Allgäu | Bavarian Swabia

Achberg Castle, a masterwork of Baroque architecture, is perched on a hill almost 500 metres high to the southwest of Ravensburg close to Lake Constance. It was built towards the end of the 17th century.

The mighty wooden roof of the Allgäu open-air theatre in Altusried is an impressive sight even from afar. During the summer you can enjoy cultural events such as musicals and concerts in this unique natural setting.

Bad Hindelang is nestled at the foot of the Allgäu High Alps and enjoys delightful unspoilt nature. Here, alpine farmers maintain their pastures in the heart of the Allgäu High Alps Nature Reserve.

The Benedictine abbey of Ottobeuren is the largest Baroque monastery in Europe. Sebastian Kneipp, the famous German naturopath, was baptised in its magnificent basilica.

The Violau Pilgrimage Church in the municipality of Altenmünster is a Baroque gem and was even a destination for pilgrims in the 15th century.

Bad Wörishofen has an inseparable relationship with Sebastian Kneipp: it was here that he developed his healing methods based on the five elements of water, herbs, nutrition, exercise and inner balance.

The 1575-metre-high Alpspitz, Nesselwang’s local mountain, offers a 360-degree panorama and can be reached on foot or by cable car.

The famous German naturopath Sebastian Kneipp once studied in Bad Grönenbach and his influence can still be felt today. This premium-class Kneipp resort places a great deal of emphasis on inner balance.

The Illerbeuren Farm Museum is the oldest open-air museum in southern Germany. It comprises today some 35 buildings scattered over the spacious grounds.

Augsburg is the third largest city in Bavaria. During the Renaissance, merchant families – especially the Fuggers and Welsers – stamped their mark on Augsburg and transformed it into an elite European trading centre.

The sight of old castles towering over the region of East Allgäu is an impressive one. The old ruins with hundreds of years of history to tell provide a hint of what life was like in the Middle Ages.

The Fugger Castle in Kirchheim in Schwaben is a magnificent Renaissance building with over 500 years of history. It was built in 1578 and has been in the hands of the Fugger family ever since.

Fugger Castle in Babenhausen, in which the Fugger family still lives today, dominates the surrounding region. Built in 1538, visitors may tour the grounds as well as the castle interior.

A day trip to the 16th century is how an outing to the town of Weißenhorn will feel. Rows of medieval houses still line the streets in this historic town in the district of Neu-Ulm.

The Fuggerei in Augsburg is the world’s oldest social housing estate in use. The settlement from the 16th century is characterised by its idyllic houses, narrow lanes and squares.

The historic old town of Füssen is bordered by alpine peaks to the south and the wild River Lech to the east. Keeping watch on the romantic, medieval lanes and squares below is the Hohes Schloss or High Castle.

Günzburg is testament to more than 500 years of Austrian history that has left its mark on this River Danube town. Today, the old town still delights visitors with numerous historic buildings such as the lower gate tower.

Lindau is located on the east bank of Lake Constance. It covers an area of around 70 hectares and is therefore the lake’s second largest island.

The historic pilgrimage church of Maria Rain stands in the village of the same name in the district of Oy-Mittelberg. Built in 1496, it is regarded today as the prettiest village church in Allgäu.

The historic old town of Mindelheim has an impressive array of museums – including the Swabian Crib Museum with the oldest baby Jesus in the world.

The royal castle of Hohenschwangau near Füssen is set against a breathtaking alpine backdrop and presents a majestic picture with its mighty walls, towers and decorative details.

Located on the foothills of the Alps is the imposing 12th-century Irsee Abbey. Its ornate twin towers and high Baroque façade give the abbey an impressive external appearance.

The Crescentia Convent is located at the heart of the Kaufbeuren old town in southwest Bavaria. According to legend, it was built as a convent in 1250.

The impressive Carthusian monastery near Memmingen was built in the Middle Ages. It was redesigned in the Baroque style by Dominikus Zimmermann who also built its three churches.

Roggenburg Abbey, a monastery of the Premonstratensian Order in the district of Neu-Ulm, is noted for its highly impressive Baroque architecture. The first written record dates from 1126.

