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Where to Stay in Augsburg, Germany

By Santorini Dave

Our Favorite Augsburg Hotels

• 5-Star Hotel: Maximilian’s
• Boutique Hotel: Bio Hotel Bayerischer Wirt
• Cheap Hotel: B&B Hotel Augsburg-Nord
• Family Hotel: NinetyNine
• Best Pool: Dom Hotel
• Near Train Station: Maison Viktoria

Best central location to stay in Augsburg, Germany.

The Best Area to Stay in Augsburg

Founded by the Romans in 15 BC, the city of Augsburg takes pride in being the oldest city in Bavaria. Some 30 miles (50km) west of Munich, it remains somewhat off the beaten path for international tourists, though it’s loaded with historic goodies: stunning architecture and medieval homes, a beautiful Rathaus, cathedral, and grand palaces, plus the homes of playwright Bertolt Brecht, painters Hans Holbein the Elder and Younger, Mozart’s father, and the wildly rich Fugger and Welser families that dominated European banking in the 16th century. Augsburg was a Free Imperial City within the Holy Roman Empire from 1276 to 1803 – but took center stage during the Reformation in the 16th century.

It was here in 1530 that one of the founding documents of Protestantism, the Augsburg Confession, was presented to Emperor Charles V, and where the Peace of Augsburg in 1555 initiated a period of peaceful coexistence between Catholics and Protestants within the Empire. Like many other German cities, its medieval old town was largely destroyed in World War II, but today much has been rebuilt and restored. Happily, the city center is also a dynamic commercial district – it doesn’t feel touristy at all.

At the heart of Augsburg is the Altstadt (Old Town), comprising several interconnected neighborhoods on either side of the “Augsburg High Terrace”, a gentle ridge than runs north-south through the city center. The Old Town is where most visitors will want to stay: it’s got the best choice of hotels, restaurants, and bars, and is where you’ll find all the main sights, from the famous Goldener Saal inside the Rathaus (town hall), to posh main drag Maximilianstrasse, the impressive cathedral, and the warren of narrow streets in the lower town, home to the Bertolt Brecht Museum and the historic Fuggerei complex.

If you’re traveling by train and would rather save a taxi fare, the modern hotels of the Bahnhofs-Bismarckviertel district might appeal. You’ll be within walking distance of the main train station, but will still be a short stroll (or tram ride) from the Old Town. Hotel rates are usually a bit lower here too. In terms of sights, this where Augsburg’s historic Synagogue is located, along with the excellent Jewish Museum.

There’s more to see in the small Bleich and Pfärrle neighborhood, just north of the Old Town, though there’s not much point in staying here. Highlights include the home of Leopold Mozart, father of the famous Austrian composer, and the fascinating Fugger und Welser museum, dedicated to the Augsburg banking dynasties.

The regenerated Textilviertel (Textile Quarter), southeast of the Old Town, is an intriguing neighborhood of old factories and warehouses gradually being converted into restaurants, galleries, and museums; the State Textile and Industrial Museum and Glaspalast art museums make quite a contrast with the medieval Old Town. There’s not much choice in accommodation here, but if you’ve been to Augsburg before or just want a break from old Germany, it’s worth considering.

Beyond the city center there are a few neighborhoods worth exploring if you have more time. Spickel contains the city’s the biggest green space, the Siebentischwald, and the city zoo, and is also known for its traditional beer gardens – it makes for a fun day or evening out in the summer. There are no hotels here, but if you’re driving and don’t want the hassle of negotiating the city center – or just want a quieter stay – there are good hotels in neighboring Göggingen and Hochfeld, the latter the home of the city’s huge rail museum. Bundesliga soccer team FC Augsburg play at the WWK Arena in the university district (Universitätsviertel), while hip Oberhausen and its iconic Gaswerk tower offers the chance to leave the tourists behind entirely and mix with Augsburg’s growing creative class.

