A Roundup of the Best Day Trips from Grafenwoehr, Germany

Travel to other countries took a halt when our first child was born and a pandemic broke out across Europe. We weren’t able to travel very far from our home, so we stuck to doing things outdoors and within a few hours’ drive. Learning about the beauty that surrounded us in Bavaria was one of the perks that came out of the lockdown during a global pandemic. In this post, you’ll find a roundup of my favorite day trips from Grafenwoehr, Germany. There will be a variety of places in this blog post – from hiking and castle ruins to zoos and lakes. My hope is that there is something in here for everyone!

This post is a work in progress! I will continue to update this post with places we visit, so be sure to subscribe or follow along for more. Double check the opening times in advance, as they may constantly change due to COVID restrictions.

Many of the times are calculated from Netzaberg housing area (Eschenbach), because that is where we lived at the time of visiting places. The times will be different if you live in Vilseck or Grafenwoehr, for example.

Castle Ruins (Burgruine)

During our time living in Italy, we became engrossed and fascinated by the history of ruins and castles in Europe, so hiking and exploring castle ruins are some of my favorite day trips from Grafenwoehr. The list of ruins (called Burgruines) in the state of Bavaria is never-ending and they’re just waiting to be explored. Some ruins will require a bit of a hike to get to them, and others are easily accessible. So, let’s dive in.

Burgruine Waldeck

The first castle ruins we visited were at Burgruine Waldeck. The remains of this castle are one of the oldest in the Upper Palatinate, a district in the state of Bavaria, and comes with a fascinating history. According to Oberpfaelzer Wald, it was “expanded into a fortress in the 15^th century…and was captured and destroyed in 1703” during the War of the Spanish Succession. Sadly, a fire destroyed the castle and town of Waldeck in 1794.

The best way to visit the castle ruins is the hiking trail that starts from here (click for the google maps location that opens in a new tab) in order to view the informational boards about the eventful history. Enjoy the panoramic views along the “Rundweg des EWILPA” (Edible Wild Plant Park), the circular path that has edible, healing, and useful wild plants.

This is also a great place to explore, climb around the walls and view the surrounding areas. Stop by the town of Kemnath on your way home for an enticing cold beer or a delicious gelato treat.

• Parking: here on Google Maps
• Hiking route: https://www.komoot.com/tour/217417288?ref=wtd
• Travel time from Netzaberg: 28 minutes
• Tips: there are 2 different parking lots – one right next to the ruins, one down and across the road

Burgruine Flossenbürg

Flossenbürg is one of the most fascinating castle ruins we’ve visited. Sitting on a 732-meter high granite rock, you’ll find panoramic picture-perfect castle ruins. The castle was founded around 1100. The varying views from the hiking path of the ruins are amazing. My favorite view is from the pond that lies right below the ruins. There is also a concentration camp in the same town, less than 5 minutes away. You can pair both of these on the same day, but you may want to visit the concentration camp first and then a hike after to lighten the mood. Find more about the concentration camp in the museum section (in progress).

• Parking: free here
• Hiking route: https://www.komoot.com/tour/221496205?ref=itd
• Travel time from Netz: 42 minutes
• Tips: There are lots of steps inside the ruins so good footing is necessary, dog-friendly, free-parking.

Burgruine Neideck

Located in Wiesenttal, the 360° views from the top of these ruins are breathtaking. It was even better right at the peak of fall when the leaves were gorgeous shades of orange and red. You can even spot the Wiesent River (which is great for water sports during the summer).

• Parking: free here
• Hiking route: https://www.komoot.com/tour/278609605?ref=itd
• Travel time from Netz: 56 minutes
• Tips: Dog friendly, Free parking, Not stroller friendly, Leaves can be slippery so hiking boots suggested

Burgruine Weißenstein

Burgruine Weißenstein is one of my favorites on the list! The rock castle sits at 758 meters high and there’s a great, intermediate hike up to the ruins. The trail runs through Naturepark Steinwald in the province of Upper Palatinate of Northern Bavaria. Follow the mossy path through the forest, which is beautiful during the fall with pumpkin and amber-colored leaves.

• Parking: free here (type in Hohenhard – Wanderparkplatz on google)
• Hiking route: https://www.komoot.com/tour/276023555?ref=wtd
• Travel time from Netz: 53 minutes
• Tips: Dog-friendly, Free parking, the Main trail up to the ruins is stroller friendly

Burgruine Lichtenstein

The castle ruins perched high above the town of Pommelsbrunn! A trip to the viewpoint is definitely worth it because the view of the town and the Nuremberg land is simply fantastic. In the summer, there is a little playground to stop off at.

