There’s no way that prehistoric man and ancient Romans that used to live in the area of what was to become Schwaigern would recognize it today. Medieval knights and any Renaissance man might not have so much culture shock, though.
Among the modern day cars, indoor plumbing, and electricity Schwaigern still retains much of the flavor it had a bunch of centuries ago.
To really get into the historical aspect of Schwaigern take one of the city guided tours with guides in period garb. The few Euro fee for the tour is more than worth it since you get an insiders look at many of the town’s sites.
Who could pass up a visit to Schwaigern Castle (that was burned down during the Thirty Years’ War and rebuilt a century later), the Hexenturm (Witches Tower) built 1461, St. John the Baptist Church from the 13th century, and the 15th century Parish Church with Ratgeb Alter.
One of the city guided tours takes a more in-depth tour of Schwaigern’s Parish Church — that alone is well worth the price of the tour.
So is the wine tasting tour. The tour lets you sample anywhere from five to seven different wines from the region; although, you can always try more on your own. Wine growing has been going on so long around here that there’s a wine press that was built back in 1659 you can see.
The kids might prefer a trip to the local Tierpark (game reserve park) with chimps and where they can feed some of the animals.
Schwaigern’s Village Celebration (August) and Bake House Celebration (also in August) are a family affair.
Though it’s gonna be a toss up if the little ones are going to like the Karl Wagen Plast Museum. That’s a tiny museum at the old cemetery with exhibits on the town’s history from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages.
Kids might not like the 18-hole golf course here, either. But, the 9-hole course is open to everyone; just as the municipal swimming pool is, too.
Wait, the Romans like their “baths,” too. Maybe Schwaigern wouldn’t be such a shock to them after all.
