Kempten is a city located in the centre of Allgäu, a holiday region in the south of Germany in the state of Bavaria. The city is home to around 70,000 residents and covers an area of approximately 63.29 square kilometres. It takes only a few hours to drive from Kempten to the Bavarian capital, Munich, or the three neighbouring countries, namely Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Austria.
What tourists will see upon visiting Kempten
Records show that Kempten is 2,000 years old, which makes it one of the oldest towns in Germany. The architecture of the city was largely influenced by the coexistence of two Christian denominations for centuries (Protestant and Catholic).
Tourists will not just enjoy the scenic panorama of the countryside and urban areas but also get to mingle with the people. If you want to make the most out of sightseeing, it is advisable that you park somewhere and walk on to the various places of interest.
If you want to know a bit about the history of the town, visit Archaeological Park Cambodunum (APK). The advantage here is that there are specific tourist routes on the map to enable visitors easily access these attraction sites. The town has several museums like the Allgäu Museum that will offer insight into the life of people who lived in the city hundreds of years ago.
Other notable attraction sites include the Rooms of State in Prince-Abbots’ residence, Basilica Sankt Lorenz, the city hall and the Burghalde. The Burghalde was a Roman castle found in downtown Kempten and is nowadays used for various live performances. Tourists may also visit a monastery known as Abbazia di Kempten.
Things to do in Kempten
There are numerous activities to engage in when you visit Kempten as a tourist. The Allgäu region is considered one of the top tourist destinations in Germany, which means it is never short of activities that attract people from all over the world.
Kempten is close to great places where one can go for nature walks. One thing that makes the city the ideal place for excursions is that most of the favourite spots for such activities are never far (75 kilometres or less). Some of the areas tourists may go for tours include Lake Constance which includes the island of Mainau and Lindau, Oberstdorf and the Allgäu Alps, Illerwinkel, Ottobeuren Abbey, and the Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles.
Shopping is another activity that attracts many people to the city. The broad range of outlets where people can access all kinds of commodities has made it the leading shopping destination in the Allgäu region. One of the places where you can start your shopping spree is Forum Allgäu which has over 50 shops. The town’s pedestrian area has many stores and boutiques where tourists can find most of the items they need during their temporary stay.
A stay in Kempten is usually not complete without the various events it holds yearly. There is the Allgäu Festival held annually in August. It involves sports, folklore and cultural activities, as well as the exhibition of local businesses. For people interested in athletics, Kempten holds an annual half-marathon run in April every year.
The Jazz Festival (Jazzfrülig) is also held annually during spring. It has gained popularity internationally as it attracts many bands and solo artists from all over the world. During summer, the town uses the Burghalde as an open-air stage for cinemas, concerts, and festivals. Historic site Archaeological Park Cambodunum is also used as the scene for many cultural events during the summer.
If you happen to visit Kempten during December, you will experience the annual Christmas market where there are over seventy stalls. It is the largest Christmas market in the region of Allgäu. An event hall, the Bigbox, is the venue of performances by various artists. If you’re not enthusiastic about the social activities that take place in the city, there are many alternatives. Around the city are mountains, woodlands, and lakes which will provide the perfect atmosphere for hikers or those who like to sight-see. The Cambomare leisure pool is another place where one can relax.
What is the best time to visit Kempten?
Kempten is one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Germany. It has activities running throughout the year. There are events and activities that cover all months. We would suggest the spring and summer as the time to visit. At this time, the weather is favourable, and you will find many of the exciting activities like open air performances and festivals.
Nightlife in Kempten
After spending the day hiking, sightseeing or just relaxing, many tourists will prefer an exciting night to wind up the day. Kempten is just the right place for those who want to drink or dance well into the night.
It offers a wide variety of bars and nightclubs to choose from. Some of the popular ones include A Thousand Miles (a bar), Parktheater Kempten (a club), Times (bar), Ritterkeller (a bar) and Billard Arena (a bar).