Augsburg Travel Tips

  • It’s relatively easy to explore Augsburg city center on foot, but to reach the outer neighborhoods you’ll have to use the city’s excellent public transport system, operated by Augsburger Verkehrsverbund (AVV); five tram lines and 27 city bus lines. There are also regional Bavarian trains.
  • The nearest airport to Augsburg is at Munich (52miles/84km), the second busiest in Germany. Most visitors arrive in Augsburg by train or car.
  • The main tourist information center in Augsburg is at Rathausplatz 1 (tel: +49821502070), right in the city center.
  • If you intend to do a lot of sightseeing in Augsburg over two days, it’s worth investing in the “Hotel Ticket” (€7.40) which gives you free use of public transport and reductions on admissions to museums and attractions. Ask at your hotel reception.
  • Augsburg’s bike share program is swa-Rad Augsburg operated by Nextbike, with around 500 bikes at 100 stations throughout the city.
  • Augsburg’s festivals are fun, mostly local, affairs and are worth attending. Augsburg is most known in Germany for its “Schwörmontag” or “Oath Day” festival held on the second to last Monday in July. The captivating Lichtserenade (“Light Serenade”) takes place on the previous Saturday, when candlelit lanterns are floated down the Danube. On the day itself, the “Nabada” is a carnivalesque parade of boats along the Danube to the Friedrichsaupark where there’s a huge party. The Augsburg Wine Festival kicks off early for Germany and is held throughout August. Held every 2 years, Donaufest celebrates the art, music and cultures of the Danube (next one due 2024).
  • Though you’ll find some English speakers at hotels and tourist sites in Augsburg, most folks working in shops and restaurants will not speak much (or any) English. Try to learn a few words and numbers in German before you go.
  • Free wi-fi via “Augsburg-City Free WLAN” and “SWA.FREE.WLAN” can be found throughout much of the city center.

The Best Places to Stay in Augsburg

Best Neighborhoods in Augsburg for…

  • Best Neighborhoods to Stay for Sightseeing: Altstadt (Old Town) or Bahnhofs-Bismarckviertel
    If this is your first visit to Augsburg it makes sense to stay in the heart of the city – you’ll get the biggest choice of accommodation and be within walking distance of all the main sights: the cathedral, the Goldener Saal inside the Rathaus (town hall), the Bertolt Brecht Museum and the Fuggerei complex, as well as the narrow, medieval streets of the old Handwerkerviertel (Artisans’ Quarter). Hotels in the neighboring Bahnhofs-Bismarckviertel district are also worth considering, especially if traveling by train; you’ll be within easy walking distance of the train station here. Hotel rates here are also a little cheaper than in the Altstadt, though it’s not far to walk between the two neighborhoods.
  • Most Romantic Neighborhoods: Altstadt (Old Town) and Spickel
    Augsburg lies around the mid-point of the “Romantic Road”, a tourist route that runs from Würzburg to Füssen, taking in some of the most famous and beautiful sights in Germany. It’s really the Old Town where you’ll see Augsburg at its best, especially in the early mornings and evenings, when the crowds have thinned. Stroll the narrow streets of the Handwerkerviertel (Artisans’ Quarter) and the Fuggerei, or visit some of the city’s magnificent churches. Romantic restaurants include Ristorante Pastissima, and maximilian’s, in the posh hotel of the same name. For comfortable stays, we also like ANA Living Augsburg City Center and Dom Hotel Augsburg. Though there are no hotels in the southern suburb of Spickel, couples will enjoy a day wandering the Botanical Gardens and the trails of the Siebentischwald (a huge park), and spending a few hours in one of the neighborhood’s famous Bavarian beer gardens – we especially like the Kastaniengarten (“chestnut garden”) in the Botanical Gardens.
  • Best Neighborhoods for Nightlife: Altstadt (Old Town) and Oberhausen
    The primary nightlife hub in Augsburg is on and around Maximilianstrasse in the heart of the city, where cocktail bars often double as dance clubs at weekends. Here you’ll find longtime favorite Peaches, Caipi Cocktailbar, and mamo lounge.

    There’s another cluster a short stroll north, on the edge of the cathedral quarter: Beim Weissen Lamm, Sonnendeck Augsburg, SoHo Stage, and nearby Golden Glimmer Bar are highlights. Down in Lechviertel, Gaststätte Thing is a popular beer garden.

    The bigger late-night clubs tend to be in Oberhausen and on the outskirts of the city, but in the center Kantine is a great live venue, and you should also check out the calendar of events at Kulturhaus Kresslesmühle. Places to dance in the center include City Club Augsburg and Pi Club.

    • Late night parties at the weekends are held at the popular Kesselhaus, 1.5 miles (2.5km) north of the old town in the eastern section of hip Oberhausen (take a taxi). There are several other venues nearby, such as Rockfabrik (aka Rofa) and Ballonfabrik.

