Altmühltal Nature Park

Altmühltal Nature Park spans roughly 3,000 km² of limestone plateau in northern Bavaria between Ansbach and Regensburg, centred on the meandering Altmühl River as it cuts through white-rock gorges dotted with medieval castles and monasteries. Visitors typically base themselves in the walled town of Eichstätt, with its Baroque bishop's residence, or in Treuchtlingen or Pappenheim, both popular put-in points for multi-day canoe trips down the gently flowing river. Cyclists follow the well-signed Altmühltal Radweg along the valley floor past villages, cliffs, and riverside meadows, while fossil hunters head to the Solnhofen quarries, where 150-million-year-old limestone slabs have yielded some of the world's most famous fossils, including the earliest known Archaeopteryx specimens. A single day allows a short canoe stretch or cycling loop and a stop at a fossil site or castle ruin; the park rewards multi-day visits for those covering the river by boat. Weekends from May through September see the heaviest canoe and cycling traffic, particularly around Pappenheim and Kelheim, while weekday visits or the shoulder seasons of spring and early autumn offer a quieter experience of the same limestone scenery.