In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
Around 335 kilometres from Bamberg's island town past the limestone cliffs of the Wiesent and Püttlach, through Nuremberg and the Roman country around Weißenburg into the Altmühl Valley and on to the Danube Gorge at Weltenburg: a route of short stages on which the canoe often covers more kilometres than the motorhome.
The spirit of the route
This route runs beneath rock. In Franconian Switzerland dolomite pinnacles stand in the middle of villages, castles cling to cliff edges, and stalactite caves open out of the karst slopes, staying cool even in August. In the evening the air smells of wood smoke from the beer cellars, and through the open sliding door you hear the Wiesent rushing over the weirs. Further south it gets quieter: the Altmühl flows so lazily that you hardly need to paddle a Canadian canoe, juniper heaths stretch across the white slopes, and in the quarries around Solnhofen lie the imprints of fish and dragonflies from the Jurassic sea. In between come half-timbered houses, Baroque churches, breweries with their own cellars and pitches right on the water. At the end a boat carries you through the Weltenburg Gorge, where the Danube squeezes between vertical limestone walls – a calm finish to a journey that lives at the pace of the river.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Bamberg to Ebermannstadt (approx. 45 km)
- The drive
- From Bamberg take the A73 south to Forchheim, then the B470 into the Wiesent Valley. The motorway is straightforward and the B470 from Forchheim is well built, but at weekends it is busy with motorcyclists and day-trippers. Beyond Forchheim the table mountain Ehrenbürg (Walberla) closes in on the left, the valley narrows, and the first rocks begin at Ebermannstadt. Pure driving time is about 45 minutes; the day belongs to Bamberg.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Bamberg old town (UNESCO World Heritage Site): the Old Town Hall in the middle of the Regnitz, Little Venice with its fishermen's houses, and Cathedral Hill with the Imperial Cathedral, the Bamberg Horseman and the rose garden of the New Residence.
- Smoked beer (Rauchbier) at the Schlenkerla or one of the other Bamberg brewery inns – the city has one of the highest densities of breweries in Germany.
- Ehrenbürg (Walberla) near Kirchehrenbach, a short detour off the B470: a short, steep climb up the table mountain with views over the Regnitz and Wiesent valleys.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Ebermannstadt the Rothenbühl campsite lies on the edge of town by the Wiesent, with electric hook-up, sanitary facilities and service point; ask in advance about season and availability for visitors, as part of the site is taken by permanent campers. Right in town there is the small Stellplatz at the Upper Gate (Oberes Tor) for a night close to the old town; check the facilities on site. If you stay in Bamberg: the Heinrichsdamm motorhome Stellplatz run by the municipal utilities is about a 20-minute walk from the island town, with electricity and water charged by consumption (current tariffs from Stadtwerke Bamberg); a second Stellplatz is at the Bambados indoor pool.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Bamberg and the towns in the Wiesent Valley have their own Stellplätze, so there is little reason for wild camping. On public car parks a single night in the vehicle without camping behaviour is generally tolerated, but at the walkers' car parks around the Ehrenbürg and at the beer cellars overnighting is often ruled out by signs. The Ehrenbürg is a nature reserve – no camping, no fires.
- Insider tip for campers
- Do not drive into Bamberg's island town: narrow lanes, residents-only zones and multi-storey car parks with height limits. From Heinrichsdamm you walk over the Regnitz bridges into the old town. Bamberg has no low-emission zone. For the evening choose a beer cellar rather than the old town: many cellars in Forchheim and the surrounding area open only in good weather, and the Forchheim Annafest at the end of July fills the whole region – book Stellplätze in advance then.
2Stage 2: Ebermannstadt to Pottenstein (approx. 30 km)
- The drive
- On the B470 follow the Wiesent upstream through Streitberg and Muggendorf to the Sachsenmühle and Behringersmühle, then uphill to Gößweinstein and down into the Püttlach Valley via Tüchersfeld to Pottenstein. The valley road is wide enough but winding, with poor visibility at rocky projections; the main street through Gößweinstein is steep and narrow, with traffic looking for parking at weekends. Just under an hour of pure driving time, a full day with the cave and the castle.
