The Hof region comprises 27 municipalities and the independent city of Hof. The district of Hof is characterized by an Upper Franconian hilly landscape with a diverse array of plant and animal life. Visitors can discover a varied cultural offering and numerous museums dedicated to art, history, and rural life in the 19th century.
Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in the Hof region can include the destination in their own travel plans.
Nature
The Höllental is a 3.8-kilometre-long section of the Selbitz valley between Hölle, a district of the town of Naila, and Blechschmidtenhammer, which belongs to the town of Lichtenberg, in the district of Hof. In 1997, the Höllental was designated a nature reserve covering an area of 160 hectares and, together with the Muschwitz valley, forms a European Union FFH area.
More than 30 kilometres of marked paths provide access to the Höllental hiking area between Hölle and Blechschmidtenhammer, as well as between the valleys of the Selbitz, the Thuringian Muschwitz, and the Saxon Saale. The approximately 7-kilometre-long Erlebnispfad Geologie und Bergbau circular trail runs between the Höllental and the Lochbach valley to the west. It begins and ends at the information centre of the Franconian Forest Nature Park in the old Lichtenberg railway station in Blechschmidtenhammer; parking spaces are available there.
Hiking
Several named trails lead through the landscape. The Felsenpfad US 14 trail takes hikers on a 5.4-kilometre route through the pristine Höllental past imposing rocks and offers sweeping views of the valley. The FrankenwaldSteigla Höllentour covers 7.4 kilometres on narrow paths through the Höllental nature reserve.
The König David US 21 circular trail leads from Issigau through the Höllental to the König David viewpoint rock and back; the route is 11.2 kilometres long. The Frankenweg begins in Untereichenstein, a hiking hub where the Rennsteig, FrankenwaldSteig, Blauer Kammweg, and Fränkischer Gebirgsweg also begin.
Culture and History
The Friedrich-Wilhelm-Stollen is a present-day show mine and a 1,000-metre-long drainage tunnel founded by Alexander von Humboldt. It is protected as a historic monument; its monument number is D-4-75-146-19. The Weberhaus Marlesreuth presents the austere life of hand weavers around the dominant handloom and explains its function. The building, constructed at the beginning of the 19th century, is one of the oldest surviving private houses in the village.
The German-German Museum Mödlareuth makes the former divided and partitioned village accessible as a memorial site, a place where borders were overcome, and a meeting place. In an open-air area of around 15,000 m², the museum preserves large sections of the former border fortifications specific to Mödlareuth in their original form.
The Erika Fuchs House in Schwarzenbach a. d. Saale is Germany’s first comic museum. Interactive stations allow visitors to explore language playfully. Through special exhibitions, lectures, readings, and workshops, the museum repeatedly focuses on comics and the art of language.
The Upper Franconian Textile Museum in Helmbrechts presents the development of textile production in Upper Franconia, from simple domestic weaving to industrial weaving. Courses and further-training events on handicrafts and fabric processing are offered there regularly, including sewing, quilting, and printing.
The Upper Franconian Fire Brigade Museum in Schauenstein Castle uses original exhibits to show the development of the fire brigade in the district of Hof from 1855 to the present day. The museum displays a hand-operated fire pump dating from 1855, which is considered its oldest and most important exhibit. The Schauenstein Local History Museum contains animal specimens, a mineral collection, and rooms depicting the lives of craftsmen and townspeople.
Schauenstein’s attractions include the natural monuments “Wachende Jungfrau” and “Schlafender Riese,” Schauenstein Castle with the Schauenstein Local History Museum and part of the Fire Brigade Museum, the church, and the listed market square as an ensemble.
Leisure
The Bad Steben thermal spa’s outdoor area features a 36°C brine pool with massage jets, neck showers, bubble loungers, and a large geyser. Bad Steben spa park has been a popular place for walkers, hikers, and athletes for more than a century and a half.
Swimming, surfing, sailing, rowing, and kayaking are possible at Untreusee lake in Hof.
Getting Around
Since its expansion in October 2024, the Hofer LandBus has offered around 1,450 stops and operates on demand via an app without a fixed timetable. It enables journeys from 13 adjacent service areas in the district of Hof to the city of Hof, as well as return journeys from the city of Hof.
Additional local pages for navigation: Bad Steben, Issigau, Köditz, Schwarzenbach An Der Saale, Zell Im Fichtelgebirge, Selbitz, Münchberg, Hof, Helmbrechts, Lichtenberg, Naila, Regnitzlosau, Schwarzenbach Am Wald, Geroldsgrün, Rehau, Oberkotzau, Trogen, Sparneck, Stammbach, Gattendorf, Schauenstein, Konradsreuth, Berg, Feilitzsch.
