Allgäu: Nature Trails, Cheese Culture and Traditions

In Allgäu, mountains, rolling hills and quiet lakes come together to create a varied travel landscape. Alongside lakes, waterfalls and gorges are among the selected natural highlights presented by the Allgäu Geopark. There are also routes through different elevations, architectural and cultural history, and insights into cheese production. This makes it easy to plan a trip around nature trails, culture and regional traditions.

Hiking and cycling routes with varied profiles

The Allgäu Hiking Trilogy consists of three routes: Wiesengänger, Wasserläufer and Himmelsstürmer. It showcases the diversity of the landscape across three elevations. All three routes pass through towns and cities in Allgäu where there are sights to see. The three-route structure offers a starting point for planning a hike: you can consider which elevation and route suit your interests.

The Himmelsstürmer route passes through the Allgäu High Alps and Nagelfluhkette Nature Park. Rare plant and animal species can be found in the nature park. If you are interested in this route, it also offers a connection to protected natural areas and their biodiversity.

For cycling, the Allgäu Cycling Loop offers a different option: it is 475 kilometres long, passes through Allgäu and has been awarded the ADFC's 4-star quality route designation. Thanks to its connecting routes and numerous rail links, you can ride it in whichever way suits you. This gives you a choice between a hiking trilogy with three routes and a long cycling route that can be ridden flexibly. If you want to make use of rail connections, check the timetables before your trip.

Castles, customs and UNESCO cultural heritage

Architectural history and intangible cultural heritage also shape Allgäu. The region's UNESCO cultural heritage includes Neuschwanstein Castle, as well as several forms of intangible culture relating to crafts, cuisine, traditional festivals and customs. The Allgäu-Außerfern Castle Region offers another perspective on the region's built heritage: across 26 municipalities, it has more than 43 castles, ruins, palaces and town fortifications.

The traditional alpine cattle drive, known in Allgäu as Viehscheid, is part of regional custom. Farmers and visitors celebrate it as a large folk festival. If you plan to travel for Viehscheid, check the specific event dates in advance. Open-air museums in Allgäu also invite you to stroll through expansive historic landscapes. This lets you experience cultural history on foot rather than focusing your visit exclusively on individual buildings.

Experience cheese: take part or watch

There are various ways to discover cheese culture. At cheese-making schools, visitors can help with production and make their own cheese. Show dairies let you watch production live through a glass wall or join a guided tour of the facility. This means there are opportunities both to take part and to observe and listen. You can decide in advance which option best suits your travel interests.

Nagelfluhkette Nature Park in the wider region

In the wider region, Nagelfluhkette Nature Park lies between Allgäu and Bregenzerwald. This protected area encompasses rivers and streams, gorges, forests, moors and wet meadows, as well as diverse animal and plant life. An experience exhibition with free admission focuses on animals, plants, their habitats and the protected area's distinctive features, including its special rock formations. A water exhibition playfully explains how groundwater and drinking water are formed and protected, and is suitable for children aged eight and over.

Choose your travel focus

Outdoor activities include winter sports, hiking, cycling and golf. Together with natural highlights, cultural heritage and cheese experiences, this range offers different ways to shape a trip to Allgäu. If you are looking for a hotel, your plans can guide your search: first consider whether you want to devote most of your time to hiking and cycling routes, culture, regional experiences or a particular event date. You can then use that to guide your search for a suitable place to stay.

Discover more destinations: Oberallgäu, Weilheim-Schongau, Schwandorf, Bad Kissingen, Fichtelgebirge, Upper Palatinate Forest, Traunstein, Fürstenfeldbruck.

Go to the main travel overview: Bavaria.