- Highlights & must-sees
- The Binghöhle in Streitberg, a stalactite cave with guided tours, and opposite it the ruined Neideck Castle, the landmark of the Wiesent Valley.
- Gößweinstein: pilgrimage basilica designed by Balthasar Neumann, above it the castle and the viewing rock with views into the Wiesent and Ailsbach valleys.
- Tüchersfeld, the rock village: half-timbered houses between two dolomite pinnacles, with the Franconian Switzerland Museum in the Judenhof; shortly after, the Teufelshöhle near Pottenstein with a guided tour through large stalactite halls.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Pottenstein has several options: the “Am Langen Berg” motorhome park about one kilometre outside town, above the village in the industrial estate, with around 50 pitches and service facilities (registration via the Campingplatz Fränkische Schweiz), the Berner-Hof Stellplatz in Prüllsbirkig with about 10 pitches and service point, or the campsites in the Püttlach Valley – Campingplatz Fränkische Schweiz near Tüchersfeld, Feriencampingplatz Bärenschlucht between Tüchersfeld and Pottenstein and Campingplatz Jurahöhe on the plateau above, each with electric hook-up and sanitary facilities. Check season dates in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The town of Pottenstein also designates the Weihersbachtal walkers' car park on the B470 for motorhomes – without service facilities; observe the current signage on site. This is the legal alternative to parking at cave and castle car parks. A climbing and nature conservation concept applies on the rocks of Franconian Switzerland; farm tracks and woodland edges are off limits to motor vehicles.
- Insider tip for campers
- Paddling on the Wiesent is only allowed from 1 May to 30 September, between 9 am and 5 pm, and from the Sachsenmühle until 6 pm; only in the direction of flow, side channels are closed, and stand-up paddling is prohibited. Hire companies in Muggendorf and Behringersmühle take you back to your vehicle. On Sundays and public holidays in season the Dampfbahn Fränkische Schweiz steam railway runs between Ebermannstadt and Behringersmühle – a good combination with a paddling or walking tour; check the timetable in advance. In Gößweinstein do not drive into the centre but park on the edge of town.
3Stage 3: Pottenstein to Nürnberg (approx. 60 km)
- The drive
- Over the plateau to Betzenstein and Gräfenberg, then on the B2 through the Schwabach Valley southwards and into eastern Nuremberg. First the quiet Jura plateau with juniper and pines, from Gräfenberg heavier traffic, and the last kilometres are city driving. About 1.25 hours. Alternatively, faster via the B470 to Pegnitz and the A9.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Betzenstein with its castle and the deep well in the village centre, a quiet stop on the plateau.
- Nuremberg Imperial Castle above the old town with views across the rooftops, below it the Albrecht Dürer House at the Tiergärtnertor.
- The former Nazi Party Rally Grounds at the Dutzendteich with the Congress Hall and the Zeppelin Tribune; the Documentation Centre has reopened since May 2026 after about five years of refurbishment, with the new permanent exhibition “Nuremberg and the Nazi Party Rallies” (official opening in November 2026) – check opening times in advance.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Knaus Campingpark Nürnberg at the Dutzendteich near the stadium and exhibition centre, with electric hook-up, sanitary facilities and service point, well connected to public transport. The city also designates motorhome Stellplätze at the Wöhrder See (close to the old town), at the Dutzendteich and at the Volkspark Marienberg; check facilities, fees and length of stay on the city's website.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Nuremberg has enough legal Stellplätze, but on trade-fair days, at major events at the stadium and during the Christkindlesmarkt they fill up quickly. Wild overnighting in residential areas and in supermarket car parks regularly causes trouble here – at those times plan for a booked pitch.
- Insider tip for campers
- Nuremberg has no low-emission zone (as of 2026), so you do not need a sticker here. Even so, do not drive into the old town: pedestrian zones, narrow lanes and multi-storey car parks with height limits. From the Dutzendteich and the Wöhrder See you reach the centre by tram, bus or on foot. Before continuing into the Altmühl Valley, fill up with gas, diesel and supplies in Nuremberg – in the valleys the choice is thinner.
