A visit to Sontheim can be planned around a market, a cultural event or a cycling tour. Dampfsäg brings the weekly market and events together in one place; other highlights include the Günztal Cycle Route, which runs through Sontheim, a named tour starting point, Hochfirst to the east of the municipality, and St. Martin’s Parish Church. These different highlights can help you plan your stay around specific interests.

At Dampfsäg: market and events

Dampfsäg, on the outskirts of Sontheim, is an industrial heritage site. It hosts film screenings, flea markets, weekly markets, festivals, talks, concerts and cabaret performances. This makes it a destination for a market visit as well as for a variety of cultural events. If you are travelling for a particular event, check its date in advance.

The weekly market at Dampfsäg takes place on Thursdays from 4 pm to 7:15 pm. Check the market hours before your visit in case of public holidays or seasonal changes. The regional and organic selection includes meat and sausages, Allgäu cheese, organically grown fruit and vegetables, organic chocolate, baked goods, free-range organic eggs, olives, Mediterranean specialities and berry wines. The selection may vary depending on the season.

Cycling, nature and local history

The Günztal Cycle Route runs through Sontheim. Another option is the cycling tour “Sontheim’s Untouched East”, which starts at the corner of Hauptstraße and Mindelheimer Straße. This gives you two distinct points of reference for planning: the cycle route through the town and the starting point of a named tour.

Hochfirst, a wooded area east of the municipality, is suitable for Nordic walking, jogging and enjoying nature. The surrounding area thus complements the cycling options with activities in the forest. St. Martin’s Parish Church adds another historical highlight: it was remodelled in the Baroque style in 1762. Together with the industrial heritage site Dampfsäg, it shows two different sides of Sontheim’s cultural offerings.

The wider region: Unterallgäu

The broader travel destination of Unterallgäu provides a wider frame of reference than the town itself. The Iller forms the natural boundary of Unterallgäu to the west, and the Wertach to the east. Unterallgäu is served by the A7 and A96 motorways; an extensive road network, rail connections and Allgäu Airport in Memmingerberg add to its good accessibility. Cycle routes and hiking trails are uniformly signposted throughout the district; there are also the Glückswege trails. These regional details offer a separate point of reference alongside the specific cycling options in Sontheim.

The cultural attractions of Unterallgäu are also spread across several towns. In Ottobeuren, the Baroque basilica is one of the region’s significant architectural monuments. The Sebastian Kneipp Museum in the east wing of the monastery documents the priest’s life and work through more than 2,000 exhibits. In Mindelheim, Mindelburg Castle is one of Unterallgäu’s significant architectural monuments. Its courtyard is accessible year-round; the keep, which has been converted into an observation tower, is accessible from April to October. Check seasonal access before your visit.

There are various trails and facilities for enjoying nature: Benninger Ried is easy to explore on foot and has its own educational trail and viewing platform. The 3.2-kilometre forest adventure trail in Bad Grönenbach offers an introduction to the forest ecosystem. In Buxheim, the 2.7-kilometre forest adventure trail loops around Buxheimer Weiher and is designed to let visitors experience nature with all their senses. The Buxheim trail is therefore shorter than the one in Bad Grönenbach, and their stated focuses also differ. In the Bannwald forest in Ottobeuren, eleven stations lead along the forest adventure trail.

Discover more destinations: Woringen, Memmingerberg, Babenhausen, Memmingen, Ettringen, Illerwinkel, Stetten, Erkheim

For the wider travel overview: Unterallgäu.