10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Willibaldsburg Jurassic Museum, Museum of Prehistory and Early History, Bastion Garden
To kick off the day, we’ll take a journey back some 140 million years. From the parking lot on Freiwasserstraße, a walk leads up to Willibaldsburg. Here, the Jurassic Museum is one of the most impressive natural history museums in Germany. The exhibition is dedicated to the world of fossils: fish, crocodiles, crabs, and pterosaurs that once inhabited the Eichstätt area and have been preserved as fossils in the region’s limestone. Among the highlights is an original specimen of the primeval bird Archaeopteryx, which takes center stage in the hall of the same name and illustrates the evolution of birds and flight.
Sheltered by the castle walls lies the Bastion Garden. It draws inspiration from the world-famous “Hortus Eystettensis,” whose flora was immortalized in one of the world’s most magnificent books on gardening. The flower beds are therefore laid out like the pages of a book.
12:00 PM – 1:15 PM – Lunch in the Old Town
Culinary-wise, Eichstätt benefits from its location between Old Bavaria, Franconia, and Swabia. The local cuisine combines the traditional culinary delights of these three regions and is complemented by international offerings, including Italian, Greek, Indian, and Vietnamese cuisine.
1:30 – 3:00 p.m. – Public City Tour: “Getting to Know Eichstätt”
In the afternoon, we’ll join the public city tour “Getting to Know Eichstätt.” The tour takes us to the highlights of the city, which was once ruled by the Prince-Bishops of Eichstätt. Their influence continues to shape the cityscape to this day, most visibly in the elegant Baroque buildings. The complex on Residenzplatz is one of the most impressive examples.
Tickets are available at the Tourist Information office shortly before the tour begins; registration is not required.
3:00 – 3:45 p.m. – Coffee at the Heart of the City
For our coffee break, we’ll head to the market square, where Eichstätt’s life pulsates. From Café im Paradeis or Chocolatique, we’ll enjoy the view of the bustling activity.
4:00 – 5:00 PM – Altmühltal Nature Park Information Center with Biotope Garden
Refreshed, we continue our walk to the former Notre Dame de Sacré Coeur monastery. The building, with its fresco-adorned domed hall, is another example of Baroque elegance and now houses the Altmühltal Nature Park Information Center. In the interactive exhibition, we encounter the music of composer Christoph Willibald Gluck, who was born here, hear regional dialects, and meet Roman legionnaires or the carnival characters known as “Fasenickl.” Hidden in the inner courtyard is a green gem: the biotope garden.
5:00 – 6:00 p.m. – Conclusion in the courtyard garden of the Summer Residence
To round off the day, we’ll take a stroll through the Baroque courtyard garden of the former Summer Residence. The various garden rooms, the harmonious design, and the arboretum—featuring some exotic trees—highlight the city’s nature-filled character.
Eichstätt’s restaurants and inns are the perfect way to enjoy the end of the day. Many restaurants and inns are within easy walking distance of the courtyard garden. Those who wish to end the evening on a cultural note will find suitable options in the city’s event calendar.
