Franconian Lake District: Lakes, Trails and Discoveries
Accommodation in Franconian Lake District
Lakes, hiking trails and historic places shape the Franconian Lake District. Here, you can combine water sports and nature watching with longer tours or cultural discoveries. When choosing a holiday apartment, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip: experiences on the water, hiking and cycling routes, or nature and history?
Hiking Between Lakes and Rolling Hills
“Der Seenländer” is a 146-kilometre circular hiking route. It connects Lake Altmühlsee with the Small Brombachsee, the Great Brombachsee and Lake Rothsee. Along the way, waterscapes alternate with orchards, shady woodland and species-rich nature reserves. The landscapes along the route also include flat plains with far-reaching views, hop gardens and gentle rolling hills.
A shorter alternative is the Franconian Lake District Trail: it runs for 63 kilometres from Lake Altmühlsee via Brombachsee to Lake Rothsee and is flat throughout, with only a few slight inclines. The routes differ considerably in length; the description of the flat terrain applies to the Franconian Lake District Trail. Another hiking option is the Spalter Hügellandtour, which has been awarded the “Wanderbares Deutschland” quality trail distinction.
Water, Cycling Tours and Nature Experiences
Swimming, sailing and surfing are possible at Lake Altmühlsee. During the summer season, the “MS Altmühlsee” excursion boat connects the leisure centres on its shores. The Great Brombachsee offers a distinctive experience of its own: this 870-hectare lake between Absberg and Pleinfeld offers opportunities for surfing, kitesurfing, sailing and diving. Lake Altmühlsee and Brombachsee also offer water sports, beach activities and excursion boat trips, while cycling and hiking trails run along their shores. If you would like to fish, you can do so at Lake Altmühlsee, the Great and Small Brombachsee, Igelsbachsee and Lake Rothsee with a permit.
There is a network of more than 1,500 kilometres of cycling routes. It connects to the Tauber Altmühl Cycle Route and the MD Cycle Route along the Main–Danube Canal to Nuremberg. Another option is the Franconian Water Cycle Route, an approximately 460-kilometre route through the Franconian Lake District, Romantic Franconia, Altmühltal Nature Park and the Bavarian Jura. The different route lengths and landscapes can help you decide whether to focus your trip on individual day outings or longer cycling tours.
More than 300 bird species, some of them rare, can be observed at Lake Altmühlsee. On Vogelinsel, a nature trail and observation tower make a special protected area for migratory birds accessible to visitors. The Wernsbacher quarries offer a different kind of nature experience and have been recognised as one of Bavaria’s most beautiful geotopes.
Culture and Regional Discoveries
History and craftsmanship are also part of the range of experiences. The Limes runs through the Franconian Lake District and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with forts, watchtowers and excavated bathhouses. At the Museum Historischer Eisenhammer Eckersmühlen, visitors are shown the art of hammer forging and how to work with red-hot iron. Guided tours are available in the Spalt hop-growing region.
When looking for a holiday apartment, you can use the mix of activities you have planned as a guide: the lakes offer activities on and around the water, while the hiking and cycling trails, along with cultural and nature experiences, cater to other interests. This lets you first focus your search on what you would like to do before choosing suitable accommodation in the Franconian Lake District.
More destinations to discover: Kelheim, Fürth, Hof, Donau-Ries, Mühldorf Am Inn, Passau, Pfaffenhofen An Der Ilm and Haßberge.
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