Explore Kempten by bike

There are 155 bicycle parking spaces in the immediate vicinity of the railway station.

Leave the railway station via Ostbahnhofstraße, Schumacher- and Adenauerring.

Then head towards the Iller. It is a good 2 kilometres walk to the bike hire, but the walk along the banks of the Iller makes up for it with beautiful views of the city.

In the mountainous landscape around Kempten, it's easy to get out of breath on a bike. That's why "bikecheckpoint" offers e-bikes for hire. From €45 per day, anyone can get the necessary tailwind. Repairs are also carried out.

The new shop is located at
Brodkorbweg 10
87437 Kempten
Tel.: 0831 93065830

E-bike hire is still located at
Weidacherweg 104
87437 Kempten
Tel.: 0151 59466645
Rental pick-up: Fridays until 6 pm
Return option: Sunday at 7 pm

From the bike checkpoint, cycle along the other side of the Iller.

You will soon reach the old town centre of Kempten.

Kempten's town hall stretches along the former market square. The building with the white façade was erected in 1474, but was subsequently remodelled several times. In the Middle Ages, the three-storey building was used as a court and town council building, among other things. The stepped gable on the east side is worth seeing. Above it are the coats of arms of former patrician families. Today, the mayor of Kempten is based in the town hall, as is the town council. In front of the building is a market fountain from the 17th century.

You can even push your bike to the next attraction, as it is only about 300 metres from the town hall.

St Mang's is the oldest church in Kempten. Large parts of the building date back to the 15th century and from 1527 it was the centre of the reformed church in the area around Kempten. The present appearance of the church is the result of a remodelling in rococo style in the 18th century. The church's greatest treasure is the high altar, which has stood there since 1906. It received a gold medal at the World Exhibition in Chicago in 1893, was then purchased by a wealthy Kempten manufacturer and installed in St. Mang. The richly decorated mayor's lodge is also a beautiful sight. St Mang's is one of the two most important churches in Kempten, which was a divided city until 1818. The rivals were the Catholic-dominated collegiate town of Kempten with its basilica of St. Lawrence as the spiritual centre and the secular-oriented imperial city of Kempten with St. Mang.

You now cycle over the Iller bridge and then a short distance along the river.

You pass the Engelhalde landscape park, a green area with a small pond.

The little river that winds first to the right and later to the left of the path is the Bachtelbach. It flows through the Bachtelweiher, a small recreational area on the outskirts of the town.

The pond was created in the 13th century by the Kempten prince abbey at the foot of the Lenzfrieder ridge for carp farming. It was also used to operate the Bachtelmühle mill. However, this has long been history. Today, the pond is a popular excursion destination. It is home to the "Bachtelweiher Garden" with a mini golf course, petting zoo, beer garden, café and restaurant. There is also a bathing area. To the south-east of the lake is a wetland biotope with meadows and woods. The lake and its surroundings can be explored on a circular trail.

This stage is partly steeply uphill. From the village of Hochstraß, you can take a breather and let your gaze wander over Kempten and the Allgäu Alps.

You pass through Leubas, a village that was completely burnt down during a battle in the course of the Peasants' War in 1525.

A little later, you cross the Leubas River, where the fighting took place. It nestles in a wooded area. You follow it until you reach the village of Heising and a little later turn into the small town. Your next destination is at the northern end of the village: the "Sieben Schwaben" inn.

Even the façade of this rustic inn makes you want to stop for a bite to eat. Inside the rustically furnished restaurant, home-style cooking is served. With "Allgäu schnitzel with cheese breading and chips", "crusty roast" or "seven Swabian pots" with homemade spaetzle and medallions of beef or pork, even the hungriest cyclists will be satisfied. The prices are moderate.

The route from Heising back to Leubas is the same as the approach route. Shortly before the river, however, continue to the right.

Many smaller and larger highlights await you on the route. You cross under a railway viaduct, pass an old pumping station, a former flour mill and the Mühlbach canal. You follow the Leubas until it flows into the Iller. This river now becomes your temporary companion.

Steep rock faces occasionally rise up on the banks opposite the cycle path. Shortly after Neuhausen in the village of Heiligkreuz, it is worth taking a look at the church of the same name, which used to be a place of pilgrimage due to a "miracle of blood".

However, you should not miss out on a visit to the St Lorenz Basilica in Kempten. It is a landmark of the town.

The basilica with its two onion domes owes its existence to a catastrophe. When the previous building and the associated monastery were destroyed by the Swedes and citizens of the imperial city during the Thirty Years' War, the then prince abbot of the Benedictine monastery commissioned the construction of a new monastery, residence and church. The foundation stone for the first baroque monastery complex in Germany was laid in 1652. Until its secularisation in 1802, St. Lawrence was both a collegiate and parish church. A fence separated the two areas: the choir was reserved for the convent, the nave for the people.

Worth seeing inside are the numerous altars, the sculptural stucco work and the elaborately carved choir stalls. The state rooms of the neighbouring residence can be visited on a guided tour. Visitors are given an insight into the life of the former prince abbots. In addition to the living and sleeping quarters, the banqueting hall and the opulent throne room are also on display.

The Fürstäbtliche Residenz also has a baroque courtyard garden, which is a popular meeting place in Kempten.

You have to push your bike in the park, but it's worth the effort. The splendour of the flowers changes depending on the season. At the northern end of the garden is an orangery castle, which once housed delicate plants. Today, the building houses the municipal library.

The park is on the way to the cycle hire centre and offers the perfect setting for a last rest before the journey home. Whether on a bench or on the lawn, you will find relaxation and beautiful photo opportunities here.