Discover Schönsee: Bobbin lace tradition, spa park and moor bath

Schönsee combines cross-border culture with a strong bobbin lace tradition, a natural swimming area and routes through the countryside. When choosing the town for a stay, you can focus on different themes, from culture to water and green spaces, as well as cycling and hiking routes. These different sides of Schönsee give you concrete starting points for planning your trip.

Culture between Bavaria and the Czech Republic

The Centrum Bavaria Bohemia (CeBB), also known as the Bavarian-Bohemian Cultural Centre, is located in Schönsee and has been a bilingual, cross-border cultural hub between Bavaria and the Czech Republic since spring 2006. It is housed in the former Kommunbrauhaus, a listed building restored by the town of Schönsee. As an information centre, presentation forum, and contact and networking hub, the CeBB connects the regions. In this historic building, a listed monument and contemporary cultural cooperation come together.

Bobbin lace-making also shapes local identity. In Schönsee, Stadlern in the district of Schwandorf, and Tiefenbach in the district of Cham, this craft has been passed down from generation to generation since the 19th century. The craft tradition “Bobbin lace-making in the Upper Palatinate Forest,” which is also associated with Schönsee, is listed in Bavaria’s State Directory of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Klöppeltrafo in Schönsee showcases this craft in a different way: the decommissioned transformer hut was converted into a landmark and presents exhibitions on bobbin lace-making. Together with the long-standing craft tradition, it shows how the theme is represented in different locations throughout the town.

Natural swimming area and spa park

The Schönsee Moor Bath is a natural swimming area with a body of water fed by a nearby spring containing moor water. The facilities include restrooms and changing rooms. The moor bath is therefore a specific place to visit for anyone who would like to include a swimming area in their travel plans.

The spa park is in the heart of Schönsee and was created between 1989 and 1996 around the small Hahnenweiher and Keckenweiher lakes and along the Ascha River. It covers around 11 hectares and includes green spaces, walking paths, bodies of water, shorelines, biotopes, music stages, and playgrounds. The mix of paths, water, and green spaces clearly distinguishes the park from the swimming area: several landscape and open-space features define its overall character.

Summer performances and the lakeside festival

Every summer, “Irrlichter” and “Pascher” are performed at the open-air stage on Eulenberg in Friedrichshäng, a district of Schönsee. If you plan to attend a performance, check the dates before your trip.

Another regular event in the annual calendar is the Schönsee Lakeside Festival: it takes place every year on the last Sunday in July and ends after dark with a spectacular fireworks display. For specific planning, it is advisable to check the program before your trip. The performances on Eulenberg and the lakeside festival offer two different reasons to visit, with the time of year playing a role in your planning.

Cycling and hiking routes

The Aschatal Cycle Route follows the Ascha River from Schönsee to the palatine town of Neunburg vorm Wald. Its starting point is in Schönsee-Weberhäuser, at the junction where the Schwarzachtal Cycle Route branches off toward the Czech Republic. Schönsee also has more than 120 kilometres of signposted cycling and hiking routes, inviting visitors to explore the region across the border. The cross-border aspect describes the exploration of the region, not the route of every individual trail.

There is also an e-bike charging station at the Bavarian-Bohemian Cultural Centre (CeBB), Freyung 1. For getting your bearings, Schönsee offers specific information about a cycle route, an extensive network of marked trails, and a charging station at a named location.

Discover more destinations: Stadlern, Schwarzenfeld, Wackersdorf, Nabburg, Schwandorf, Bruck in der Oberpfalz, Bodenwöhr, Oberviechtach.

Back to the main travel overview: Schwandorf.