• Parking: free here
• Hiking route: All Trails Map
• Travel time from Netz: 55 minutes
• Tips: more info here

Burgruine Wolfstein

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

On a beautiful sunny day in April, we decided to visit Burgruine Wolfstein. It was the perfect location for a picnic and a great way to spend our Saturday.

Built in the 12th century, Burgruine Wolfstein is an impressive castle ruin located in Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz. The cliffs and natural defensive terrain mixed with thick walls create an impeccable castle that was most likely impossible to attack. You’ll find a nice panorama of the surrounding towns in one corner of the ruins, not too far from the multi-storied great hall – which is impressive in itself. The tower is currently closed and only open if members of staff are there.

The bridge crossing the moat leads into Wolfstein. Parking is free right near the ruins. If you continue walking from the parking lot to the ruins, you’ll also pass by a place to dine on the left – not open currently.

• 

• 

We parked a few km down the road and hiked around the base of Burgruine Wolfstein and then up the side. There are also rock climbing routes on the other side of the ruins.

• Parking: free here
• Hiking route: Komoot Map
• Travel time from Netz: 1 hr 5 minutes
• Tips: more info here

Hiking

Social distancing is easier when it comes to the outdoors, and that’s why so many people have taken up hiking over the last year. You’ll find a hike in this post for anyone – from easy to intermediate, all perfect day trips from Grafenwoehr. Most of the castle ruins listed above also have a hike incorporated, so be sure to click on the links in the previous section for more hiking options.

Find hiking inspiration here: Hiking in the Dolomites

Leuchtenberg Loop

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

A great shady route through the forest with rock formations, streams, and small wooden bridges. The path winds up to the Leuchtenberg Castle which can be visited after purchasing a ticket (prices were 2€ and 1€).

• Parking: free here
• Hiking route: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/leutchenberg-loop–8?u=m
• Travel time from Netz: 40 minutes
• Tips: Dog-friendly, free parking
• Trail Route:
  • Park at the parking spot from above. Follow trail 1 the entire way. It’s marked by a red block with the number 1 on it. It sometimes overlaps with trail 4 and you’ll follow that one as well. There are lots of trails and they all basically go in the same direction, but it’s easy to follow the main path. The route on the same side of the road as parking is easy. If you continue across the road and follow trails 1 & 3 it becomes a slight incline and more moderate, leading past cornfields and up to the town to view the castle. It loops back to your car after visiting the castle.

Waldnaabtal Loop (Falkenberg)

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

This is an easy to moderate loop through the woods that features a river. You’ll pass a few small ponds, a hut, and see large rock formations. The river forms a few small waterfalls which are beautiful. It was a moderately trafficked route when I went on a Thursday morning and we passed many Germans, all very friendly!

• Parking: free here
• Hiking route: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/recording-sep-12-12-34?u=m
• Travel time from Netz: 40 minutes
• Tips: dog-friendly, free parking
• More Information
  • Distance: 8.7 km (2 hr 20 min walking time)
  • Level of Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
  • Trail Route:
    • Once you park at the parking lot, you have two choices. You can go right through the field or you can go across the bridge and through the town. If you go across the bridge and through the little town (like one or two houses), follow the white signs with the red X, and then it will eventually switch over to the yellow-blue yellow horizontal striped signs. As long as you’re following the signs for “Waldnaabtal”, you’re good. The trail is well maintained.

Rußweiher / Russweiher Loop (Eschenbach)

An easy loop through the woods in a bird sanctuary that passes many ponds where you have the chance to view out over the pond/lake from a platform, and sometimes an elevated area. It was peaceful and very quiet in this area and we didn’t pass a single person until after 5pm. We went in the evening and the golden hour was beautiful.

• Parking: free here
• Hiking route: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/russweiher-loop–6?u=m
• Travel time from Netz: 10 minutes
• Tips: dog-friendly, free parking, lots of mosquitoes and bugs in the summer so may want to bring bug spray for yourself & little one, you may love this one if you’re a mushroom forager
• More Information
  • Distance: 5.3 km
  • Level of Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
  • Trail Route:
    • Once you park at the parking lot (in comments), go right and you’ll see the sign where the trail starts. It’s super easy and you can follow the bird symbol along the way. There are mainly 2 loops, a big one and a small one. We did the short one just around the main lake. Parts of the trail are wide and well-trimmed, while other parts of the trail are a little grown up.

Kösseine / Koesseine Loop

A great forest hike that’ll get your heart rate up and have you sweating as you work your way to the summit for a nice cold drink and snack!

