Deggendorf Between City History and the Danube

Deggendorf lies right on the Danube and combines urban culture with a river you can explore on foot in Danube Park. The City Museum and the Handicrafts Museum offer different perspectives: the City Museum focuses on the town and its buildings, while the Handicrafts Museum explores the cultural history of regional crafts. There are also historic buildings and hiking opportunities. When choosing your accommodation, you can first consider whether museums and city history or walks along the river should shape your stay.

Discover the City’s History

Since 12 September 2021, the permanent exhibition “We Are Deggendorf! The City – the River – the People” has been on display at the Deggendorf City Museum. In the section “The City – The Heart of Deggendorf,” visitors can select notable buildings on a 3D model of the old town and explore them at a digital research station. This draws attention not only to individual buildings, but also to how they differ within the town model.

A striking landmark is the Old Town Hall: its Gothic tower is one of Deggendorf’s landmarks, and the town hall was built in 1535. A surviving section of the historic town wall is also a tangible reminder of the past: around 30 metres remain, dating back to the 14th century. Another sight is the Holy Sepulchre Church of St Peter and Paul.

The History of Crafts in the Heart of Town

Eight sections of the Handicrafts Museum provide an overview of the cultural history of regional crafts. The museum is in the heart of the town centre and is a short walk from the town square and shopping streets. A museum cinema complements the exhibition with films about various trades. This offers different ways to explore the subject: the history of crafts in the museum sections and insights into individual trades on screen.

Children and young people can do hands-on work in a workshop space when visiting with their school class or taking part in a birthday celebration. For families, the occasion matters: working together is available in these settings. If you are planning such a visit, you can combine it with other cultural stops in Deggendorf.

Danube Trails and Hiking

In Danube Park, you can walk along the Danube, watch the ducks and experience the riverside landscape. The Danube is Europe’s second-longest river after the Volga; it is 2,857 kilometres long and flows into the Black Sea. A riverside walk and a visit to the museums offer different ways to spend your stay—one by the water, the other exploring the town’s history.

For hikes, the “Top 9 Hiking Routes in Deggendorf” collection provides an overview; check the current selection before planning. One specifically named route is Circular Hiking Trail 2, “DEG – Cultural Quarter”: it leads from Deggendorf’s Cultural Quarter via Perlasberg, Breitenberg and Simmling to Geiersberg Church and back to the Cultural Quarter.

The Wider Deggendorf Travel Destination

Beyond the town itself, the wider Deggendorf travel destination encompasses varied landscapes and viewpoints. The Deggendorf region stretches from the heights of the Bavarian Forest across the Danube landscape, including the Isar’s confluence, to the Gäuboden plain. Its elevations range from 200 to 1,150 metres above sea level. At Natternberg Castle Ruins, footpaths lead uphill from three sides; from there, the view extends across the Gäuboden and into the Bavarian Forest. Winzer Castle Ruins are noted for their magnificent view into the Danube Valley.

Getting There and Practical Information

Deggendorf is connected to a train route by the Waldbahn railway. Check the timetable for your travel dates. A farmers’ market at Luitpoldplatz is held on Saturdays; check the current date before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Osterhofen, Hunding, Metten, Hengersberg, Plattling, Schöllnach, Grafling, Offenberg.

See the overview of the wider travel destination: Deggendorf.