Burghausen: Discover the Castle, Old Town and Lake Wöhrsee

Burghausen combines a 1,051-metre-long castle, a listed Old Town and experiences at Lake Wöhrsee. Museums, jazz and walking trails add further highlights. You can plan your trip around your interests, whether that means architectural history and city life, exhibitions or time outdoors.

Castle and Old Town: History in Many Facets

Burghausen Castle is a defining feature of a stay here, and not just because of its length. The State Castle Museum in the Palas (main hall) lets visitors explore the medieval living quarters of the Dukes of Lower Bavaria. The Town Museum presents Burghausen’s history and adds its own historical focus to the picture of the city.

The listed Old Town also tells a story of architectural history: it is considered a model example of the Inn-Salzach style. Projecting front walls, roofed gutters, fire lanes and a continuous built-up layout are among the features of this townscape. Colourful gabled houses with Renaissance, Baroque and Rococo façades line the town square. In the Grüben, the pedestrian zone and artisans’ quarter meet small shops, cafés and event stages. The street is also a cultural hub and venue for cabaret and other small-scale performances; the Street of Fame is dedicated to international jazz legends. Individual shops and stage programmes may change.

Museums, Photography and Jazz

Alongside local history, visitors looking to discover different sides of the city can find changing special exhibitions of contemporary photography at the House of Photography. Burghausen’s museums present their subjects in a modern way and offer activity programmes for children as well as interactive experiences. Individual programmes may change.

The interactive GPS city tour “Jazz in Burghausen” offers a different perspective, bringing the city’s jazz history to life through music and anecdotes about jazz stars. If you plan to take the tour, it is best to check its current booking and technical availability in advance.

Lake Wöhrsee and Herzogsbad: Time Outdoors

Burghausen is home to a 92-hectare nature conservation area with Herzogsbad and the long, narrow Lake Wöhrsee. In summer, the lake offers opportunities for swimming and boating. When the water freezes, activities include ice skating and Bavarian curling. There are also walking and jogging routes around the lake. Different activities take centre stage depending on the season.

At Herzogsbad, a spring rich in lime and minerals still flows today. It serves as an arm-washing Kneipp facility for refreshment and invigoration. This spot adds another way to spend time outdoors to the activities on offer at Lake Wöhrsee.

Walks with Different Estimated Durations

The easy hiking and walking route “Enchanting Natural Oases in the Heart of the City” is 3.1 kilometres long, takes 53 minutes and starts and ends at the car park by the Pulverturm. The similarly easy Burghausen Panorama Trail starts at the entrance to the castle, is 3.4 kilometres long and takes 1 hour and 45 minutes. The figures make it easy to compare the routes: the second is only 0.3 kilometres longer, but its stated duration is considerably longer. The starting points are also different.

First, consider whether the castle and Old Town, museums and jazz, or the lake and walking trails should shape your stay. This will help you tailor your search to what you want to experience in Burghausen.

Practical Tips for Getting Around

Cyclists can use eleven bike lockers at the centrally located entrance to the Stadtsaal building on the town square to store valuables free of charge, sheltered from the wind and weather. A bicycle repair stand is right next to them. These practical stops for cycle trips are another part of the city’s visitor information.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Perach, Neuötting, Töging Am Inn, Reischach, Winhöring, Altötting, Emmerting, Marktl.

Back to the main travel overview: Altötting.