Grafenau: History on the Golden Trail

Grafenau combines the history of a town of packhorse traders with museums, a historic town square and nature trails. The town lies right next to Bavarian Forest National Park. The historic sites, the weekly green market and the range of hiking and cycling options offer practical starting points for planning your stay.

Following the salt trade routes

Grafenau owed its rise to the historic salt trade. As an important town of packhorse traders, it lay directly on the Golden Trail, the Gulden Straß, one of Europe’s oldest and most important trade routes. Salt was transported along this route from the Upper Innviertel to Bohemia. A town walk explores the history of the place at various stops and can be experienced independently, as a guided tour or interactively.

The stops include the historic town square, the statue of St. John of Nepomuk, the packhorse traders’ fountain, the Old Town Hall and the last remnants of the old town wall. The Luitpold Fountain and colorful burgher houses on the town square also invite you to stroll and linger. This way, you can take in historic traces of the route and notable sites together on the walk, rather than focusing on just one destination.

Museums on local and everyday history

Grafenau’s museums each focus on different subjects. The Farmhouse Furniture Museum explores painted farmhouse furniture and former domestic life in the Bavarian Forest. The Snuff Museum focuses on the custom of taking snuff; it features exhibits and information about the history of this custom. The Town Museum presents local history, from old trade routes to the everyday lives of previous generations.

The subjects complement one another: you can explore trade history both by following the Golden Trail and at the Town Museum, while farmhouse furniture and snuff bring other aspects of earlier life and everyday culture to the fore. If these subjects interest you, you can combine them with a walk around town.

Market and regional products

The weekly green market on Grafenau’s town square offers fresh regional products to sample and take home every Friday morning. The market provides a reason in its own right to visit the town square and can be combined with a stroll through the historic surroundings. If you plan to visit the market, it is best to confirm the details locally before your trip.

Hiking, cycling and winter trails

The Holy Trinity Trail lies south of Grafenau and brings together hiking, reading and reflection. The route runs mostly along natural forest paths. This offers a different focus from the town walk: here, the emphasis is on combining exercise with reflective stops, while the town walk takes in historic squares and buildings.

There are cycling connections to the surrounding area, too: Grafenau’s network of paths can be combined with the cycle route network in Bavarian Forest National Park, and it connects directly to the National Park Cycle Route. In winter, options include groomed classic cross-country ski trails and skating trails ranging from easy to moderate, various combinations, and connections into the national park area. Which option suits your stay therefore also depends on whether you would rather explore Grafenau on foot, by bike or on the trails. Check snow conditions before using the winter trails.

Discover more destinations: Perlesreut, Mauth, Spiegelau, Zenting, Hohenau, Schönberg, Röhrnbach, Innernzell.

Back to the main travel overview: Freyung-Grafenau.