Günzburg between the Danube, hiking trails and discoveries
Accommodation in Günzburg
In the district of Günzburg, rivers and floodplain landscapes meet hiking trails, pilgrimage sites and a wide variety of discoveries. On its way to the Black Sea, the Danube passes Leipheim, Günzburg and Offingen and forms part of the region’s river and floodplain landscape there. The Mindel also flows through the district; it joins the Danube near Gundremmingen. When choosing a holiday apartment, it may therefore be important to consider whether you want to spend your holiday mainly on nature trails, exploring cultural history, going on a pilgrimage or enjoying active experiences.
File:Aerial image of the Markgrafenschloss Günzburg (view from the south).jpg
Photo: Carsten Steger via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hiking trails in a variety of formats
If you want to include longer routes in your trip, the DonAuwald hiking trail offers a route of around 60 kilometres between Günzburg and Schwenningen. It is the first premium hiking trail in Bavarian Swabia. The 18.5-kilometre DonauHänge circular trail offers a different option: it runs through the hillside forest between Günzburg and Offingen. The distances and route types give you a concrete guide when choosing excursions based on your preferred length or whether you want a circular route.
The certified Streifzüge walking trails also pass along streams and ponds and through gently rolling countryside. Alongside the longer DonAuwald hiking trail and the circular route, there are also walking trails through a landscape shaped by waterways and hills. If you’re travelling with children, consider the Hansenhohl nature trail: it is around 1.5 kilometres long and has eight play and information stations. There is also a free quiz tour, “Sabotage in Hansenhohl,” available as a crime-story app.
History to see and hear
In Ichenhausen, the Celtic Trail brings the lives of the Celts and Druids to life through audio: at six listening points, you can hear the stories, starting from the car park by the cemetery. The trail is three kilometres long from the first listening point to the last. Also in Ichenhausen, the Bavarian School Museum explores the development of the school system over thousands of years. The museum includes a historic classroom that once seated around 50 children—a vivid contrast to today’s idea of a classroom.
The Museum of the City of Burgau tells the town’s history from the Middle Ages to the recent past across two floors and covers more than 700 square metres. In Wettenhausen, the monastery museum, opened in 2021, offers insights into a tradition spanning almost a thousand years. The Kaisersaal there is known for its monumental stucco ceiling and hosts concerts, conferences and ceremonies. These cultural sites each focus on something different: school history, the history of a town and monastic tradition.
Pilgrimage, water sports and family outings
Maria Vesperbild near Ziemetshausen is considered the largest pilgrimage site in Bavarian Swabia. Every year, 400,000 to 500,000 pilgrims come to see the miraculous image of Our Lady of Sorrows. A Way of the Cross leads from the pilgrimage church to the Fatima Grotto in the nearby forest. The grotto was built in 1957 and restored in 2011; more than 1,000 votive plaques bearing words of thanks and accounts of the help received from the Mother of God are displayed there. This offers a distinct cultural focus for your trip, alongside hiking trails and museums.
Other places in the district also offer active experiences: Turncable Wakepark in Thannhausen offers wakeboarding and water skiing. Its courses are for beginners and advanced participants, as well as individuals and groups. LEGOLAND® Deutschland in Günzburg has 11 themed worlds and 68 attractions; MINILAND is the heart of the theme park. The theme park and its adjoining holiday village offer experiences for children aged 2 to 12. This means that, alongside a visit focused on water activities, there are also options aimed especially at the age group mentioned.
Getting here and choosing where to stay
You can also take travel connections into account when choosing a location: Günzburg is on Deutsche Bahn AG’s Stuttgart–Munich long-distance rail route. The Leipheim, Günzburg and Burgau exits on the A8 Stuttgart–Munich motorway lead directly into the district of Günzburg. When looking for a holiday apartment, it is best to choose a location based on which of the travel experiences described matter most to you; the towns and villages in the district offer different starting points for planning your excursions.
Other places in the district: Waldstetten, Thannhausen, Ichenhausen, Ursberg, Ziemetshausen, Neuburg An Der Kammel, Offingen, Burtenbach, Deisenhausen, Kammeltal, Leipheim, Burgau, Günzburg, Aletshausen, Bibertal, Kötz, Bubesheim, Haldenwang, Jettingen-Scheppach, Krumbach and Breitenthal.
For the higher-level travel overview: Bavaria.
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