Around 700 kilometres of marked hiking trails offer plenty of scope for exploring Zwickau District on foot. River landscapes, cycling routes and museums round out the picture, with topics ranging from agriculture to car manufacturing. This gives you several starting points for planning your trip rather than a single central focus.
River Landscapes and Protected Areas
Zwickau District lies between the valley of the Zwickauer Mulde and the foothills of the Ore Mountains. The Zwickauer Mulde valley is one of the district’s outstanding attractions for visitors and its landscape. At its core, the “Mulden- und Chemnitztal” landscape conservation area covers the course of the Zwickauer Mulde between Zwickau and Wolkenburg and spans around 4,348 hectares.
At present, 14 FFH sites and two bird protection areas have been designated in the district, with a total area of around 2,200 hectares. The number of designated areas may change. These protected areas and the landscape conservation area represent different scales: the approximately 2,200 hectares refers to the FFH and bird protection areas combined, while the approximately 4,348 hectares refers to the “Mulden- und Chemnitztal” landscape conservation area.
Hiking Trails and Cycling Routes
A well-developed network of marked hiking trails, with plenty of rest stops and places to eat, covers around 700 kilometres to explore on foot. Within the city of Zwickau, the Muldendamm cycling and hiking trail is ideal for walking, cycling, jogging, hiking and relaxing. The section of the Muldendamm in Zwickau is part of the long-distance Mulderadwanderweg, which is 268 kilometres long.
Another route is the Hartenstein–Glauchau Mulderadweg: it follows the Mulde through the district via Zwickau to Glauchau. A rail connection from Zwickau Central Station to Hartenstein is listed for this route. Check the current timetable if you plan to travel this way. The Saxon Way of St James also crosses the district: its route runs from the A72 near Hartenstein to the Vogtland border near Hirschfeld.
Agriculture and Automotive History
The German Agricultural Museum at Blankenhain Castle is a unique museum complex in Germany, with 80 buildings and 100 themed exhibitions across 13 hectares. The August Horch Museum focuses on a different subject. Located at the historic birthplace of Audi, it presents more than 120 years of Zwickau’s car manufacturing history across 6,500 square metres of exhibition space. The museum offers English-language tours, including guided tours in person; an audio guide is also available.
The two museums offer different perspectives: Blankenhain focuses on agriculture and its extensive grounds, buildings and exhibitions, while Zwickau tells the story of car manufacturing. You can choose your cultural destinations according to the topic that interests you most.
Open-Air Theatre, Animal Park and Reservoir
The Freilicht-Theater Waldenburg e. V. is an open-air theatre located in GrĂĽnfelder Park. Check the dates of individual performances in advance, as they are subject to change. Hirschfeld Animal Park was founded in 1956 and covers an area of 23 hectares, with around 600 animals from more than 100 species. The animal population may change. The animal park has a playground and a mini-golf course right next door; mini-golf is seasonal.
The Stausee Oberwald area in Callenberg is designated as a local recreation area and bathing lake. Check current facilities and access arrangements before visiting. Together with the hiking and cycling routes, it complements the museums with more nature and leisure destinations in the district.
A Hotel as Your Base
If you’re looking for a hotel in Zwickau District, you can start by deciding what matters most to you: would you like to set aside time for hikes and cycling routes, or are museums and individual attractions such as the animal park or open-air theatre your main priority?
Discover more destinations: Zwickau, Werdau, Neukirchen/PleiĂźe, MĂĽlsen, Meerane, Limbach-Oberfrohna, Hohenstein-Ernstthal, Crimmitschau, Glauchau, Callenberg, Kirchberg, Hartenstein, Gersdorf, Lichtenstein, Oberwiera, Remse, Niederfrohna, Waldenburg, Hirschfeld, Wildenfels, Lichtentanne, Oberlungwitz, Zwickau, Reinsdorf, Crinitzberg.
See the main travel overview: Saxony.