4Stage 4: Nürnberg to Pappenheim (approx. 75 km)
- The drive
- On the B2 south via Schwabach and Roth, past the Franconian Lake District to Weißenburg and on to Treuchtlingen, where you reach the Altmühl; the last kilometres are in the valley to Pappenheim. Federal road, mostly well built, local traffic in Weißenburg and Treuchtlingen. About 1.25 hours of pure driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Weißenburg in Bayern: Roman Baths and the reconstructed North Gate of the Biriciana fort on the Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site; also the Roman Museum in the old town.
- The Ellingen Residence of the Teutonic Order, a few kilometres north of Weißenburg right on the route.
- Pappenheim in the Altmühl loop with the castle on its rocky spur and the view from the castle hill over the river bend.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Naturcamping Pappenheim right on the Altmühl, with electric hook-up, sanitary facilities and a canoe launch; next to it the small Pappenheim motorhome Stellplatz. If you need more space and infrastructure, stay at the large motorhome Stellplatz at the Kurpark in Treuchtlingen within walking distance of the Altmühltherme, with electricity and waste disposal; check fees and season on site.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The Altmühltal Nature Park is protected by regulation: motor vehicles may neither drive nor be parked outside roads, tracks and designated areas, and tents may only be pitched on officially approved sites. Riverside meadows and farm tracks along the Altmühl are therefore off limits to campers. Boat tourers will find their own tent and boat rest site in Treuchtlingen.
- Insider tip for campers
- You reach Weißenburg on the B2 without a detour; park at the edge of the old town, not in the narrow lanes inside the town wall. In Treuchtlingen the thermal spa makes a good bad-weather alternative. In summer a detour to the Brombachsee near Pleinfeld is worthwhile – but the bathing beaches are crowded on hot weekends.
5Stage 5: Pappenheim to Eichstätt (approx. 35 km)
- The drive
- Downstream through the narrow Altmühl Valley via Solnhofen and Dollnstein to Eichstätt, on the valley road beneath pale rocks and juniper slopes. Narrow, winding state road with short pinch points in the villages, little traffic during the week. Around 45 minutes of driving time – the day belongs to the canoe or the fossils.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Twelve Apostles (Zwölf Apostel): a row of free-standing dolomite rocks above the Altmühl near Solnhofen, visible from the river and from the footpath above.
- Bürgermeister-Müller-Museum in Solnhofen with fossils from the Solnhofen limestone, including finds of the primeval bird Archaeopteryx; in the village centre the remains of the Sola Basilica.
- Eichstätt: the cathedral with the Pappenheim Altar, the Baroque Residenzplatz and the Willibaldsburg with the Bastion Garden above the town.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: The Eichstätt motorhome Stellplatz lies on the Schottenwiese by the Altmühl south-east of the old town, about a quarter of an hour on foot from the cathedral, with around 70 pitches, electricity, water, waste disposal and a sanitary container (closed in winter). On the way: the Hammermühle leisure complex between Solnhofen and Dollnstein with a campsite and its own Stellplatz area, and the Dollnstein campsite right on the river – both classic starting points for canoe tours. Check fees and season in advance.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): As throughout the nature park, overnighting outside Stellplätze and campsites on the Altmühl banks, at quarries and at walkers' car parks is not permitted; the density of legal sites is so high that the risk is not worth it.
- Insider tip for campers
- The classic canoe stretch is Dollnstein–Eichstätt, a good 20 river kilometres and a relaxed day. The Altmühl can be navigated all year round, motorboats are prohibited; weirs are passed via boat chutes or by portaging. Hire companies offer return transport, and you leave the motorhome at the Stellplatz. For fossils there are visitor quarries, for example at the Blumenberg near Eichstätt and at Mörnsheim, where you may hunt for yourself for a fee – in the working quarries of the area this is prohibited. The Jura Museum in the Willibaldsburg with fossils from the plattenkalk is open Tuesday to Sunday; check opening times in advance.
6Stage 6: Eichstätt to Riedenburg (approx. 65 km)
- The drive
- Continue in the Altmühl Valley via Pfünz and Kipfenberg to Kinding and Beilngries, then to Dietfurt, where the Main-Danube Canal enters the valley and the Altmühl becomes a waterway, and on to Riedenburg. Wide valley roads, few gradients, running briefly parallel to the A9 between Kipfenberg and Beilngries. A good 1.25 hours of pure driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Kipfenberg: the castle above the village, the Römer und Bajuwaren Museum and a reconstructed Limes watchtower; nearby the geographical centre of Bavaria.
