Neuhaus am Rennweg – Rennsteig, glass history and excursions

Neuhaus am Rennweg is a place where the Rennsteig is more than just an excursion destination: the high-altitude hiking trail runs right through the town. The area also offers glass and contemporary history, a Gothic wooden church, and opportunities for hiking and cycling. When choosing your holiday apartment, it may therefore be important to decide whether you want to focus your stay more on trails, culture, or a trip to the Waldbad outdoor pool.

Hiking trails right through town

The Rennsteig runs through Neuhaus am Rennweg, giving the town a direct connection to hiking. Another specific point of reference is the “Bogenpfad am Rennsteig” (Arch Trail on the Rennsteig): it starts and ends at the Igelshieb sports ground, very close to the Rennsteighaus. If you would like to plan a hike with or without a guide, you can book Rennsteig hikes and hikes to historically significant destinations through the town’s Rennsteig Tourist Information Office. A certified nature and landscape guide is available to accompany you. This means you can choose between a tour led by an expert and a hike without a guide.

The Rennsteighaus is a service station near the hiking car park and the Igelshieb railway stop. Its facilities include showers, toilets and a lounge; there are also two outdoor bicycle lockers. These specific places are particularly useful if hiking or cycling is the focus of your day.

Glass history and a distinctive wooden church

The Neuhaus am Rennweg Experience Museum explores the lives of the “Wäldler” (forest dwellers). The museum invites visitors to listen, linger and take an active part in the experience. Located in the town centre, it also presents the glass and contemporary history of the Rennsteig town. If you are interested in the town’s history, it offers a cultural counterpoint to the hiking trails. The Geißlerhaus, located in the birthplace of Dr Heinrich Geißler (1814–1879), also houses a museum.

Another distinctive building is the Gothic Evangelical Lutheran wooden church in the town centre. It was consecrated in 1892 and is one of the few all-wood churches in Germany. A special feature is the geometric and ornamental stained glass in its windows: the colours are arranged according to the ripening of grapes. This combines an unusual design motif with timber construction and the town’s religious history. You can shape your excursion plans around either the glass and contemporary history in the museum or the church’s architecture and stained-glass windows.

Outdoor pool and cycling routes

Waldbad Bernhardsthal is located about 300 metres before the entrance to Neuhaus am Rennweg, on the B 281 road from the direction of Eisfeld. The pool has a natural swimming area with a separate non-swimmer section, a beach volleyball court and a playground. This water and leisure destination complements the town’s hiking and cultural attractions. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can consider whether these different interests in excursions are relevant to your trip.

Neuhaus am Rennweg is also a starting point for cycling trips: the Werratal Cycle Tour often begins here. According to tourist information, you can arrive with your bicycle on the Südthüringen-Bahn or on a bus with bicycle transport from Saalfeld. The Rennsteig Cycle Path and the Schwarzatal Cycle Path lead to Neuhaus am Rennweg or reach the town. This gives you access to several cycling routes as well as hikes, without combining them into a single tour.

A future event has also been announced for runners: the 54th Rennsteiglauf in 2027 starts at the sports ground by the Guts-Muths sports hall in Neuhaus am Rennweg. If you would like to link your trip to this event, be sure to factor in the year 2027.

Discover other places

Also explore Siegmundsburg as well as Sonneberg, Mengersgereuth-Hämmern, Scheibe-Alsbach, Neuhaus-Schierschnitz, Föritz, Judenbach and Effelder-Rauenstein.

Back to the main travel overview: Sonneberg.