Gersthofen offers different ways to shape your stay: the history of ballooning takes centre stage at the Balloon Museum, while paths along the Lech and hiking trails on Monte Scherbelino invite you outdoors. When planning your trip, first consider whether you want to prioritise cultural events or outdoor activities. This will help you plan your days around your interests rather than trying to fit everything into a single itinerary.
Culture: Balloon Museum, waterworks and Stadthalle
The Gersthofen Balloon Museum presents the history of ballooning through interactive installations, original exhibits and walk-through replicas. The exhibition thus offers different ways to explore the subject. Guided tours of the museum can be booked in advance at any time. The museum also hosts readings, talks and exhibitions, and holds children’s cultural days every two years.
The Gersthofen waterworks offer another historical perspective: they are one of 22 sites in the Augsburg Water Management System, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019. The waterworks are therefore part of a broader context that extends beyond the individual site.
The programme at the Gersthofen Stadthalle includes comedy, cabaret, concerts ranging from classical music and jazz to pop, funk and medieval rock, as well as magic, shows, theatre and dance. Around 200 events take place each year at the Stadthalle and its affiliated venues. The season programme also includes family theatre and children’s musicals. If a particular performance is the reason for your trip, check the event dates and the relevant season programme when planning.
Paths along the Lech and views from Monte Scherbelino
Gersthofen lies directly on the Lech and has local recreation areas along the river. There are cycling and hiking trails along the Lech for walkers and recreational athletes. Gersthofen is also part of the Western Woods Nature Park. This gives you riverside routes as well as other hiking destinations in the area to choose from.
Monte Scherbelino has three hiking trails. In good weather, the view from there stretches across the Lech floodplains, Augsburg and the entire region. Another hiking option is the Jungle Trail in Gersthofen, which opened in 2016. The three trails on Monte Scherbelino and the Jungle Trail give you different options for planning your time outdoors: Monte Scherbelino offers views in good weather, while the Jungle Trail provides a designated hiking route.
The Naturfreunde Gersthofen bike park has trails, jump lines and a pump track. It is available to members of Naturfreunde Gersthofen at any time. Keep this restriction in mind when choosing activities: the bike park is reserved for members, so it is not the same kind of offering as the paths along the Lech described above.
Plan your journey and accommodation search
Gersthofen lies directly on the A8. The route to the B2/B17, which is almost entirely dual carriageway, provides road connections from Gersthofen in all four cardinal directions and to the European long-distance road network. This gives you a clear order for planning: first decide whether a cultural event or an outdoor activity will shape your stay, then look for accommodation to match the days you plan to spend there. Museum tours must be booked in advance, and you should factor in the relevant dates for events.
Discover more destinations: Thierhaupten, Fischach, Walkertshofen, Scherstetten, AltenmĂĽnster, Wehringen, Diedorf, Meitingen.
Return to the main travel overview: Augsburg.
