This scenic tour leads over mountains and valleys into the Thuringian Slate Mountains with its numerous streams, rivers and lakes. Extensive forest areas and small towns and villages with numerous museums and castles tempt you to linger. A break at the “Thuringian Sea” is a must, because a short boat trip is a welcome change to the curves and views. The ascents to the castles and the visit to the fairy grottoes in Saalfeld also provide variety. This route is a’must’ for culture and history lovers.
Distance: 220 km
Time: 6.5 hours
Start and finish in Arnstadt
| Km | Location | Direction | Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Arnstadt, brewery hotel | Stadtilmer Street to Stadtilm |
2 km after leaving the village a detour to Dornheim (1 km) with the church of Johann Sebastian Bach is highly recommended. |
| 13 | Stadtilm | B 87 to Ilmenau, 1,5 Km after leaving the village turn left to Gösselborn, Paulinzella |
largest market place in Thuringia; Marienkirche; excursion to Singen to the Obstfelder museum brewery recommended |
| 24 | Paulinzella | to Rottenbach | Monastery church ruin; museum in the hunting lodge |
| 30 | Rottenbach | B 88 to Ilmenau | Rinne-Rottenbach Landscape Conservation Area |
| 45 | Gehren | Gehren town centre to Großbreitenbach |
Ruin of the former official castle of the count of Schwarzburg-Sondershaus |
| 55 | Großbreitenbach | to Katzhütte, Neuhaus | "Key to the Thuringian Forest"; 1. German Dumpling Press Museum |
| 62 | Katzhütte | to Neuhaus | Center of the upper Black Valley |
| 76 | Neuhaus am Rennweg | to Oberweißbach |
snowy town in the Thuringian Slate Mountains; town museum; summer toboggan run in Ernsthal am Rennsteig |
| 86 | Oberweißbach | to Sitzendorf, Schwarzburg | Fröbel lookout tower; mountain railway in Lichtenhain; Friedrich Fröbel Memorial Museum |
| 99 | Schwarzburg | to Bad Blankenburg | Schwarzburg Castle with Kaisersaal Museum; Olitätenweg |
| 110 | Bad Blankenburg | B 281 to Saalfeld | Climatic health resort; Lavendelstadt; Friedrich-Fröbel-Museum; Greifenstein Castle |
| 120 | Saalfeld | B 85 to Kaulsdorf | "Stone Chronicle of Thuringia" and town at the Saalebogen; Saalfeld fairy grottoes (most colorful show caves in the world); town museum in the former Franciscan monastery |
| 134 | Hohenwarte | to Bucha, B 281 | "Thuringian Sea": 70 km barrage length with 5 Saale dam cascades; passenger shipping at the dam; |
| 146 | Unterwellenborn | Via Saalfeld, B 88 to Rudolstadt |
Stahlwerk Maxhütte (steel works); show monument gas machine headquarters Unterwellenborn |
| 164 | Rudolstadt | B 85 to Bad Berka, Weimar | B 85 is the "Beer and Castle Road"; Heidecksburg Residential Palace; Thuringian Open-Air Museum of Farmhouses |
| 177 | Großkochberg | country road back to B 85, then to Weimar | Schloss Großkochberg with Goethe's theatre of lovers |
| 181 | Teichel | to Haufeld, Rittersdorf | smallest town of Thuringia |
| 194 | Kranichfeld | to Erfurt | Oberschloss; Niederburg with Falkenhof Schütz; Baumbachhaus |
| 200 | Hohenfelden | to Riechheim, Werningsleben | Hohenfelden reservoir; Avenida-Therme; climbing forest; Thuringian open-air museum |
| 220 | Arnstadt | Bach, beer and fountain town; oldest town in Central Germany; historic old town with town hall and Bach church |
