If you’ve come to this page thinking “how could the town of Illingen in Württemberg impress me,” I’ll let you in on a little secret: wine.
Illingen lies in a fantastic wine-making region locally known as the “Swabian Tuscany,” bordering the famously known town of Maulbronn.
Before I get all giddy over the vino, you may want to first take a day tour to the nearby UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Maulbronn Monastery.
Kloster Maulbronn is thought to be one of the best preserved medieval monasteries (anywhere); and it’s where you’ll see a seminary, a chapel, an infirmary, bakery, and mill that kept monks from the Middle Ages quite busy. Its Paradise (from the 16th century) is strikingly beautiful.
Religious as a life that monks lived, they appreciated a good wine. So, in their honor come back to Illingen and take a tour around the many wineries around town.
For example, the Weingut Häge proudly offers wine tastings and tours, a Culinary Wine Tasting that pairs the best of their wines with the best of German cuisine.
If you’ve had a bit too much, it’s not a problem over at Weingut Zai, a most romantic vineyard (whose fields stretch all the way to the Kloster Maulbronn) with two apartments for overnight accommodations. The views overlooking all the grapes are heavenly and well worth the money.
Even if you don’t stay the night, you’ll want to at least stay for one of their wine-themed dinners.
Want something historical? Sure. Located at Mühlstrasse 1 (how fitting), the historical Ölmühle (Oil Mill) from 1904 is still in operation and provides guided tours and programs showing how oil has been made in the past.
Hopefully you’ll make it for the Village & Wine Festival on the last weekend of June every year, too. Wine makes a good gift, so buy yourself and your loved ones a nice bottle there or at the Christmas Market in December, OK?
If you’d like to buy one of Illingen’s timber-framed houses, one of the oldest is the Posthof. Built in 1583, it was (as its name suggests) a former post office.
You impressed yet? I know I am. ;-)