Back Roads Germany (Dk Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

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WHERE TO STAY

THE WARTBURG

Hotel auf der Wartburg expensive

This luxurious small hotel has

indivi d u ally styled rooms.

Auf der Wartburg, 62298; 03691 79 70;

http://www.wartburghotel.de

SCHMALKALDEN

Patrizier moderate

A half-timbered building in the town

center, this hotel is decorated with floral

wallpaper and antique-style furnishings.

Weidebrunner Gasse 9, 98574; 03683

60 45 14; http://www.stadthotel-patrizier.de

MEININGEN

Sächsischer Hof moderate

Elegant Biedermeier-style furnishings

and spacious dimensions reflect this

hotel’s early 1800s vintage.

Georgstrasse 1, 98617; 03693 45 70;

http://www.saechsischerhof.com

BACK ROADS GERMANY

1 The Wartburg

Thuringia; 99817

Clasped to a ridge south of Eisenach,

the Wartburg (open daily) is a well-

spring of German identity. The

castle’s Romanesque Palas, or Great

Hall, is rich with 19th-century murals

and mosaics. According to legend,

medieval bards once battled for their

lives in singing con tests roman ticized

in Wagner’s opera, Tannhäuser. The

exiled Martin Luther hid here while

transla ting the New Testament into

German in 1521. In 1817, student

fraternities from across the country

gathered here to demonstrate for

a united Germany. Drive to the old

town of Eisenach on the B19 to pay

tribute to Johann Sebastian Bach, by

visiting the Bachhaus (open daily), the

museum built on what was thought

to be the site of his birth.

ª Follow signs for Naturpark-Route

Thüringer Wald on the B7 then the B88.

At Thal, take the B88 to Seebach, Tabarz,

and then Friedrichroda. Turn right at the

T-junction and park on the main square.

Above Bachhaus with its lovely garden,

Eisenach Below The Wartburg, perched

on top of a hill, Eisenach

VISITING THE WARTBURG

Parking

Park in the castle’s parking lot.

Alternatively, visitors can park in

Eisenach’s old town and take mini-trains

or bus No. 10 from the main square.

Tourist Information (Eisenach)

Markt 24, 99817; 03691 792 30;

http://www.eisenach.info

3 Grosser Inselsberg

Thuringia; 98599

A patchwork of woodland and

meadow spreads out beneath one

of the highest mountains in the

Thuringian Forest. At 3,012 ft (918 m),

it has forested hills to the south and

foothills rolling north to Eisenach.

Well known as a winter ski resort,

Grosser Inselsberg is also a pop ular

destination in summer. Adven ture

enthusiasts can try walk ing a section

of the Rennsteig, Germany’s most

popular long-distance footpath, to

climb to the summit or whizz down hill

through the pine trees on a summer

toboggan run (Mar–Oct: open daily).

ª Return to the main road and head

to Brotterode. Turn left in the town

center, following signs to Schmalkalden.

Parking is available in the Pfaffenwiese

parking lot, past the roundabout.

2 Friedrichroda

Thuringia; 99894

Spa waters have attracted

vacationers to Friedrichroda for the

past two centuries. In 1835, Britain’s

Princess Victoria came here to take a

cure and fell in love with Duke Albert

of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, her future

husband. Tour the gardens of the

Neo-Gothic Schloss Reinhardsbrunn

(May–Oct: open Sat & Sun) where the

two royals met. Return to Tabarz to

visit the Marienglashöhle (open daily)

grotto. It literally means “Mary’s Glass

Cave,” which alludes to the gypsum

crystals found here that were mined

for altar decoration.

ª Return to Tabarz, then turn left

at the brown panorama symbol and

drive through the town center. Drive

uphill, following signs to turn right

toward Grosser Inselsberg.

VISITING GROSSER INSELSBERG

Tourist Information

Tabarz, Theodor-Neubauer-Park 3,

99891; 03625 96 10 87

Hiking

03613 74 20; http://www.thueringen-

tourismus.de