Discover Donauwörth: rivers, walking trails and culture

Walks between the promenade and the Danube harbor

The “Little Green Walk” leads along the Donauwörth Promenade, through the picturesque Heilig-Kreuz Garden, past the rivers and along the banks of the Old Danube Harbor. At 4.5 kilometers long, this nature walk takes you through a variety of natural landscapes right in the heart of Donauwörth; it takes around 50 to 60 minutes. This manageable route lets you experience riverbanks and garden paths.

The historic site of the Old Danube Harbor has been revitalized. A waterfront promenade, benches and picnic areas invite you to linger by the water. If you would like to take a break during your walk, you will find places to sit and picnic there. The harbor is also part of the green loop, making it easy to include in your exploration of the promenade and Heilig-Kreuz Garden.

With a different focus, the “Little Historical Walk” takes you through the history of the former Free Imperial City of Donauwörth and past its many sights, at your own pace. The green route focuses on natural landscapes and the riverbanks; the historical walk on the city's history. Both offer different ways to discover the city.

Carillon, pilgrimage church and doll museum

Since 1986, the “Donauwörth Carillon” has rung daily at 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on the west gable of the town hall. These are two set times you can incorporate into your day's itinerary.

Heilig Kreuz is a late Baroque pilgrimage church in an impressive monastery complex. Its splendid stucco decoration was created by Franz Schmuzer in the Wessobrunn style. The pilgrimage site owes its significance in part to the original fragments of the Cross, which are kept in the crypt chapel: they were brought from Constantinople to Donauwörth in 1030. Architecture and religious history meet here.

The Käthe Kruse Doll Museum's permanent exhibition features more than 150 dolls, shop-window figures and dolls from dollhouses, all from Käthe Kruse's workshop. The exhibition spans from its beginnings around 1910 to the present day. Children can enjoy a free scavenger hunt, available at the museum ticket desk; birthday parties for children, as well as guided tours and family tours, can be booked. Alongside the city's history and sacred architecture, the doll-making workshop offers another distinct cultural highlight.

Guided tours and walks of varying lengths

More than 20 city, tower and themed tours are available in Donauwörth. For independent exploration, you can also take the historical walk. Tours on the Fuggers in Donauwörth can be arranged on request through the city's tourist information office. If you are planning a guided tour, it's worth checking the current program in advance; you can also check the carillon times again before your visit.

For a longer outing, the 67-kilometer Lech-Danube Cycling Loop is another option. It can generally be started anywhere; the described route starts and ends in Donauwörth and initially follows the cycle path alongside the Danube out of town. By comparison, the “Little Green Walk” is a 4.5-kilometer route with an estimated duration of around 50 to 60 minutes. You can plan your day around a short walk or a longer cycling route, while keeping their different timeframes in mind.

When choosing accommodation, consider which of these experiences you would like to shape your stay: the carillon, museum and guided tours offer different highlights from walks by the water or a cycling trip. The range of city, tower and themed tours offers additional perspectives on Donauwörth, while the self-guided walks provide their own ways to discover nature and history.

More topics in the wider Donau-Ries destination

The wider Donau-Ries destination also offers its own geological and historical themes. The district describes the Ries Geopark, with its Ries Crater formed by a meteorite impact, as a tourist attraction. In Nördlingen, the medieval town wall is fully preserved and completely accessible. The town museum there covers, among other topics, the lives and beliefs of the people of Nördlingen, the Reformation, the Thirty Years' War and the 1634 Battle of Nördlingen. A model made from around 6,000 tin figures depicts the battle.

Another way to explore regional history is a tour of Harburg Castle: the Baroque castle church, loopholes, prison cells, gates and towers bring almost 900 years of history to life. Alongside Donauwörth's riverside scenery, walking trails and culture, you can also consider other historical and geological topics in Donau-Ries when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Nördlingen, Oberndorf Am Lech, Marxheim, Harburg, Ries, Asbach-Bäumenheim, Tapfheim, Kaisheim.

Go to the main travel overview: Donau-Ries.