Swabian Mountains

Much of the Swabian Mountains consists of gentle to moderate hills often covered with forest or cleared for small-scale agriculture. It occupies the region bounded by the Danube in the southeast and the upper Neckar in the northwest. In the southwest it rises to the higher mountains of the Black Forest.

The Swabian Mountains (German: Schwäbische Alb) are also known as Swabian Jura or Swabian Alb.

• 🌍 Bopfingen

On the plateau

• Münsingen - heart of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
• 🌍 Heidenheim - north-eastern border

In the foreland

• Bad Urach - a climatic health-resort with a thermal bath in impressive landscape
• Hechingen - at the north-western escarpment close to the stunning Hohenzollern Castle
• 🌍 Reutlingen - called "The gate to the Swabian Mountains"
• 🌍 Tuttlingen
• 🌍 Tübingen - a beautiful university town with crooked half-timbered houses in a charming historical city centre
• 🌍 Ulm - with the highest church spire in the world

• 🌍 UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Swabian Alb. Founded in 2009 out of a former area for military purposes with different geological conditions, different biogeographical regions and the activity of humans. 
• 🌍 Bärenhöhle (Bears' Cave). It is one of the most visited dripstone caves in Germany, named after the many bear skeletons inside. It was discovered in 1834 by the school teacher Fauth, while he was looking for herbs. A recreational park above the cave makes it a popular trip target on weekends. 
• 🌍 Schönbuch Nature Park. Ideal for hiking, walking and cycling and attracts people seeking rest and relaxation from far and near. With its dense forests, moorland areas and natural stream the Schönbuch became Baden-Württemberg's first nature reserve in 1972. 

• Caves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura. A world heritage site comprising two caves near Ulm. Lone Valley or Hohlensteinhöhle is near Langenau about 15 km to northeast, and the Ach Valley about 10 km west near Blaubeuren. (updated Jul 2017)

Locals in the areas speak the distinct German dialect known as Swabian German (German: Schwäbisch), which varies even throughout the area. The dialect at the top of the plateau is stronger than the broadest Swabian of the lowland areas. Across the whole Swabian region, many phrases and grammar are highly localized, even down to the village level.

The main entry points to the area are Stuttgart and Ulm the former has an airport (STR ^IATA) while the latter is served by long distance trains and Intercity buses in Germany

• 🌍 Hohenzollern Castle (Burg Hohenzollern) (from Hechingen take the bus 300 at 11:25 or 13:25 (only in summer)). A fairytale castle dramatically set on top of a conical hill. 
• 🌍 Lichtenstein Castle. A historicist castle built in the 19th century at the edge of the Swabian Alps near Reutlingen.