Windischeschenbach – GEO Center, Neuhaus Castle and Zoigl

Windischeschenbach brings together geoscientific discoveries at the KTB with the history of Neuhaus Castle and the Zoigl tradition. Outdoors, there are also hiking trails in the Waldnaab Valley, an adventure playground and an outdoor swimming pool. When planning your stay, you can choose your own focus from exhibitions and museums, outdoor activities and regional brewing culture.

GEO Center and the landscape at the KTB

The GEO Center at the KTB in Windischeschenbach is an environmental education center. Its offerings include the permanent “System Earth” exhibition and the GEO Lab for geoscientific experiments. The exhibition and lab have different focuses: one centers on the permanent display, the other on experimenting with geoscience.

At the landscape cinema at the KTB, you can quietly enjoy the vastness of nature. Together, they offer two perspectives on your stay: geoscientific topics at the GEO Center and views of the landscape from the landscape cinema.

Neuhaus Castle, the museum and the Zoigl tradition

Neuhaus Castle in Neuhaus was built around 1300 by Ulrich I of Leuchtenberg. Neuhaus was incorporated into Windischeschenbach in 1972. The Waldnaab Valley Museum is located in the castle. It offers insights into the natural and economic history of the Waldnaab Valley and displays exhibits on local history, art, culture, nature and research.

Zoigl taverns also help shape the town: there are many of them in Windischeschenbach and the district of Neuhaus. Zoigl, an unfiltered, well-hopped beer with low carbonation, is often served there with a hearty homemade snack platter. This is how the local brewing tradition is paired with a distinctive way of gathering over food and drink.

A guided walk through Windischeschenbach covers the town’s history, the Catholic parish church of St. Emmeram and the centuries-old Zoigl tradition; it also includes a visit to the communal brewery. A guided tour of the communal breweries can be arranged by registering with the tourism office. For current packages for the guided walk, contact the tourism office.

The Waldnaab Valley and outdoor activities

In the Waldnaab Valley, hikers can explore the Goldsteig trail or a riverside path. The Goldsteig quality hiking trail runs through the Waldnaab Valley, starting in Neuhaus, a district of Windischeschenbach, and ending in Falkenberg. If you want to follow a quality hiking trail, the Goldsteig is an option; for a hike along the river, choose the riverside path.

At the adventure playground by the Waldnaab, children can balance, feel and climb. The outdoor swimming pool on the outskirts of Windischeschenbach has a swimming pool, a non-swimmers’ pool and a paddling pool for children. There are also children’s slides and recreational facilities such as a basketball court, a beach volleyball court and a target wall. The pool operates seasonally and opening hours vary; check the latest information before your visit.

For cycling enthusiasts, the annual Panorama Tour starts in Windischeschenbach on the last Sunday in June. Selected routes pass through the hilly landscape of the Upper Palatinate Forest. Check the latest event details before your trip.

Plan your journey and accommodation search

Windischeschenbach is a railway station on the Weiden–Hof line. Bus services run towards Neustadt an der Waldnaab, Weiden in der Oberpfalz and Friedenfels. Check current connections before you travel. Seating by the communal brewery invites you to sit and take a break.

When choosing accommodation, you can use the locations of your main destinations as a guide: the GEO Center and outdoor swimming pool are in Windischeschenbach; Neuhaus Castle, the museum and the start of the Goldsteig are in Neuhaus. Consider which of these destinations will be the main focus of your trip, then compare their locations with those of the accommodation options you are considering.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Kirchendemenreuth, Eslarn, Schwarzenbach, Theisseil, Georgenberg, Pleystein, Neustadt An Der Waldnaab, Flossenbürg.

Back to the overview of destinations: Neustadt An Der Waldnaab.