Dahlem: History, Hiking Trails and Water Activities

The places and activities offer different options to consider when planning your trip.

Schmidtheim Castle and Historic Architecture

The origins of Schmidtheim Castle date back to the late 12th century. A large part of the foundations of the present-day castle comes from this period. The castle is accessible to guests staying in holiday accommodation and is used as an event venue. At Schmidtheim Castle, the Beissel von Gymnich family offers nature-focused seminars and courses led by experts from various fields.

Kronenburg’s historic town center can also be explored on foot: The walk leads through Wilhelm-Tell-Gasse to the parish church of St. John the Baptist. Its late Gothic interior has a central column supporting four decorated vaulted ceilings. Houses up to 400 years old, restored through private initiatives, shape the town’s medieval character. Remains of the 13th-century fortifications are also visible there.

Circular Trails and Moorland

The municipality of Dahlem has two EifelSpuren and sixteen EifelSchleifen, all of which are circular trails. One example of a route through distinctive landscapes is the approximately nine-kilometer EifelSchleife Moorpfad. It leads through Wasserdell, east of Dahlem, a wetland area with heathland, moorland and peat moss habitats. Dahlem is also located in one of North Rhine-Westphalia’s most heavily forested areas. Both types of trail return to their respective starting points.

If you’d like to reach a viewpoint by bicycle, you can get to Eifel-Blick via the 3-Länder-Route, the Kyll Valley Cycle Route and the Historic Town Center Route. The viewpoint is also on the Willibrordus Trail and the Rund um Kronenburg circular trail. This information distinguishes the cycle routes that provide access to the viewpoint from the hiking trails that pass it.

Activities on the Water and in the Air

Kronenburger See is a water sports and recreation center in the municipality of Dahlem. It is accessible by public transport via Dahlem station and on-call taxis. There are bicycle parking spaces and an e-bike charging station at the access point to the Kyll Cycle Route. If you are planning to travel by bus and train, check the current services in advance.

Another activity is available at Dahlemer Binz: It has an airfield for powered and glider aircraft, where tandem skydives with trained instructors are offered. So, in addition to hiking and water sports, aviation-related activities may also be of interest to travelers.

When comparing hotels in Dahlem, you can use your plans for excursions as a guide—for example, a walk through a historic town center, a hike through moorland or activities on the water. This lets you tailor your search to your planned stay without treating different destinations and offerings as though they were the same.

Discover more destinations: Kronenburg, Schmidtheim, Baasem, Dahlem-Frauenkron, Pesch, Wintzen, Nettersheim, Olef.

See the overview of the wider region: Euskirchen.