Zwickau District: Mulde Valley, Cycling Routes and Museums

Zwickau District lies between the valley of the Zwickauer Mulde and the foothills of the Ore Mountains. The Mulde provides a common thread for several experiences: it shapes a protected landscape area and also serves as a point of reference for cycling routes. Other possible highlights include marked hiking trails, museums devoted to agriculture and automobile manufacturing, as well as places to enjoy the water, see animals and attend open-air theatre. When planning your trip, you can first decide whether landscape, activity, culture or a mix of all three will shape your days.

The Mulde Valley and its protected landscape

There are currently 14 FFH (Flora-Fauna-Habitat) sites and two bird protection areas designated in the district, covering a total area of about 2,200 hectares. Distinct from these is the “Mulden- und Chemnitztal” landscape conservation area: its core encompasses the course of the Zwickauer Mulde between Zwickau and Wolkenburg and covers about 4,348 hectares. The first figure refers to several protected areas across the district; the second refers to one specifically named landscape conservation area. This distinction helps clarify the district-wide perspective and the particular connection to the Mulde Valley.

Explore on foot or by bike

The district has an extensive, well-developed network of marked hiking trails covering around 700 kilometres, along with many rest areas and places to stop for refreshments. You can make hiking a focus of your trip and choose from numerous marked routes. Rest areas and places to stop for refreshments offer additional points of reference as you plan, while you can choose the route length to suit your own itinerary. In the city of Zwickau, the Muldendamm cycling and hiking trail is a place to stroll, cycle, jog, hike and relax.

Two routes connected with the Mulde run through the district: the Hartenstein–Glauchau Mulde Cycle Path follows the river via Zwickau to Glauchau. The Muldendamm section in the city of Zwickau forms part of the 268-kilometre, long-distance Mulde cycle route. The details provide answers to different questions: the first route is described in terms of its endpoints and course along the river, while the second is described in terms of how the Zwickau section fits into a longer cycling route.

The section of the Saxon Way of St. James in the district runs from the A72 near Hartenstein to the Vogtland border near Hirschfeld. Its endpoints mark another route, distinct from those that follow the Mulde.

Museums devoted to agriculture and automobile manufacturing

The German Agricultural Museum at Blankenhain Castle is a unique museum complex in Germany, located in Zwickau District. Spread across 13 hectares, it includes 80 buildings and 100 themed exhibitions. Agriculture is the focus of this extensive collection. The August Horch Museum in Zwickau offers a different theme: located at the historic birthplace of Audi, it presents more than 120 years of Zwickau automobile manufacturing across 6,500 square metres of exhibition space. You can choose between these two clearly distinct subjects rather than viewing the museums as alternatives with the same focus.

The August Horch Museum offers tours in English, including guided tours led in person; an audio guide is also available. If you are planning a museum visit, you can take these options into account when choosing between a guided tour and exploring independently.

Wildlife park, bathing lake and open-air theatre

Hirschfeld Wildlife Park was founded in 1956. A municipal description from 2023 lists a 23-hectare site with around 600 animals from more than 100 species; the animal numbers may change. The wildlife park has a playground. A mini-golf course is located right next door and operates seasonally. Hirschfeld therefore combines a wildlife park visit with opportunities to play, although mini-golf is only available seasonally.

The Stausee-Oberwald area in Callenberg is designated as a local recreation area and bathing lake. Check current access arrangements and facilities before your visit. The Freilicht-Theater Waldenburg e. V. is located in Grünfelder Park, where it stages performances in a natural setting. Specific performances vary over time, so coordinate a theatre visit with the event schedule.

Find a hotel to suit your travel plans

This way, you can choose accommodation to match your own travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Callenberg, Glauchau, Crimmitschau, Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Limbach-Oberfrohna, Meerane, Mülsen, Neukirchen/Pleiße, Werdau, Zwickau, Kirchberg, Hartenstein, Gersdorf, Lichtenstein, Oberwiera, Remse, Niederfrohna, Waldenburg, Wildenfels, Hirschfeld, Lichtentanne, Oberlungwitz, Zwickau, Reinsdorf, Crinitzberg.

Go to the regional travel overview: Saxony.