Kaufungen: Park, Trails and Half-Timbered Houses

Kaufungen brings together nature, exercise and local history in a variety of ways. Steinertsee Park features a natural area and a circular route for outdoor exercise. Several trails offer their own highlights: they lead through areas on the outskirts and the historic half-timbered centre, or explore the history of water use. There are also guided visits and sensory experience stations.

Steinertsee Park: Natural Area and Circular Route

Covering around 45 hectares, Steinertsee Park connects the districts of Niederkaufungen and Oberkaufungen as a green lifeline. It includes a natural area with a bird sanctuary, reed beds and a fishing lake. The circular route in the park is over one kilometre long and is ideal for walking, jogging and Nordic walking. Nature and exercise are a clearly defined focus here; the circular route offers a practical way to explore the park on foot.

Trails with Different Themes

You can also choose a trail based on the theme you’re interested in. The Kunigundenpfad runs mostly through the hilly areas on the outskirts of Oberkaufungen and Niederkaufungen, forming a loop around Kaufungen. By contrast, the Niederkaufungen Half-Timbered Trail stays entirely within Niederkaufungen’s historic half-timbered centre. This gives you a choice between a loop through the outskirts and a trail closely focused on the area’s half-timbered architecture.

The Eco Path: People and Water follows the traces of different forms of water use and passes former mills and sawmills. Its themes also include cultural and historical insights, scenic views and walks in nature. In the centre of Oberkaufungen, the Kunigundenweg passes former mills on its way to the 1,000-year-old Stiftskirche. The Sankt-Barbara-Weg passes the Oberkaufungen Mining Museum Rossgang; it is named after the patron saint of miners. Each trail has a different focus, letting you explore water use, local history or mining in more depth.

Local History and Sensory Experiences

For visits with a cultural and historical focus, volunteer church guides accompany visitors through the Stiftskirche, the former royal court and the Ritterschaftliches Stift in Kaufungen. If you’d like to plan a guided visit, check the current arrangements on the church website.

The SinnesGänge in Kaufungen-Oberkaufungen are housed in 16 walk-through vaulted chambers in a former brick kiln. There, 40 experience stations invite people of all ages to discover and explore their senses. This offers a different experience from trails through the landscape and town centres: here, direct sensory experiences take centre stage. The operator publishes current visiting times separately; check them before your visit.

Also in the wider Kassel destination

The wider Kassel destination offers more nature and wildlife experiences. Habichtswald Nature Park is characterised by extensive beech forests and numerous volcanic basalt hills. More than 900 animals from 80 species live across 130 hectares at Sababurg Zoo, which is open daily all year round. Check the opening hours before your visit so you can factor them into your day’s plans. These attractions around Kassel offer their own highlights, which you can consider alongside the things to see in Kaufungen when planning your trip.

Choose Accommodation to Suit Your Plans

When looking for accommodation, you can start by considering what you’d like to do during your stay. If nature and exercise are your main priorities, Steinertsee Park offers a useful starting point for planning; trails focused on history introduce other themes. The SinnesGänge and guided church visits offer still more options. If you’d also like to include attractions in the wider Kassel destination, plan them as separate outings and check the relevant visitor information.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Nieste, Niestetal, Lohfelden, Habichtswald, Reinhardshagen, Schauenburg, Helsa, Liebenau.

Back to the main travel guide: Kassel.