Steingaden: Cross-country skiing and culture
Accommodation in Steingaden
Steingaden combines winter cross-country skiing with cultural and religious places to visit. The cross-country tracks are seasonal; conditions and grooming may vary.
Cross-country skiing: classic or skating
A trail for classic cross-country skiing starts at Grubfeldweg and leads via Lauterbach, Deutensee and Maderbichl back to Steingaden. Other routes are described for skating: From Gagras, one route runs via Litzau to the skating loop in Langau near the Wieskirche. An additional, shorter skating loop starts at Kissingerfeld. The stated differences are therefore the technique, starting point and route. Check winter conditions and the state of the tracks before setting out for a day of cross-country skiing.
Four interactive themed trails lead to special places and share interesting facts about Steingaden’s monastery history, the Brettleweg and the Wieskirche. A Locandy mixed-reality guide accompanies the trails; check whether the guide is currently working before your tour. Alongside the cross-country tracks, these trails offer another option, focusing on local history and the destinations mentioned.
Welfenmünster, Wieskirche and Monastery Garden
The Welfenmünster, the former monastery church in Steingaden, combines artistic and architectural periods from Romanesque to modern. Its architectural features include a Gothic cloister. The Wieskirche is in the Wies district near Steingaden. Dominikus Zimmermann built it as a Rococo church between 1745 and 1754; it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. The Wieskirche welcomes visitors to church services and, in summer, to listen to concerts. If you want to plan your trip around a specific date, check the current schedule.
At the St. Johannes Monastery Garden, medicinal plants can be experienced with all the senses; the garden also includes a Gothic labyrinth. This offers a different focus from the churches and themed trails: here, the garden and plants take centre stage, while the trails share interesting facts about the monastery’s history, the Brettleweg and the Wieskirche.
Festivals and recurring traditions
Dates of traditional customs can also be important when planning. On Corpus Christi, a traditional procession takes place through the streets of the former monastery village of Steingaden after the festive service at the Welfenmünster. Every year on Whit Monday, the traditional costume association of the Oberer Lechgauverband holds a pilgrimage to the miraculous image of the Scourged Saviour at the Wies. Afterwards, the Wies traditional costume association and marksmen invite pilgrims and visitors to a garden festival.
On 1 May, a blue-and-white painted maypole decorated with figures representing tradition and crafts is erected in Steingaden. A May festival with music and dancing follows. If a festival is the reason for your trip, plan around its scheduled date. For a winter stay, you can first consider whether classic cross-country skiing, one of the skating loops or the cultural attractions will shape your visit.
Discover more destinations: Wildsteig, Steingädele, Urspring, Prem, Peißenberg, Bernbeuren, Hohenpeißenberg, Habach.
Back to the broader travel overview: Weilheim-Schongau.
