Dillingen an der Donau: Hiking, Cycling and City History

Dillingen an der Donau offers a variety of travel experiences: In the district of Dillingen, hiking and cycling trails shape the options; in the city, the museum, the study church and the castle offer insights into cultural history. Whether you are planning to explore on foot, by bike or with a focus on historic places, the offerings highlight different aspects of the region.

Hiking in the DonAUwald

The DonAUwald hiking trail runs for just under 60 kilometers through the floodplain forests along the Danube; 40 kilometers of it are in the district of Dillingen. It is Bavarian Swabia’s first premium hiking trail. All five classic stages can be reached easily and carbon-neutrally by train. Check the timetable before your trip for your specific travel dates.

Cycling routes and event rides

The Danube Cycle Path crosses the district of Dillingen a.d.Donau for around 40 kilometers from west to east. The Donautal Radelspaß is a different kind of event: It takes place every two years on a weekend in September, with the main event held in the district of Dillingen. Three signposted routes, closed to cars, take participants on culinary and cultural adventures. The Danube Cycle Path is described as a west-to-east route, while the Radelspaß is a weekend event featuring three adventure routes. If you want to plan your trip around the event, check the date for the relevant event year.

Water landscape and chapel project

Over many years, gravel extraction along the Danube in the district of Dillingen has created a unique landscape of water and lakes. The wayside chapels also take the surrounding landscape as an architectural theme. With a focus on the district of Dillingen, the Siegfried and Elfriede Denzel Foundation aims to build seven wayside chapels along newly created cycling routes. The project is intended to create a landmark and an architectural feature in the landscape, while continuing the tradition of chapel building in a contemporary style.

Museum and city history

In Dillingen, the City and Prince-Bishopric Museum illustrates the city’s history, from Stone Age artifacts to the recent past. The museum is located in two historic buildings at Hafenmarkt: the Unteres Stiftshaus and the Angerer-Haus.

Study church and Kneipp activities

A distinctive feature of the study church is its high altar, one of the few surviving stage altars in Germany. Every year, during the week before Palm Sunday, a space with scenery and figures opens up behind the lowered altarpiece, six meters above the ground. They depict the Stations of the Cross, from the scourging of Christ to the Resurrection. If you want to plan your visit around this annual event, check the exact opening arrangements beforehand.

The Kneipp audio tour offers a flexible, independent way to discover key moments in Sebastian Kneipp’s life and some of his water treatments, at your own pace and without a city guide. Before traveling, check whether the app and signage are available. There is also a two-part Kneipp circular route, with nine information stele through the historic old town and four more through the floodplain forest. The formats differ: The audio tour focuses on Kneipp’s life and water treatments, while the circular route takes you between the old town and the floodplain forest.

Dillingen Castle

Dillingen Castle offers another historical perspective: It has elements dating from the Staufer period and was expanded several times later on. It thus complements the museum’s city history themes with the architectural history of a single castle.

Discover more destinations: Gundelfingen an der Donau, Dillingen an der Donau, Lauingen, Bissingen, Holzheim, Wertingen, Buttenwiesen, Finningen, Bachhagel, Höchstädt

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