Schnaittenbach: Kaolin, Herb Garden and Leisure Activities

Kaolin: a specific starting point

In 1833, the impoverished bookkeeper Daniel Christoph Eduard Kick established a kaolin works in the barn of Johann Popp, the innkeeper at the Löwenwirt in Schnaittenbach. With this founding, he established the Upper Palatinate kaolin industry. The town’s industrial history is therefore tied to a specific year and place.

In the wider region is the GeoPark Kaolinrevier Hirschau–Schnaittenbach, in Germany’s largest kaolin district, where kaolin has been mined since 1833. The name points to a broader context that extends beyond Schnaittenbach.

Herb garden, leisure centre and open-air stage

Guided tours are offered at the Schnaittenbach Herb Garden; an enquiry form is available for individual tours. The “Am Forst” leisure centre includes a natural swimming pool, a summer ice-stock sport lane, a campsite, football pitches and tennis courts. As individual facilities may change, check the centre’s current information before your visit.

The open-air stage at Buchberg is near the destination, on the AS19 between Schnaittenbach and Hainstetten. The turn-offs and car park are signposted; it is about a five-minute walk from the free car park to the stage. Before setting off, check the operator’s information about the signs and car park.

Amberg-Sulzbach region: nature, activity and history

The Amberg-Sulzbach region is in Bavaria, between Regensburg and Nuremberg. The Amberg-Sulzbach region offers towering limestone cliffs, gentle Jurassic hills, extensive forests and picturesque river valleys. The Felsenweg trail runs from Sackdilling through the rock labyrinth to the Bauernlöcher: the hike is 2.7 kilometres long and takes about 45 minutes. A different kind of activity is offered by the Bow-Vision 3D course near Wolfertsfeld: traditional archery on an approximately three-kilometre circular route through the farm woodland typical of the Upper Palatinate Jura. This lets you compare a hike with a stated walking time with an archery course as distinct ways to spend your time.

Near Theuern, a nature observation platform was built at the edge of the settling ponds at the wastewater treatment plant. The adjoining wetland, with the Vils, oxbow lakes and ponds, is a year-round resting and breeding site for local birds and those migrating from the north. Also in Theuern, the East Bavarian Mining and Industrial Museum at Theuern Cultural Castle researches and documents mining and industry in eastern Bavaria, keeping their history alive. The Ore Trail connects sites with a mining tradition spanning more than 1,000 years and passes through cultural landscapes and natural scenery.

Regional customs also give the Amberg-Sulzbach region its own character: since 2023, Kirwa celebrations have been part of Bavaria’s intangible cultural heritage. They are celebrated every year in their respective towns and are open to visitors and locals alike. They offer a different focus from the region’s landscape and mining themes and provide a glimpse into a recurring tradition.

Choose a holiday apartment to suit your plans

If local attractions are your main consideration, base your search around Schnaittenbach’s kaolin history, herb garden and leisure centre. If your stay will also include destinations in the Amberg-Sulzbach region, first choose the experiences that matter to you, then compare holiday apartment locations with those plans. That way, you can choose a location based on the kind of holiday you want to have.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Ammerthal, Hirschau, Kümmersbruck, Etzelwang, Hohenburg, Ursensollen, Birgland, Kastl.

Back to the main travel guide: Amberg-Sulzbach.