Having fun with your fellow students after lectures and simply switching off from everyday student life – no problem in Hof, because there is so much on offer in the city on the Saale – whether it’s culinary, cultural, sporting or simply relaxing. We at Campuls.digital have summarized our top 10 best leisure activities in Hof for you.
1. Pools & sauna
Whether in the cold season or in summer – what would a city be without swimming pools? The city on the Saale has two of them – the HofBad with adjoining sauna area and the Hof outdoor pool.
Water lovers and wellness fans can take advantage of the HofBad’s indoor facilities until late June. If you want to swim laps, you can do so in the 25-metre swimming pool. Those looking for relaxation will find it in the aroma steam bath or the 36-degree whirlpool and those who simply want to have a bit of fun should definitely try out the 58-metre indoor water slide, the wild water channel or the fun pool with water volcanoes and massage jets.
Further information can be found here: https://www.stadtwerke-hof.de/hofbad/
The HofSauna is located right next to the HofBad. The large sauna area with panorama sauna, Finnish sauna and rock sauna, a heat tunnel, experience showers and an ice fountain is spread over two floors.
You can find more information about the HofSauna here: https://www.stadtwerke-hof.de/baeder/hofsauna/
The outdoor pool season traditionally starts at the end of May and here, too, all friends of the cool water get their money’s worth on a total of 2,700m² of water surface. In addition to various pools, the 48,500m² area also has two 100-metre-long water slides, a 10-metre diving platform, a beach volleyball and basketball court, table tennis tables, a huge sunbathing lawn for all sun worshippers and, of course, a large bistro.
Click here for the website of the Hof outdoor pool: https://www.stadtwerke-hof.de/baeder/freibad/
2. Jump & Climb incl. indoor soccer
Action fans and adrenaline junkies take note – this is just the thing for you. If you want to work off some energy, you can do so in the Jump & Climb Arena near the Untreusee lake. You can put your stamina, fitness and courage to the test in 9 different areas on 55 trampolines.
Head for the heights in the adjoining climbing hall. At a height of up to 10 meters, you can overcome your fear of heights on 26 different routes, climbing synchronously or even against each other.
Right next door, in the soccer hall, all soccer fans get their money’s worth. Both professional and amateur footballers can compete against each other on the artificial pitch. A little tip: For an extra dose of fun, you should definitely give bubblesoccer a try.
You can find more information here: https://www.jumpandclimb.de/
3. Karting track
If you like Mario Kart on the Playstation, you will love the real kart track in Hof. A total of 7 karts are available for adults in the 1,000 square meter hall and invite you to take part in the next match against each other. You can hire the go-kart track for between 30 minutes and 4 hours. A little tip: If you want to really beat your opponents in the race, you can book a training drive beforehand. However, the tracks cannot be booked spontaneously, so plan at least 3 to 4 weeks in advance so that nothing can go wrong on the day of the race.
You can find more information about the go-kart track and bookings here: https://www.konrads-kart.com/
4. Bowling & billiards
Bowling shoes on, ball in hand and the match at the Strike bowling center in Hof can begin. Important: You should reserve your lane online in advance. Make a note of Tuesday, because Tuesday is student day and that means reduced prices on your lane – but don’t forget your student ID!
On Wednesday, the diner offers special meals and drinks at half price, Thursday is Moonlight Bowling, bowling in black light and with good music, party bowling is on the program on Friday and Saturday is alternately Girls / Men Night.
Click here to go to the Strike bowling center website: https://www.bowlingcenterstrike.de/
If you prefer slightly smaller and lighter balls, you should pay a visit to Magic 8 in Hof. There are 11 tournament billiard tables and a snooker table in the large billiards area, and you can also play darts, pinball and air field hockey. You can watch Bundesliga, Champions League and international matches live in the sports bar and if you just want to enjoy a beer or cocktail, you can do so on the sun terrace in summer. A little tip: Thursday is student day – that means reduced prices for an hour of billiards. And of course there’s plenty of food and drink on offer too, with a large pizza buffet.
You can find all the information at a glance here: http://falter-hof.de/
5. Municipal ice rink Eisteich & leisure facility
Doing laps on ice skates is possible in winter on the covered ice rink in the middle of Hof – from October to March, the ice pond, as the people of Hof call it, is an absolute must, whether you are a skater or a beginner. Special events such as the ice disco attract young and old to the artificial ice rink with hot beats.
Incidentally, the outdoor area is currently being extended. The large surrounding area also has a pump track, skate park and fitness trail for board and bike fans.
You can find more information about the ice pond and the outdoor area here: https://www.eisteich.de/
6. Cinemas & Hof International Film Festival
Of course, all cineastes in the city on the Saale also get their money’s worth – at Central Kino. Incidentally, there are reduced prices for all students. Watch out, money savers: Tuesday is cinema day and that means you can see your favorite actor or actress on the big screen for even less.
Go to the cinema here: https: //www.kino-hof.de/
With a bit of luck, you might even meet the big film stars and celebrities in person in Hof, because every year in October, the “Who’s Who” of the German film scene gathers in Hof for an entire week – because the city on the Saale is not called the “Home of Films” for nothing. The reason for this is the Hof International Film Festival, one of the most important film festivals in Germany. Around 130 feature films, documentaries and short films are shown over 6 consecutive days. And don’t forget the legendary film festival parties. So make a note of October 21 – 26, 2025, when Hof will once again be a meeting place for actors, filmmakers and young talents.
