Lauffen am Neckar (Germany Baden-Wurttemberg)

Lauffen is a Neckar River/Rhine River cruise port and town in Germany's Baden-Wurttemberg state (Heilbronn district) with population around 12,000. The town is approx 9 km (6 mi) southwest of Heilbronn (state's 6th-largest city with a population of around 125,000) and approx 50 km (31 mi) north of Stuttgart (state's capital city).

Lauffen am Neckar is best-known for its premium wine "Lauffener Katzenbeisser Schwarzriesling". Among the most famous tourist attractions are Town Hall and Museum (11th-century castle), Regiswindiskirche (13th-century church), Regiswindiskapelle (late-19th-century chapel), Wurttemberg Landgraben (defensive moat), Grabengasse (moat lane) and downtown's historic buildings (18th-century), Stadtle's timber-framed houses (15th-century), Heilbronner Tor (13th-century city gate), Gefangnisturm (18th-century tower), Landturm (tower), Martinskirche (13th-century church).

Lauffen's current-day economy is largely based on winemaking as the town produces annually over 6 million liters of wine with an estimated ~EUR 22 million in sales. The wine cooperative includes around 600 members and covers an area of approx 570 hectares (5,7 km2)The Katzenbeisser-branded wines are top-quality. Wurttemberg region's winemaking industry is also represented at the annual wine festival Weinkonigin (Wine Queen).

As a cruise port, Lauffen is included in the schedule of Nicko Cruises riverboat Casanova (2001-built). The next table shows the ship's 7-day itinerary between homeports Stuttgart and Saarbrucken. Prices start from ~USD 1900 pp (double occupancy).