  • Best Neighborhoods for Food and Restaurants: Altstadt (Old Town) and Spickel
    You’ll find everything in Augsburg from traditional Bavarian-Swabian cuisine to Indian and Greek food, but the biggest choice can be found in the Old Town. For coffee and cake, head to one of the many cafes on Maximilianstrasse (like Kaffeehaus Dichtl) or the Rathausplatz (where you’ll find the popular Ratskeller Augsburg restaurant). For a splurge we like Lustküche and Perlach Acht. For Bavarian cuisine try Altstadtgasthaus Bauerntanz; for Greek food, Nikos Werkstatt Enothek (Mittlerer Lech 45) is an excellent choice. For cheap lunches head to the covered Fleischhalle of Augsburg’s Stadtmarkt, the covered market. Though you’ll find traditional beer gardens throughout the city, we like the rustic versions in Spickel, to the south of the city center: the trio of Waldgaststätte Parkhäusl, Gasthaus zum Spickel, and Kastaniengarten are the best for beer and Bavarian-Swabian specialties.

    • You’ll find typical Bavarian-Swabian food served all over Augsburg (think brätstrudel, käsespätzle/cheese pasta, krustenbraten/roast pork, knödel/dumplings, and blaukraut/red cabbage), but a real local specialty is the thin-crust plum cake known aszwetschgendatschi.

  • Best Neighborhood for Shopping: Altstadt (Old Town)
    The southern half of the Old Town is essentially a bustling open-air shopping mall. You’ll find all the major brands on Bürgermeister-Fischer-Strasse (including the GALERIA Augsburg department store), and along the streets near the Rathausplatz, but Maximilianstrasse (aka “Maxstrasse”) is the most interesting strip for window-shopping. You’ll find rare books at Antiquariat Hartmut Schreyer (no.65), elegant made-to-measure fashion at Scabal (no.57), high-quality jewelry at 125-year-old Goldschmiede Werner (no.40), more contemporary books at Rieger & Kranzfelder (no.36), and organic beauty products at Green Glam (Apothekergässchen 3, just off Maxstrasse, near the Linea Lifestyle store at no. 34). You’ll find stylish interior and kitchen designs at the Bulthaup showroom (no. 56).
  • Best Neighborhood for Local Vibe: Oberhausen
    The sprawling northwestern district of Oberhausen has become Augsburg’s hip neighborhood in recent years, attracting artists, club and gallery owners, and a spate of redevelopment projects. It’s the best place to lose the tourists and mix with locals, though you’ll need to speak some German to make the most of the latter. There are a few good hotels towards the southern end of the neighborhood, making for a very different stay from the Old Town, plus plenty of apartment rentals. Highlights include the reborn Gaswerk area centered on the repurposed gas works and its 263-foot (80-meter) gasometer (gasholder), built in 1915 – there’s now an observation deck on top. You can also visit the restaurant of local icon “Bob” – Bob’s Fast and Slowfood Oberhausen, on Helmut-Haller-Platz, the always busy hub of the district (there’s a weekly market here every Saturday). Other highlights include the Mazda Classic Automobile Museum Frey, dedicated to the history of Mazda vehicles, the small but highly-rated (and free) MAN Museum, dedicated to local pioneer Rudolf Diesel’s engines and the MAN truck company, and the Thorbräu Biergarten Freibank.

    • The best hotels in Oberhausen are Ringhotel Alpenhof, solid budget choice B&B Hotel Augsburg-Nord, and the Slamba Hostel. On the edge of the neighborhood and the city center is the excellent Leonardo Hotel.

    • From the city center, take tram 2 to Helmut-Haller-Platz (via the Mazda Museum). From the square you’ll have to walk to Gaswerk or get a taxi.

  • Safety in Augsburg
    Augsburg is generally very safe by global standards, though the usual precautions should be taken at night. You might see some drunks (and some drug addicts) hanging around outside the main stations at night, but tourists very rarely encounter any problems.

The 5 Best Neighborhoods in Augsburg for Tourists

1. Altstadt (Old Town)

Augsburg’s Altstadt (Old Town) encompasses the core of the Innenstadt, or City Center, and includes several sub-neighborhoods. It’s where almost all the main attractions are located, and with a decent range of accommodation, restaurants, and bars, is where you should be based. It lies along a slope known as the Augsburger Hochterrasse (“Augsburg High Terrace”), with the main north-south axis of what’s known locally as the Obere Stadt or just “oben” (above) section running along Maximilianstrasse-Karolinenstrasse-Hoher Weg-Frauentorstrasse.