- Beilngries with its town towers and the Main-Danube Canal on the edge of town; from Dietfurt excursion boats and cargo ships travel in the valley.
- Riedenburg with three castles above the town, including the Rosenburg with its falconry and flying displays, plus the Crystal Museum.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: The Riedenburg motorhome Stellplatz lies on the Main-Danube Canal near the town, with around 80 pitches, electricity, water and waste disposal, open all year; closed during festivals and major events, fees on site. Halfway along, Azur Camping Altmühltal in Kipfenberg offers a large campsite with electric hook-up, sanitary facilities and a boat hire nearby; at the Kratzmühlsee near Kinding there is another campsite with bathing.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): From Dietfurt the Altmühl is a federal waterway; the banks and towpaths along the canal are not places to park, and stopping is prohibited at the locks. For a night on the way use the Stellplätze in Dietfurt or Riedenburg.
- Insider tip for campers
- Paddling is mainly worthwhile above Dietfurt; on the canal stretch you share the water with commercial shipping. The Altmühltal cycle path runs almost level through the valley – a bicycle on the rear carrier opens up castles and villages without moving the motorhome. In Riedenburg plan the flying displays at the Rosenburg for the morning or early afternoon; check times in advance.
7Stage 7: Riedenburg to Kelheim and Weltenburg Abbey (by boat) (approx. 25 km)
- The drive
- Along the canal past Prunn Castle to Essing and on to Kelheim, where the Altmühl and the Danube meet. Well built, flat valley road, about 30 minutes. To reach Weltenburg Abbey you take the excursion boat from Kelheim through the Danube Gorge – the motorhome stays at the Stellplatz.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Prunn Castle high on a limestone rock above the valley, where a famous manuscript of the Nibelungenlied was found; tours in season through the Bavarian Palace Administration.
- Essing with the wooden footbridge “Tatzlwurm” over the canal, one of the longest wooden bridges in Europe, and the ruined Randeck Castle above it.
- The Liberation Hall (Befreiungshalle) on the Michelsberg above Kelheim, and below it a boat trip through the Weltenburg Gorge to Weltenburg Abbey with the Asam Church and the abbey brewery.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Motorhome Stellplatz at the Pflegerspitz in Kelheim, right where the Altmühl joins the Danube and a few minutes from the old town and the boat landing stage, with around 45 pitches, electricity, water and waste disposal. A campsite with a farm character is in Kelheim-Herrnsaal, east of the town.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The Danube Gorge is a nature reserve, and the bank between Kelheim and Weltenburg is closed to vehicles. Overnighting is also not permitted at the Befreiungshalle and at the car parks near Weltenburg. With the Stellplatz at the Pflegerspitz you have the legal solution in the best location.
- Insider tip for campers
- The boats to Weltenburg run from roughly March to November; in high or low water the service is cancelled – check the timetable for the current year. Going upstream to the abbey the boats take considerably longer than on the way back. A nice combination: out by boat, back on foot along the path through the woods above the gorge (about 2–3 hours); for this you cross the Danube at Weltenburg on the small ferry, whose operation is also seasonal. The approach to Prunn Castle is narrow and steep – with large vehicles it is better to park in the valley and walk up. If you are continuing to Regensburg: there a low-emission zone applies to the old town between the Alleengürtel and the Danube, and a green sticker is required.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Legally, Germany distinguishes between parking and camping: a single night in the vehicle on a public car park to restore your fitness to drive is tolerated, provided no sign prohibits it. As soon as you make yourself at home – awning, furniture, support legs, barbecue or several nights – it counts as camping and is not permitted outside approved sites.
- The regulation for the Altmühltal Nature Park prohibits driving or parking motor vehicles outside roads, tracks or designated areas, and allows tents only on officially approved sites. This includes riverside meadows, farm and forest tracks and quarry access roads. In Franconian Switzerland nature reserves (for example at the Ehrenbürg) and the Bavarian Forest Act apply in the same way.
- For boat tourers: overnight only at tent and boat rest sites and campsites, not on the bank. On the Wiesent paddling is limited by season and time (1 May to 30 September, 9 am to 5 pm, from the Sachsenmühle until 6 pm), on the Altmühl it is allowed all year, but without a motor.
