The Via Claudia Augusta is an ancient Roman road that ran from the Adriatic region across the Alps to the Danube. Today – over 2000 years later – the Via Claudia Augusta is a popular holiday route that has a lot to offer, especially for holidaymakers interested in history and cuisine.
In the first two centuries after the birth of Christ, the Via Claudia Augusta was the most important connection between the Adriatic / Po Valley and the western foothills of the Alps. It was built around 15 BC. The Alpine route, which was particularly important for the Roman imperial post, was begun and completed under Emperor Augustus under Emperor Claudius. Later, when new roads were built across the Alps, the Via Claudia Augusta lost some of its importance and at some point it was almost forgotten. In the middle of the last century it was finally revitalized as a tourist attraction and today the street is very popular, especially with holidaymakers interested in history and cuisine. It is often used to cross the Alps by bicycle, but can also be traveled by car, motorhome or even the classic way by horse-drawn carriage or on foot.
The Bavarian part of the popular holiday route initially leads from the imperial city of Donauwörth through the idyllic Lech meadows to Augsburg, the former Roman provincial capital. From there we continue to Landsberg am Lech and via Schongau with its pretty medieval center into the beautiful foothills of the Alps to Füssen and Schwangau, where the world-famous fairytale castles Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau reign. Travelers can look forward to a variety of landscape impressions, medieval town centers, tranquil villages and numerous sights along the way. A large number of old buildings, monuments and museums are reminiscent of the ancient Romans, especially in the medieval town centers of Donauwörth, Augsburg, Landsberg am Lech and Füssen. From October to May, the course of the Via Claudia Augusta can even be followed through the Forgensee, the largest lake in the Allgäu, which then has no water.
The Via Claudia Augusta promises particularly intense impressions for all cyclists who follow the course of its approximately 700 km long long-distance cycle path from Donauwörth across the Alps to Altino near Venice. After the bike tours, which delight with a wealth of different impressions, delicious regional delicacies in the different regions and countries tempt you in the evenings. The route is well signposted throughout and the bike shuttles can be used to comfortably cross the passes towards Italy. Mountain bikers will love the Albrecht Route, a cross-Alpine mountain bike route that runs largely along sections of the Via Claudia Augusta. For hiking enthusiasts, the Via Claudia Augusta is a popular long-distance hiking trail that impresses with a colorful variety of natural and cultural landscapes and is also easy to explore in stages.
Particularly recommended in the Bavarian part of the route is the 13,1 kilometer-long Forggensee stage, which starts and ends at the boat harbor in Füssen. In the summer months it can be combined with a boat trip on the largest lake in the Allgäu, which offers wonderful views of the romantic Füssen old town, the mountains and the royal castles Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.
The Via Claudia Augusta combines a large piece of history with a variety of varied tourist attractions. Holidaymakers can look forward to unforgettable impressions and experiences along the route.
