Nellingen: Local History Museum, Jakobi Market and Alb Railway

Visitors choosing Nellingen as a destination can explore local history, outdoor routes and an annual market day for different reasons. The local history museum, the history of the railway line, the various themed trails and the Alb Railway each offer a different focus. You can plan your visit according to whether you are especially interested in crafts and local history, a hike, a cycling tour or a particular event date.

Local History Museum and Railway History

The local history museum is in the town centre and displays objects from earlier times, including items loaned by Nellingen residents. One special focus is the narrow-gauge railway between Amstetten and Laichingen: its history from 1900 to 1985 is documented in the museum through text and images. This brings together objects from everyday life in the past and the development of a railway line—two different ways of exploring local history.

The attic of the local history museum showcases local crafts such as shoemaking, cooperage, saddlery and weaving. Weaving is illustrated from flax cultivation to the loom. This shows not just a single stage of work, but the whole process, from growing the raw material to weaving. Visitors interested in traditional crafts will find a different perspective here from the railway exhibition.

The Alb Railway also connects with the history of the railway. It runs on the remaining section of the Amstetten–Laichingen railway line, which was built in 1901 and closed by WEG in 1985. Since 1990, the Ulmer Eisenbahnfreunde e. V. association has operated steam-hauled museum trains on the Alb Railway. This scenic narrow-gauge railway has a track gauge of 1,000 mm; trains run on selected dates along the route from Amstetten to Oppingen. As services operate only on specific dates, check the current timetable before planning your visit.

Hiking Trails and Cycling Tours Around Nellingen

The network of routes around Nellingen comprises a total of 27 km of maintained, signposted paths. These include three circular hiking trails operated by the municipality and an access route to the Swabian Alb Association’s main hiking trail. The network offers routes with different themes and distances: the “Little” and “Great Bear Trails” invite visitors to discover the history of Nellingen, Oppingen and Aichen.

The 2 km-long Stiegele Tour has a specific stated distance. It passes through Nellingen via Gässle and Stiegele, short connecting lanes, and by impressive sites. The “Cyclist Bear Trail,” by contrast, is designed for cycling: it crosses the districts of Nellingen, Oppingen and Aichen and leads to signposted points that can be reached by bike. This makes it possible to distinguish the options by mode of transport and route length without treating a hiking trail and a cycling route as the same. Before setting out, check the current trail conditions and local signage.

Jakobi Market: An Annual Event

The Jakobi Market is one of Nellingen’s annual festivities and features almost 100 stalls and fairground rides. The traditional livestock market includes the livestock parade from 8 a.m. Pony rides are also held every year in the Nellingen riding hall. The market day therefore brings together various activities, from the market itself to the livestock market.

The market is held on July 25; if that date falls on a Sunday, the date may vary. If you are planning your trip specifically around the Jakobi Market, check the local date for the year in question. This is particularly useful if the event day is to be the main focus of your stay.

More Things to Explore in the Alb-Donau District

The Alb-Donau district also offers cultural and natural history themes that provide a broader regional perspective. The Hohle Fels near Schelklingen is a UNESCO World Heritage cave and the site where the “Venus of Hohle Fels” and the “Vulture Bone Flute” were found; both finds are around 42,500 years old. The Obermarchtal Monastery complex stands directly above the Danube and took on its present form between 1686 and 1795. The Alb-Donau district is also part of the Swabian Alb Biosphere Reserve. These destinations and connections complement Nellingen’s specific attractions with further aspects of the region’s culture and landscape.

Discover more destinations: Blaubeuren, Amstetten, Ehingen, Kirchen, Ulm, Öllingen, Emerkingen, Langenau.

For the wider travel overview: Alb-Donau District.