• Parking: free here
• Hiking route: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/recording-aug-06-12-59?u=m
• Travel time from Netz: 40 minutes
• Tips: dog-friendly, free parking, there were lots of blackberries but also poisonous berries (know the difference or don’t eat them period)!
• More Information
  • Distance: 6+ km
  • Level of Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
  • Trail Route:
    • From the parking lot, you walk straight and continue down the gravel road. Once you get to the intersection, you can go right or straight. (Right is easier and longer, straight is directly to the top). The “ringloop” goes all around the Kösseine area and is an easy route. However, if you want to go up to the summit where the food hut is, you’ll have to follow a pretty steep single track trail (making it moderate). Following the blue white blue horizontal stripped trail symbols will lead you to Kösseinehaus where there is an incredible overlook and you can grab food and drinks for a great price.

Rauher Kulm

A hiking route leading up to a tower overlooking Neustadt am Kulm. Through the beautiful forest along a dirt path and then a slightly steep incline up to the lookout tower. There’s a perfect picnic table for a lunch overlooking Bavaria near the top.

• Parking: free here
• Hiking route: on Outdoor Active here
• Travel time from Netz: 15 minutes
• Tips: dog-friendly, free parking
• More Information
  • Distance: 5.8 km (1 hr 46 min walking time)
  • Level of Difficulty: Easy
  • Trail Route:
    • Once you park at the parking lot, you can decide which loop you want to do. We did the blue loop to get more distance and then took the orange up to the tower. Or you can just go directly up to the tower. There are a lot of stairs inside the tower, but the view is WORTH it!

Luisenberg Rock Labyrinth

This place is SOOOO cool. Crazy rock formations throughout the forest similar to a maze. The perfect place for kids to run off tons of energy. My dogs loved it but the little one had problems with the steps (because he’s a scaredy-cat). It wasn’t technically open when we went, but there was still lots of people hiking through it.

• Parking: free here
• Hiking route: https://www.komoot.com/tour/280513256?ref=itd
• Travel time from Netz: 45 minutes
• Tips: dog-friendly, free parking, not stroller friendly, lots of stairs & small places
• More Information
  • Distance: 5.8 km (1 hr 46 min walking time)
  • Level of Difficulty: Easy
  • Trail Route:
  • There are lots of different trails really. We saw red blue and yellow arrows but we didn’t realize the pattern until after exploring most of it.

Rock Climbing

Türkenfelsen (Birgland)

Great place for climbing. The wall is a bit of a hike uphill and deep in the forest, but it had nice routes. There’s more info on routes and difficulty levels at the website below. You can also tack on visiting Burgruine Lichtenegg.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• Parking: here
• Time from Netz: 53 minutes
• Website for specifics about routes: https://www.frankenjura.com/klettern/poi/1023

Gardens

Hofgarten Eremitage (Bayreuth)

In Bayreuth, just a short drive from Grafenwoehr, you’ll find peaceful, stunning gardens. You can walk all around the area 24/7! It makes for a great day trip. I can’t vouch for what it looks like during fall/winter, but it’s beautiful in summer, and you’ll appreciate all the trees and shade on a hot August day.

• 

• 

• Parking: here
• Travel Time from Netz: 38 minutes
• Tips:
  • Stroller friendly, but may want a good off-road stroller
  • Dog friendly
  • There’s a cafe (check for hours during COVID)
  • There are benches along the way for stopping and resting
• During normal times, I recommend visiting Bayreuth city after & dining at Liebesbier Restaurant & Craft-Bier

Lakes

Rußweiher

Fichtelsee

Kayaking

Wiesent River (Franconian Switzerland)

The Wiesent River is fantastic for relaxing or for water sports. Kayaking is very popular there. The water was chilly but very refreshing on a 70° day! There are lots of things to do around the area of Franconian Switzerland. It’s a great day trip!

• Floating Distance: ~14km (2 hr)
• Level of Difficulty: Easy
• Travel Time from Graf: 45 minutes
• Route:
  • We drove 2 cars, both with racks on the top. We dropped one car off at the exit point here (free parking) and then drove up in the other car with the kayaks to the drop-off point here (free parking, but gets very crowded). There are a few spots along the river that you have to get out and walk around bc of a bridge or change in the river. There is a slight current, but it will require mostly paddling the whole time.
• Tips:
  • life vests are encouraged
  • you can also rent and do day tours with the kayaking companies there (I recommend this company: https://www.kajak-mietservice.de/)

Cities

More day trips from Grafenwoehr include touring the local cities, where you can enjoy old towns, German architecture, and famous cuisines.

Eschenbach

I really love the town of Eschenbach in der Oberpfalz. The buildings are painted beautiful colors, there are restaurants and bars throughout the town, and even a lake across the way! ⁠You can walk around during the summertime, admiring the window boxes full of flowers blooming, and then stop off and grab some spaghetti eis (gelato) from Domenico Macaluso Eis Europa.

