Freising: Cathedral Hill, Art and the Amper Valley
Accommodation in Freising
Freising brings together the Amper Valley, historic buildings, art venues and gardens. When planning your visit, you can choose from circular walks and a pilgrimage route, the Old Town and Cathedral Hill, as well as exhibitions and green spaces. The specific route lengths and seasonal visiting options help you fit different activities into your schedule.
The Amper Valley and nearby routes
The Amper Valley in the Freising district is designated a landscape conservation area and is used for hiking and cycling. It is home to numerous animal and plant species that warrant special protection. These include four of the 16 dragonfly species considered endangered in Bavaria. Nature conservation and recreation therefore share the same landscape.
For a circular walk in Freising, the 13.5-kilometre Culture & Nature route takes in important sights. The approximately 11-kilometre Way of St James pilgrimage route has a different focus: it begins on Freising’s Cathedral Hill and serves as a northeastern feeder route to the Munich Way of St James. The route lengths and purposes provide a guide for planning your day, while making clear that the two routes are not the same kind of excursion.
A 2021 announcement about the district’s cycling map mentions the entire local cycling network, as well as the Isar Cycle Path, the four-star-rated Ammer-Amper Cycle Path and around 20 suggested cycling tours. This information refers to the map announcement at the time; check current route information before setting out.
Cathedral Hill, the Old Town and local history
Around Marienplatz are burghers’ and cathedral canons’ houses dating from the Gothic to the Baroque periods. The Marienplatz is also home to the Marian column, built in 1674. Notable features of Freising Cathedral include its crypt and the Beast Column. The historic buildings offer different points of interest for a walk through the city.
The City Museum presents around 350 selected objects and groups of objects relating to Freising’s history. For those more interested in the city’s layout, a tactile bronze model of Cathedral Hill and the Old Town can be found beside a fountain on Untere Hauptstraße. Sights and streets are labelled in both standard lettering and Braille.
Services at the cathedral feature choral, brass, orchestral and organ music. In addition, the cathedral music ensembles hold a concert series in the churches on Cathedral Hill. As specific concert dates may change, it is advisable to check the schedule before your visit.
Art and gardens in Weihenstephan
Schafhof is a contemporary art centre in Upper Bavaria, with year-round exhibitions featuring works by international and local artists. The annual Johannis Market and an Advent market are also held there. Selected craftspeople present high-quality one-of-a-kind pieces at these markets.
The Weihenstephan Art Trail crosses the campus, passing almost 30 contemporary works by regionally and internationally acclaimed artists. It comprises two circular walks, each lasting a little over an hour. You can factor the time needed for both walks into your day’s plans.
The Weihenstephan Gardens are located on the grounds of a former Benedictine monastery and are maintained by the Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences. A viewing terrace in the courtyard garden offers a view of the Alpine panorama. The five-hectare trial garden for perennials and woody plants assesses the practical value of perennials, woody plants and new rose varieties. Check the current access conditions before visiting the gardens.
More destinations and seasonal information
If you’re looking for your own circular walk in a green setting, the Freising Forest has a nature trail of around two kilometres. The route includes 23 stations with information boards, information and activities. A seasonal viewing opportunity is the tower of St George’s Church: its viewing platform is about 45 metres high, and information about climbing the tower lists May to October as a possible visiting period. Check current access arrangements before your visit.
A seasonal notice dated 23 April 2026 describes the leisure bus as connecting visitors with destinations in the Freising district and as an environmentally friendly way to reach cycling tours, hikes and day trips. Check the current route and dates before departure. The Weihenstephan State Brewery offers brewery tours, a small brewery museum and the adjoining BraustĂĽberl Weihenstephan. The brewery is considered the oldest still in operation in the world; check the latest information on tours and dining before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Moosburg an der Isar, Langenbach, Ostallgäu, Straubing-Bogen, Main-Spessart, Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen, Fürstenfeldbruck District, Rosenheim.
Go to the main travel overview: Bavaria.
