Discover the Franconian Lake District: lakes, trails and culture

In the Franconian Lake District, water-based activities meet long hiking and cycling trails, protected natural areas and a history stretching back to the Limes. This gives you the freedom to choose different priorities when planning your trip: days by the lake, excursions through the countryside, or discoveries related to traditional crafts and cultural heritage.

Lakes, water sports and birdwatching

Swimming, sailing and surfing are possible at Lake Altmühlsee. Together with Lake Brombachsee, it also shapes the region’s range of water sports, beach activities and pleasure cruises. Cycling and hiking trails run along the lakeshores. During the summer season, the excursion boat “MS Altmühlsee” connects the leisure centres along the shores of Lake Altmühlsee. The passenger trimaran “MS Brombachsee” also offers trips on the water.

Großer Brombachsee lies between Absberg and Pleinfeld and covers 870 hectares. Water sports available there include surfing, kitesurfing, sailing and diving. If you would like to include a range of waterside activities in your travel plans, you can combine these options with lakeside trails and pleasure cruises.

Nature watching is also part of the Lake District experience: more than 300 bird species, some of them rare, can be observed at Lake Altmühlsee. On Bird Island, a nature trail and observation tower offer a way to experience this special protected area for migratory birds. The island offers a different focus from water sports and cruises, making it an interesting choice for anyone who would also like to observe birdlife during their stay.

Hiking trails with a range of route profiles

“Der Seenländer” is a 146-kilometre circular hiking route. It connects Lake Altmühlsee with Kleiner Brombachsee, Großer Brombachsee and Rothsee. Along the way, the route passes waterside landscapes at these lakes as well as orchards, shady woodlands and nature reserves rich in biodiversity. Flat plains with wide-open views, hop gardens and gently rolling hills add to the scenery along the route.

The Fränkischer-Seenland-Weg offers a shorter route: it runs for 63 kilometres from Lake Altmühlsee via Brombachsee to Rothsee. Apart from a few minor climbs, it is consistently flat. This gives you a choice of two hiking routes of different lengths; the Fränkischer-Seenland-Weg is also described as predominantly flat. The Spalter Hügellandtour, meanwhile, has been awarded the “Qualitätsweg Wanderbares Deutschland” quality trail designation.

Cycling between lakes and other landscapes

The cycling network in the Franconian Lake District is more than 1,500 kilometres long. It connects to the Tauber-Altmühl cycle route and the MD cycle route, which runs along the Main-Danube Canal to Nuremberg. The Fränkischer WasserRadweg is a separate route: this approximately 460-kilometre trail passes through the Franconian Lake District, Romantic Franconia, Altmühltal Nature Park and the Bavarian Jura. If you are planning cycling trips, you can choose between the regional network and a route that connects several different landscapes.

Cultural heritage, crafts and hops

The Limes runs through the Franconian Lake District and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This cultural heritage includes forts, watchtowers and excavated bathhouses. The Museum Historischer Eisenhammer Eckersmühlen offers an insight into another chapter of traditional crafts: visitors can watch the art of blacksmithing and the handling of glowing iron. The Wernsbacher quarries have been designated one of Bavaria’s most beautiful geotopes.

The Spalt hop-growing region also offers a distinctive way to experience the regional landscape and its cultivation. Guided tours are available there. If you would like to go fishing, a permit is required at Lake Altmühlsee, Großer and Kleiner Brombachsee, Igelsbachsee and Rothsee. As permit rules and issuing arrangements may change, it is advisable to check the current requirements in advance.

Choose the right focus for your accommodation search

First, consider which experiences you would like to shape your trip: water sports and lakeside trails, birdwatching, one of the hiking routes, or excursions focused on culture and crafts. These priorities can guide your search for accommodation in the Franconian Lake District. Compare potential locations based on the places you actually plan to visit; the routes mentioned vary considerably in length and course.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Wendelstein, Schweinfurt, Fichtelgebirge, Fürth, Freising, Inn-Salzach, Tirschenreuth, Lichtenfels.

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