Discover Biessenhofen

When looking for a hotel in Biessenhofen, you can choose a focus for your stay: the history of shepherding or the legendary sites along the Legendary Hiking Trail. The Shepherd Museum in the Baschtlehaus and the hiking trail offer two different themes to help guide your choice. This allows you to connect your choice of destination with the question of which aspects you are particularly interested in during your stay.

Shepherd Museum in the Baschtlehaus

The attic of the Baschtlehaus residence houses a permanent exhibition about shepherding during the period of communal grazing. The Shepherd Museum also explores the centuries-long history of the community shepherds. Both themes highlight an economic and way of life that the exhibition presents from different perspectives.

Part of the exhibition is dedicated to the Brotherhood of Shepherds of the “Black Scapular.” It was founded in Ebenhofen in 1719; the exhibition explores its purpose, aims, and social and cultural significance. The section on the brotherhood thus offers a different perspective on shepherding from the history of the community shepherds and communal grazing.

The Friends Association’s program also goes beyond the permanent exhibition: it provides information on a range of historical topics through special exhibitions, activity days, and talks. Concerts are held in the barn of the Baschtlehaus. Check the dates for your travel period in advance if you would like to plan your visit around an event.

Legendary Hiking Trail

The Legendary Hiking Trail starts at the Shepherd and Local History Museum in Ebenhofen and passes signposted legendary sites in the municipality of Biessenhofen. Some feature life-size figures from local legends. These include the Witches’ Ride, the Count of Ebenhofen, the Way Spirits, the Witches’ Dance, and the Witch’s Steed. The names give an impression of the variety of legends featured along the trail.

About 96 percent of the Legendary Trail is paved, while about 4 percent consists of gravel farm and forest roads. In addition to its legendary themes, this gives you specific information about the route’s mix of surfaces.

The wider destination of Ostallgäu

As a wider regional setting, the Ostallgäu destination offers further themes relating to landscape and culture. In the southwest, the mountains in the district of Ostallgäu belong to the Vilser Gebirge; in the southeast, they are part of the Ammergebirge. At 2,082 meters, the Hochplatte is the highest mountain in the Ostallgäu.

Regional routes also vary in terms of activity and length. The Ostallgäu has 32 local hiking routes that showcase special natural and local treasures. The RadReiseRegion regional cycling routes extend across the entire Ostallgäu; each is 25 to 76 kilometers long, consistently signposted, and has its own theme.

The cultural heritage of the Ostallgäu includes Neuschwanstein Castle, which, together with Linderhof Palace, the Royal House on Schachen, and Herrenchiemsee Palace, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site on July 12, 2025. Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Royal Castles can only be visited on a guided tour. Keep this in mind if you plan to visit the two castles during your trip.

Discover more destinations: Bidingen, Aitrang, Ruderatshofen, Apfeltrang, Ronsberg, Germaringen, Pforzen, Nesselwang.

Go to the wider travel overview: Ostallgäu.