Zwiesel

The glass town rich in tradition and hub at the National Park

Zwiesel connects the lively atmosphere of a small town with the glass tradition of centuries. The town is the centre of Glasstraße (the glass road) and the ideal starting point for dream tours into the National Park, but at the same time, it is the cultural centre of the region. Free bus and train links lead from Zwiesel into all directions, and, of course, also to the hikers’ car parks of the neighbouring mountains, such as Mount Großer Arber and Mount Falkenstein.

Situated in the northern part of the National Park and located idyllically amid the mountains Arber, Falkenstein, Rachel and Hennenkobel, Zwiesel is a popular destination of the holiday region National Park Bavarian Forest. Since 1421 the town has been the centre of glass manufacture and refinement. Until today this glass tradition has been kept up: Manufacturing glassworks work next to glass artists and studios. Special highlights are the glass pyramid, which is eight metres high and thus the world’s largest glass pyramid made of 93,665 crystal glasses, and the glass chapel Am Anger or the Museumsschlösschen Theresienthal whose luxurious glasses once adorned noble houses throughout Europe.

The Waldmuseum (forest museum) houses both precious glasses and information on the forest habitat. Also the mysterious “Unterirdische Gänge” (underground passages) underneath the town are worth visiting. In the recreation spa (ZEB), keen swimmers find - apart from the pools - an extensive outdoor area with a natural pond and a pirate ship. Sauna aficionados can enjoy the theme saunas and the salt water pool of the Bayerwaldsauna. Zwiesel also offers culinary delicacies; like for instance the Dampfbierbrauerei Pfeffer (brewery), coffee roasting house Kirmse and the Bärwurz (athamanticum) distillery Hieke.

The small town is also renowned as a winter sport area at Mount Arber with safe conditions for snow. Just like the Glasberg and the upland cross-country ski trails in Rabenstein, Mount Arber is connected with Zwiesel by free ski busses.