In Cham, historic city gates and museums sit alongside a cycle path that starts here. This gives you two clear priorities when choosing a destination: you can focus on cultural history and exhibitions, or make the Chambtal Cycle Path the reason for your trip. First decide which of these matters more for your stay; specific accommodation features should be checked separately.
City History and Cordonhaus
The Biertor is the only one of Cham’s four city gates that has survived. It was formerly called Burgtor and probably dates from the 14th century. Cordonhaus offers other historic details: this imposing, two-storey building dates from the 16th century. Its courtyard has an arcade and covered walkway unique to Cham.
The second floor of Cordonhaus houses an exhibition on the prehistory and early history of the municipality of Cham and its surrounding area. It explores traces of the first human visits and settlements in the Cham-Furth Basin. Distribution and archaeological site maps, finds, original artefacts, replicas and explanatory texts offer different ways to explore the subject. On the ground floor, an event hall hosts readings, talks, theatre, exhibitions and workshops.
A guided tour also covers several of these points of interest in the city: “Discover Cham” takes you through the old town and explains, among other things, the market square fountain and the Biertor. The tour also includes information that the “Marseillaise” is played from the town hall every day at 12:05 p.m. Check the current tour dates before making plans.
Art, Film and Technology
Museum SPUR is housed in a former late-Gothic almshouse with a history dating back to the 16th century. Since 1991, it has displayed paintings, sculptures and works on paper by the SPUR group from 1957 to 1965. The museum also presents the group’s work and history, as well as its regional links to the Upper Palatinate and Cham. A permanent exhibition is devoted to the 1959 anti-war film “The Bridge” and is complemented by photographs of the filming that have not previously been shown.
The Radio Museum offers another way to explore the history of collections. In rooms arranged by historical period, it traces the development of radio and television technology, sound and image recording, telecommunications and electroacoustics. At its hands-on world of physics and technology, visitors can experience and learn the basics of electrical physics and electrical engineering at more than 100 interactive stations. The themes are therefore clearly distinct: art and film take centre stage at Museum SPUR, while the Radio Museum focuses on technological developments and practical exhibits.
On Foot, by Bike and by the Water
The Meranweg runs along the Regen River and leads to the “Maria Hilf” monastery church. For a longer cycling route, the Chambtal Cycle Path starts in Cham and runs via Arnschwang, Furth im Wald and Eschlkam to the border crossing into Bohemia. The route is almost entirely flat and traffic-free, mostly following paved cycle paths. The section as far as Furth im Wald is part of the Munich–Regensburg–Pilsen–Prague long-distance cycle route.
At the cycling route hub in the district town of Cham, there is a cycling information pavilion, lockable bike boxes, overview boards with route details for onward tours, and public transport timetables. This information combines cycle tour planning with local public transport guidance, without specifying a particular connection or journey time.
Cham leisure pool offers a range of water and activity options: these include an open-air swimming area in the Regen with a bathing jetty for easy entry and exit, a fun wave pool, a 50-metre sports pool, a diving pool with a 5-metre tower and a heated pool. There is also a funnel slide and a wide wave slide, a children’s paddling pool with mini slides, a large play area, beach volleyball and table tennis. Check the current opening hours before visiting the pool.
A Culinary Experience and Other Places to Visit
The “Chamer Anno Dazu Mahl” combines a guided tour of three historic inns with stories from old Cham and a three-course meal served in the inn’s dining rooms. Check the current cultural programme for dates when planning your visit. The experience complements the museums and guided tours with a culinary way to explore the city’s history.
If you would like to include other places in Cham district, you’ll find different cultural and landscape-related attractions there. In Furth im Wald, the Drachenhöhle offers a tour exploring the city’s dragon history, the festival play and the technology behind the dragon robot. The summer festival play is part of the Drachenstich tradition. Check the operator’s current visitor information before visiting the Drachenhöhle. In Neukirchen beim Heiligen Blut, the pilgrimage museum is housed in the former Pflegschloss and contains treasures from the pilgrimage church’s archive. In Rötz, the Schwarzwihrberg nature reserve is part of the “Schwarzwihrberg bei Rötz” FFH area.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Wald, Arnschwang, Arrach, Eschlkam, Falkenstein, Gleißenberg, Neukirchen Heiligblut, Stamsried, Zandt, Rötz, Schönthal, Treffelstein, Waldmünchen, Furth Im Wald, Lam, Bad Kötzting, Blaibach, Grafenwiesen, Weiding, Walderbach, Roding, Rimbach, Hohenwarth, Cham, Lohberg, Runding, Traitsching, Miltach, Schorndorf, Michelsneukirchen, Tiefenbach, Chamerau, Waffenbrunn, Zell, Rettenbach.
For the overarching travel overview: Bavaria.
