Whether cycling, hiking or running – Bavaria is made for the most popular outdoor sports. For good reason, many excursionists are drawn to the mountains on sunny weekends, because the southern regions along the Alps in particular are known far beyond the borders for their varied areas. We have summarized a few of the best leisure ideas here.
Cycling through Bavaria
Between steep challenges on the slope and relaxed laps around one of the many lakes, everything is possible in Bavaria. Cyclists who simply want to take a relaxing lap in front of the beautiful Bavarian mountain panorama will find an extensive and dense network of cycle paths in Bavaria. Each region can boast its own character and charm, be it the Alps, the Bavarian Forest or Franconian Switzerland. A few nice suggestions for cycling tours in Bavaria can be found here.
The Chiemsee circular trail, which leads over 60 kilometres around the entire Chiemsee, is perfect for families. Since there are naturally few inclines on such a circular route, it is ideally suited for a relaxed bike tour with a breathtaking mountain panorama in the background. If you don’t want to drive the entire loop, you can use the Chiemsee Ring Line . This bus line runs around Lake Chiemsee from May to October, connecting all important places with each other. Ideal for all visitors who want to visit all the sights in one day and are traveling without a car. If you prefer to take the route over the water, you can take the ferry from Prien to Seebruck and enjoy the entire panorama from a very special perspective. On this occasion, a visit to Herreninsel with the famous Herrenchiemsee Castle is also a good idea. The crossing is possible all year round by scheduled ferry.
Bavaria also has something suitable to offer for friends of longer distances who would like to spend several days on the bike. The Swabian Alb Cycle Path stretches for more than 300 kilometres through one of the most beautiful regions of Bavaria, past castles, palaces and show caves. So it’s perfect for a relaxing active holiday on the bike. The region around Garmisch-Partenkirchen is also popular with cyclists. Very close to Germany’s highest peak, the Zugspitze, cyclists also like to ride the idyllic mountain paths. The region offers lush meadows, dense forests and crystal-clear mountain views for those who are looking for relaxation in an impressive nature. The gastronomy in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is recommended for a bite to eat, be it in the form of traditional beer gardens or picturesque street cafés.
The bike tour up to the Geroldsee, one of the most beautiful moor lakes in the Alps, is particularly recommended. The almost 19-kilometre tour takes you past lakes, meadows and forests in front of the panorama of the Wetterstein chain and the Karwendel. For ambitious cyclists, there are also more challenging variants here, which lead over the steeper “Alte Gsteig” and through the forest.
Mountain hiking in the Alps
In the summer months, mountain hiking is by far the most popular outdoor activity in the Alps. Countless holidaymakers and day tourists have appreciated the diverse routes around, on and over the Alps for many years and come here regularly. The network of trails in the region is well developed and marked. Signs indicate how challenging it is to master a path and how much time must be planned for it. And if one or the other ascent is too sweaty for you, you can simply take one of the cable cars to the top and start your tour there. What should never be missing on a hike or a bike tour in the Alps is a stop at one of the many huts. Whether for a hearty snack or a cool beer, the offer of the alpine innkeepers has something to offer for everyone.
Hiking holidaymakers will find a real premium trail in the Bavarian Forest with the Goldsteig , which leads in several variants from the Upper Palatinate Forest down to Lower Bavaria. In total, the Goldsteig has a length of 660 kilometres. The path leads from Marktredwitz down to Passau and splits into a north and a south route shortly after Thanstein. Of course, you can not only take the path under your hiking boots, but also explore it by mountain bike. There is enough to see in the Bavarian Forest and many guests therefore do not leave it at a single visit.
Tips for the excursion: On the road in Bavaria
As the largest federal state in terms of area, Bavaria cannot be explored in one day. Excursionists benefit from a very dense network of rail connections, which take them stress-free to the desired excursion or holiday destination. This option is perfect for cyclists, because on most trains the bicycles can be taken along without any problems. For excursions with the whole family, special tariffs such as the Bayernticket are particularly good to get to your destination both cheaply and in an environmentally friendly way. If you arrive by car, you will find numerous hiking parking spaces in all regions.
