Amberg-Sulzbach: Nature, History and Kirwan

The Amberg-Sulzbach region is in Bavaria, between Regensburg and Nuremberg. Its landscape is shaped by towering limestone cliffs, gentle Jura hills, extensive forests and picturesque river valleys. It also offers hiking trails, traces of its mining history and regional customs. When planning your stay, you can choose a focus based on the landscape, a specific activity or a cultural theme.

Hiking among cliffs and Jura forests

The Felsenweg trail runs from Sackdilling through the Felsenlabyrinth rock labyrinth to the Bauernlöcher caves and into an impressive rocky landscape. The hike is 2.7 kilometres long, with an estimated walking time of about 45 minutes. The Wacholderwanderweg is also one of the most beautiful hiking trails in the Amberg-Sulzbach region. Both trails offer a way to experience the region’s hiking landscape, but have different highlights: the Felsenweg focuses on the cliffs and its destination at the Bauernlöcher caves.

If you’d rather try traditional archery than go hiking, the Bow-Vision 3-D course is located at Wolfertsfeld. The approximately three-kilometre circular route passes through the farm woodland typical of the Upper Palatinate Jura. This makes it easy to decide whether a hike with a stated walking time or an archery activity on a circular course better suits your travel plans.

Wetlands and birdwatching in Theuern

The Theuern nature observation platform was built on the edge of the settling ponds at the wastewater treatment plant. The adjacent wetland includes the Vils River, oxbow lakes and ponds. It serves year-round as a resting and breeding site for native birds and species that migrate from the north. Nature observation is therefore one of the different themes you can consider when planning your trip, alongside hiking and cultural history.

Mining history and distinctive landscapes

The East Bavarian Mining and Industry Museum in the Kultur-Schloss Theuern researches and documents mining and industry in eastern Bavaria, keeping their history alive. The Erzweg trail also reflects the region’s long mining tradition: it connects sites with more than 1,000 years of mining history and passes through cultural and natural landscapes. Mining history can thus be explored both in a museum and along a route through the countryside.

A striking contrast to the limestone cliffs and Jura hills is Monte Kaolino near Hirschau. This approximately 120-metre-high ski mountain without snow is made of around 33 million tonnes of fine quartz sand and is considered a one-of-a-kind attraction in the world. Its description is quite different from the rocky and forested landscapes that define other excursions in the region.

Kirwan festivals and regional cuisine

Since 2023, the Kirwan festivals of the Amberg-Sulzbach region have been part of Bavaria’s intangible cultural heritage. They are celebrated every year in the respective town and welcome visitors as well as local residents. If you’re interested in regional traditions, these annual festivities offer a different way to experience the region than hiking trails and museums.

Regional cuisine is also shaped by recurring traditions. Many inns regularly host Schlachtschüssel meals; dates vary from one inn to another. Dishes include Wurschtsuppn, Kesselfleisch, and blood sausage, liver sausage and bratwurst made to the inn’s own recipes. Checking with the individual inn will help you find a suitable date.

Regional brewing traditions include original Upper Palatinate Zoigl brewed in Erlheim and hops from Illschwang, the world’s smallest hop-growing area. Amberg’s Sudhang private brewery uses these hops.

Note about cave hiking trails

If you’re planning a cave hike, be aware of the seasonal restriction: entering caves on the regional cave hiking trails is prohibited from 1 October to 31 March. The ban applies to entering the caves during this period.

Discover more destinations

Kastl, Ursensollen, Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Schnaittenbach, Birgland, Königstein, Weigendorf, Kümmersbruck, Auerbach in der Oberpfalz, Hohenburg, Freudenberg, Rieden, Hirschau, Vilseck, Etzelwang, Neukirchen bei Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Ammerthal, Ebermannsdorf, Schmidmühlen, Edelsfeld.

Go to the main travel overview: Bavaria.