Day trips in the Allgäu: Insider tip Westallgäu

The Westallgäu is a region in the Foothills of the full of beauty Alps: Gently sloping hills and wide valleys – flowering meadows and picturesque villages.

There are countless opportunities throughout the year to be active in the marvellous natural surroundings and enjoy the fresh air on excursions in the Allgäu.

For hikers, everything is possible in the West Allgäu, from leisurely walks to mountain tours. It is also a paradise for e-bikers, leisure cyclists and mountain bikers.

In winter, a wonderful world in white awaits you – the best conditions for cross-country skiing, sledging and alpine skiing.

Cultural life is not neglected in the Westallgäu either. Lovingly designed museums and numerous festivals illustrate the combination of tradition and modernity.

Thanks to its unique location between the Alps and Lake Constance, there are countless destinations in the Allgäu for the whole family.

Lake Constance is only 35 kilometers away from Maierhöfe. Take a boat trip and go for a swim – you will definitely enjoy a day at the lake.

You can also admire the Royal Castles in Füssen and visit the historic old towns of Wangen, Isny and Bregenz.

There is a wide range of sports and leisure options – you can indulge your passion at 7 golf courses within a radius of 25 kilometers.

Numerous adventure pools and swimming pools invite you to a splash.

Welcome to the Westallgäu!

Summer fun

We consider ourselves incredibly lucky to live here in the Westallgäu. That’s why we are so pleased to welcome you as our guests in such a beautiful place.

Here are some tips for your holiday with us at Sontheim’s: Get away from it all – our nature simply makes you happy!

Starting point: Sontheim’s Naturhotel & Spa
Elevation difference: 325 m
Altitude meters: 347 hm
Length: 7.5 km
Walking time: 2:50 h

The trail leads uphill from the hotel in the direction of Maierhöfen towards the Iberghalle in the direction of the holiday club to one of our favourite excursion destinations in the Allgäu. At the information board in the holiday club, turn right along the path past the enclosure with Scottish Highland cattle. After a few hundred meters, keep right again across the stream and follow a slightly ascending path. Before the meadows, the path then diverts to the left uphill from the main path, crosses a forest path after approx. 250 metres and follows a path steeply uphill to the highest peak in the Westallgäu, the Kugel.

From here you can enjoy the view of the Oberstdorf mountains on the horizon. The trail now leads downhill again on a narrow path to the right past the Wieder into the forest to the trail cross. Pass this and descend along the so-called Schluchtentobel ravine, with its dangerous steep drop-offs, towards Riedholz. From Riedholz, head towards the state road/Eistobel, cross it in the direction of Steinmetz and find your way back to the hotel.

Its rich, diverse vegetation presents a fascinating play of colours throughout the seasons and makes the nature reserve one of the most popular destinations for excursions in the Allgäu. If you are lucky, you may spot wild swans and rare birds. Tranquillity is the most intense here in the early morning hours.

Starting point: Sontheim’s Naturhotel & Spa
Elevation difference: 154 m
Altitude meters: 211 hm
Length: 10 km
Walking time: 3:00 h

From the hotel, follow the paved road in the direction of Happach. Turn right at the crossroads. After approx. 300 metres, cross the main road to Isny in the direction of Vorholz. There, the road on the right leads towards Warmhalden. From here you have a beautiful view of the Austrian and Swiss Alps. You walk along the meadows, later through high forest to the trail cross. Leave the asphalt road here and follow the hiking trail in the direction of Hengelesweiher. Walk around the lake and arrive at the car park by the pond. From there, the trail crosses the road for approx. 150 metres and then takes a left turn onto a gravel path towards the holiday club. The route now climbs slightly to the crossroads, which you cross. The path leads through forest, later through meadows to the holiday club. The route leads downhill through the holiday club back to Maierhöfen.

Starting point: Sontheim’s Naturhotel & Spa
Elevation difference: 99 m
Altitude meters: 219 hm
Length: 7.00 km
Walking time: 3:00 h

The unique Eistobel nature reserve can be easily reached from Maierhöfen on hiking trails. If you take the road, you come to the 200-metre long Argentobel bridge, 2 kilometres away. From there, you can see over 50 metres down and hear into the ravine. Down there, the water cascades noisily down the rocks. A path leads into the ravine and 3 kilometres upstream, along an enchanting natural phenomenon and one of the most beautiful excursion destinations in the Allgäu.

