Things to Do in Augsburg: The Best Tips from Two Locals

Tips and Info for a Trip to Augsburg

Before we get to our interview, here’s the most important info you’ll need before heading to Augsburg.

Location

Augsburg is located in southern Germany in the beautiful state of Bavaria.

More specifically, Augsburg sits in the Swabian region of Bavaria.

It’s about 60 kilometers northwest of the state capital, Munich.

By car on the A8 highway, you’re looking at about an hour to Munich.

Our Hotel Recommendations

You’ll definitely need somewhere to stay in Augsburg. Here are our picks for every budget:

Our tip: If you’re already in Augsburg and want to add a little extra relaxation to your trip, consider a side trip to the Allgäu — it’s only about 90 minutes away by car. We’ve put together the 12 most beautiful wellness hotels in the Allgäu and our best insider tips for the Allgäu.

Interview with Two Locals: The Best Insider Tips for Augsburg

In this article, Sara and Marco answer our questions.

The result: their best tips for their hometown of Augsburg. Let’s dive right in.

Our Experts

We’re Sara and Marco, travel bloggers at Love and Compass and proud Augsburg natives.

Why are we the right people to ask? Because we’ve lived here for over 25 years and know pretty much every corner of Augsburg like the back of our hands.

Augsburg in 3 Words

Cozy. Charming. Romantic.

Why Visit Augsburg?

Isn’t it obvious — because Augsburg is the most beautiful city in Germany and has the best soccer team in the world!

But seriously. Augsburg is one of the oldest cities in Germany, and you can really feel that history throughout the so-called Fugger city. The historic center in particular, with its charming buildings, winding alleyways, cute shops, and the ancient city wall, is something truly special.

What Makes Augsburg Unique

Two absolute Augsburg classics you need to know about.

No. 1: The Augsburger Puppenkiste — the most famous marionette theater in the world. You’ve probably heard of Lukas the Engine Driver or Urmel from the Ice. Yep, both come from Augsburg!

No. 2: The Fuggerei — the world’s oldest social housing complex, still in use today. Since 1521, elderly residents have had the opportunity to live there for a mandatory cold rent of just €0.88 per month.

Augsburg Attractions and Things to Do

Must-Sees

The Golden Hall in Augsburg’s City Hall is one of the top highlights in the city — seriously awe-inspiring. The sweeping paintings and lavish gold decorations feel like a window into a long-forgotten era.

The old city wall, which dates back to Roman times, is another must. The best spot to explore it is at the Fischertor, where you can walk right along the wall via a stairway inside the gate.

Especially in summer, it’s a really lovely — even romantic — walk. At the end of the wall, you’ll find adorable little houses and a small beer garden.

And of course, the Fuggerei: this social housing complex isn’t just ancient — it’s genuinely beautiful. You’ll fall in love with the rows of little yellow houses at first sight. We promise! You can also tour a model apartment and an old World War II bunker on site.

The Fuggerei is our personal favorite in Augsburg.

On a Rainy Day

Where do you go when it’s raining? Well, staying home under a blanket is always an option.

But the Roman Museum is a great rainy-day pick. You can explore relics from Roman times and learn a lot about Augsburg’s fascinating past.

With Kids

Catch a show at the Augsburger Puppenkiste — this is an absolute must with children. Book your tickets several weeks in advance though, as performances sell out fast and are hugely popular with locals and visitors alike. Totally worth it and genuinely unforgettable.

In summer, the Familienbad family pool at Plärrer is a great shout. Two slides, a large swimming pool, a volleyball court, and a huge lawn — perfect for a fun afternoon with the little ones.

The Augsburg Zoo is another option. It’s not a standout attraction and can’t compete with bigger zoos like Munich or Berlin, but it’s still a decent half-day outing.

Best Day Trip from Augsburg

Kloster Oberschönefeld is a wonderful excursion. You can take a lovely walk through the forest and then reward yourself with some seriously good food — the pork knuckle there in particular is an absolute treat.

Make sure to pick up a loaf of the famous monastery bread while you’re there. There’s no better bread in the world, according to Sara and Marco.

