Thuringian highlights: Eisenach – Weimar

From the Wartburg to the Gardenhaus

The long distance bike trail „Thuringian town cluster“ connects seven of Thuringia’s most beautiful towns. The route leads from Eisenach, town of the Wartburg, to Erfurt, seat of the great cathedral, via the residence town Gotha. After reaching Erfurt, the trip continues to Schiller and the Goethe Gartenhaus situated in an idyllic park in Weimar. Cultural highlights are in the focus of this trip. The length of the stages varies between 25 and 41 kilometres, so that you will be left with enough time to visit the sights in the afternoon hours.

1. day Arrival in Eisenach

Make sure to arrive in the historical town of Eisenach, home of the Wartburg, on time; you will not regret it! A great number of famous persons like Johann Sebastian Bach, the heilige Elisabeth or Martin Luther have found their inspiration here. Their achievements can be visited in the respective museums. (arrival by train is possible / parking facilities at the hotel/ rental bikes at the hotel).

2. day Eisenach - Gotha 40 km

Following the course of the Hörsel you will cycle through the Thuringian basin on small streets. Wide fields seam your way to the „Galopprennbahn Boxberg“, a well preserved horse race track in Jugendstil-style with a restaurant. The residence town Gotha is not far from there. Thus, you will have enough time to visit Friedenstein castle with the integrated Ekhof-theatre during the afternoon as well as to take a walk around the worthwhile market place.

3. day Gotha - Erfurt 41 km

New destinations lure today: In the morning, you will reach Wechmar, elected the most beautiful village of Thuringia in 2003 and famous for its Bach-museum. The distinctive castle trio of Wachsenburg-castle, Mühlburg-castle and Gleichen-castle, often called “The 3 equal ones” lies in front you afterwards. Not far from this castle-arrangement, one of Thuringia’s oldest restaurants will be waiting for you even before you will follow the Gera river through most lovely parks right into the heart of the ancient trade centre Erfurt. The cathedral with the Severi-church towers strikingly out of this medieval pearl. The overbuilt grocer’s bridge is regarded as the town’s landmark.

4. day Erfurt - Weimar 25 km

The Thuringian town cluster sticks to its promises! After a rather short day on your bikes you will roll comfortably into Weimar, town of classical music, to stroll on Goethe’s and Schiller’s footprints. Here, you will have the chance to visit the residence castle, the Bauhaus-museum and the national theatre or to just take a walk along the Ilm river. But one thing is for sure: You will once again not have a chance to get bored!

5. day Departure from Weimar

Time has passed too fast and there is a lot left to see yet. We recommend staying another few days in Weimar in order not to miss any of the cultural highlights.

Worth knowing about the bike tour Thuringian Highlights: Eisenach - Weimar

Please find more information about the bike tour Thuringian Highlights: Eisenach - Weimar below. If you have any further questions feel free to contact us by phone: 0049 - (0)6421 - 886890.

Arrival by train

Eisenach is easily accessible from all major cities in Germany by train. We recommend to take a taxi from the station to get to our partner hotels in Eisenach. Current schedule information and price information can be found at: www.bahn.de

train schedule information

Parking facilities at the hotel

Our partner hotels in Eisenach provide parking spaces for the entire duration of your bike trip, usually liable to costs. 

Furthermore there is the possibility to park your car for the duration of your trip on a enclosed ground (500 m respectively 5 min walk to the train station): 40,- € per car/5 days. Reservation is required with your booking.

Detailed information on parking at your hotel, you will receive with the travel documents two weeks prior to departure.

Condition of cycle paths

The bike path "Thuringian Town Chain" has a total length of 225 km. Each cycling day includes long flat sections, some sections through wavy landscapes and only occasionally a few pushing sections must be overcome. The route is well signposted. Sometimes a railway line runs parallel to the bike path. For more information on the bike path and the profile GPS data can be found at:

Bike trail: Thuringian Highlights

Available rental bikes

If you choose to rent a velocipede-rental bike for the tour, we bring it to your first hotel and pick it up at your destination. You can choose between woman’s and men's bicycles either with 7-speed gear shift and coaster brake or 27-speed gear shift and freewheel or electric bikes. All ladies' bikes have a low opening that makes mounting and dismounting much easier. The bikes are suitable for all ladies from 150 cm in height and for all gentlemen from 165 cm in height. You simply specify your wishes at time of booking.

Velociped rental bikes

Transfer back to the starting point of the journey

Thursdays at 11am there is the possibility to transfer back to Bamberg with a small bus (with bike trailer). Arrival at 12.30pm. The driver comes to pick you up at your hotel and has much room for you, your luggage and where required your own bicycle. The bus takes you back to your first hotel, thus ensuring a perfect return service without transfer and the hassle of hauling luggage.

Tourist tax

A possibly resulting tourist tax is not part of the travel price and therefor it is payable locally at the hotel.

7 days hotline service

Just in case the bike chain is broken, flooding makes it impossible to continue your tour or any other nasty surprise: you can reach us seven days a week and we will do anything to help you as fast as possible.

Passport and visa requirements, health regulations

For EU citizens, there are no special passport or visa requirements and no health formalities to be considered for this trip.

Corona travel information:
Before booking your trip, please inform yourself about the measures in place to contain the Corona pandemic.

Information on current decisions of the German Federal Government can be found here:
https://www.bundesregierung.de/corona-these-rules-and-restrictions-apply

Current information on entry requirements to Germany can be found here:
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/coronavirus

You can also find more information on our website at:
Corona virus and holiday planning

Travel insurance

The tour price already includes the statutory insolvency insurance. In addition, we recommend that you take out travel cancellation insurance upon receipt of your travel confirmation in order to protect yourself against financial disadvantages in the event of travel cancellation, interruption of travel, illness or accident.

Wartburg Eisenach

The Wartburg is a castle over the town of Eisenach at the north-western end of the Thuringian Forest. It was founded around 1067 by Ludwig the Springer and belongs to the world cultural heritage since 1999. Like hardly any other castle in Germany, the Wartburg is connected with the history of Germany. Between 1211 and 1227 the later canonized Elizabeth of Thuringia lived on the castle. In 1521/22 the reformer Martin Luther as "Junker Jörg" was hiding here and during this time translated the New Testament of the Bible into German in only 11 weeks.

Wartburg Eisenach

Palace Friedenstein

The Friedenstein Palace in Gotha is an early baroque palace. The castle was located within its own strong fortifications (1654-1672), whose casemates have been partially accessible to visitors since 2003. They represent a remarkable attraction whose existence was unknown several meters below the present castle grounds itself.

Palace Friedenstein

Old Synagogue Erfurt

The Old Synagogue, with its oldest building from the 11th century, is the oldest synagogue in Central Europe.

Old Synagogue Erfurt

Anna Amalia, Weimar

The Duchess Anna Amalia Library was founded in Weimar in 1691 by Duke Wilhelm Ernst. The oval, three-storey rococoosa is world-famous. Since 1998, the duchess Anna Amalia has been part of the ensemble "Klassisches Weimar", a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage. On the evening of September 2, 2004, a fire in the Duchess-Anna-Amalia Library destroyed 50,000 books. Reopening took place on 24 October 2007.

Anna Amalia Weimar

Goethe, Weimar

One of the most important testimonies of classical Weimar. For almost 50 years, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe lived in a Baroque-style house on the women's plan. It was rebuilt and designed according to the specifications of the poet. Today the state of Goethe's last years of life is largely visible.

Goethe Weimar