1 The Rennsteig – Germany’s oldest hiking trail
Thuringia’s most famous hiking path is steeped in tradition, and known across Europe for its superb scenery. Hundreds of historic boundary stones – the symbol of the Rennsteig – mark the route and tell their own story about how this path was for years a border between the Franconian and Thuringian provinces.
The 105-mile route winds down from the town of Eisenach (home of Wartburg Castle), via Suhl, and ends at Blankenstein, right on the current border between Thuringia and Bavaria. Today, there’s also a 120-mile cycle path that runs almost parallel to the walking route, but with longer deviations to avoid too many buttock-bashing hill climbs. But while the cycle path is still a teenager, the classic hiking route is nearly 700 years old. You can sense the souls that have trodden this famous path over the years, along the historic ridgeline above the forests. Some 100,000 walkers come every year to explore this evocative slice of countryside. And deep below your feet a plethora of tunnels carry some of Germany’s most important road and rail routes – including the tubes carrying the brand new Erfurt to Nuremberg high-speed railway.
2 The Hochrhoener trail
Parts of the Hochrhoener trail extend into Hesse and Bavaria, but its heart lies in Thuringia. Running from Bad Kissingen to Bad Salzungen, via Kreuzberg and the Wasserkuppe mountain, the Hochrhoener trail snakes for 87 miles. It is split into nine stages, if you only want to walk a portion of the longer trail, and crests out at an impressive 876 metres. And if you still feel like you want to go higher, the Hochrhoener is the perfect place for gliding in Thuringia. If you gaze skywards from the paths you can often see gliders catching the currents, which are perfect here due to the geography of the mountains and the way the weather systems work their way through the area. Stargazers can veer off the main path on the Geba trail to discover the “Sternenpark” or Star Park – one of Europe’s leading dark sky landscapes. With platforms and viewing devices provided, it is ideal for gazing into space and spotting stars and planets. And for a taste of history, you can explore the Point Alpha trail leading to the Point Alpha military installations and the remains of the former inner German border – the iron curtain. In this area on the border there’s also Merkers mine – a former salt mine, where the Nazis stashed treasures during the second world war.
3 The Thuringian Chain-of-Towns – long-distance cycle trail
Architecture aficionados will love this journey through the buildings and history of Thuringia’s main urban centres. The Chain-of-Towns trail runs for a total of 140 miles, but most of that is over flat to gently sloping ground – so the going is not like pulling teeth. And the route is also perhaps best enjoyed in small portions. Electric bikes are encouraged and regular charging stations pepper the route, plus there are a slew of DB (Deutsche Bahn) railway stations along the way, where you can let the train take the strain if you don’t want to cycle the whole thing. The Chain-of-Towns trail begins in Eisenach, home to the Unesco world heritage site, Wartburg Castle. Next, Gotha and its castle Schloss Friedenstein. Cosmopolitan Erfurt’s student population ensures plenty of bars, and its handsome, historic centre is home to such architectural highlights as the Old Synagogue – one of Europe’s oldest, which is itself home to the famous Erfurt Treasure of gold and silver. Then it’s on to historic Weimar and Jena, and then to Altenburg, where the route concludes.
4 Saale cycle route – hills aplenty
Those double-wheeled daredevils who look in awe at the Tour de France’s King of the Mountains exploits can find their cycling satisfaction on this challenging and ultimately rewarding run through the heart of the Thuringian hills following the River Saale. Coming in at a thigh-chafing 250 miles, the Saale cycle route calls for plenty of Vaseline in the panniers. The first part of the route from picturesque Fichtelgebirge through the high hills is the most spectacular, and tea breaks can be taken while you marvel at gorges or pristine lakes. As the river widens and flattens, castles and vineyards become more common sights. Bad Sulza’s wineries are especially noted for their bottles of Grüner Veltliner or Muscat Ottonel. Reaching Saalfeld, cyclists or walkers find the mesmerising Fairy Grottoes, listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s most colourful caves. Then, finally, you find peaceful meadows before the river joins the Elbe and flows on its long journey up to Hamburg and the North Sea. Jena is one of Thuringia’s main towns and provides plenty of sleeping, eating and shopping options. Optical innovator Zeiss was founded here and the town’s Zeiss Planetarium is rightly known for its audio and video shows.
5 Schwarza Valley Panorama trail – for tree lovers
Fans of forests can revel in this peaceful adventure through the trees that sprout on the eastern side of the Thuringian forest nature park. The park is packed with dense thickets of coniferous trees that provide a habitat for a huge variety of bird and animal species, and you can even forage for wild mushrooms and garlic. This 84-mile trail follows a loop route, starting and finishing in pretty Rudolstadt. Along the way, the trail passes various picture-postcard villages and towns such as Bad Blankenburg, Meuselbach, Altenfeld and Cordobang. The path sometimes rises out from the forest and up into the foothills of the Thuringian Schiefergebirge mountains – whose height and scenic value give the Saxon Switzerland hills, or even the Bavarian mountains, a run for their money. Aside from the obvious arboreal attractions, the Schwarza Valley Panorama trail also passes near to several castles perched on the banks of the River Saale.
