Discover Thuringia: Nature, Culture and Culinary Delights
Accommodation in Thuringia
Thuringia combines outdoor experiences with cultural history and regional cuisine. You can hike through forest landscapes, explore cycling routes, discover historic sites or get involved yourself in hands-on activities. When planning your trip, it is worth first considering which of these experiences you would like to focus on. This can also help you look for a holiday apartment in the subregion that best suits your plans for outings.
Forests, Natural Landscapes and Trails
Thuringia has eight National Natural Landscapes, where you can observe rare plants and animals. A special connection with natural heritage can be found in the Hainich: in 2011, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of Germany’s Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests. In Hainich National Park, the treetop path reaches up to 24 metres above the ground, winding through the canopy. If you enjoy being up among the treetops, this offers a different way to experience nature than a trail on the ground.
The Rennsteig in the Thuringian Forest also offers a distinctive way to experience the landscape: it is considered Germany’s best-known ridge trail and is used by cross-country skiers in winter. For hikes with a special historical connection, you can explore parts of the Green Belt in Thuringia on numerous hiking and circular trails. These trails and landscapes appeal to a range of interests—from a hike along the ridge to exploring individual sections of the Green Belt.
If you prefer cycling, consider the Ilmtal Cycle Route. It is 123 kilometres long and runs from the Thuringian Forest to the Saale-Unstrut wine-growing region. There are railway connections along the cycle route in both directions, allowing cyclists to return to their starting point. The route’s length is a useful point of reference when including it in your travel plans. Another option for exploring is the Goethe Adventure Trail, with twelve experience stations.
Cultural History and Discoveries
Wartburg Castle near Eisenach is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is associated with Martin Luther’s translation of the New Testament. Its historical and art-historical significance attracts numerous visitors from around the world every year. Thuringia has five entries on the UNESCO World Heritage List in total. For those interested in culture, the Thuringian Open-Air Museum in Hohenfelden offers another glimpse into the past: it features more than 38 historic buildings dating from the 16th to the 20th century and shows how people lived in earlier times.
Smaller, more specialised attractions can also make for a memorable outing. The interactive Grottoneum Museum features talking stones and a grotto cinema. The Apolda Avantgarde Art House has hosted exhibitions by international and regional artists since 1995, while the Apolda Culture Factory offers workshops. If you would like to do more than learn about Thuringian cuisine and try it out for yourself, you can learn to prepare Thuringian classics at the Klosswelt Heichelheim dumpling cooking school. The 1st German Bratwurst Museum dedicates its permanent exhibition to the history, tradition and cultural significance of bratwurst, particularly Thuringian bratwurst, and offers bratwurst seminars.
Activities Together and Peaceful Experiences
For families who enjoy discovering things together, the Feenweltchen Adventure Forest offers activities for children and adults, including climbing features and stations for touching and smelling. The herbal educational trail around Oberweißbach introduces visitors to beneficial plants found in nature. These activities offer a different focus from a museum visit or a longer hike, and can be taken into account when choosing places to visit.
The Toskana Therme Bad Sulza offers a more peaceful experience with Liquid Sound: permanently installed sound columns, as well as speakers above and below the water, create its soundscape. Whether you would rather plan trails and nature, cultural history, hands-on activities or relaxation for your trip can help determine the right starting point for your search for a holiday apartment.
Subordinate Destinations in Thuringia
For further guidance, you can explore the subordinate destinations individually: Saale-Orla, Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, Schmalkalden-Meiningen, Sömmerda, Sonneberg, Unstrut-Hainich, Wartburg, Weimarer Land, Erfurt, Eisenach, Kyffhäuserkreis, Nordhausen, Altenburger Land, Eichsfeld, Gotha, Greiz, Hildburghausen-Suhl, Ilm-Kreis and Saale-Holzland.
Return to the overview of destinations: Germany.