Shady mixed forest lines the banks of the Argen. Upstream, you arrive at the first waterfall, which thunders into an emerald-green pool surrounded by rocks. A little further on, you come to the “Zwinger” – a maze of gigantic Nagelfluh rocks through which the entire river rushes. The next part of the Eistobel has an almost alpine character and shows hikers how thousands of years of erosion by the meltwater of the Rhine glacier have created the romantic ravine of the Eistobel.

The Eistobel is not only interesting for geologists, but also for animal and plant lovers. Rare animal and plant species are at home here and are waiting to be discovered.

To start this excursion in the Allgäu, turn left from the hotel towards Steinmetz and continue on the asphalt road towards the Argentobel bridge. Pass the ticket office and continue steeply downhill. At the bottom, you walk upstream on easy footpaths through a mixed forest. After approx. 15 minutes you reach a “Zwinger”, a collection of huge Nagelfluh rocks. From here, the path narrows; in places it has been blasted into the rock. The ravine now widens and is characterised by a high, yellow sandstone wall.

The subsequent Felsenklaue is easily accessible via a secured rocky path. The highest waterfall is soon reached. Above it, a footbridge leads to the other side of the river at a lofty height, allowing you to fully enjoy the magnificent scenery. After crossing the footbridge, keep left and walk first through the forest, then along the edge of the forest on a gravel track towards Riedholz from the state road/Eistobel. Cross the road in the direction of Steinmetz and follow the road back to the hotel.

Starting point: Sontheim’s Naturhotel & Spa
Elevation difference: 97 m
Altitude meters: 112 hm
Length: 4.7 km
Walking time: 1:30 h

The unique sculptures lining a circular route were created by 11 artists from the West Allgäu region. Direction Steinmetz Schrade along the stream. Later it also crosses the stream. It leads slightly uphill to the right through flowering meadows and forests. A beautiful view of the Allgäu, Austrian and Swiss mountains is guaranteed. Turn right at the crossroads and follow the gravel road, later the asphalt road in the direction of Maierhöfen back to the hotel.

Hiking maps and the overview map of the Allgäu hiking trilogy are available free of charge at the hotel.

An excursion destination in the Allgäu with a view of the Nagelfluh chain and Oberstdorf mountains.

Because of the forest, the track here is inaccurate, so just follow the path uphill to the top. Then continue along the ridge to the Iberg (view to the north, to the left the Eisobelbrücke). 250 metres before the Iberg, a narrow path leads to the Iberg as a shortcut. From there to the departure (a request to cyclists: please greet the hikers and don’t annoy them by cycling too fast). After the forest, a beautiful mountain view and alpine meadows await you.

The four Argental communities have published a new hiking map in a scale of 1:25,000, with hiking suggestions, elevation profile and UMT grid for GPS users, which can be obtained from the municipality and in some cases from local landlords. This allows you to set off comfortably for your excursions in the Allgäu.

In the guest offices in Röthenbach and Maierhöfe, the cycling map “Westallgäu-Bodensee” (scale 1: 50 000). A total of 11 selected routes are described there.

Winter excursions in the Allgäu

Snow-covered peaks and white frosted forests – enjoy this marvellous winter landscape in the West Allgäu.

Maybe you go snowshoe hiking or cross-country skiing? Well-maintained winter hiking trails and an extensive network of cross-country ski trails will fulfil every wish.

Alpine skiers will get their money’s worth at the Flucken and Iberg lifts. Sleigh lovers will find great toboggan slopes, where the whole family has great fun. Alpine skiers will get their money’s worth at the Flucken and Iberg lifts. Sleigh lovers will find great toboggan slopes, where the whole family has great fun.

These excursions in the Allgäu offer something for the whole family: Experience a winter fairy tale with thick snow-covered meadows and forests and the dreamlike view of the mountains.

Welcome to the Allgäu Winter!

Nature Hotel Allgäu - Wellness Hotel Sontheim

Culture and traditions

In the Westallgäu, life between tradition and modernity is not a contradiction.

Visit lovingly designed museums such as the German Hat Museum in Lindenberg or the Ski Museum on Oberreute. During your excursions in the Allgäu, experience the bonfire, where people bid farewell to winter, or the Viehscheid – the cattle drive in autumn. At many festivals you can hear the alphorn players or the music bands that provide atmospheric entertainment all year round.

Immerse yourself in the culture of the Westallgäu!