By the way: If you want to know exactly when Hof will once again become the Mecca of German film, you should take a look at Konrad-Adenauer-Platz. The film day column shows it exactly. Every day, 3 more small lights light up on the column. When it is fully illuminated, it means that it is film festival time again.
You can find everything about the Hof International Film Festival here: https://www.hofer-filmtage.com/de
7. Culture
But it’s not just the film industry that is regularly represented in Hof, comedians such as Chris Tall, Bülent Ceylan and Michael Mittermeier also regularly get your laugh muscles quivering in the Freiheitshalle Hof. Musicians such as Sido and Clueso have also visited Hof on tour.
You can find more information here: https://www.freiheitshalle.de/de/index.html
Attention all theater fans: Of course you won’t miss out either. Whether musical theater, drama, ballet or young theater, there is something for every taste at Theater Hof.
You can find the current program here: https://www.theater-hof.de/
If you prefer to lose yourself in classical music, you should definitely attend a concert by the Hof Symphony Orchestra. But not only classical music, but often also underground music is on the program here.
Click here for the website of the Hofer Symphoniker: https://www.hofer-symphoniker.de/
8. Festivals
Hof and the surrounding area are particularly well known for their lively festivals. Especially in the summer months, people unpack their traditional costumes and dance on the beer benches in the festival tents.
Let’s start with the famous Hofer Schlappentag: this year it will take place on June 16, 2025. Hofer Schlappentag is the national holiday par excellence in the city on the Saale and is always celebrated on the Monday after Whitsun. A tradition that dates back to 1432. A special strong beer, Schlappenbier, is brewed for the occasion. Hofer Schlappentag is also part of the intangible world cultural heritage.
Everything you need to know about the Hofer Schlappentag can be found here: www.schlappentag.de
Let’s continue with the Hofer Volksfest. Under the motto “Do triffst fei alla”, it’s back for another 10 days from July 25. Rides, food stalls and a daily changing music program in the marquee invite visitors from Hof and the surrounding area to celebrate and have fun.
You can find all information about the Hof Volksfest here: www.hofer-volksfest.de
9. Museums
If you want a little less hustle and bustle, there are numerous museums in and around Hof.
For example, if you want to find out more about the city of Hof, you should pay a visit to the Museum Bayerisches Vogtland. This is both Hof’s city museum and a regional museum for the Bavarian Vogtland. In addition to city and regional history, there is also a large naturopathy section and a “Refugees and displaced persons in Hof” section.
You can find more information here: https://www.hof.de/hof/hof_deu/leben/museum-01.html
An absolute recommendation for all comic fans is the Erika Fuchs House in Schwarzenbach an der Saale (district of Hof). In Germany’s first comic museum, named after Erika Fuchs, who translated the stories from Duckburg into German for around four decades and lived in Schwarzenbach, you can immerse yourself in the world of Donald and Scrooge and learn about comics and the art of language.
Click here for Donald Duck and Co.: http://www.erika-fuchs.de/
You can find out more about German history in Mödlareuth, a small village that used to be divided by the inner-German border. Today, there is a museum here with an open-air area that focuses not only on the Wall and barbed wire, but also on social and everyday history. Incidentally, the small village of Mödlareuth is still “divided” to a certain extent today, as one half is Bavarian and the other Thuringian.
You can find more information about Mödlareuth here: https://moedlareuth.de/
The town of Selb (Wunsiedel district) used to be known for its porcelain industry. And even today, 60 percent of European porcelain is still produced in Selb. It is hardly surprising that a museum has been dedicated in honor of the “white gold”. In the Porzellanikon, you can immerse yourself in the history and production and learn more about the life of the porcelain makers. By the way: On August 2, 2025, the Porcelain Festival will take place again this year, including Europe’s largest porcelain flea market.
And you can find the Porzillanikon website here: https://www.porzellanikon.org/
10. Culinary delights
And finally, of course, the culinary offerings should not be neglected in our leisure tips. Around 300 gastronomic establishments, i.e. bars, restaurants and kiosks, invite you to dine deliciously in the city of Hof or to start one or two pub crawls through Hof.
If you’re studying in Hof, there’s one place you can’t miss (unless you’re a vegetarian): And that is the Hofer Wärtschlamo, which has been around for over 150 years. Whether “Wienerla” or “Bauern”, the Hofer Wärtschlamo serves the “Wärscht” from the kettle “nei ins Laabla” and then directly into your hand. A profession that only exists in the city on the Saale and which, if the city of Hof has its way, should now even be included in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural assets – the application is already in progress.
The Hof beef sausage, a special spreadable sausage, is also a Hof original. it was added to the register of typical regional specialties in 2011. This means that Hofer Rindfleischwurst is a protected geographical indication and may only be produced in the city of Hof and the district of Hof. So if you don’t try it here, you won’t get the chance anywhere else – and it’s worth it.
The original Hof beer also makes the city on the Saale a place of pleasure. Like the beef sausage, Hof beer has been a protected geographical indication since 1998 and can be purchased from the two breweries in the city, the Scherdel brewery and the Meinel brewery, and of course enjoyed in the numerous beer gardens in Hof.
