The longest certified hiking trail in Germany, the 600-kilometre-long Goldsteig trail crosses the Upper Palatinate Forest as well as the Bavarian Forest.

The Upper Palatinate Forest

an old, cultural landscape

Old palaces and castles, baroque pilgrimage churches and monasteries bear witness to the historical significance of the Upper Palatinate Forest.
World-famous library at Waldsassen Abbey.
World-famous library at Waldsassen Abbey. – © Ferienregion Stiftland
Baroque garden along the Golden Road (Upper Palatinate Forest)
Baroque garden along the Golden Road (Upper Palatinate Forest) – © Neustadt a.d. Waldnaab
The Kappl Sanctuary of the Holy Trinity (Waldsassen)
The Kappl Sanctuary of the Holy Trinity (Waldsassen) – © Tourismuszentrum Oberpfälzer Wald
The Kappl Sanctuary of the Holy Trinity (Waldsassen).
The Kappl Sanctuary of the Holy Trinity (Waldsassen). – © Lkr. Tirschenreuth
The deepest borehole in the world can be found in Windischeschenbach.
The deepest borehole in the world can be found in Windischeschenbach. – © Geo-Zentrum KTB

Emperor Karl IV and trading caravans regularly travelled along the “Golden Road” between Nuremberg and Prague. Castles and guarded stop-off points secured the route, on which valuable goods were frequently transported. You can still spot the age-old paths today. The Upper Palatinate Forest is extremely interesting in terms of its geology, since several mountains were previously volcanoes, and you can also still see the basalt cones. Furthermore, the deepest borehole in the world, with a depth of over 9000 m, can be found in Windischeschenbach.
 

The longest certified hiking trail in Germany, the 600-kilometre-long Goldsteig trail crosses the Upper Palatinate Forest as well as the Bavarian Forest.
The longest certified hiking trail in Germany, the 600-kilometre-long Goldsteig trail crosses the Upper Palatinate Forest as well as the Bavarian Forest. – © Woidlife-Photography
Enjoy the summer at the Upper Palatinate Lake District.
Enjoy the summer at the Upper Palatinate Lake District. – © Oberpfälzer Wald, Lkr. Schwandorf
Explore the Upper Palatinate Forest from the water.
Explore the Upper Palatinate Forest from the water. – © Oberpfälzer Wald, Lkr. Schwandorf

In the Upper Palatinate Lake District, where there is a concentration of smaller lakes, you can also have a go at all different types of water sports such as sailing, surfing or water skiing. 

The longest certified hiking trail in Germany, the 600-kilometre-long Goldsteig trail crosses the Upper Palatinate Forest as well as the Bavarian Forest.
 

The Bärnau-Tachov history park is a unique museum in Bavaria.
The Bärnau-Tachov history park is a unique museum in Bavaria. – © Geschichtspark Bärnau-Tachov
Sibyllenbad is the only spa and health resort in the Upper Palatinate Forest which is famous for its natural radon and carbon dioxide springs.
Sibyllenbad is the only spa and health resort in the Upper Palatinate Forest which is famous for its natural radon and carbon dioxide springs. – © Sibyllenbad

Located near the Czech border and thus in the vicinity of the new UNESCO-Worldheritage Czech spa towns Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně and Františkovy Lázně. Sibyllenbad is the only spa and health resort in the Upper Palatinate Forest which is famous for its natural radon and carbon dioxide springs. . 

The Bärnau-Tachov history park is a unique museum in Bavaria. In this special archaeological open-air museum, visitors can experience medieval life from the 9th to the 13th centuries with all their senses