- The region is densely served with municipal and private Stellplätze, often on the river or at breweries. Current information is available from park4night, Campercontact, Stellplatz.info and on the municipalities' websites; the Altmühltal Nature Park lists Stellplätze and campsites in the valley.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Service points with electricity and water charged by consumption are offered by, among others, the Stellplätze Heinrichsdamm in Bamberg, Am Langen Berg in Pottenstein, Eichstätt, Riedenburg and Kelheim-Pflegerspitz. In the side valleys of Franconian Switzerland stations are rarer – check your tanks before Gößweinstein and Pottenstein.
- The whole route lies on karstified Jurassic limestone: whatever ends up on the ground seeps quickly into the groundwater and the springs without any filtering effect. Grey water and cassette contents therefore belong exclusively in the disposal station, even small amounts.
- Tap water is drinkable everywhere. Do not, however, drink karst springs, fountains at pilgrimage sites or water at cemeteries without checking; observe the notices.
- Gas: grey exchange cylinders are available at petrol stations, DIY stores and many campsites; foreign cylinders are not exchanged. Refillable cylinders and permanently installed gas tanks are filled at LPG filling stations with an ACME connector. In Bamberg, Nuremberg and the Ingolstadt area such filling stations are more common than in the valleys – fill up in advance there.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits: motorhomes up to 3.5 t count as cars – 50 km/h in built-up areas, 100 km/h on country roads, and on the motorway the recommended speed of 130 km/h. Over 3.5 t up to 7.5 t, 80 km/h is allowed outside built-up areas and 100 km/h on the motorway, over 7.5 t 60 and 80 km/h respectively. Caravan combinations may drive at most 80 km/h, and 100 km/h on the motorway only with the appropriate approval. On the valley roads of the Wiesent and Altmühl lower limits apply in sections, and motorcycle routes are policed.
- Low-emission zones: as of 2026 there are none on this route – neither Bamberg nor Nuremberg, Eichstätt or Kelheim has one. If you arrive via or continue to Regensburg, Augsburg or Munich, you will need the green sticker there; the current list is kept by the Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt).
- Tolls: there is no vignette for motorhomes in Germany; the Toll Collect HGV toll applies to goods vehicles over 3.5 t, and vehicles registered as motorhomes are generally exempt. If you have a lorry registration or a very heavy vehicle, clarify in advance – this also applies to the lorry driving ban on Sundays and public holidays.
- Dimensions and pinch points: Bamberg's island town, Gößweinstein, Pottenstein and the old towns of Weißenburg and Eichstätt have narrow passages, residents-only zones and multi-storey car parks with height limits; small Altmühl bridges may have weight or width restrictions. Observe the signs and, if in doubt, park on the edge of town.
- Winter: in snow, ice or slippery conditions tyres with the Alpine symbol are required; on the Jura plateau between Pottenstein, Betzenstein and Gräfenberg it freezes earlier than in the valleys. Drink-driving limit: 0.5 per mille, zero for novice drivers and under-21s – after the beer cellar it is better to stay overnight. Mobile phone only with a hands-free kit. Bicycle carriers must not cover the number plate or lights.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- A waterproof dry bag and a life jacket in your own size – hire companies supply boats, but on the Wiesent and Altmühl a well-fitting jacket of your own is more comfortable, and phone, keys and papers stay dry.
- Geologist's hammer, flat chisel and safety goggles for the visitor quarries near Eichstätt and Mörnsheim; also newspaper and a sturdy box so the limestone slabs reach the motorhome intact.
- Fleece jacket and sturdy shoes for the stalactite caves: in the Teufelshöhle and the Binghöhle it stays cool and damp all year round, and the paths are partly slippery.
- Bicycles on the rear carrier – the Altmühltal cycle path runs almost level through the valley and links Stellplätze, castles and boat hire companies, so the motorhome can stay put for days.
- Mosquito repellent and mosquito nets for the sliding door and roof vent: Stellplätze on the Altmühl and the canal lie right by the water, and on warm summer nights the mosquitoes come out early.
- Small change and cash for electricity posts, water machines and beer cellars, many of which do not take cards.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
