Discover Straufhain: Mills, museums and festivals
Accommodation in Straufhain
Straufhain brings together festivals, railway and border history, and traces of the former mills in the Rodach Valley. A festival in spring or summer, a museum visit by prior arrangement, and trails with several starting points offer different ways to explore the area. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can first decide whether you would like to plan your stay around a festival, a museum theme or an excursion.
Festivals in May and August
The Kühberg Festival takes place every year in August. The programme includes music, food from the bakehouse and grill, exhibitions, and market stalls. This mix combines music and food with other events, giving you different ways to enjoy the festival.
The Bergloch Festival takes place every year on the last Sunday in May in the village of Steinfeld, right next to the Bergloch. Its date is therefore clearly different from the Kühberg Festival in August. If you would like to include one of the festivals in your trip, check the specific dates in the current events calendar.
Railway and border history
The railway museum in Seidingstadt tells the story of the Thuringian narrow-gauge railway from Hildburghausen via Heldburg to Friedrichshall. Visits are only possible by prior appointment; please arrange your visit with the museum before travelling.
The Rodachtal Two-Country Museum in Streufdorf presents the regional history of a border area and takes visitors on a journey through the 20th century in the Rodach Valley. In contrast to the railway museum, the focus here shifts from the narrow-gauge railway to the history of the border region.
Mill trail and cycle route
There were nine mills in the Rodach Valley within the municipality of Straufhain. Today, almost all that remains of the historic mills are waterworks such as mill channels and weirs; information boards at the former mill sites describe the mills. The mill trail is about 7 km long, with starting points in Adelhausen, Steinfeld and Stressenhausen. There is an overview board at each starting point. This lets you explore both the former use of the mills and the waterworks that remain today.
The Werra–Obermain Cycle Route runs through Hildburghausen (Markt), Stressenhausen, Streudorf, Heldburg, Lindenau, Gemünda, Seßlach, Kaltenbrunn and Wiesen. The two routes differ mainly in how they are navigated: the mill trail identifies historic mill sites and three starting points, while the listed route provides the direction for the cycle route. As the route may change, check the course of the trail before setting off.
These planning details can help you choose a holiday apartment: the festivals take place on annual dates, the railway museum requires an appointment in advance, and you can choose one of the three listed starting points for the mill trail.
More topics in Hildburghausen district
Those wishing to explore the wider Hildburghausen district will find more landscape highlights. The district is an important part of the Thuringian Forest recreation region. It includes an extensive, continuous woodland area in the Thuringian Forest Nature Park and is also characterised by the Vessertal Biosphere Reserve, among other features.
The district’s museums also cover a range of subjects. Hennebergisches Museum Kloster Veßra is a 6-hectare open-air museum with four themed areas: the history of the monastery, half-timbered architecture, everyday life in the Henneberg region, and agricultural technology and sustainability. The German Castle Museum at Veste Heldburg presents the history and culture of castles in Europe from the Middle Ages to the present day. Its permanent exhibition is laid out as a tour through the entire castle. Visitors learn how castle construction changed from one era to the next and discover Veste Heldburg.
Discover more destinations: Heubach, Themar, Goldlauter, Suhl, Reurieth, Ummerstadt, Masserberg, Veilsdorf.
For the main travel overview: Hildburghausen-Suhl.
