Discover Lichtenau

In Lichtenau, short routes around the castle and longer trails of varying lengths sit side by side in the local offering. The very easy “Historischer Weg Lichtenau” and the moderate “Ahornweg” start at the festival grounds. The Museum Lichtenau is located in the Upper Gatehouse at the market square. There is also another circular trail along the Franconian Rezat and the Hohenzollern Adventure Cycle Route, which connects Lichtenau with several towns between Nuremberg and Ansbach. When planning, you can therefore choose between a compact loop around the castle, a longer hike, a cycling route and culture in town, depending on what you would like to focus on.

Circular Trails and Cycling Route in Lichtenau

The very easy “Historischer Weg Lichtenau” circular trail is 1.1 kilometres long and takes about 30 minutes. It starts at the Lichtenau festival grounds and loops around the castle. The moderate “Ahornweg” offers a considerably longer outing: the 14.8-kilometre loop is estimated to take about four hours. It also starts at the festival grounds, passes through Herpersdorf, Büschelbach, Schlauersbach and Waltendorf, and returns to the starting point. The distance, duration and difficulty level provide concrete guidance when choosing between a short walk and a longer hike.

The 18.8-kilometre “Lichtenauer Weg” circular trail offers another option. It starts at the “Ziegelhütte” car park and follows the course of the Franconian Rezat past Steinbach and towards Rutzendorf before heading into Lichtenau. Its route can therefore be traced using the sections named here, and it differs both from the short loop around the castle and from the Ahornweg, which passes through several villages.

The Hohenzollern Adventure Cycle Route runs between Nuremberg and Ansbach, passing through the historic Hohenzollern towns of Fürth, Langenzenn, Cadolzburg, Roßtal, Heilsbronn, Neuendettelsau, Windsbach and Lichtenau. Lichtenau is part of this route, while the two hiking trails starting at the festival grounds are circular routes with a named starting point and return destination. These different route types can help you narrow down what you would like to focus on during your stay.

Castle, Market and Museum

Since 2009, the Museum Lichtenau has been located in the Upper Gatehouse at the market square, and additional subject areas have been added continuously since then. It is currently closed for renovation. The ensemble of the fortress and old market is listed as a historic monument. An entry dated 13 September 2026 defines its scope as including the fortress complex and the market that developed on its south and west sides. Together, the fortress and market make up the described conservation area.

More to Discover in the Wider Ansbach Destination

The wider Ansbach destination also offers places of interest in other named locations. In Wolframs-Eschenbach, the 2.2-kilometre, fully accessible Literaturweg Franken (Franconian Literary Trail) loops around the town fortifications. Along 15 information boards, you can encounter authors from the Middle Ages to the present day whose works deal with Franconia. Its manageable length and literary focus make this a different kind of walk from the routes around Lichtenau Castle.

The Löhe and History Trail in Neuendettelsau takes visitors back to the 19th century, when Pastor Wilhelm Löhe worked there. Its stops are in Neuendettelsau and at the churches in Reuth and Wernsbach; each stop has an information board. The Löhe-Zeit-Museum and the Mission Eine Welt World Exhibition can also be visited in connection with the trail. For those interested in culture, it offers a themed introduction to a specific period of regional history.

In Königshofen, the “wiegen & messen” (“weighing & measuring”) museum displays more than 4,000 exhibits. These include historical scales and their weights, cubits, folding rulers, and vessels used to measure grain. The German Brush and Broom Museum in Bechhofen a.d. Heide focuses on something different: its permanent exhibition features household implements as well as specialist brushes used in crafts and industry.

Another cultural venue is the Romanesque cloister in Feuchtwangen. Since 1949, it has served as a venue for the Feuchtwangen Cloister Festival; its Romanesque arcades form an open-air theatre space. The programmes change from year to year. Those interested in nature and outdoor activities will also find the Frankenhöhe Nature Park in the wider Ansbach destination. It covers about 1,100 square kilometres and extends across the districts of Ansbach and Neustadt a.d. Aisch–Bad Windsheim, as well as the independent city of Ansbach. The Altmühl, Franconian Rezat and Zenn rivers have their sources there; the nature park also provides information about walking and cycling routes and ranger-led tours.

Choose your base according to the places and experiences that matter most to your trip.

Discover more destinations: Lehrberg, Weidenbach, Wörnitz, Hesselberg, Oberdachstetten, Gerolfingen, Colmberg, Langfurth.

Back to the wider travel overview: Ansbach.