Public Transport
Tourists visiting Kempten for a short time usually have a lot to do before they leave. They want to visit as many places as possible before their vacations come to an end. Kempten is not a large city, so transportation is the least of worries for visitors.
Kempten has the most traffic in the whole of the Allgäu region. The place is accessible by road and by rail (with Eurocity and Intercity connections). Most places are also accessible by bus. Another option is hiring a private vehicle to take you around during the stay in the city. Most tourists will prefer the public transport systems to private because they are much cheaper.
Accommodation
One of the most important things visitors look for when they arrive at Kempten is places to stay. They look for a budget friendly and comfortable place. Some of the hotels you can contact for accommodation every night for two adults are City Hotel Kempten, which is 1.2 miles away from the city centre and charges around €104.
Landhaus Hotel Sommerau is 4.6 kilometres away from Kempten and provides a room at around €98. Big Box Hotel Kempten is another one and charges around €918 for a week with breakfast. Smart Motel charges around €513 for seven nights for two. Lastly, Hotel Waldhorn charges around €728 a week, with breakfast included. Tourists should not limit themselves to these hotels. You can find many other hotels at various prices on many hotel booking websites.
Food and Drink
A stay in one of the leading tourist attraction centres in The Allgäu region is not complete without good food. Kempten does not disappoint in this sector. There is a broad range of Kempten cuisine to choose from in the restaurants, cafes, and local food outlets.
Most of the dishes are considered Bavarian, as Kempten is one of the towns in the region. The town also has several vegetarian restaurants. Here are some of the dishes that are traditionally from the region. The first is Schnitzel which is a thin tenderised meat that is breaded then fried. It is made from either veal or pork and can be served in many ways. It is a mouth-watering dish that you will all love.
‘Obatzda’ is a camembert cheese brand whose ingredients are onions and spices mixed with camembert. The Bavarian ‘Spätzle,’ a German word that translates to ‘little sparrows’ is the name of a southern Bavarian dish that consists of tiny noodles made from milk/water, eggs, flour and salt, and sometimes nutmeg. It is usually served with rabbit, deer or boar meat and easily fills someone up.
Beer is one of the most popular products in Kempten and the whole of Bavaria state. The consumption of beer in Germany is high, with half of the country’s breweries located in Bavaria. Some of the popular brands, most exported to western countries include Tucher, Paulaner, Ayinger, and Schneider.
The Mainfränkische Meterbratwurst is a long German sausage from the region. It has a thickness of around two-thirds of an inch and a length of one metre. Most people usually can’t finish the whole length so sometimes half the size is sold to people. It is a sausage visitors to the region will love trying out.
Options for vegetarians include Kratzat (better known as Kaiserschmarrn in the other parts of Germany), made of eggs, flour, salt, and milk. Kässpatzen is another vegetarian dish made of Bavarian cheese, eggs, flour, salt and fried onions. Apfelkapfen is made of apples, flour, and eggs.
Desserts include apple fluff (apfelauflauf), and münchner apfelstrudel, which is an apple strudel. Bakeries in the region have a broad variety of rolls and breads. Examples are salztange and kummelstange, which are long shaped rolls covered with caraway and salt. The foods mentioned here are just a small percentage of what is out there in Kempten. A visit to the place and one gets to enjoy the traditional cuisine.
Some of the popular restaurants in Kempten include Shallander, which is famous for its schnitzel, beer, and wine. Meckatzer Brau Engel is the place to be if you want to experience German food. Rendez-vous a Quiberon is known for its great French food. Mylord Kempten is popular for its Italian cuisine. Eldorado is famed for its Mexican food and is the perfect place for dinners. Naruto caters to people who love Asian food and is popular with the Chinese and the Vietnamese. There are tonnes of other restaurants around the city for visitors to choose from.
Kempten is one of the travel destinations that should be probably on the bucket list for travel enthusiasts. The town offers art, history, and culture in one package for the visitor to enjoy every second of his or her vacation. You can visit Kempten any time of the year and still enjoy every moment of it. A visit to Kempten is sure to be a memorable event that will leave you both refreshed and entertained.
