Hiking & Biking in Willingen
Awarded as a quality region Wanderbares Deutschland (Walkable Germany ), varied quality hiking trails await you in Willingen. With impressive vantage points such as the panoramic platform of the Hochheideturm with a view over the Upland, your hike will be an experience. When it snows, groomed trails ranging from 3 to 20 km in length await you for winter hiking. If you prefer to discover Upland by bike, we recommend a leisurely covered wagon ride.
The Willingen Bike World offers cyclists a variety of options on signposted routes with a length of 18 to 240 km and up to 2,400 m altitude difference. Pleasure cyclists and families explore the area on relaxed tours, while sporty bikers are challenged on long routes with steep inclines. Bikewelt Willingen enjoys an international reputation for its downhill and freeride trails in the red and black levels.
Willingen in winter
In the largest ski area north of the Alps, a well-prepared network of trails, slopes and paths awaits winter sports enthusiasts and skiers - from family-friendly slopes to challenging downhill runs. Skirondell, connecting slopes, lift network, conveyor belts, T-bar lifts and 6-seater cable car save long waiting times when changing slopes. From our sports hotel you can reach the ski slopes in a few minutes.
18 km of snow-covered ski slopes, the longest downhill run in the Sauerland with 2 km, floodlighting and the 1,400 m long Ettelsberg cable car, Germany's most powerful cable car: Willingen offers skiers the best conditions. Other winter sports options include cross-country skiing, snowshoe hikes or a romantic sleigh ride through the snow-covered Willingen forests. 15 cross-country skiing routes at altitudes ranging from 580 to 843 meters and nearly 100 km of groomed trails with various gradients, descents and lengths await you.
An annual winter sports highlight is the FIS World Cup in ski jumping on the Mühlenkopf ski jump, where the world's elite of the compete against each other in team jumping and individual competition.
Something for every weather
Whether sun, rain or snow: among the many activities and leisure facilities in Willingen there is something for every weather. A walk through the high ropes course, a game on the adventure golf course, the summer toboggan run with trampoline facility and the game and amusement park with rides and many animals are particularly popular not only with families. In any weather, a visit to the Mühlenkopf ski jump is also worthwhile. Get to know the largest ski jump in the world also in summer on a guided tour of the Willingen ski club and ride the funicular comfortably from the run-out to the inrun tower.
In Hoppecketal, just a few minutes' walk from the hotel, you can experience sporting activities with thrills. In the karting and bowling center, you can speed up with karting or hit the ball with bowling and prove your accuracy with archery and climbing in the hall.
A special feature in Willingen is the ice skating rink, which is open all year round. Here you can skate your lanes in any weather and challenge family and friends to ice hockey or curling. In the Lagunen-Erlebnisbad, warm therapy pools, saunas and whirlpools invite you to relax. Those who prefer action-packed fun can visit the aqua slide park. Regularly offered, free water gymnastics courses round off the offer.
Educational & entertaining
Apart from active experiences at any time of the year, there are educational and entertaining destinations in Willingen. At the Willingen Glass Manufactory, you can see how a vase is made and try your hand at creating your own glass work of art. In the Christine slate quarry, you will get to know part of the disused tunnels during a guided tour, where slate was still being mined 50 years earlier. In the exhibition rooms you will learn everything about slate and its processing. The legendary Willingen brewery gives you a look behind the scenes of the brewery during interesting guided tours and provides interesting information about beer production.
In the district of Usseln, two museums of a special kind await you: In the Curioseum, you can marvel at curious and bizarre exhibits on two floors, and in the Milchmuhseum, historical and tasty exhibits about milk. On rainy days, a visit to the Willingen cinema is worthwhile. Concerts and theater performances are held regularly in the spa garden or visitor center.
