# Kempten

Kempten is a city of 69,000 people (2021) in Swabia, Bavaria, is on the banks of the Iller in the foothills of the Allgäu Alps.

## Understand

The origin of the town lies in the Roman military fort of Cambodonum and the town now uses its Roman heritage to attract visitors. Kempten was an Imperial free city of the Holy Roman Empire until the Napoleonic wars. The population was largely Lutheran from the Reformation, but ruled by prince abbots based in the Neustadt, above the Altstadt which lies along the Iller.

## Get in
### By train

* 47.711710.31781 Kempten Main Station. It is on the main rail line from Lindau to Nuremberg. It is accessible by train from Ulm, Augsburg, Munich, Nuremberg and Lindau. The trip from Munich takes between 1 and 2 hours depending upon the route and service selected.

## Get around

Much of the centre of town is pedestrianised, although taxis are available, and a municipal bus service operates in the centre and in surrounding areas.

## See

As the largest city in the Allgau, Kempten is home to several sights of interest to visitors:
* 47.728510.31161 St. Lorenz Basilica. The cathedral in Neustadt. It is connected to the Residence.
* 47.72836110.3128332 The Residence (Residenz), Residenzplatz 4-6 (next to the cathedral), ☏ +49 831 2561251. The construction of the church and residence started in 1652. The rooms are a great example from the Rococo period. At the same location was a Benedictine monastery from 750, which was destroyed in the Thirty Years' War. Access only by guided tour (in German), which starts every 45 min. Nowadays, parts of the building are used as court building. Adults €3.50.
* 47.72944410.3133063 Hofgarten (next to the cathedral).
* 47.7295110.311674 Alpine Museum (Alpin-Museum), Landwehrstraße 4, ☏ +49 831 2525 740. Mar-Oct: Tu-Su 10:00-16:00, M closed. Also well worth visiting is the Alpine Museum with informative exhibits (German only) on mountain climbing, mountain life, geology and biology of the region. In the same building (and included in the admission) is the Alpine Gallery, a branch of the Bavarian National Museum, with numerous treasures of the late middle ages. Adults €4.
* 47.72642110.3168925 City Hall (Rathaus).
* 47.72558310.3198336 St. Mang Church.

## Do

* Flea markets are held every two to three weeks at different venues around the city.
* Jazzfrühling. A jazz festival is held late April.
* Allgäu Comets. The Allgäu Comets play American Football in the first division German Football League and draw crowds in excess of 2000 people for home games. The season runs roughly April-September with playoffs in late September or early October. They play their home games at 47.7305210.320411 Illerstadion.

## Buy

Beer.

## Eat
### Budget
#### City centre

* 47.72714110.3089861 Pilsbar Chaplin, Poststraße 23. (updated Sep 2022)
* 47.72069910.3144232 Bella Italia, August-Fischer-Platz 1. (updated Sep 2022)
* 47.72590810.3157493 Cennis Pizzamanufaktur, Fischersteige 6. (updated Sep 2022)
* 47.72196510.3164114 Kerasus Food 2, Scheibenstraße 7. (updated Sep 2022)
* 47.72570210.3145655 Bangkok Asia-Shop, Zwingerstraße 18. (updated Sep 2022)

#### Elsewhere

* 47.71092610.3204296 Olaf's Curry Alm, Eicher Str. 4. (updated Sep 2022)
* 47.71188710.3318997 Reblaus Schwäbische Besenwirtschaft, Hanebergstraße 19. (updated Sep 2022)
* 47.70290110.324728 Meckatzer Bierstüble, Miesenbacher Str. 7. (updated Sep 2022)

### Mid-range

* 47.72868310.3103149 Zum Stift, Stiftsplatz 1, ☏ +49 831 22 3 88. (updated Sep 2022)
* 47.72616210.31550610 Schalander, Fischersteige 9, ☏ +49 831 16866. (updated Sep 2022)
* 47.72510410.3237111 Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Füssener Str. 96, ☏ +49 831 5718 150. (updated Sep 2022)
* 47.72390710.31559712 L'Osteria, Bahnhofstraße 1, ☏ +49 831 69 71 05 70. (updated Sep 2022)
* 47.73136110.3105813 Meckatzer Bräu-Engel, Prälat-Götz-Straße 17. (updated Aug 2022)

### Splurge

* 47.71880110.31432114 HUGOS Steak & BBQ, Bahnhofstraße 47. (updated Sep 2022)

## Drink

Beer.

## Sleep

* Bayerischer Hof, Füssener Str.96 (across the Iller from the only remaining gate from the middle ages). It reportedly dates to 1472, but includes all the modern conveniences, including a fine restaurant specialising in Swabian specialities.
* 47.71474210.3162491 Green Living Inn, Konrad-Zuse-Weg 1-2.
* 47.71917210.3072972 Gästehaus bei den Birken, Goethestraße 25, ☏ +49 831 28008.
* 47.74588610.3241863 Smart Motel, Edisonstraße 4.
* 47.72400510.3106894 Hotel Peterhof, Salzstraße 1.
* 47.72635310.3184635 Hotel Fürstenhof, Rathausplatz 8.
* 47.71126410.2967086 Hotel Gasthof Waldhorn, Steufzgen 80.
* 47.72818810.3398537 Landhotel Hirsch, Lenzfrieder Straße 55.

## Go next

* Lermoos — ski resort over the border with Austria that can easily be reached with a direct train connection.