradise did not happen, because there are not many of them).

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4. Hechingen, Burg Hohenzollern

Old town, oldtimer museum (www.oldtimermuseum-zollernalb.de), reconstructed roman villa (www.villa-rustica.de).

Hohenzollern Castle nearby.

Town

How to get Hohenzollern castle from Stuttgart

By train to Hechingen station (1 hour from Stuttgart), then by bus 2 (twice a day there and twice back, see the timetable on the website of the castle) or on foot. From the station to the very top – 7 km. From the parking lot somewhere in the middle of the mountain there is a minibus to the top.

If the bus schedule does not suit you (and it is not the most convenient), another option is the local bus, which runs much more often, to the suburb of Boll, from there on foot (about 5 km).

Of course, it would be nice to combine this castle with the castle in Sigmaringen, which is 2 hours by train from Stuttgart and 1 hour from Hechingen. But then you have to forget about the direct bus and get on foot. Bus company website: www.hvb-hechingen.de.

Hohenzollern Castle from afar makes an extraordinary impression, like Neuschwanstein Castle, especially from the south side. But, like Neuschwanstein, this is not an ancient castle. It was built in 1850-1867 by king Friedrich Wilhelm 4 in the neo-Gothic style on the ruins of an ancient family castle of the 15th century, from which by the 19th century only the chapel of St. Michael survived.

Interiors began to be decorated only at the beginning of the 20th century and gradually continue to this day. You can only get inside with a guided tour. The tour schedule is posted below. You will not see anything particular valuable and interesting inside. Of some interest is the treasury with the crown of the Prussian kings.

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5. Haigerloch

A small picturesque town in the hills with a church in the form of a small fortress.

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6. Balingen

A city with a historical center and a small fortress (admission is free). There are steam train excursions. (www.eisenbahnfreunde-zollernbahn.de).

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7. Albstadt

The city offers various hiking trails, the historical center.

Near the town Straßberg (8) with a beautiful small fortress (privately owned, no visits).

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9. Sigmaringen and up the Danube

Sigmaringen is located in the center of the most beautiful part of the Danube valley. The city itself has a very small historical center and another Hohenzollern castle (www.schloss-sigmaringen.de).

Further, a little more about the section from Sigmaringen to Tuttlingen.

Along the Danube from Sigmaringen upstream

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1.Sigmaringen
The Hohenzollern Castle is the main thing to see (with a guided tour).

The interiors are more interesting than in Hohenzollern Castle. But they are not too old either, since the castle was rebuilt in the 19th century. You can only see it with a guided tour. An interesting collection of weapons and tapestries of the Renaissance.

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2. Danube Valley
From Sigmaringen begins a particularly picturesque part of the Danube valley, with high cliffs and a winding river. For those who like hiking with an ascent to the observation points, there are two routes: Schaufelsen and Lenzenfelsen.

3. For those who are not ready to climb steeply uphill on foot, there are observation platforms near the village of Irndorf. Below is the current Benedictine monastery of Beuron.

4. The next viewpoint is Knopfmacherfelsen. Parking on the road. For lovers of long walks, there is a full-fledged route with numerous viewing points.

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5. Cave in the town of Kolbingen.
Link.

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6. Tuttlingen
Thermal pool, fortress ruins, steam locomotive museum (Link).
There is a place upstream of the Danube where the Danube can dry up completely in summer.

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7. Neuhausen ob Eck
Open air museum (Link).

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8. Meßkirch
Oldtimer museum (Link), small historical center, medieval village – open-air museum (Link).

We return to the “big” map at the beginning of the page.

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10. Bad Schussenried

Small old town (http://www.bad-schussenried.de) with a large baroque monastery, a historic mill, a museum of beer mugs.

Nearby open air museum Kürnbach (www.museumsdorf-kuernbach.de).

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11. Biberach

Old town, thermal pool

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16. Ochsenhausen

Historic railway (oechsle-bahn.de).

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