Discover Sondershausen
Accommodation in Sondershausen
A palace museum in the former residence, paths for different activities, and Possen Leisure and Recreation Park in one of Europe’s largest contiguous beech forest areas give Sondershausen several distinctive sides. The town also has Bergbad, a seasonal outdoor swimming pool. When planning your vacation, you can choose how much emphasis to place on culture, nature and outdoor activities.
Palace history and musical tradition
Sondershausen Palace Museum is housed in the former residence of the Princes of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen. A small, carefully selected collection of historical musical instruments connects a museum visit with the town’s musical tradition. This distinctive focus of the collection makes the palace a point of interest for anyone interested in historical instruments as well as the history of the former residence.
The Harz Tourism Association’s free multimedia guide leads visitors to eight stops around Sondershausen Palace in German and English. This lets you extend your visit beyond the museum rooms to explore the palace grounds. The collection and the guide offer two different ways to discover the site: historical instruments in the museum and stops around the palace.
Trails, forests and a seasonal outdoor pool
Many well-marked hiking, cycling and riding trails run around Sondershausen. Routes pass through Kyffhäuser Nature Park and the Hainleite conservation area. Signage and conditions may change, so check local conditions when planning a trip. The Frauenberg Trail adds a clearly defined option: this family adventure trail is 1.6 kilometers long and includes seven different activity stations.
The natural setting of Possen Leisure and Recreation Park is also distinctive: the park is located in one of Europe’s largest contiguous beech forest areas. Along with marked trails, the forest and landscape can therefore also guide your choice of destination. Visitors who prefer cycling or riding will also find designated trails around Sondershausen; those who want to explore on foot can choose between the Frauenberg Trail and the other hiking trails.
Bergbad Sonnenblick is a seasonal municipal outdoor swimming pool and is closed until the next swimming season. Its facilities include a 50-meter pool, diving platforms at heights of one and three meters, a water slide, a paddling pool, a playground and a beach volleyball court. This makes the pool a seasonal option to factor into your plans, while the museum, forest and trails appeal to other interests year-round.
More experiences in the wider Kyffhäuserkreis destination
In the wider Kyffhäuserkreis destination, Barbarossa Cave lies between the villages of Rottleben and Steinthaleben in the municipality of Kyffhäuserland. It is an anhydrite cave. Five miners discovered it in 1865 in connection with the resumption of copper shale mining. It was named after the legend of Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa’s return. Here, geology and folklore come together at a destination that offers a different side of the region from the trails and palace museum in Sondershausen.
The Sondershausen Adventure Mine is another regional highlight. In the wider Kyffhäuserkreis destination, guided tours are offered year-round at a depth of 670 meters, including an approximately two-hour truck tour through the underground labyrinth. The mine also has the world’s deepest concert hall, where concerts and cabaret performances are regularly held. The tours and events offer a clear contrast to a stay focused mainly on forests, hiking trails or the palace.
The Kyffhäuser Trail is another part of the regional offering: this 37-kilometer circular route starts and ends in Bad Frankenhausen. Its three stages run from Bad Frankenhausen to Barbarossa Cave, from there to the Kyffhäuser Monument, and then back to Bad Frankenhausen. The trail is a “Wanderbares Deutschland” Quality Trail, is well marked and is regularly inspected for defects. For your plans, the circular route offers a specific regional hiking option alongside the trails around Sondershausen.
When looking for a holiday apartment, you can start by deciding what you want to focus on: Sondershausen offers the palace museum, musical tradition, local trails and the seasonal Bergbad; the cave, mine and Kyffhäuser Trail add to the choice in the wider Kyffhäuserkreis. This lets you tailor your search according to whether you want your stay to focus mainly on the town or include other regional experiences as well.
Discover more destinations: Bad Frankenhausen, Kyffhäuserland, Bendeleben, Steinthaleben, Gorsleben, Wiehe, Oberheldrungen, Oldisleben.
Go to the wider travel overview: Kyffhäuserkreis.
