Oppenheim

Oppenheim is a city of 7,600 people (2020) at the Rhine in the state Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany.



Understand
Oppenheim is on the Rhine, in the middle between Mainz and Worms. It was granted market rights in 1008, city rights in 1225, and flourished until overrun by Spanish, Swedish and French troops in 1620, 1631 and 1689 respectively. After that it never regained its previous importance and wealth; however, it remains a charming small city with mediaeval flair, proud of its history and its wine — particularly the Krötenbrunnen vineyards, whose fame has reached beyond Germany.

Oppenheim once was home to a small Jewish community, the remnants of which were scattered by the atrocities before and during World War II. Several families named Oppenheim or Oppenheimer can be found in the USA and other parts of the world.

By train
Fast trains (ICE, IC, most RE) won't stop in Oppenheim. Visitors have to take the slow train (S, Stadtbahn). 'S6' runs from Mainz via Oppenheim and Worms to Mannheim (or vice versa) mostly every half an hour, or hourly in the early morning and late evening. If you're coming in from nearby Frankfurt airport then take a train to Mainz first and change there.

From Oppenheim's train station it is only a 5-10 minutes walk to the Old Town. (There is a city map across the street in front of the former station building.)

By car
The B9 state road connects Oppenheim to Mainz and Worms. Just north of the town is the Nierstein car ferry across the Rhine in the direction of Darmstadt. The B420 provides connections from the A61 and A63.

Get around
There is no public transportation (the only buses are school buses), but the city, particularly the Old Town, is so small that you can walk everywhere within minutes.

City maps are downloadable from Oppenheim's homepage.



See

 * The Old Town with its marketplace and the Town Hall, just below the church.

Do
Stroll through the Old Town, enjoy the view from the castle, do a guided underground tour and climb the tower of St Catherine's if you get a chance. Use Oppenheim as a 'base camp' for several beautiful bicycle tours along the river Rhine. However, if you're looking for a wild night life instead, you might have come to the wrong place.

Buy
Various small shops are located in the town center around the marketplace and along 'Mainzer Straße'. For supermarkets look to the south of the town, between Oppenheim and Dienheim.

Sleep

 * There are also a number of holiday apartments to rent; see the town's website.
 * There are also a number of holiday apartments to rent; see the town's website.
 * There are also a number of holiday apartments to rent; see the town's website.

Go next

 * Along the Rhine by bicycle, e.g. to Nierstein, Nackenheim or the Kühkopf island near Guntersblum.
 * Nierstein (3 min by train)
 * Nackenheim (7 min by train)
 * Mainz (20 min by train)
 * Worms (20 min by train)
 * Frankfurt
 * Mannheim (1 hour by (slow) train)
 * Darmstadt
 * Heidelberg