Pretty in pink – Cycle through the almond blossom in southern Palatinate

From Bad Dürkheim down to Schweigen-Rechtenbach we steer over winding little streets flanked by pink-blossoming almond trees through seemingly endless, always beautifully undulating vineyards. We pass through medieval-looking villages with monumental castles and enjoy the excellent gastronomy of the Southern Palatinate. On this special road trip, cyclists are floating on a pink cloud nine.

The starting point for our Tour de Rosa lies in Edenkoben. Wine has been grown there for over 1,200 years and the vines extend over an area of 510 hectares. This makes the community one of the largest wine-growing communities in Germany. The nearby almond path shines from afar and captivates the senses in no time. Its incredible colour symphony of white and pink blooming almond trees has an immediate effect on the psyche – especially since the flowers also exude a delicate scent of freshly washed laundry.

Cyclists stop and stick their noses into the treetops, sniffing intensively at the flowers. Hikers stumble from tree to tree in a daze with a permanent grin. Countless selfies are taken. This is guaranteed to be one of the “most Instagrammable spots” in Germany – especially at this time of year, in the middle of March.

In the rest of the republic there is still a uniform grey climate, but here in the Mediterranean climate of the Southern Palatinate, the sun is already shining. The pink sea of flowers sweeps away spring fatigue almost overnight, awakening the senses and the zest for life. And the best thing about it: the 101-kilometre-long hiking route of the Palatinate Almond Path can be seen almost up close by bike. Depending on your preference, you can also easily include other themed routes such as the German Wine Route cycle path with its 100 kilometres or the particularly child-friendly, 139-kilometre-long cabbage and beet cycle path. You could even add a hike.

Preparations for Germany’s first wine festivals in Edenkoben and Gimmeldingen are already in full swing. The old wine presses and carts along the Edenkoben Almond Mile are festively decorated. The love arbours on the wine trail have been spruced up. Beer benches, bars and tables are set up. But get back on the saddle quickly, otherwise the day is over. From here it is just a stone’s throw to Villa Ludwigshöhe Castle. King Ludwig I had the magnificent castle built high up in 1846 in the style of an Italian summer residence with a view over the vineyards. How does a Bavarian get to the Palatinate, you might ask? Well, the Wittelsbachs received the Palatine County as an imperial fiefdom in 1214. And because the esthete and constant philanderer Ludwig I had a weakness for antiquity, the four-wing building looks like a Roman portico villa. The precious interior is also a feast for the eyes. Hambach Castle, which towers above Diedesfeld just a few kilometres north of it, is also definitely worth seeing. Since around 30,000 people gathered there for the Hambach Festival on May 22 of 1832 to demand the unity and freedom of Germany and Europe, the extensively renovated, massive building has been considered the cradle of democracy.

Early in the morning, we climb gently uphill via Maikammer and Sankt Martin on a special loop. We decide to hike the last part of the Pfälzer Weinsteig up to the 673-metre-high summit of the Kalmit. The hiking trail leads through an enchanted magical forest, where we would expect dwarves and forest gnomes behind every tree. Moss-covered menhirs and huge, sprawling pine trees reinforce this mystical effect right up to the summit. Our stomachs are already audibly rumbling, so the Kalmit House in the middle of the summit comes at just the right time.

We boldly venture into an opulent portion of German cultural history. The Palatinate ‘Saumagen’, which our ex-Chancellor Helmut Kohl loved so much and spread the news about so openly all over the world, really surprises us. Given the crude name, we were prepared for a very heavy, medieval meal. But no, the Saumagen, which translates to ‘sow’s stomach’, is not a monumental mountain of meat. It is served in slices. Pork, potatoes and vegetables are delicately seasoned and fried on both sides. Very delicate, a real treat and definitely not too rustic. The heavy hit of sauerkraut that is served with it ensures this. Of course, this isn’t a snack for the WeightWatchers, but it tastes great after a cycling tour like this. And as a matter of course in the Palatinate, a glass of white wine is served with it. But be careful, if you order a pint, you will usually get a whopping 0.5 litres in the Palatinate. We also enjoy a stunning view of the Palatinate Forest from the wooden tables outside. The mixed forests on the slopes still seem a bit bare and the vines that grow up the slopes in all places are just getting started again, but at these temperatures the flora will soon completely awaken from hibernation.

Our route through this opulent cultural landscape is roughly based on the German Wine Route, but always takes an extra detour through the pink blossom magic of the Almond Path. By the way, we line up countless picture-perfect villages like Rhodt unter Rietberg with magnificent half-timbered houses and traditional wineries like pearls on a chain. There we even push over the medieval cobblestones to be able to properly marvel at this work of art. Locals recommend Café Ludwig, which celebrates the Bavarian Sun King Ludwig II with its ornate interior. The selection of cakes is also royal. When served, the Black Forest cake is even enriched with cherry spirit from the bottle, depending on your taste.

Siebeldingen is also such a gem, where every view is like a postcard. Just outside, in the middle of the vineyards, there is an offshoot of the Julius Kühn Institute in the Geilweiler Hof. The architecturally magnificent square with its striking defensive tower houses the Federal Research Institute for Vine Breeding. Here, old grape varieties are cultivated and new ones are created. The research is aimed at particularly resilient new breeds that can also cope well with climate change. All around the institute, the almond tree avenues shine like strips of light from the green of the vineyards and release happiness hormones in us every time we look at them.

Inspired we drive a little south again to the Leinsweiler Hof to meet the culture and wine ambassador Gudrun Stübinger-Kohls there. Her almond tour starts under a sprawling almond tree in the parking lot of the wellness hotel. “The Mandelpfad was opened in March 2008 and initially ran from Maikammer to Leinsweiler. But it has been continuously expanded and today extends from Bad Dürkheim to the German Wine Gate near Silence-Rechtenbach on the border with Alsace,” she explains as she already plucks a few flowers from the tree and lets us sniff them. “There are around 30 types of almonds. The trees can live up to 60 years. Who knows what colour the bitter almond flowers are? White or pink?”

During the two-hour tour, the almond expert gives us shells of different types of almonds to touch and almond pastries to try. Down in Leinsweiler she briefly calls in a winemaker from the village shop, who introduces us to the secrets of almond distillates and of course lets us taste an almond schnapps. Smell, touch, taste – this tour appeals to all the senses. And oh yes, who would have thought, the bitter almond blooms pink and is usually processed into oil.

We stick with mineral water and head back down the wine route. Follow it via Bad Bergzabern to the German Wine Gate near Silence-Rechtenbach. The monumental gate honouring viticulture stands right on the border with France. During the day it is a buzzing hub for wine tourists with all its restaurants and wine shops. But now, shortly after work, calm returns. During the almond blossom from 1 March – 14 April, the building, like many other sights along the Almond Path, is illuminated in pink. Soon the first stars will sparkle in such a crystal-clear sky. And in this scenario – even though we really only drank water – they almost look like pink stardust. Truly, this only exists in the Palatinate – during the almond blossom, in the earliest spring in Germany.

More information:

www.suedlicheweinstrasse.de
www.mandelbluete-pfalz.de

Restaurants:

www.restaurant-dorfchronik.de
www.kalmithaus.de
www.ritterhofzurrose.de

Tips for cyclists and hikers:

• The free tour app ‘Gastlandschaften’ makes routing easier and provides valuable information and insights.
• The cycling map lists 23 cycle paths between 137 km (Kraut & Rüben cycle path) and 13 km (War and Peace Tour) and provides valuable addresses of inns, rental stations and the most important sights.
• Every year there is a folding bike cup on the Kalmit (6 September, 2025). It's not just about speed, but primarily about the decoration of the bikes and the cyclists' costumes. www.kalmit-klapprad-cup.de
• Wine, art and almond tours with Gudrun Stübinger-Kohls: www.pfaelzer-verFuehrungen.de

Make sure to visit:

www.schloss-villa-ludwigshoehe.de
www.hambacherschloss.eu
www.weintor.de