Gießen: Culture, Art Trail and Nature
Accommodation in Gießen
Gießen combines cultural attractions in the city with routes through the countryside and activities in the wider GießenerLand region. When looking for a hotel or other accommodation, it is helpful to first consider whether your stay will focus mainly on places in Gießen itself or also include excursions in the region. In the city, the exhibition, Botanical Garden and art trail take centre stage; GießenerLand adds regional nature and outdoor activities to the mix.
Culture and gardens in Gießen
The Notaufnahmelager Gießen learning and remembrance centre houses an exhibition that opened in June 2025 about flight, arrival and new beginnings. It connects personal stories with broader historical contexts. In doing so, it focuses on individual experiences and their place in history. The Botanical Garden of Justus Liebig University Giessen offers a different subject: it is Germany’s oldest university botanical garden, and parts of its original layout are still part of the grounds today. The exhibition and garden represent different highlights of the city’s programme.
Art trail and routes through the countryside
The 7.2-kilometre art trail starts at Ludwigsplatz and passes through the Philosophikum I and II campus areas, which feature the Gießen Art Trail. Passing the edge of the Law and Science campus area, it continues to the Luther Oak and the Old Cemetery; the route then returns to its starting point at the Dachcafé tower block. The campus areas and named destinations are linked along a single suggested route.
The “Quellmoor bei Rödgen” walk focuses on nature: it leads into the Aschborn and Uderborn nature reserve between Gießen and Rödgen. There, the Aschborn and Uderborn springs emerge and form a spring fen of national significance. Nearby, a signposted circular trail of about 2.7 kilometres runs through the Bergwerkswald nature reserve. The two distances differ considerably: the art trail is longer at 7.2 kilometres, while the Bergwerkswald circular trail is shorter at about 2.7 kilometres.
GießenerLand as a regional destination for excursions
As a leisure region, GießenerLand encompasses all 18 municipalities in the district of Gießen. It is part of Hesse’s low mountain regions and is characterised by fields, traditional orchards, forests and rivers and streams. This means a stay can take in a diverse landscape beyond the city’s attractions.
The Lahn in GießenerLand is used for canoeing and kayaking. Cyclists can choose from seven well-signposted leisure cycling routes; the regional offering also includes the 60-kilometre “Römer-Residenzen-Reformatoren” themed e-bike route. The hiking network comprises around 1,000 kilometres of routes. The Lahnwanderweg runs for more than 290 kilometres through the Lahn Valley, with one section passing through GießenerLand. Water sports, cycling and hiking therefore offer different ways to explore the region.
Getting here and finding accommodation
Gießen railway station is an important point of reference for getting here: it is the central railway hub for GießenerLand and has long-distance rail connections. More than 40 bus routes serve the region within GießenerLand. Check the relevant connections and journey times for your specific destinations.
Discover more travel destinations: Wettenberg, Kassel Region, Lahn-Dill District, Hersfeld-Rotenburg, Marburg-Biedenkopf, Schwalm-Eder District, Limburg-Weilburg, Main-Taunus.
Go to the main travel overview: Hesse.
