Ravensburg is best explored through its largely preserved Old Town, towers and museums. The central Marienplatz is a starting point for exploring the city of towers and gates. Striking buildings, squares and streets shape the historic cityscape; the traffic-calmed Old Town is easy to explore on foot. You can stroll through the pedestrian zones and combine shopping with sightseeing in the Old Town. When planning your stay, Marienplatz provides a central point of reference if the city’s history and Old Town are your main focus.
Combine the Old Town with your journey
Ravensburg train station is 800 metres from the central Marienplatz. Ravensburg is part of the bodo transport network, which offers good-value bus and train connections within the city and across the region. This means both the central square and public transport can help you find your way around. Check timetables for your travel dates when planning your arrival and onward journey.
City history in houses and towers
The Humpis Quarter Museum is the city of Ravensburg’s cultural history museum. Since opening in July 2009, it has invited visitors to explore 1,000 years of city history—from the Middle Ages to the present day—in five buildings in a late-medieval residential quarter. The award-winning museum concept connects the architecture with the themes and stories on display. The tour offers insights into the building culture, as well as the living spaces and worlds of earlier residents. The focus here is therefore not only on historical content, but also on the buildings and their rooms.
Another striking landmark is the Mehlsack, built around 1425 and standing 51 metres high. Climbing it offers views across Ravensburg and, on some days, as far as Lake Constance and Säntis. The view of the wider surroundings offers a different perspective on the city than the historic rooms of the Humpis Quarter. Check dates and booking conditions for tower visits in advance.
Museums and tours to suit your interests
The Ravensburger Museum, in the company’s historic headquarters, offers an interactive family outing across three floors exploring the history of the world-famous company. Topics include classics such as memory® and Malefiz®, as well as how games and puzzles are made. The tiptoi® museum trail for children and teenagers leads them through the rooms and asks questions to test their knowledge. This connects the company’s history with a hands-on activity for young visitors.
At the Kunstmuseum Ravensburg, tours in plain language can combine looking at and discussing the art exhibition with a creative activity afterwards: in the art workshop, participants get creative with paper and paint. Dates and programmes may change; check what’s on offer before your visit. During tours, art educators also provide more in-depth background information about the current exhibitions.
If you’re looking for a broader overview of Ravensburg, you can choose the “Ravensburg City History” guided tour. It covers the city’s origins, important historical periods and sights up to the present day. This offers a different focus from a museum visit, which explores specific topics or collections in greater depth. Tour dates may also change; check the current schedule when planning.
A starting point for cycling tours too
Ravensburg is also a good starting point for cycling tours in Upper Swabia and towards Lake Constance. When choosing where to stay, consider whether you mainly want to explore the Old Town and its culture or also use the city as a base for cycling tours.
Discover more destinations: Altshausen, Achberg, Hoßkirch, Schlier, Bad Wurzach, Bergatreute, Isny im Allgäu, Wangen im Allgäu
For the overarching travel overview: Ravensburg.
