Bad Wurzach: Hotels, Moorland and Peat History

If you’re looking for a hotel in Bad Wurzach, local themes may help you decide where to go: the Wurzacher Ried is all about moorland and trails, while the museum, historic buildings and cycling routes add further variety. This lets you shape your stay around the experiences that interest you.

Moorland, peat history and trails

The Oberschwäbisches Torfmuseum explores the history of peat extraction. Peat was cut and put to a wide range of uses in Bad Wurzach for over 200 years. Moorland treatments also have a long tradition here: since 1936, moorland has been used in Bad Wurzach as a therapeutic treatment with healing and soothing effects.

The Wurzacher Ried nature reserve has around 20 kilometres of marked hiking trails along paved and unpaved paths. One shorter route with a clear name is the “Auf den Spuren der Torfstecher” peat trail: it is one and a half kilometres long and starts at the Oberschwäbisches Torfmuseum. This gives you the choice between trails in the nature reserve and an educational trail with a specific length. Check local notices for temporary closures before setting out.

At Riedsee, hikers can walk barefoot on a natural moorland spot via a staircase. Next to it, there is a Kneipp foot-treading pool on the Wurzacher Ach. The natural moorland spot and the Kneipp foot-treading pool are located along Moor Hiking Trail No. 1. Bad Wurzach is also a gateway town on the Allgäu Hiking Trilogy and belongs to its Nature Treasure Chambers theme area. Check the latest route information before your hike.

Another way to experience the Wurzacher Ried is on the historic Torfbähnle peat railway. It runs along old narrow-gauge tracks on a newly laid route around one and a half kilometres long through the Ried. From April to October, it runs on the second Sunday and fourth Saturday of each month. Operating dates may change, so check the operator’s latest information before your visit.

Cycling routes and historic buildings

There are also different route options for a cycling trip: three of the 13 selected cycling routes in the Naturschatzkammern Cycling Region can be ridden directly from Bad Wurzach and pass selected sights. The “Museen, Moor, mehr” tour also starts in Bad Wurzach, follows the Wurzacher Ried to the Bauernhausmuseum in Wolfegg, and returns to Bad Wurzach via Bad Waldsee. Wolfegg is outside Bad Wurzach. As the route selection may change, it’s worth checking the latest route information before planning your trip.

Important surviving Baroque buildings in Bad Wurzach include the Baroque staircase in the castle and the pilgrimage church on Gottesberg. The former Maria Rosengarten monastery includes a Rococo house chapel. These buildings offer a different focus from the moorland trails and peat history, adding the town’s architecture to the picture.

More things to do in Bad Wurzach

Bad Wurzach spa park has an adventure playground where children can play, climb and swing. Young explorers can discover the Wurzacher Ried with the Moor-Erlebnis-Rucksack (Moor Experience Backpack). Check locally whether the backpack is currently available.

The Bad Wurzach audio tour takes around 30 minutes and covers about 500 metres, leading to important sights in the town and telling the stories behind the buildings on site. If you’d like to include this short tour in your plans, check its current availability and whether it is still in the trial phase before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Schlier, Achberg, Wilhelmsdorf, Argenbühl, Leutkirch Im Allgäu, Eichstegen, Berg Bei Ravensburg, Kißlegg.

See the overview of the wider region: Ravensburg.