Basic text Eastern Bavaria Culture Eastern Bavaria is still home to more castles than anywhere else in Germany: Some medieval castles remain only as ruins, whilst other castles such as Falkenstein Castle have withstood decline and are open to visitors. The expansive spruce forests in Eastern Bavaria have given way to the Bavarian Glass Road, as they supplied the wood and quartz sand –the key raw materials – for the very first glass foundries. Spanning some 250 kilometres, it is one of the most picturesque holiday routes in Germany. Those choosing to travel along the route will learn all about the 700-year tradition of glass production and glass as a form of art. The route, which begins in Neustadt an der Waldnaab and leads to Passau, features glass foundries, galleries and museums, all packed to the brim with interesting facts about the traditional handicraft. Some Eastern Bavarian companies are keeping the tradition alive to this day and export to countries ranging from the United Arab Emirates to the United States of America. The largest towns in Eastern Bavaria include Regensburg, Landshut and Passau. The city of Regensburg, which was first founded by Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, has retained its medieval centre to this day. The Old Town of Regensburg together with Stadtamhof has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2006. Landshut is the prototype of an old Bavarian town. Above all its town centre, which features gabled houses, decorative façades, oriels and arches, is one of the most beautiful squares to be found in the whole of Germany. The three-river town of Passau, which was built in the Italian baroque style, achieved early wealth thanks to its participation in the salt trade and was a place of border crossings due to its location on the border with Austria and just 30 kilometres from the Czech border. Other Eastern Bavarian towns such as Weiden Neumarkt i.d.OPf., Dingolfing, Deggendorf, Straubing and Amberg are, of course, also fantastic places to experience true, authentic Bavarian life. Nature An area of forest, which is around 230 kilometres in length, stretches between the Fichtel Mountains in the north and the River Danube in the south – the northern part of the mountain range constitutes the Upper Palatinate Forest, whilst the southern part is the Bavarian Forest. Eastern Bavaria also borders the Bavarian Jura Mountains. Calm rivers and streams, resplendent Jura rocks and a unique world of flora and fauna are characteristic for this part of the world. Together with the Bohemian Forest, the Bavarian Forest forms the largest continuous area of forest in Europe. In Eastern Bavaria, hikers have four different long-distance walking trails to choose between. The Goldsteig is the best-known: 660 kilometres in length and situated between Marktredwitz and Passau, it is a trail of certified quality and is listed amongst the "Top Trails of Germany". It is not just walkers who can enjoy the region: Eastern Bavaria has developed into the largest E-bike region in Europe. The Bavarian Forest and the Bavarian golf and spa landscape rely on the environmentally friendly addition to the classic bicycle and feature a good network of bike hire and charging stations especially for electric bikes. Meanwhile, those who prefer things to be a little more peaceful will find all they need in the Bavarian spas and on the golf courses local to the region. Health resorts and spa towns such as Bad Füssing, Bad Griesbach and Bad Birnbach, as well as the Danube spas of Bad Gögging and Bad Abbach, have been spa destinations since long before the recent boom in wellness breaks. The traditional spa towns look back on a long history and have carefully refurbished their hotels and their offerings to suit modern requirements. Culinary delights The Upper Palatinate Forest is home to a whole host of protected and certified products that can only be found in this region. One such trademark is the Zoigl: the traditional unfiltered and bottom-fermented beer from the Upper Palatinate Forest. Brewed by the village communities in the community brewery, it is exclusively served in so-called Zoiglstuben. Those wishing to enjoy a freshly poured Zoigl should keep an eye out for the Bierzeigl; a six- pointed star attached to a rod. It tells passers-by which Zoiglstube is serving the beer at any given time. Another regional delicacy can be ordered to enjoy alongside the beer: freshly caught carp. The Tirschenreuth region is known as the "Land of a Thousand Pools". Here, in the oldest fish-farming region in Europe with around 6,900 pools, fish have been being bred, processed, sold and enjoyed for around 1,100 years. The fish farming methods were developed in medieval times by Cistercian monks. And little has changed since then. This year alone saw around 6,000 tonnes of freshly caught Upper Palatinate carp being served on plates, either baked or as poached carp, known locally as Karpfen blau. - 2 - About BAVARIA TOURISM BAVARIA TOURISM (by.TM) is the official marketing company for the Bavarian tourism and leisure industry. Under the umbrella brand Bayern®, the company offers the entire range of tourism services in the State of Bavaria. All marketing activities run under the umbrella brand claim “Bavaria – traditionally different”. The main focus here is the communication of authentic stories about Bavarian personalities and their way of life. They show Bavaria in a traditional yet modern light, and embody the distinctiveness of Bavaria as a travel destination. All stories can be found on the main website www.bayern.by/traditionally-different in the style of a travel magazine, and are communicated through all other channels of by.TM. The sub-brands WellVital® in Bavaria, Kinderland® Bavaria and the hotel brand Sightsleeping® also guarantee target-group-specific offers for connoisseurs, families and culture lovers. Through its own initiatives such as “Time for Tranquility”, “Filmkulisse Bayern” (film set Bavaria) and “Aristocratic Bavaria”, it brings tourism together with other industries to create productive partnerships. In this way, the marketing company can work with all the Bavarian tourism partners, offering guests from all over the world a range of attractive and varied travel ideas. With 37.3 million guests and 94.4 million overnight stays in the year 2017, Bavaria was able to reinforce its leading position as the number one travel destination in Germany. More information about the variety of destinations in Bavaria and about BAVARIA TOURISM can be found at: www.bavaria.by. For more press information: Stephanie Scheuermann Nicole Berberich Head of Public Relations Junior Manager Public Relations BAVARIA TOURISM BAVARIA TOURISM Tel.: (+49) (0)89/21 23 97 43 Tel.: (+49) (0)89/21 23 97 27 Fax: (+49) (0)89/21 23 97 99 Fax: (+49) (0)89/21 23 97 99 E-mail: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Press services: www.bavaria.by, www.presse.bayern.by, www.bilder.bayern.by Facebook: www.facebook.com/visit.bavaria Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bayern #visitbavaria, #traditionallydifferent Pinterest: https://de.pinterest.com/deinbayern Twitter: https://twitter.com/bayern Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/bayerntourismus - 3 - .