Spalt: Hops, history and trails through the hill country
Accommodation in Spalt
Hops shape the landscape around Spalt and also give many experiences in the town their distinctive character. Here, you can explore the history of the old town, learn about hops and beer, or experience the Spalt hill country on circular hiking trails. It therefore makes sense to choose a holiday apartment in Spalt based on the focus of your trip: will you devote most of your time to hiking, the town’s history or beer culture?
Experience hops and beer in different ways
The HopfenBierGut offers an interactive experience of the world of hops and beer. It occupies an area of 1,200 square metres in a building more than 550 years old, and is open to all visitors. If you would like to do more than learn about brewing and try your hand at it yourself, you can brew your own beer at the Spalter Bierwerkstatt under the expert guidance of the brewmaster.
Tours of the HopfenBierGut take place 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. Another way to learn more about brewing is to join a public tour of the Spalt town brewery. You can watch the brewers at work and find out what makes Spalt beer special. The tour concludes with a tasting of various Spalt beer specialities. Tours are scheduled year-round on Saturdays at 11 a.m.; booking by the previous day is required.
Old town and history
The Spalt History Trail leads through the historic old town. You can take the guided tour with a companion or explore the trail on your own. This lets you make the old town a focus of your trip, whether or not you are also interested in hiking or brewery experiences.
A distinctive part of the town’s history can be seen at St. Emmeram Parish Church. It was built around 1150 to 1195 as the church of the aristocratic collegiate foundation of St. Emmeram and was remodelled several times in the 16th and 17th centuries; its interior was given a Baroque design. The church is also home to the late Gothic Spalatin Madonna. It originally stood in Wittenberg Castle Church and was given to Georg Spalatin’s hometown of Spalt. Alongside the walk itself, the church’s building history and the Madonna add a distinct cultural and historical dimension to exploring the old town.
Circular trails and scenery in the Spalt hill country
If you enjoy exploring on foot, Spalt has more than 20 circular hiking trails. They pass natural landmarks such as Schnittlinger Loch and Massendorfer Schlucht, as well as Wernfels Castle. A circular trail through the Spalt hill country, certified by the German Hiking Association, leads to impressive gorges and natural landmarks and passes castles and fortifications.
The landscape along this trail also has many different aspects: dark coniferous forests alternate with bright mixed forests and open pine forests. There are also church gardens with seasonal blossoms or red cherries, as well as landscapes shaped by hop cultivation. This variety makes hiking a possible focus for your trip, while the History Trail and brewery experiences cater to other interests. When choosing accommodation in Spalt, you can start by considering which of these experiences you would like to define your stay.
Practical information and other destinations
There is free parking at the historic Kornhaus, from where you can explore the town. This provides a practical starting point for planning a visit focused on the old town. When looking for a holiday apartment in Spalt, it helps to decide on the pace you want for your trip: would you like to make time for hiking trails, explore the town’s history or take a guided tour with a tasting? The experiences mentioned offer different starting points, without requiring you to focus on just one theme.
More places to consider for your trip: Rednitzhembach, Roth near Nuremberg, Greding, Georgensgmünd, Hilpoltstein, Schwabach, Rohr and Abenberg.
Back to the main travel overview: Roth.