At its heart lies the main square, the Rathausplatz, where Augsburg’s Rathaus (town hall) is a stunning Renaissance building, completed in 1620. The Goldener Saal on the third floor is a spectacular ceremonial hall well worth a peek. Nearby is the Perlachturm, a 230-foot (70-meter) church tower you can climb for the best views of the city (you can spy the Alps on a clear day). A little to the west of Rathausplatz lies the Maximilian Museum, an arts and crafts museum housed in a beautifully restored 16th-century merchant’s house, and the church of St Anna, which includes the ornate Renaissance Fuggerkapelle, the resting place of banker Jakob Fugger the Rich and his brothers. There’s also an absorbing museum on the city’s role in the Protestant Reformation, the Lutherstiege. Nearby the handsome Zeughaus (old city arsenal) hosts art exhibitions and a beer garden, while further to the west the busy Königsplatzis now the modern heart of the city. Elegant Maximilianstrasse runs south from the Rathausplatz, lined with stately buildings that include the Weberhaus (Weavers’ Guild House), smothered with frescoes; the Fugger Stadtpalais, completed in 1515 for Jakob Fugger the Rich; and the Schaezlerpalais, a grand 18th-century palace that holds a collection of regional paintings. Maximilianstrasse ends at the vast church of St Ulrich und Afra, the second largest in Augsburg.

North of Rathausplatz is the quieter Domviertel quarter, dominated by the Augsburger Dom, the city’s impressive medieval cathedral, known for its stained-glass windows and other treasures housed in the Diözesanmuseum St. Afra.

Lechviertel: The “unten” (“below”) part of the old town, east of the Rathausplatz, is a jumble of narrow medieval cobblestone streets arranged around a series of canals off the Lech River. The southern section is known as Lechviertel, or sometimes the Handwerkerviertel (Artisans’Quarter), a great place to explore on foot; with small bars, cafés, and shops tucked away between the canals. Highlights include the Puppenkiste, a puppet theater popular with kids, the Rotes Tor (Red Gate), and the Schwäbisches Handwerkermuseum (Swabian Crafts Museum).

Jakobervorstadt: To the north of Lechviertel, bounded by the old city moat, lies the historic Jakobervorstadt district, another atmospheric neighborhood best explored on foot. Here you’ll find the Brechthaus, birthplace of Bertolt Brecht in 1898, perched between canals and a must-see for fans of the avant-garde playwright. It’s also worth exploring the fascinating Fuggerei, founded by Jakob Fugger the Rich and his brothers in 1521 as the world’s oldest social-housing scheme. People still live here, but you can tour much of the attractive complex and a couple of museums on site. You’ll find the city’s best hostels and budget accommodation in Jakobervorstadt.

2. Bahnhofs-Bismarckviertel

The Bahnhofs-Bismarckviertel district west of the old town is primarily the area around the main train station (Augsburg Hauptbahnhof). The primary benefit of staying here is being within walking distance of the station, while also being not far from the Old Town. Though the southern parts of the district (Bismarckviertel proper and tiny Beethovenviertel) have retained their elegant 19th-century Wilhelminian and Art Nouveau mansions, the area near the station (where the hotels are) is a modern commercial area that lacks the character of the old town. The main plus is location, and usually, price – hotels here are a little cheaper. The main attraction in this part of town is the grand Synagogue Augsburg, built between 1914 and 1917 and a rare survivor of Nazi destruction. It now contains the Jüdisches Kulturmuseum Augsburg Schwaben (Jewish Museum Augsburg Swabia), which chronicles the long history of the Jewish community in the city.

3. Bleich and Pfärrle

The small neighborhood of Bleich and Pfärrle, just north of the Old Town and Jakobervorstadt, is home to a handful of attractions beginning with the Leopold Mozart Haus. Augsburg is proud of its Mozart connection, though the famous composer never lived here; instead, this was the birthplace of his father in 1719, who was a decent composer in his own right and had a huge influence on his son. The Fugger und Welser Erlebnismuseum is a must-see for history buffs, telling the fascinating story of the Fugger und Welser banking dynasties through interactive exhibits, videos, and multimedia displays (these are activated with an electronic peppercorn sack you’re given on entry – it’s a cute touch, if a bit fiddly). It’s a pleasant stroll up here from the Old Town, but the tram also trundles past the Mozart Haus.

