Germany's second-oldest city after Trier/Treves.
A historic old town well worth seeing, where Mozart and Brecht also left their mark. 2,000 years of history: Romans and Renaissance, the world-famous Fuggerei, magnificent churches, craftsmen's alleyways and modern architecture. You will find incredible peace and quiet in the parks on the banks of the Lech and Wertach rivers and in the adjacent nature park Naturpark Augsburg.
Why some people travel all the way to Augsburg to see it with their own eyes:
Fuggerei The Fuggerei is the oldest existing social settlement in the world, a city within a city with 67 houses and 142 flats that has its own church. Jakob Fugger also donated the Fuggerei in his brothers' name in 1521.
Today, around 150 poor Augsburg citizens of the Catholic religion live here for an annual rent of €0.88 and three daily prayers.
The four museums in the Fuggerei with a reconstructed historical flat and the exhibition in the World War II bunker can be visited daily with an entry fee.
UNESCO World Heritage Site: "Augsburg Water Management System"
The "Augsburg Water Management System" has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2019, with 22 exciting places in the city and the district, including monumental fountains, hydraulic structures, drinking water plants, power plants, canals and channels.
Numerous other monuments of historical water management bear witness to the great importance of Augsburg's world heritage.
The mega-theme "water" includes resource protection, drinking water supply, hydropower utilisation, water hygiene and sustainability.
Rathaus / Golden Hall
The town hall is one of Augsburg's main sights. Master builder Elias Holl built the most important secular building of the German Renaissance between 1615 and 1620. The Golden Hall, named after the gilded wooden ceiling, which was built there in 1624, is one of the most imposing representative rooms in Germany and conveys the splendour of the imperial city.
Destinations within 3 hours from Augsburg:
The destinations on the Romantic Road attract millions of people from all continents in normal years.
Why is the Romantic Road so famous?
The mix of a scenic route that stretches over 413 km from Würzburg to Füssen and some of the most picturesque towns, and castles from the Middle Ages and the 19th century.
Why is it called like that?
It got its name after the Second World War, when it was promoted as a tourist route through some of the most picturesque and historic towns and countryside in southern Germany. The name was meant to evoke a sense of nostalgia and romance.
Which towns lie along it?
Important stops to make along the way, either for historical or scenic reasons, include Würzburg, Wertheim, Bad Mergentheim, Weikersheim, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Dinkelsbühl, Nördlingen, Harburg, Donauwörth, Augsburg, Friedberg, Landsberg am Lech and Füssen.
Rothenburg - a time travel into the Middle Ages.
It is almost impossible not to be captivated by the flair of the well-preserved medieval architecture and the charming cobbled streets.
One of the best-preserved medieval towns in Germany
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, with its historic old town, unique location above the Tauber Valley and half-timbered romanticism, is for many the epitome of medieval Germany. Particularly impressive is the market square with its gigantic town hall, the town walls and their many towers, the castle garden that blooms over and over, St. Jacob's Church and the historic vault!
Distance from Augsburg: 180km, by car 120 min.
Neuschwanstein Castle - perhaps the most popular photo motif for international tourists
The structure was built from 1869 onwards for the Bavarian King Ludwig II as an idealised imagining of a knight's castle from the Middle Ages and served as inspiration for the design of Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland, California.
Often referred to as the "fairytale castle", Neuschwanstein is open to visitors almost all year round. The architecture and interior design are influenced by 19th century romantic eclecticism.
What you won't forget:
That so much kitsch attracts 1.4 million visitors every year, mainly from outside Germany.
Ddistance from Augsburg: 99km, by car 1h15min.
Munich is known for being a cultural hub in Germany, with a rich history, architecture, and attractions. Munich's most famous landmarks include Marienplatz, Nymphenburg Palace, Englischer Garten, and the Frauenkirche. The city is also well known for its beer culture, with the world-famous Oktoberfest occurring in Munich every year. Additionally, Munich is a major centre of the arts and sciences, with numerous museums, galleries, and research institutions located in the city.
Here is a small choice of suggestions for sightseeing, which you will certainly also find in travel guides, but which may not be at the top of the list there. We have picked them out as we see fit.
Munich distance from Augsburg: 88 km, by car 1h10 min.
