I think I hit the motherload of all towns when I stumbled upon the town of Keltern. Oh, wait. Maybe stumbled is a bad choice of word since Keltern is a town that really promotes wine drinking.
I’m pretty sure they call it Wine Tourism around here. I heard something to that effect, but I had already started drinking. ;-)
Wine is all over in Keltern. In fact, Keltern somewhat translates to wine making! There are an abundance of fields of grapes that produce the most flavorful Spätburgunder wines. Sounds really foreign, right? Well, it’s not. That’s just German for Pinot Noir.
The best wine time to visit is the third weekend in September. That’s when you’ll find the whole town celebrating the Dietlinger Wine Festival. While there, take the Weinwanderweg (Wine Hiking Trail), which takes you all around to the wineries passing along some of the most beautiful scenery along the way.
Bring your comfy walking shoes… there is NO drinking & driving this route, my friends. ;-)
You don’t have to wait for the Wine Festival to see Keltern’s 16th century wine press, this you can see anytime of the year.
In addition to wine, Keltern is an art loving town. The town’s Heimatmuseum (German for Local History Museum) often holds art exhibitions, as well as its regular exhibits on wine and jewelry making. Not to mention you’ll also find lots of sculpture about town. Even the Rathaus (Town Hall) gets in on art exhibition action.
These art exhibits aren’t the only way to see fantastic art in Keltern. The Dietlinger Church has been here since the Middle Ages (built 1250), the Ellmendingen Church since 1404, and the Pankratiuskapelle since the 15th century. Come inside, churches this old are always filled with the most magnificent works of art.
When you’ve had your fill of wine and art, grab those comfy tennis shoes again so you can hike and bike your way around. There’s an extensive network of trails that meander their way around.
