Spa hotels in Eastern Bavaria
Eastern Bavaria combines four wellness worlds — the Bavarian Forest, the Rottal spa triangle, the Bavarian Jura, the Upper Palatinate Forest — plus the UNESCO old town of Regensburg as its cultural-historical anchor.
Holidays & wellness in Eastern Bavaria
Eastern Bavaria is Bavaria's easternmost tourism axis — from the Danube and Regensburg to the Czech border. Four independent wellness worlds form its core: the Bavarian Forest (healing climate, TCM, national park), the Bavarian Golf & Thermal Land (the Rottal spa triangle with sulphur thermal baths), the Bavarian Jura and the Upper Palatinate Forest. Regensburg — a UNESCO World Heritage old town since 2006 — adds to the region an important axis of city culture with more than 2,000 years of history (from the Roman Castra Regina via the Carolingian-Ottonian imperial city to today's World Heritage townscape).
What this region stands for
- Sulphur healing thermal baths (Rottal spa triangle)
- Healing climate and TCM (Bavarian Forest)
- UNESCO World Heritage Regensburg
- Upland wellness
- Monastic medicine
- Family wellness
Why wellness here?
Eastern Bavaria is by far the wellness-medically densest large region of Bavaria. In the south lies the Lower Bavarian Rottal spa triangle with Bad Griesbach, Bad Birnbach and Bad Füssing — Europe's most visited spa town. Sulphur thermal water from 1,000–2,000 m deep, indicated for rheumatism, joint complaints and skin conditions. Bad Füssing alone with around 2.4 million overnight stays a year. In the east the Bavarian Forest: the climatic health resort of Bodenmais (since 1992) with the healing gallery at the Silberberg, Bad Kötzting as a Kneipp spa with the first German TCM clinic, the Bavarian Forest National Park as the oldest German national park (1970). The Bavarian Jura as a karst range with Bad Abbach (a brine spa) and Bad Gögging (the Limes-Therme with a Roman sulphur-spring tradition) completes the spa-town profile. The Upper Palatinate Forest on the Czech border carries a quieter upland wellness without a large concentration of spa towns. Regensburg as a UNESCO World Heritage old town (since 2006) forms the cultural-historical anchor: 2,000 years of history, the medieval Stone Bridge (1135–1146), Regensburg Cathedral (Gothic from 1273), one of the largest undestroyed medieval city ensembles in Central Europe.
When to travel here
May–October as the main season — hiking in the Bavarian Forest and the Upper Palatinate Forest, spa days in the spa triangle, walks through Regensburg's old town. High summer in the spa towns with steaming outdoor pools. Winter (December–March): winter sports in the Bavarian Forest (Großer Arber, Bodenmais), Advent markets in Regensburg, the classic winter thermal season in the spa towns. The shoulder months February/March and November as insider phases.
Sights and anchors for the spa-free day
UNESCO World Heritage old town of Regensburg
UNESCO World Heritage since 2006 — one of the largest undestroyed medieval city ensembles in Central Europe. The Stone Bridge (1135–1146, the oldest preserved stone bridge in Germany), Regensburg Cathedral (Gothic), the Old Town Hall with the Imperial Hall, Thurn und Taxis Palace.
Rottal spa triangle — Bad Füssing, Bad Griesbach, Bad Birnbach
Europe's most visited spa-town triangle with sulphur thermal water from 1,000–2,000 m deep. Bad Füssing as the main address with three thermal baths, Bad Griesbach with Europe's largest golf resort, Bad Birnbach as the quieter family thermal bath.
Bavarian Forest
The climatic health resort of Bodenmais (since 1992), the healing gallery at the Silberberg for respiratory therapy, Bad Kötzting as a Kneipp spa and seat of the first German TCM clinic. The Bavarian Forest National Park as the oldest German national park (1970).
Bavarian Jura with Bad Abbach and Bad Gögging
A karst upland with Bad Abbach (a brine spa, spa park since 1872) and Bad Gögging (a Roman sulphur-spring tradition since the 1st century, the Limes-Therme as one of the largest thermal baths in Bavaria).
Danube Gorge and Weltenburg Abbey
Near Kelheim runs the most spectacular stretch of the Danube — the Danube Gorge through Jurassic limestone cliffs, navigable between Kelheim and Weltenburg Abbey. Weltenburg Abbey runs the oldest monastery brewery in the world (since 1050).
Passau — the city of three rivers
At the confluence of the Danube, Inn and Ilz — a baroque old town, St. Stephen's Cathedral with Europe's largest cathedral organ (17,974 pipes), the Veste Oberhaus. A classic city day trip from the spa triangle.
Official tourism portals
Up-to-date information on getting there, events, opening hours and visitor's tax is available directly from the destinations.
Frequently asked questions about the region
Which wellness worlds does Eastern Bavaria offer?
Bavarian Forest — upland wellness with a healing climate, a TCM lineage and Germany's first national park.
Bavarian Golf & Thermal Land — the Lower Bavarian Rottal spa triangle with Europe's most visited spa town.
Bavarian Jura — a karst upland with Bad Abbach and Bad Gögging as spa anchors.
Upper Palatinate Forest — quieter upland wellness on the Czech border.
Regensburg — a UNESCO World Heritage old town as the cultural anchor.
Which spa in the spa triangle suits whom?
Bad Füssing is the main address with three thermal baths and the largest spa operation — the first choice for classic cure and thermal stays. Bad Griesbach combines the thermal water with Europe's largest golf resort. Bad Birnbach is the quietest, most rural variant — ideal for everyone who wants to experience the spa triangle at village scale.
The three places lie 15 to 20 minutes' drive apart; the sulphur thermal water everywhere comes from 1,000 to 2,000 metres deep.
What should you have seen besides the spas?
Regensburg — one of the largest undestroyed medieval city ensembles in Central Europe, UNESCO World Heritage since 2006, with the Stone Bridge and the Gothic cathedral. Passau, the city of three rivers, with Europe's largest cathedral organ (17,974 pipes).
In between lies the most spectacular stretch of the Danube: the Danube Gorge near Kelheim, by boat to Weltenburg Abbey — where the oldest monastery brewery in the world has brewed since 1050.
When is the best time to travel?
May–October for the classic active-holiday and spa season. December–March for winter sports in the Bavarian Forest and the winter thermal tradition in the spa triangle. February/March and November as insider phases for longer cure stays.
Eastern Bavaria — spa hotels & holidays
Four wellness worlds plus UNESCO Regensburg
Eastern Bavaria is by far the wellness-medically densest large region of Bavaria. Four independent worlds form its core: the Lower Bavarian Rottal spa triangle as Europe's main axis of sulphur healing thermal baths; the Bavarian Forest as upland wellness with a healing-climate tradition, a TCM clinic and a national park; the Bavarian Jura as a karst upland with Bad Abbach and Bad Gögging as historic spa addresses (Bad Gögging with a Roman sulphur-spring tradition since the 1st century); and the Upper Palatinate Forest as a quieter upland region on the Czech border.
UNESCO World Heritage Regensburg — 2,000 years of history
The old town of Regensburg has held UNESCO World Heritage status since 2006 — one of the largest undestroyed medieval city ensembles in Central Europe. On the remains of the Roman Castra Regina (from AD 179) the free imperial city developed in the Middle Ages with the Stone Bridge (1135–1146, the oldest preserved stone bridge in Germany), Regensburg Cathedral (Gothic from 1273) and the Old Town Hall with its historic Imperial Hall. The classic city-wellness anchor in western Eastern Bavaria, easily combined with spa-triangle or Bavarian Forest stays.
Images:
Cover image Eastern Bavaria: Willow [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons