Discover Esternberg on the Danube

Esternberg combines the Danube with a varied landscape of stream valleys, forests, hills, meadows and fields. For planning your trip, this means you can combine experiences in nature, scenic routes and remarkable cultural monuments into a varied stay. A holiday apartment or holiday house in Esternberg is particularly suitable as a base if you do not want to limit your days to just one type of experience.

Hiking between the Danube, forest and Sauwald

Nine hiking trails are described for the municipality of Esternberg. This allows you to explore the surrounding area in different ways, without every hike having to be the same in character. The Kößlbach circuit leads through the Riedlbach Valley to the confluence of the Riedlbach and the Kößlbach near the „Wanklmoar Sag“ and back via Ringlholz. Rare plant communities and natural attractions line the route, making the circuit particularly interesting for botanists and nature lovers.

The Esternberg Forest School also offers its own form of experiencing nature. The approximately 3 km-long forest walk is located near the village of Vollmannsdorf in Reisdorf. Numerous information boards provide information about the forest and its inhabitants. In 2017, the Forest School was expanded at the initiative of the municipality with renewed signs identifying the tree species, as well as additional attractions and educational stations. Families can combine observing nature with clear, informative displays here.

The Sauwald Panoramic Road offers even wider views. It has 15 viewpoints overlooking the Danube, which is flanked there by natural forested slopes. Another notable route connection is stage 1_S01 of the Donausteig from Passau to Kasten via the Sauwald into the Danube Valley: it ends in Esternberg. When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore consider whether a hiking-focused daily rhythm, discovering nature or alternating between different excursion destinations should be the main focus of your trip.

Churches and Krempelstein Castle

Esternberg also offers points of connection with cultural history. Esternberg Parish Church initially had a wooden structure. Under Bishop Altmann of Passau, who served from 1065 to 1091, this was replaced by a stone building in the Romanesque style. The lower section of the tower has survived from this construction phase.

The filial church of Pyrawang is located in the district of Pyrawang and belongs to the Esternberg parish. It is situated in the upper Danube Valley and on the Danube Valley Road. The church contains remnants of High Gothic murals from the 14th century. This makes it one of the few ecclesiastical monuments in Upper Austria with preserved murals from this century. As a Church of St Peter, it also points to an early period of construction.

Krempelstein Castle also stands in Pyrawang: a rock castle on a rocky promontory high above the right bank of the Danube. The castle is protected as a historic monument; the protection was established by official decision. The wayside chapel shrine in Kiesdorf, Esternberg, is also protected as a historic monument by regulation. This gives travellers interested in culture several specific themes to incorporate into their personal daily planning, without neglecting nature and physical activity.

Excursions and the right accommodation

With the Esternberg–Obernzell Danube ferry, you can cross from Austria via the B130 to the opposite bank at Obernzell. This direct connection to the Danube expands the possibilities for planning excursions. Those who prefer to stay in the nearby countryside, on the other hand, will find different reasons to spend time outdoors with the hiking trails, the Forest School and the viewpoints.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Esternberg, it is therefore worth defining your preferred travel rhythm first: Would you like to combine several days of hiking with visits focused on culture, include the Danube as an excursion destination or primarily get to know the landscape of the Sauwald? Information about facilities, prices or availability does not automatically follow from this and should be checked separately for each specific offer.

More places for planning your trip

If you would like to compare other places in addition to Esternberg, this page also features Mayrhof, Enzenkirchen, Kopfing Im Innkreis, Gumping, Sankt Aegidi, Engelhartszell, Rainbach Im Innkreis and Altschwendt. This allows you to consider different travel ideas and then decide which accommodation search best suits the experiences you have planned.

To the higher-level travel overview: Schärding.