4. Textilviertel (Textile Quarter)

Southeast of the old town lies the Textilviertel (Textile Quarter) and adjacent Schlachthofquartier (Slaughterhouse Quarter), former industrial districts that are gradually being revitalized. At the end of the 19th century there were around 10,000 people employed here in the textile industry; by 2000, less than 1,500 were. Though there are still abandoned factories in the district, the State Textile and Industrial Museum is an example of successful regeneration, a museum inside a converted factory now telling the story of Augsburg’s textile industry. Similarly, the Glaspalast is another former textile mill, now housing the H2 Center for Contemporary Ar and the Kunstmuseum Walter, a collection of modern and contemporary art that includes glass works by Egidio Costantini. To the north, the old slaughterhouse and cattle yards of the Schlachthofquartier are slowly being converted into a cultural district of restaurants and galleries, such as the Kälberhalle.

• One of the culinary highlights of this area is Restaurant August by Christian Grünwald, with two Michelin stars.

5. Spickel

With more time you might want to check out the Spickel neighborhood, southeast of the city center (accessible by tram). The main draw here is the Siebentischwald, Augsburg’s vast city park that runs south along the Lech River, laced with hiking trails and shaded woodland. Highlights at the accessible northern end include Zoo Augsburg, popular with families, the Japanese Garden and Augsburg Botanical Garden, and the rustic Waldgaststätte Parkhäusl beer garden. Spickel is a good place for traditional beer gardens – the district was named after Gasthaus zum Spickel, which has roots in 1793 and is still knocking out great beer and Bavarian-Swabian specialties. There’s also the Kastaniengarten (“chestnut garden”) in the Botanical Garden, which is a bit cheaper.

• There are no hotels in Spickel. From the city center, you can take bus #32 to the zoo, or take tram line 2 to Berufsschule and walk east

More Augsburg Neighborhoods

We’ve covered our favorite neighborhoods to visit and stay in more detail above, but with more time these districts are also worth checking out:

  • Göggingen: This southwestern suburb of Augsburg is best known for the grand Kurhaus, a theater and winter garden completed in 1886. After a lengthy restoration in the 1990s, the theater once again serves as a major entertainment venue (you can tour the foyer, the Jean Keller wing, and the impressive theater hall for free). Further north is the popular Gaststätte Kulperhütte, a beer garden on the Wertach River – there are paths along the river from here, making for a pleasant half-day out. Another great place for hearty Bavarian-Swabian cuisine is Berghof. Our favorite dessert shop in all Augsburg is the Dolomiti ice cream café on Bürgermeister-Aurnhammer-Strasse. Our favorite hotels here are Villa Arborea, Arthotel ANA Gold, and ANA Living Augsburg.
  • Hochfeld: Just to the east of Göggingen, kids and railway enthusiasts flock to the Bahnpark Augsburg in the suburb of Hochfeld. It’s packed with old steam locomotives and all sorts of memorabilia from Bavarian State Railways, plus a mini train for children to ride and a huge model railway (with labels in English throughout). The city’s historic Jewish Cemetery is also located in Hochfeld – tours are available through the Jewish Museum Augsburg Swabia. The best place to eat down here is the Steak Manufaktur, which serves excellent – and excellently prepared – slabs of meat. The only hotel worth considering here is the budget B&B Hotel Augsburg-Süd.
  • Universitätsviertel: To the south of Hochfeld, the university district is named for Universität Augsburg, the city university founded here in 1974. It’s a modern but beautifully landscaped campus, though there’s not much to see. Most visitors come down here to see local Bundesliga soccer team FC Augsburg play the best teams in Germany at the WWK Arena, or to attend a trade show at Messe Augsburg. At night, students flock to The Cube to dance. Our favorite hotel here is the budget boutique NinetyNine Augsburg.

About Santorini Dave

Santorini Dave I'm Santorini Dave. I started this site in 2011 with a short article on tips for visiting Santorini with kids. We're now a small team of writers and researchers dedicated to providing the best travel content on the internet. We focus on Santorini, Mykonos, Athens, and Greece, offering recommendations for top hotels, neighborhoods, and family-friendly hotels worldwide. I can be contacted at dave@santorinidave.com.