Here are some things I recommend doing & seeing:⁠⠀
– Walk through town and enjoy the buildings, the churches & the window boxes⠀
– Eat dinner at Maki Maki for some amazing sushi⁠⠀
– Höller has leather goods + they can help you find curtains the exact size for your windows (& they’ll even cut them for you)⁠⠀
– Lunch at Hotel Am See (or even book a stay here! the place is so cute & good views of the lake)⁠⠀
– Other favorite restaurants are: Pizzeria Portofino (Italian), Alstadtcafe Eschenbach (burgers) and Heitzer Bäckerei for pastries & coffee!

• 

• 

Nuremberg

• 

• 

• 

Nuremberg, the second-largest city in Bavaria, was one of the first places we visited upon arriving in Germany. For only 10€, we took the train from Vilseck to Nuremberg to visit the Volksfest in 2019. After the Volksfest, we strolled through downtown Nuremberg to see the sites. Saturdays are perfect because there are usually markets downtown and plenty of great shopping and dining opportunities. They’re most known for their Lebkuchen (a sweet treat filled with spices like cinnamon and cardamom) and is most popular during Christmas, and their sausages (Nürnberger Rostbratwürstchen). The sausages are eaten as “3 im Weggla”. Three of the small sausages are laid in a sliced-open bun (“Weggla”) and topped with mustard. I love mine with sauerkraut as well!⁠

• Parking garage recommendation: here (Or type in “Parking Garage Sterntor” into Google Maps)

Amberg

Regensburg

I had wanted to visit Regensburg ever since we moved to Germany in August of 2019. And I can say that it may be one of my favorite cities nearby. Just a short 1-hour drive from home, this beautiful city has so much character. We strolled down the riverbank, crossed the Old Stone Bridge, and had a picnic in one of the many squares. Sadly, St. Peter Cathedral was under construction, but the beautiful gothic style still gleamed.

With COVID, we didn’t visit inside of the church or any restaurants and instead, just enjoyed the fresh air and social distancing! We took a river cruise from Kelheim to Weltenburg – highly recommend to see the beautiful Danube.

It was crazy seeing Dunkin’ Donuts and a KFC in this medieval city among the quaint corner cafes and beautiful squares — but the combination of modern and historic fit perfectly together. Definitely add Regensburg to your list of places to visit in Germany.

For more info on how to spend a day in Regensburg, check out this post: Best Things to Do in Regensburg, Germany

Zoos

Leipzig Zoo

Zoo Leipzig is currently closed due to the current Corona regulations in the Free State of Saxony. Check for updates directly on their site here: https://www.zoo-leipzig.de/en/

Stephen and I love visiting zoos. We’ve been to many around the world and enjoy how different they all are. Leipzig Zoo is a great day trip if you can handle the long drive. It’s one of the coolest ones we’ve been to.

During a walk through the zoo, the globally unique great ape enclosure “Pongoland” and the extensive “Kiwara savannah” invite you to extraordinary observations as well as the elephant temple “Ganesha Mandir”, where the elephants bathe daily. In the tropical adventure world of Gondwanaland, the rainforests of South America, Africa and Asia come to life in the middle of Europe. Exotic plants and animals are at home here.

Stroller friendly
Dogs aren’t allowed

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

If you have time after the zoo, stop by Monument to the Battle of the Nations – a 91 meter high memorial to the 1813 Battle Of The Nations with a viewing platform and a history museum. The reflecting pool in front is surrounded by benches, perfect for well, reflecting.

Südfriedhof (German: South Cemetery) is, with an area of 82 hectares, the largest cemetery in Leipzig.

Nuremberg Zoo

I love that this zoo is so close to Grafenwoehr. You can easily combine it with a tour of the city or dinner out.

Museums

Flossenburg Concentration Camp (KZ-Gedenkstätte Flossenbürg)

http://www.gedenkstaette-flossenbuerg.de/

“Was constructed in May 1938. The SS-leadership had chosen flossenbrug as the location for a concentration camp because of its granite deposit. Until 1942 prisoners had to work mainly in the quarries for the SS-owned company DESt. From 1942 on the SS set up more than 100 satellite camps of Flossenburg Concentration Camp in Northern Bavaria, Bohemia and Saxony, primarily to support the armaments industry… In April 1945 almost all the prisoners were driven out of the camp in the so-called death marches. When the soldiers of the US-Army freed flossenburg concentration camp on 23rd April 1945, they found 1,500 critically ill prisoners left in the camp.

---

I hope you were able to use this as a resource for ideas of day trips from Grafenwoehr, Germany. Through these unprecedented times, it’s important to focus on our mental health and sometimes that means getting outdoors, seeing new places, and soaking in some Vitamin D after a long winter. If you were able to use this guide, please share with others or comment below with some more ideas. Liked this post? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board!

• 

•