Drats, writer’s block again. It’s not as if there’s nothing to tell about the town of Nufringen, there’s quite a bit going on in this “bedroom community” of Stuttgart. But, where and how do I start?
Perhaps the best place would be the Schönbuch Nature Reserve in the Middle Neckar Region. Hey, four million visitors a year to this nature park couldn’t possibly have it wrong, could they? No, I didn’t think so either.
Anyway, it’s a great place for quiet walking, hiking, and bike trails to see the natural side of things. No worries about getting lost, the trails out here are well-marked so you can find your way back. Then again, getting you’re not too far from the Black Forest — so there’s no prettier place to lose time.
The downside to getting lost is you’ll miss out on some pretty great cultural events in Nufringen. The traditional Neujahrsempfang (New Years Reception) in the local Wiesengrundhalle is always a good one, as are the Choral Society concerts. Everyone seems to enjoy the Maypole dancing, coinciding with the Forest Festival on May 1st. Carnival’s a big deal around here too — who doesn’t just love Germany’s Fifth Season?
The fun festivals and events don’t end there, you’ve got the Fall Festival in October, as well as the Summer Festival every June, and the Marktplatz Festival in July, along with the Christmas Bazaar in December. How does anyone manage to get any work done with all these parties and shopping opportunities going on?
Did I mention yet that Nufringen is within easy distance to the German Framework Road, so you’ll always be close to those half-timbered houses Germany’s known for. Plus, it makes a nice quiet community to spend a few nights while you’re visiting many of Stuttgart’s museums, or hiking along the nearby peat bogs at the Birkensee.
These quiet moments are great for processing the changes Nufringen has seen over the last seven decades, about how almost half of it was destroyed during World War II. Sadly, war and devastation aren’t foreign to it — it took more than a century to recover after the plague and Thirty Years’ War decimated the place in the 17th century.
Today the idyllic woodlands, wonderful festivals, and easy access to some of the best areas of South Germany make Nufringen more than just a commuter town.