Maierhöfen is located in the middle of gently curved, wooded hills at the northern end of the Argental valley.

Meadows, pastures, and forests as well as numerous individual farms and small villages characterize the landscape around the Westallgäu village and invite you to extensive hikes in every season. The history of the Maierhöfer was already influenced by the immediate proximity to the Roman military road, and later by the bitter struggle of the peasants for their own parish.

Anyone who has Maierhöfer ancestors is of an unyielding, eager, and urbane character who always knew how to shape his future.

The Maierhöfer love music and dance. The traditional cultural heritage in its numerous facets is enthusiastically cared for and lived on.

For a long time now, agriculture and livestock farming have no longer been the main livelihood of the Maierhöfer. But it is a pillar and a tradition with commitment, and it is operated with a lot of love for nature.

One of the most popular excursion destinations in the Allgäu is the scenic 1069-meter-high Riedholzer Kugel. The nature reserve Eistobel is also unique.

When the cows are driven down from the mountain pastures to the village in September, the Maierhöfe Viehscheid festival is celebrated.
For three days, the village and the fairground are full of exuberance.

The cattle drive is the highlight of late summer in many Allgäu villages. The animals are lovingly decorated, with elaborate wreaths and large bells, and after the alpine summer they are led back to the stables in the valley. It is essential to be there once in this unforgettable experience.

Fire – signs of life between Christian faith and pre-Christian times – accompany the Allgäu through the first half of the year.

Just in time for the beginning of Lent, on the Sunday after the end of the carnival, sparking fires light up the night sky in many exposed places in the West Allgäu. The Alemannian custom from the grey past – symbolized by a straw witch – was intended to drive away evil spirits and ward them off.

Today, the spark fire is a sociable and visually appealing occasion. On top of that, it offers culinary delights in the form of sweet “Funke-Kiechla”, which simply belong to the spark fire. Without question one of the most beautiful destinations for excursions in the Allgäu!

Excursions in the Allgäu & surroundings

The leisure opportunities in the holiday region are almost inexhaustible. Whether a trip from the Allgäu to Lake Constance or to the royal castles to Füssen – there will certainly be no boredom here. Families with children can visit many attractions such as the Alpsee-Coaster or the Ravensburger Spieleland.

The high ropes course Kletterwald Bärenfalle has 14 different high ropes course with approx. 150 elements, which are installed in the trees between 1 and 15 meters in height.

Children  6 years old and up and a minimum height of 1.20 meters can climb in the high ropes course. The yellow, orange, and green courses are specially designed to meet the needs of the little ones. Additionally, children up to the age of 14 need to be accompanied by an adult who pays extra attention to safety during the visit to the high ropes course.

Captain Bluebear’s adventure ride

Everything OK on the boat? Well, then it can start. The incredible ride on the Blue Bear Fleet is one of the most beautiful excursion destinations in the Allgäu for children. People are lying like crazy here. So don’t be surprised if your boat suddenly sails past the island of the tea bag Indians or you come across wandering lighthouses in a cave.

Fix & Foxi excavator pit

Here children’s dreams come true: 10 original Komatsu construction site excavators are available in the large gravel pit. After a short briefing, young and old builders can shovel for all they’re worth, either alone or in pairs.

This is where the action is. On the approx. 3 km long course with its 68 bends in the downhill track, 23 waves, 7 jumps, 4 bridges over paths, ravines and streams, you can sometimes hear a loud cheer when someone expresses their feelings simply for the fun of it.

The thrill of the rapid descent on the route, which is open all year round, lasts six to ten minutes. Kids of all ages are thrilled by the crazy route.

The stilt houses open-air museum is organised with families and children in mind and has always been one of the most popular excursion destinations in the Allgäu.

During guided tours and activity programs at the museum by Lake Constance, special attention is paid to children. Accurate replicas of objects from thousands of years ago can be touched for a better understanding

The circular paths are accessible with strollers. Rest areas and even a diaper-changing room are available.

The living museum for the whole family.

Spend wonderful hours with your family in Germany’s open-air museum at the highest altitude.
Take a journey back in time into the hard life and work of the mountain farmers.

There is no boredom in the mountain farming museum in Diepolz. The children let off steam in the playgrounds, hop in the haystack or stroke animals. Guided tours, action days or courses for butter, felting and beekeepers are offered.

Naturhotel & Spa Sontheim - Wellness Hotel Allgäu