Discover Eitorf: Nature, Art and History

Nature, art and history offer different ways to explore Eitorf during a stay. These include a precisely described section of the Siegaue and the educational trails at Hüppelröttchen; the Giovanni Vetere Sculpture Garden is located in the town centre. Merten Castle, a listed park and the former Keltersberg vineyard round out this selection. In the Rhein-Sieg district, the Natursteig Sieg, Bergischer Weg and Rheinsteig are listed as hiking routes; the educational trails in Eitorf, by contrast, focus on bees and forest topics.

Nature Reserve and Educational Trails

A section of the Siegaue nature reserve extends between the bridge near Eitorf-Alzenbach and Eitorf-Merten. The meadows there include stands of Arrhenatherum elatius with occurrences of the great burnet. These Arrhenatherum elatius meadows provide a habitat for the dusky large blue butterfly. This offers a way to learn about part of the landscape through its specific habitats and the plants associated with them.

In the Hüppelröttchen woodland within the nature reserve, Melli's Bee Educational Trail invites visitors to feel the language of bees and see a flower meadow from a bee's perspective. In the “Honeycomb Game,” you take on the tasks of a fuel-gatherer bee or a guard bee. Touch, a change of perspective and play make the trail an interactive way to explore the topic of bees.

The Hüppelröttchen Forest Educational Trail uses information boards: 23 “Flip open and get smart” boards cover trees, alongside eleven vividly illustrated boards on other forest topics. This lets you explore two different thematic focuses: Melli's Bee Educational Trail is dedicated to bees and their tasks, while the Forest Educational Trail covers trees and other forest topics.

Art and History in Eitorf

Right in the centre of Eitorf, the 15,000 m² Giovanni Vetere Sculpture Garden lies beside a small stream. It features stone and wooden sculptures, stainless-steel objects and bronze sculptures. The different materials give the garden its own artistic focus and complement the nature themes of the educational trails with an art stop in the town centre.

The town's history can also be seen at a variety of sites. The building known as Merten Castle houses a former Augustinian monastery, first mentioned in historical records in 1217. A listed park in Eitorf is distinguished by its old trees and magnificent burial plots. The monastery and the park offer different points of interest: the former has the historical distinction of being a monastery mentioned in records, while the latter features trees and burial plots in a protected park.

The former Keltersberg vineyard offers another connection to the landscape. A path with several switchbacks leads to a viewing pavilion. Alongside the educational trails and sculpture garden, there is also a path to a viewpoint to choose from as a distinct focus. Together, these places do not form a single themed route, but rather offer different ways to decide whether nature, art or history will shape your trip to Eitorf most.

Discover more destinations: Bohlscheid, Rheinbach, Sankt Augustin, Alfter, Siegburg, Bornheim, Niederkassel, Hennef.

For the overview of the wider travel area: Rhein-Sieg district.