Altötting: River Landscapes, Churches and Nature Trails
Accommodation in Altötting
The district of Altötting lies along the Inn and Salzach rivers. The landscape is shaped by a plain about ten kilometres wide, through which the Inn flows; lush, green hills border it to the north and south. Altötting also offers churches, collections and routes for walks, hikes and bike rides. This makes it possible to plan a stay that combines culture and nature without limiting either to the same activity.
River Landscapes and Natural Areas
Together with the district of Mühldorf, the district is part of the Inn-Salzach tourism region. Topics covered by the region’s visitor information include cycling and pilgrimage routes, museums and bathing lakes. The landscape and cultural attractions offer different ways to shape your stay.
In Altötting’s Gries, the nature trail follows a stream and features ten different interactive stations. The circular route in the Gries is approximately 1.4 kilometres long. A longer hike is the Georg Brenner Trail: it is ten kilometres long, permanently signposted and leads south of Altötting to the district of Unterschlottham. The Way of St. James crosses Altötting from north to south. The circular route and the ten-kilometre hike therefore offer different route formats, while the Way of St. James adds a pilgrimage route with a clear north–south direction.
The Dachlwand nature reserve lies on the Inn, northwest of Marktl. It includes parts of the municipalities of Marktl, Erlbach and Perach and covers approximately 206 hectares. In 1986, the area was reclassified from a landscape protection area to a nature reserve. The internationally significant wetland and nature reserve “Lower Inn between Haiming and Neuhaus” provides a habitat for migrating, overwintering and breeding marsh and water birds. More than 25 bird species that depend on aquatic and wetland habitats breed there. Perach bathing lake is one of the bathing lakes in the district of Altötting. Before visiting, check what facilities are available and what conditions apply.
Churches, Art and Local History
St. Anna Basilica is the largest church in Altötting and can accommodate more than 8,000 people. The octagonal Chapel of Grace offers a different view of history: it probably dates from around the year 700 and is considered probably Germany’s oldest centrally planned building. The Basilica impresses with its size, while the Octagon stands out for its early, though only presumed, date of origin. Altötting Treasury houses the Golden Horse, made in the Parisian court workshops in 1404.
At the Brother Konrad Museum, you can visit the Old Gate and Brother Konrad’s death cell. Brother Konrad’s meeting rooms can also be visited free of charge. The Incense Museum shows visitors the craftsmanship involved in making incense and provides fascinating information about the subject. Check what visiting options are available before your visit.
Cycling and Other Destinations
A popular variant of the Inn Cycle Path runs from Neuötting through Altötting and the extensive Ötting Forest to the ducal town of Burghausen, then past the confluence of the Inn and Salzach rivers to Marktl. The section in the Inn-Salzach region is just over 75 kilometres long. Before setting out, check whether any detours are in place.
In Burghausen, the castle is 1,051 metres long and has six courtyards. Alongside churches and collections, the region thus offers a large structure with clearly stated dimensions.
Discover more destinations: Altötting, Burghausen, Tüßling, Haiming, Garching an der Alz, Burgkirchen an der Alz, Unterneukirchen, Neuötting, Winhöring, Emmerting, Marktl, Pleiskirchen, Töging am Inn, Feichten, Reischach, Perach.
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