The catholic abbey church of Oberelchingen was built in the 12th century as a Benedictine abbey and can be seen from afar from its ‘holy mountain’ location.

This vibrant place of worship in Wigratzbad in the diocese of Augsburg lies in the district of Lindau and has been a popular place for Marian worship ever since the building of a chapel here in 1938.

Memmingen has rightly been titled the ‘town of human rights’ as the first declaration of human rights – the Twelve Articles – was set down in writing here in 1525.

The pilgrimage church in the suburb of Maria Vesperbild with its yellow and white facade and typical onion-shaped dome was built in the Rococo style in 1725. It’s a special place for many believers.

The Augsburg & Western Woods Nature Park is a green idyll on Augsburg’s doorstep and offers great variety and recreation to nature lovers. This diverse region is a treasure trove of outdoor activities such as cycling and hiking.

The district of Upper Allgäu or Oberallgäu covers the southernmost part of the Allgäu region and is a magnet for nature lovers and active holidaymakers with its wonderful alpine scenery.

The delightfully eccentric royal castle of Neuschwanstein in the alpine region of Füssen appears to have come straight from a fairy tale with its countless towers and gates.

Oberschönenfeld Abbey is a Cistercian abbey built in 1211 in the village of Gessertshausen – the oldest continuously existing abbey in Germany. A visit to the abbey bakery, shop and restaurant is well worthwhile.

Covering the entire district of East Allgäu (Ostallgäu) is the Schlosspark or castle park, one of nine adventure areas in the Allgäu region. Imposing mountain scenery and numerous lakes paint a fantastical backdrop.

Designed by the famous master builder Johann Jakob Herkomer, the Catholic Rococo church in Seeg became a focal point of the Allgäu Revivalist Movement around 1800.

Culture connoisseurs refer to the district of Günzburg as the Schwäbische Barockwinkel or Swabian Baroque Corner. It’s because many magnificent buildings of the Baroque era are characteristic of this central Swabian region.

Mentioned for the first time as Cambodunum in the year 18 AD, the Roman town of Kempten im Allgäu is regarded to be the oldest German town documented in writing.

The castle in the small town of Höchstädt an der Donau features striking late Renaissance architecture with impressive walls and four towers.

The area of alpine uplands surrounding Füssen is called the Ostallgäuer Seenland or East Allgäu Lake District. The Forggensee is the largest lake while the Alatsee is shrouded in legends.

The listed Pilgrimage Church of Maria Birnbaum in Sielenbach is a building of great beauty and is reminiscent of orthodox structures. The Teutonic Knight Philipp Jakob von Kaltenthal commissioned the Baroque church.

The Church of The Nativity of Mary is a pilgrimage site situated in Witzighausen, a suburb of Senden an der Iller. It was commissioned by the Kirchberg-Weißenhorn line of the Fugger family in 1733.

Perched above the town of Illertissen and offering wonder views of the region is the Vöhlin Castle with its modernised complex and impressive onion-domed tower.

The region of Wittelsbacher Land is the old Bavarian part of Bavarian Swabia and is renowned for its beautiful natural scenery with its rolling hills, romantic valleys and small streams.

Augsburg Zoo covers an area of 22 hectares. Besides species-appropriate habitats for around 1200 animals from all over the world, it has many great offers such as evening tours and jungle nights.

The Tegelberg cable car in Schwangau offers wonderful views of East Allgäu’s mountain scenery and the majestic Neuschwanstein Castle. Queen Marie, the mother of King Ludwig II, once resided here.

Covering an area of 35 hectares, Bavaria’s largest leisure park delights visitors with a special blend of recreational fun and relaxation thanks to its numerous green spaces, lakes and cosy resting spots.

Four communities south of Kempten form the Allgäuer Seenland or Allgäu Lake District. A landscape of rolling hills on the edge of the Alps with six lakes nestled in its heart was created here during the last ice age.

Friedberg owes its existence to the Wittelsbachs.

Memmingen rightly bears the title "City of Liberties", as it was here that the first declarations of human rights, the 12 peasant articles, were written down in 1525.