BMW - Visit the factory and museum
Watch how a BMW 3 Series is produced. BMW offers tours of production at its factory in Munich. From the press that shapes the steel to the workshop where the engine is started for the first time. You can book your "BMW World"-tour online. Alternatively, or afterwards, you can still explore the entire history of the company, founded in 1913, up to the present day in the BMW Museum. And right next door, the Olympic Park invites you to take a walk where medals were fought for in 1972. In the Olympic pool, you can even swim yourself in the pool where Mark Spitz won gold 7 times.
The standing wave at the Eisbach and the Chinese Tower
The Eisbach wave at the entrance to the English Garden thrills surfing fans and onlookers from all over the world. It has been considered the world's most constant, biggest and best river wave in the middle of a major city for 40 years. And just a few steps further, in the English Garden, you can fortify yourself in the beer garden at the Chinese Tower. The 25m high structure was inaugurated in 1792 with the opening of the English Garden as a viewing platform.
The Allianz Arena
in the north of Munich is the home ground of the FC Bayern Munich soccer club, one of the world's most successful and admired soccer teams. It was also the venue for the 2006 World Cup and the 2012 Champions League finale and can seat over 75,000 spectators. Fans and the curious can explore the stadium on Guided Tours, visit the FC Bayern Museum or purchase collectables and fan merchandise at the FC Bayern Store.
The Hofbräuhaus and other options
If you want to watch tourists being whisked off in coaches to an inn to drink beer, go to the Hofbräuhaus. But don't be mistaken that this place is really representative of Bavarian beer culture. If you walk through the centre of Munich, you will already recognise many nice alternatives from the outside, where the people of Munich meet to eat and drink.
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Before Ingolstadt became known the birthplace of the Audi automobile company, it was a renowned city with a well-preserved medieval centre, including the impressive Ingolstadt Fortress, which dates back to the 14th century, and the Gothic-style St. Moritz Church. Additionally, Ingolstadt is home to several universities, including the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt.
So, if you happen to go to Ingolstadt to watch the production of a premium sedan or experience the history of the Audi brand up close - from the beginnings of the first combustion engine to complete electrification - in the Audi Museum, be sure to take a detour to the historic centre of the city itself.
Distance from Augsburg: 90 km, 1h15 minutes by car
Stuttgart's cityscape is characterised by many hills, vineyards, valleys such as the Neckar valley and green spaces such as Rosensteinpark, Schlossgarten, Höhenpark, monuments and churches. In addition, visitors appreciate the beautiful city centre, the castles and gardens, and the world-famous staircases from the 19th century, the "Stuttgarter Stäffele".
Stuttgart distance from Augsburg: 166 km, by car 2h
The Old and the New Castle
The Old Castle, now a modern museum, was once a moated castle with over 1,000 years of history. Along with the collegiate church, it is the oldest building in the state capital. The New Palace in the city centre is strongly reminiscent of Versailles Palace in France. This is because the French palace complex once served as the model for the imposing structure.
The Porsche MuseumThe dream of the sports car comes to life here. The museum offers insight into the exciting world of Porsche. Almost 100 vehicles and more than 200 small exhibits can be marvelled here - whether on tour alone or as part of a museum tour. Factory tours are also available in Zuffenhausen.
Mercedes Benz MuseumThe Mercedes-Benz Museum takes visitors on a journey through the history of the automobile. The history of the global corporation begins with the first automobile in 1886. It offers over 1500 exhibits - from the world's first patented car to the hydrogen vehicle.
Wine taverns
When you think of Stuttgart, wine is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Unless you've been to Stuttgart and personally experienced the high quality and unique flavour profile of the white wine grown here (Riesling or Müller-Thurgau).
The vineyards located here are part of the larger Baden wine region, which is one of the largest and most renowned wine-growing regions in Germany and is known for producing white wines but also red wines from varieties such as Trollinger and Lemberger.
Augsburg is almost at the foot of the Alps. Skiers from here also make day trips to nearby ski resorts. And at the end of March, especially at higher altitudes, there is often more snow than at the turn of the year. The days are longer, so skiing is particularly enjoyable.
The following world-famous ski resorts, where many people from outside Europe would like to have been, can be reached from Augsburg as follows:
Arlberg (Austria): 189 km / 3 hours
St. Moritz (Switzerland): 334 km / 3 hours 50 minutes
Davos (Switzerland): 279 km / 3 hours
Lenzerheide-Arosa (Switzerland): 270 km / 3 hours
