Museums, history and nature – the Museum Cycle Path in southern Germany

Imagine cycling through an outdoor museum in beautiful nature which covers an area as big as Lake Constance – welcome to the Museum Cycle Path. This unique bike path takes you 37.2 miles (60 km) through the Würm Valley in the Heckengäu countryside and the Aichtal Valley on the edge of the Schönbuch woodlands in southern Germany. You can discover historical sites and the huge open-air SCULPTOURA gallery en route. Each twist of the path brings impressive artworks and beautiful nature.

In this Collection, I have divided the route into two gentle stages leaving enough time to visit the museums along the way. There are 18 museums en route such as the local history museums in the towns of Grafenau, Holzgerlingen, and Schönaich, town history museums in Weil der Stadt and Nürtingen, and the bakery museum in Grötzingen. The Ritter Sport Museum in Waldenbuch, where you can replenish your energy with chocolate, is a great stop too.

The route can be completed in one day. However, this won’t leave you much time to explore the various museums. The route is mostly flat and rarely leads along main roads, making it ideal for families. You’ll find plenty of places to take a break along the way, such as rustic beer gardens and grill spots. Accommodation is also easy to find in the region, especially in the larger towns. It’s also worth looking out for places to stay in the countryside; there are some wonderful hidden inns en route.

If you are able to, it’s worth riding the Museum Cycle Path mid-week as it is very popular on weekends, especially in good weather. The stretches between Weil der Stadt and Grafenau, Ehningen, and Holzgerlingen, and the Aichtal Valley around Waldenbuch can become particularly crowded. But, if you take your time and watch out for others on the path, this shouldn’t be a problem.

The official cycle path runs from the towns of Weil der Stadt to Nürtingen. You can cycle the path in either direction as the altitude profile is similar both ways. The highest point of your adventure is Holzgerlingen municipality, half way through the route. The official direction of the path has slightly more downhill into Nürtingen. However, if you choose to ride to Weil der Stadt, you can enjoy quieter cycle paths to finish.

The Siebenmühlental (Valley of the Seven Mills) and the Schaich Valley both make great detours from the Museum Cycle Path. You can also extend your ride on the Neckar Valley Cycle Path in Nürtingen, the Hohenzollern Cycle Path in the Aichtal or the Würmtal Cycle Path in Weil der Stadt. The Planet Trail also runs parallel to the Würmtal Cycle Path from Weil der Stadt and guides you to the Kepler Museum. I’ve created a separate highlight with more information about this route, here: komoot.de/highlight/1622789