Westerheim: Chapels, Günz Valley and Cycling Routes

When looking for a hotel in Westerheim, it helps to consider the themes that shape the town and its immediate surroundings: chapels, the Günz Valley and cycling. This can help you decide whether culture, scenery or a bike tour should be the focus of your stay. For a broader picture, it is also worth exploring the Unterallgäu as a wider travel destination.

Chapels and Architectural History

The Holy Cross Chapel is located in Westerheim and houses treasures. The St. Sebastian Chapel is in the village district of Rummeltshausen. The municipality highlights it as a cultural attraction and describes it as beautifully restored. The Catholic Chapel of St. Sebastian dates from 1584 and was extended in 1628. Its structure is articulated by pilaster strips and has a three-sided apse; it also features a roof turret with a tent roof and interior furnishings. Pilaster strips are narrow, vertical divisions in a wall; a three-sided apse describes the shape of the end of a building. A roof turret is a small tower structure on a roof. The two dates mark two construction phases: the original building in 1584 and its extension in 1628.

Hundsmoor and the Günz Valley

The 21-hectare Hundsmoor nature reserve lies nearby, in the valley of the Western Günz between Westerheim and Hawangen. It is the most unspoiled of the four nature reserves in the Unterallgäu district. Its protected habitats include wet, moss-rich lowland moors, peat moss areas, a wet scrubland and a wet woodland. Hundsmoor and the Western Günz also shape the landscape around Westerheim. You can enjoy a relaxing hike in the Günz Valley.

Cycling and Leisure

A cycle path just over one kilometre long runs alongside district road MN 32 from the motorway bridge near Westerheim to the entrance to Günz; a strip of grass separates it from the road. It officially opened in 2021. Another cycle path runs from Westerheim to Ottobeuren. The cycle network is continually being renewed, so details of the route to Ottobeuren may change; check the latest information before planning your trip. Beach volleyball is also listed as a leisure activity in Westerheim.

The Wider Travel Destination of Unterallgäu

The Iller to the west and the Wertach to the east form the natural boundaries of the Unterallgäu. The Unterallgäu is located along the A7 and A96 motorways; a dense road network, rail connections and Allgäu Airport in Memmingerberg also make the region easy to reach. Cycling and hiking trails throughout the district are uniformly signposted; the Glückswege (Paths of Happiness) are another option.

The forest adventure trails in the Unterallgäu include the 3.2-kilometre trail in Bad Grönenbach, where visitors can learn about the forest ecosystem, and the 2.7-kilometre trail in Buxheim, which goes all the way around Buxheim Pond and is designed to let visitors experience nature with all their senses. In the Bannwald forest in Ottobeuren, a forest adventure trail with eleven stations leads through the woods. The region also has cultural landmarks: the Baroque basilica in Ottobeuren and Mindelburg Castle in Mindelheim are among the Unterallgäu’s important architectural monuments. The Fugger Castle in Kirchheim features the world-famous Cedar Hall; the former Imperial Charterhouse in Buxheim is known for its choir stalls.

Discover more destinations: Tussenhausen, Babenhausen, Winterrieden, Boos, Stetten, Bad Grönenbach, Ettringen, Rammingen

For the overview of the wider destination: Unterallgäu.