Discover Gersthofen: Ballooning, the Lech and culture

Gersthofen offers several very different reasons to visit: the Balloon Museum presents the history of ballooning through interactive installations, original exhibits and walk-in replicas; along the Lech, the focus is on recreation areas and trails. There is also the programme at the town hall and the view from Monte Scherbelino. This mix can help you plan how to balance culture, time outdoors and transport connections according to your own priorities.

Ballooning, exhibitions and live performances

The Gersthofen Balloon Museum is all about the history of ballooning. Interactive installations, original exhibits and walk-in replicas offer different ways to explore the subject. Guided tours are available to book at any time with advance reservation. Every two years, the museum hosts children’s cultural days; it is also a venue for readings, lectures and exhibitions. This brings exhibition themes and a changing cultural programme together under one roof.

Gersthofen’s waterworks have their own cultural and historical significance: they are one of 22 sites in the Augsburg Water Management System, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019. For culture enthusiasts, Gersthofen therefore offers both the history of ballooning and a part of this award-winning water management system.

The Gersthofen Town Hall offers a different focus. Its programme ranges from comedy, cabaret and magic to concerts spanning classical music, jazz, pop, funk and medieval rock, as well as shows, theatre and dance. Around 200 events a year take place at the town hall and its affiliated venues. The season’s programme also includes family theatre and children’s musicals. If culture is an important part of your trip, the range of genres offers plenty of options to help you plan.

Trails along the Lech and views amid green surroundings

Gersthofen lies directly on the Lech and has recreation areas along the river. The Lech in Gersthofen is lined with cycling and hiking trails for walkers and recreational athletes. Three hiking trails cross the grounds of Monte Scherbelino. In good weather, the view from there extends over the Lech floodplains and Augsburg to the entire region. The Jungle Trail, opened in 2016, is also ideal for hiking. Gersthofen is also part of the Western Woods Nature Park.

Cyclists should note one specific restriction: the Naturfreunde Gersthofen bike park has trails, jump lines and a pump track, but is reserved for members of Naturfreunde Gersthofen. It is available to them at any time. This makes it different from the trails along the Lech, which are described as being for walkers and recreational athletes.

Transport links and choosing accommodation

Gersthofen lies directly on the A8. The route to the B2/B17, almost entirely expanded to two lanes, provides road connections from Gersthofen in all four cardinal directions and to the European long-distance road network. When choosing accommodation, you can consider this location alongside your planned cultural and nature experiences.

More places to explore in the wider Augsburg destination

In the wider Augsburg destination, the LandArt Bonstetten art trail is a 5.65-kilometre circular walking route; the artist Hama Lohrmann personally explains his sculptures there. The Augsburg district has a well-developed network of cycle paths. The three-kilometre meditation trail runs from the Oberschönenfeld Cistercian Abbey to Weiherhof, along the edge of the forest in the Schwarzach Valley. Westwood Alpacas offers regular alpaca hikes and excursions through the nature park. These examples add art, cycling, a meditation trail and alpaca excursions to the range of options in the Augsburg destination.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Ustersbach, Gessertshausen, Walkertshofen, Ehingen, Königsbrunn, Thierhaupten, Horgau, Adelsried.

Go to the wider travel overview: Augsburg.