Famous cities of Thuringia

Erfurt is the provincial capital of Thuringia, which is known nationwide for the famous regional delicacy “Thüringer Rostbratwurst” (popular Thuringian grilled sausage). Every year in March not only locals come together to celebrate this culinary highlight and to open the barbecue season of the year with a big feast. Besides, Erfurt is an important university town whose most famous student was the reformer Martin Luther.

Take a look at Erfurt and our tours here.

Weimar is regarded as the cultural heritage of Thuringia which is mostly displayed by the Weimar Classicism and its well-known representatives Goethe, Herder and Schiller, but also the artistic movement Bauhaus by Walter Gropius and Paul Klee which caused an extraordinary reaction worldwide. Since 1998 Weimar has been awarded the title “World Heritage Site”.

Here you find our tour offer to Weimar.

Wartburg castle is probably the most important building of Eisenach, well-known for Martin Luther. He was living and working on his translation of New Testamant from classical Greek to German. Other major personalities like the medieval poets Walter von der Vogelweide and Wolfram von Eschenbach, as well Johann Wolfgang von Goethe spent time in the castle. In the 20th century Eisenach was centered for the automobile industry of the East German car Wartburg.

If you're interested in Eisenach, click here.

The bell casting of Apolda is older than 250 years and made the city famous and important. Their bells can be found in many German churches as the Cologne Cathedral or the church of the holy cross in Dresden, but also in the Church of Christ in Rome (Italy). A delicious specialty of the region is the crisp bread "Filinchen" preferably eaten with honey or jam.

Rudolstadt promotes itself with the byname “Schiller´s secret mistress” because here he met his future wife Charlotte von Lengenfeld. Many more cultural characters eternized in the city such as Schiller´s good friend Goethe, the scientist Alexander von Humboldt as well as the composers Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt. Situated on the Thuringian porcelain route a number of manufactories of the “white gold” can be found.

During the Middle Age, Gotha was a powerful trading town on the old trade route Via Regia. Friedenstein castle is deemed to be the biggest early-baroque castle complex of Germany in whose splendid chambers even the philosopher Voltaire stayed for some time. Gotha is the birthplace of the German insurance business: Gothaer Versicherung (Gotha Insurance), which was founded in 1820. Furthermore, one of the oldest porcelain manufactories of Europe can be found here.

Visit Gotha for example within a tour through Thuringia or as an excursion destination from Eisenach.

Saalfeld is located at the Thuringia Slate Mountains and is mostly known for its “Feengrotten” (grottoes of fairies). They are Guinness World record holder, because the colorful underground caves are regarded as the biggest and most beautiful ones worldwide. The towns Saalfeld, Rudolstadt and Bad Blankenburg form the association “triangle at Saale bend”.

The medieval city center with the historic buildings and the typical frame houses create the flair of the city Schmalkalden. At the same time it is a university city and in 2015 scene of the Thuringian Garden Show (Landesgartenschau). Wilhelmsburg castle, a pearl of Renaissance architecture, and the confectionery of Viba nougat where visitors can watch the production of highly delicious treats, are the highlights of that lovely town.

One of the characteristics of Meiningen is the highly traditional court orchestra, one of the oldest of its kind in Europe. The orchestra is highly regarded, because even Johannes Brahms and Richard Strauss acted as conductors. The region of Meiningen is especially known for the culinary delicacy “Thüringer Klöße”, dumplings made from grated raw potatoes eaten traditionally to the Sunday roast, festive roast or on Christmas.