Giessen between art, remembrance and nature

Giessen reveals different sides: personal stories and broader historical contexts, a university botanical garden with old sections of the grounds, and paths through campus areas and protected nature. Which of these experiences you want to shape your trip can help guide your choice of destination and accommodation.

Art, remembrance and university history

The Notaufnahmelager Giessen learning and remembrance centre houses an exhibition that opened in June 2025 about flight, arrival and new beginnings. It brings together personal stories and broader historical contexts. Visitors interested in the history of flight and new beginnings will find a clearly defined focus here. The Botanical Garden of Justus Liebig University Giessen offers a very different perspective: it is Germany’s oldest university botanical garden, and its old sections are still part of the grounds today. Its history is therefore also reflected in the preservation of older parts of the garden.

On foot through the city and the spring fen

The 7.2 km art trail runs from Ludwigsplatz through the Philosophikum I and II campus areas, including the Giessen Art Trail, past the edge of the Law and Science campus area to the Luther Oak and the Old Cemetery; the return route leads to the starting point at the Dachcafé tower block. The route thus links various named locations and campus areas on a longer walk through Giessen. It can be enjoyed as a focus in its own right, alongside the historical and botanical attractions.

The walk “Spring Fen near Rödgen” reveals a different landscape. It leads into the Aschborn and Uderborn nature reserve between Giessen and Rödgen. There, the Aschborn and Uderborn springs emerge and form a spring fen of national significance. This offers a choice between two distinctly different walks: an art trail through Giessen’s locations and campus areas, or a route through a protected spring fen.

More options in the GiessenerLand

As a leisure region, the GiessenerLand encompasses all 18 municipalities in the district of Giessen. The wider region offers around 1,000 km of hiking routes and seven well-signposted leisure cycling routes. There is also the 60 km “Romans, Residences and Reformers” themed e-bike route. The Lahn Hiking Trail offers a longer-distance option: it runs for more than 290 km through the Lahn Valley, with one section passing through the GiessenerLand. The options therefore differ not only in how you travel, but also in their length and focus.

The Dünsberg is another regional option for combining landscape and history. In the district of Giessen, it is a landscape and cultural monument as well as a popular hiking destination. A large Celtic town was established there between 800 and 100 BC. At the Dünsberg, the Celtic homestead illustrates the Celtic settlement. It was built in 2005/2006 directly behind the Celtic Gate and comprises three buildings. The main building houses an information and museum education centre, covering, among other topics, Celtic history, flora and fauna, art in the forest and modern technology at the Dünsberg.

If you would like to focus on water activities, you can include Lake Inheiden/Trais-Horloff, associated with Hungen, among your regional options. Swimming, sailing and surfing there offer a different kind of outing from the routes through Giessen and the spring fen.

Getting here and choosing accommodation

Giessen railway station is the central rail hub of the GiessenerLand and has long-distance train connections. More than 40 bus routes connect destinations across the GiessenerLand. This gives you two specific reference points for planning: the railway station in Giessen and the regional bus network. For individual destinations, it is worth checking the relevant connections and timetables.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Giessen, you can first decide whether your trip will focus mainly on Giessen’s attractions or more on regional hiking, cycling and water-based activities. This choice can help you decide on the right base for your trip without limiting all your experiences to a single theme.

Discover more places

Discover more places: Lollar, Laubach, Giessen, Linden, Grünberg, Hungen, Staufenberg, Lich, Buseck, Wettenberg, Reiskirchen, Rabenau, Langgöns, Biebertal, Pohlheim, Heuchelheim.

To the higher-level travel overview: Hesse.