Olching Travel Guide — Best Time, Things to Do & Where to Stay

Why Olching

Situated in Bavaria approximately 20 kilometers northwest of Munich, Olching is a town within the district of Fürstenfeldbruck. Positioned along both banks of the River Amper, it lies roughly halfway between Dachau and Fürstenfeldbruck. The municipality is composed of four main districts—Olching, Esting, Geiselbullach, and Graßlfing—and shares borders with neighbouring communities including Maisach, Bergkirchen, Gröbenzell, Puchheim, Eichenau, Emmering, and Fürstenfeldbruck.

Olching traces its historical roots to the Early Middle Ages, with records documenting a transfer of property to Benediktbeuern Abbey in 740. A monastery briefly operated in the town during the 13th century before transferring to nearby Fürstenfeldbruck. After enduring severe destruction in the Thirty Years' War, Olching remained largely agricultural until the opening of the Munich–Augsburg railway line and a wood pulp mill in the 1840s. The settlement officially attained city status in 2011. Notable local landmarks include the Romanesque basilica of Saint Peter and Paul, built in 1903, and the KOM Kulturwerkstatt am Olchinger Mühlbach, a renovated 1877 listed building hosting art exhibitions, meetings, and music performances.

Natural settings around the town offer varied outdoor recreation. To the east, bordering Gröbenzell, lie Olchinger See and Kleiner See. While the River Amper cannot accommodate commercial shipping or large leisure boats, small watercraft such as kayaks and dinghies frequent the river during the summer. Visitors can also explore the Vogelpark Olching, a bird park accessible from spring through autumn, or walk along the Mühlbach backwater. Nearby, the Schuttberg mound provides a popular winter sledging site for local residents.

Olching features a range of leisure and sporting amenities, including an indoor swimming pool, a bowling center, minigolf courses, and a golf course situated between Olching and Geiselbullach. The town is also known for its motorcycle speedway track, which has hosted international competitions. Local gatherings center on the Volksfestplatz fairground, which hosts monthly flea markets throughout the summer as well as the annual Olchinger Volksfest in May or June. Additionally, a traditional Shrove Tuesday carnival parade has taken place in the city since 1923.

The local climate is transitional between humid Atlantic and dry continental patterns, strongly influenced by the Danube River and the Alps. Olching occasionally experiences the Foehn wind, which brings warmer air and exceptional atmospheric clarity, rendering the Bavarian Alps visible roughly 100 kilometers to the south. Drivers can access the town via the A8 and A99 motorways or the B471 road, while public transit users reach central Munich in approximately 20 minutes using the S3 line of the S-Bahn network.