Sonnen: exploring the solar system at scale

In Sonnen, the Solar System becomes the focus of a real outing: the Solar System Hiking Trail starts at the town hall next to the church and leads to the model of the dwarf planet Pluto in Oberfrauenwald. The sizes and distances of the Sun and planets make the trail a special way to explore the subject not just as an abstract concept, but along a route. The starting point, length and destination help you fit the outing into your holiday plans.

On the Solar System Hiking Trail from the Sun to Pluto

The trail begins at the Sun model, at the town hall next to the church in Sonnen. Along the route, the sizes and distances of the Sun and planets are shown at a scale of 1:1 billion. This brings two aspects into focus: the relative sizes of the celestial bodies and their distances in the model. If you are interested in astronomy, you can use the display to relate these two aspects to one another, rather than viewing the planets only as names or numbers.

The trail is 6.8 km long and ends at the model of the dwarf planet Pluto by the observation tower in Oberfrauenwald. From there, you can look back towards the golden Sun. The starting point, length and end point each provide different information for planning: the Sun model marks the start, the distance indicates the length of the route, and the Pluto model marks its destination. Taken together, these details make the route tangible as an outing and help you decide how to fit it into your day.

If the model trail is a particular priority for your trip, you can focus your search for a holiday apartment on Sonnen. If you would also like to consider other attractions in the wider Passau destination, it is worth keeping them in mind when choosing where to stay. This way, you can start by considering which experiences you want to shape your stay.

More attractions in the wider Passau destination

In the wider Passau destination, the Bavarian Forest Museum Village in Tittling offers a historical focus. Visitors can explore more than 100 residential and farm buildings from the Bavarian Forest, dating from 1580 to 1890, across 20 hectares. The museum village includes farmhouses, mills, sawmills, smithies, chapels and field monuments. Germany’s oldest primary school, dating from 1666, is also part of the site. While the trail in Sonnen explores the sizes and distances within the Solar System, Tittling turns the focus to historic buildings and the periods they represent.

The wider Passau destination also offers landscapes and nature experiences: the Passau region is shaped by rivers, forests and thermal baths. Well-known thermal springs are located in Bad Füssing and Bad Griesbach. The Danube Cycle Path runs through the Passau region and received a 4-star rating following an assessment by the German Cyclists’ Association. These examples offer different options for planning your trip, from cycling and nature to thermal baths and a visit to an open-air museum.

For more hiking ideas in the Passau region, the Granite Adventure Hiking Trail around Hauzenberg and the Smuggler’s Trail in the Danube Pearls are recommended. The Haus am Strom Nature Experience Centre is located in the narrow Bavarian-Austrian Danube valley below Untergriesbach. Another cultural option is Ortenburg Castle Culture, an event series organised by the Friends of Ortenburg Castle. From April to December, it features music events, cabaret performances, spooky nights at Ortenburg Castle, lectures and guided tours. Check the dates by season if you plan to include this in your itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Passau, Eging Am See, Breitenberg, Witzmannsberg, Neuhaus Am Inn, Tittling, Ruderting, Salzweg.

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