Small Town Gems

With a history stretching back 1,250 years, Bretten is a delight. In town are colourful half-timbered houses, a maze of alleyways, unusual museums and the legacy of a famous son. Out of town are the vineyards of the Kraichgau hill country and, nearby, the Stromberg-Heuchelberg Nature Reserve. This unspoilt countryside is perfect for hiking and biking, while the annual summer festival is a major event, for locals and visitors alike.

Set in green, gently rolling countryside, Ellwangen is studded with ancient towers and gables, portals and gates. For many, the town is best known for the Schönenberg pilgrimage church and the Basilica of St Vitus. Built 800 years ago as a monastery church, this is still part of everyday life. The exterior is Romanesque; the interior was transformed into flamboyant Baroque back in 1741. 

With lush sunny meadows set against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains, the Allgäu (pronounce it Al – goy) is one of Europe’s prettiest corners. Here, on a plateau in the foothills of the Alps, Isny im Allgäu could be straight out of a child’s picture book. The massive gates and ancient walls are now garlanded with flowers. There are cobbled streets, parks and cool streams.

Schorndorf im Remstal is sometimes referred to as Daimlerstadt, Daimler Town, because Gottlieb Daimler was born here in 1834. But the whole of the historic city centre is like a film set. There are cobblestone streets lined with half-timbered houses, a fine market place and fountains wreathed in flowers. Add in 40 sculptures on the town’s Sculpture Trail, museums, entertaining walking tours, cheerful taverns and outdoor cafés – and you have the perfect spot for a short break.

Large enough to feel cosmopolitan but small enough to feel friendly, Schwäbisch Hall is a real charmer. Strolling through its heart is like walking through a pop-up history book for children. There are brightly-painted half-timbered houses; forbidding gates on the medieval town walls; an elegant Gothic church; a fine Baroque town hall. Wooden covered bridges straddle the River Kocher; stone stairs, called Stäffele, climb the hills.

Weinheim ticks all the boxes: a romantic ruined fortress, a medieval Tanners' Quarter and the Marktplatz, the main square with its 16th-century buildings. Easy to explore on foot, it has lively bistros, pubs for lingering over a beer and some of the region’s most attractive parks and gardens. Moreover, the town is known for its delightful, almost Mediterranean climate.