Lauscha: Glass Art and Nature

Lauscha combines a long glassmaking tradition with outdoor experiences. The town is considered the birthplace of glass Christmas tree decorations; you can encounter this distinctive heritage in different ways at the museum, the coloured glassworks and the annual bauble market. There are also hiking routes, cycle paths and activities in Ernstthal. When choosing a holiday apartment in Lauscha, you can consider whether culture, nature or a seasonal experience should be the focus of your trip.

Discover glassmaking history and craftsmanship

The Museum of Glass Art Lauscha displays the history of glass tree decorations from 1860 to the present day. Exhibits include baubles and various shapes. The museum also showcases a significant collection of glass products from Lauscha and the Thuringian Forest. If you are interested in the development of Christmas tree decorations, you can gain insight into the subject here over a long period and through a variety of glass forms.

At the Lauscha coloured glassworks, visitors can enjoy a Diaton show and watch glassmakers at work. This includes manually drawing tubes and rods, as well as making finished glass objects. The experience therefore goes beyond finished products: individual stages of the glassmaking process are also part of the visit. The museum and the coloured glassworks offer different perspectives—one focuses on the collection and history, the other on working with glass.

The bauble market during Advent

The traditional bauble market takes place every year during Advent. It extends throughout the town and features glass dealers and regional craftspeople. Unlike a market held at a single location, this event takes you through Lauscha as a whole. If you would like to plan your trip around the bauble market, Advent is the right time of year. The town’s glassmaking history can also be experienced beyond the museum, through trading and craft activities.

Hiking and cycling in nature

In summer, you can explore the natural surroundings of the glassmaking town on numerous hiking routes and cycle paths. One specific hiking option is the “Hike Between Glass and Slate”: it starts in Lauscha and is a 12-kilometre circular route. The route is of moderate difficulty and has an elevation gain of 313 metres. These details can help you assess the tour’s distance and elevation gain when planning your trip. If you would rather cycle than take a specific circular hike, you can explore the numerous cycle paths that let you discover the natural surroundings of the glassmaking town in summer.

Ernstthal: Ski slopes and summer toboggan run

In the Lauscha district of Ernstthal, Erlebniswelt Ernstthal offers three family-friendly downhill ski slopes on the northern slope of the 835-metre-high Pappenheimer Berg. The difficulty levels range from easy to difficult. In suitable winter conditions, the team also prepares various ski touring trails with a total length of up to 18 kilometres. Conditions are an important part of what is on offer: the ski touring trails are prepared when winter conditions are suitable.

There is also a summer activity at Pappenheimer Berg: the summer toboggan run in the Ernstthal district is 1,300 metres long.

When choosing a holiday apartment, you can therefore start by considering the purpose of your trip: Lauscha offers a clear cultural focus on glass and Christmas tree decorations, while hiking and cycling paths, as well as activities in Ernstthal, cater to other interests. Whether you focus your trip on the glassmaking tradition, the Advent market or outdoor activities will determine which experiences take centre stage during your stay.

More local pages: Spechtsbrunn, Judenbach, Föritz, Goldisthal, Neuhaus-Schierschnitz, Sonneberg, Effelder-Rauenstein, Frankenblick.

Go to the main travel overview: Sonneberg.