To Relax

Augsburg’s botanical garden is perfect for switching off without leaving the city. It’s a genuine oasis of calm — pack a small picnic and make an afternoon of it.

Best Viewpoint

The Perlachturm, without a doubt. It sits right next to the City Hall in the heart of the city center, and from the top you get a sweeping panorama over the rooftops of the entire city.

Best Photo Spot

The path along the city wall at Fischertor is hard to beat — especially the charming houses at the end of the wall, which make for a fantastic photo subject.

The square behind the City Hall is also worth a shot. While most visitors photograph the City Hall straight-on from the front, try walking down the stairs to the right and shooting it from below. It has so much more character that way!

Otherwise, Augsburg really rewards aimless wandering. The narrow alleyways of the old quarter constantly throw up great photo opportunities — just grab your camera and explore.

Most Unique Thing to Do

Augsburg is honestly anything but wild. We’re in Bavaria, not Berlin, where something crazy is happening around every corner.

That said, there’s one truly one-of-a-kind thing you can do: go looking for the self-proclaimed King of Augsburg. He’s an old man who walks through the city completely barefoot year-round — he used to walk around naked, but the police eventually put a stop to that. At certain spots around town, he’ll stand for quite a while, surveying everything around him with regal composure.

Quick tip: His favorite spot is the entrance steps of the City Hall.

Best Event of the Year

It used to be the Max-Fest, but now it’s the Sommernächte. Once a year, the streets of downtown Augsburg come alive with music and dancing. Stages go up on Maximilianstraße, at Rathausplatz, at Königsplatz, and at other spots around the city, with a huge variety of acts performing.

This year, the Sommernächte will take place from June 25–27, 2026. Definitely worth checking out!

Food and Drink in Augsburg

Local Specialty You Have to Try

Haha, this is exactly the question we were waiting for! You absolutely have to try the Zwetschgendatschi.

Never heard of it? The Zwetschgendatschi is a specific type of plum cake made with shortcrust pastry that you can really only find in Augsburg. It’s incredibly good — a cool balance of sweet and sour. It’s no wonder that Augsburgers are sometimes affectionately known as “Datschiburger.” ;)

Best Burger

Tough one. Honestly, the restaurant scene in Augsburg has changed a lot over the past year or so, and we’re not totally up to date on the burger situation. One reliable favorite, though, is Grill’n’Chill — it’s a little outside the city center but consistently solid.

Best Ice Cream

At Cafe Goldener Erker on Moritzplatz.

In summer, it gets busy — you might wait a few minutes, but it’s worth it.

Best Breakfast

Right at Rathausplatz at Henry’s Coffee. The view of the Perlachturm and the City Hall is fantastic, and the food is genuinely great.

On weekends they do a really tasty breakfast buffet. If a buffet isn’t your thing, there are plenty of à la carte dishes and breakfast combos to choose from — all really good.

Favorite Restaurants

Ratskeller: Tucked inside the vaulted cellar of the City Hall, this place looks seriously impressive. The food is classic Bavarian/Swabian, and the Kässpatzen (cheese noodles) are absolutely outstanding.

Il Gabbiano: Hands down the best pizza in Augsburg — though it’s a little pricier. Make a reservation the evening before, especially for dinner.

Picnic: A relatively young restaurant that’s made a name for itself fast thanks to some really creative dishes. Since the menu changes regularly, we can’t point to a specific dish — just sit down and see what they’re serving. You won’t be disappointed.

Favorite Bars

The Mahagoni Bar is more of a club than a bar, but it draws a refreshingly alternative crowd compared to most spots in the city center.

The music skips the usual chart fodder and rotates weekly between hip-hop, electro, reggae, rock, and more.

For great cocktails, the hip Mexican bar Enchilada is a solid pick. Happy hour deals are especially good, and the food is decent too.

The 11er is a dedicated soccer bar — but not the dingy sports bar type. It’s got a modern feel, reasonable prices, soccer on all day, and of course a foosball table.

On Saturdays during Bundesliga matches, it gets absolutely packed.

Best Late-Night Snack

Options are limited, honestly. The go-to is the small döner chain “Arkadas” on Maxstraße, right where most of the clubs and bars are. It turns into an assembly line late at night, but the food is still pretty decent.