Metten: Monastery Gardens, Baroque Library and Trails

Metten combines garden spaces and monastic history with cycling and hiking trails, including routes away from the Danube. The gardens and Baroque library add a cultural dimension, while various route options offer further ideas for planning your trip. You can tailor your stay to whether you are particularly interested in gardens and monastic history or would like to include outdoor activities.

Garden spaces with a history of their own

An open garden adjoins the Baroque garden section to the south. It is set below the surrounding ground level by stone seating steps, and native fruit tree varieties have been planted there. The sequence of spaces connects the Baroque garden section with a differently designed open area, whose seating steps and fruit trees give it its own character.

The Prelate’s Garden offers another historical perspective. It adjoins the monastery grounds to the west and was laid out on the site of the abbey’s former hop garden. It opened in 2007. The former hop garden connects its history with the site’s past use, while the opening year marks the garden’s creation.

Outdoor pool, fitness trail and routes

During the 2023–2024 project period, the existing outdoor pool in the market town of Metten was converted into an inclusive natural swimming pool. Another place for physical activity is the fitness trail at Eichenhain. It was laid out on a green space or playground on the edge of the “Kälberweide” residential area in Metten and includes fitness equipment and quiet areas.

Metten is a starting point for many cycling and hiking trails, including routes away from the Danube. The Via Nova pilgrimage route is one of the long-distance cycling routes that pass through Metten. A Via Nova route through the Bavarian Forest is a cycling and hiking route for which Metten serves as a starting point. This means there are both routes that pass through the town and starting points for tours in the surrounding area.

One specific stage is on the Danube Panorama Trail: its seventh stage runs from Metten to Deggendorf, always following the river. Check local conditions before setting out. For route planning, this is a more specific point of reference than the general information that Metten is a starting point for many cycling and hiking trails.

The Baroque Library of the Benedictine Abbey

The Baroque extension and design of the library at Metten Benedictine Abbey were commissioned between 1720 and 1722. Visits are only possible as part of a guided tour. Tours take place Tuesday to Saturday at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., and on Sundays and public holidays at 3 p.m. As times and closures may change, check with the abbey before your visit.

Deggendorf: Castle ruins and landscapes

In the wider Deggendorf destination, viewpoints and landscapes extend the view beyond Metten. Natternberg Castle Ruins can be reached on footpaths from three sides; from there, the view stretches across the Gäuboden plain and into the Bavarian Forest. Winzer Castle Ruins are known for their magnificent views of the Danube Valley.

The Deggendorf region stretches from the heights of the Bavarian Forest across the Danube landscape, including the Isar estuary, to the rich colors of the Gäuboden plain. Its elevation ranges from 200 to 1,150 meters above sea level. This diverse regional landscape provides a distinct setting when planning a visit to Metten and the wider Deggendorf destination.

Planning your stay in Metten

When looking for accommodation in Metten, the kind of days you want to spend there can help guide your choice: the monastery gardens and Baroque library offer a cultural focus, while the cycling and hiking trails offer another. Consider which of these themes you want to shape your stay around, and use that to guide your accommodation search.

Discover more destinations: Schöllnach, Hunding, Osterhofen, Bernried, Grafling, Winzer, Niederalteich, Deggendorf.

Go to the wider travel overview: Deggendorf.