You're in the right place! Whether in nature, in the middle of the city, for families, in the countryside, historic or traditional: among Thuringia's TOP hosts, everyone will find exactly the right address.
Thuringian Castle and Palaces Tour
Wartburg - Friedenstein - Leuchtenburg
Wartburg, Friedenstein and Leuchtenburg can be easily reached via the autobahn A4. It only takes about 45 minutes to drive from Wartburg Castle to Friedenstein Castle, and Leuchtenburg Castle is also only about 1 hour away from Friedenstein Castle - three special tips out of about 400 castles and palaces in Thuringia.
WARTBURG CASTLE (Eisenach)
There is no way around Germany's most famous castle, the Wartburg. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999 and is closely associated with numerous events in German history. It was the residence of the Thuringian landgraves and the site of medieval singing contests, the home of Saint Elisabeth and Martin Luther's place of refuge. Richard Wagner was inspired by its stories and wrote the opera "Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf der Wartburg". The Wartburg is open all year round, Monday - Sunday. You can visit it individually with an e-guide (download on site or in advance to your smartphone) or guided as a group. Music lovers can enjoy annual performances of "Tannhäuser" at the castle. An atmospheric historical Christmas market takes place on the first three Advent weekends, with traditional delicacies, handicrafts, jugglers and a music programme.
wartburg.de
⠇
FRIEDENSTEIN PALACE (Gotha)
Built towards the end of the Thirty Years' War, the name "Friedenstein" (rock of peace) is an expression of the yearning for peace at that time. Behind its simple Protestant façade, Germany's largest early Baroque palace complex surprises visitors with magnificent ducal apartments that take them from the Baroque to the Classicist period. In the process, you can discover the stories of the palace, from the sensitive Duchess Luise Dorothea and her illustrious guest Voltaire, Napoleon's flying visit in the 19th century and the royal relatives on the thrones of England, Belgium, Denmark or the Netherlands. The Ekhof Theatre in the West Tower is Europe's oldest fully functioning baroque theatre with stage machinery dating back to the 17th century. You can experience the theatre live during the annual Ekhof Festival in the summer. The complex also includes two parks and the Ducal Museum with its collections of art and curiosities from all over the world.
stiftung-friedenstein.de
⠇
LEUCHTENBURG CASTLE (south of Jena)
The "Queen of the Saale Valley" has been enthroned above the river valley for around 800 years, visible from afar. It is an atmospheric example of medieval German hilltop castles. Inside, it surprises with a modern, interactive and highly entertaining exhibition on the subject of porcelain. In the "Porcelain Experience" even wishes can come true, at least if there is any truth in the superstition that smashed porcelain brings luck. Visitors can try this out on the spectacular "Skywalk of Wishes" at a dizzying height above the valley of the Saale. In addition to the exhibition, the castle also offers concerts in its porcelain church and a historic Christmas market on the first three weekends of Advent.
leuchtenburg.de
⠇
Sample Itinerary
Thuringian Castle and Palaces Tour
Wartburg - Friedenstein - Leuchtenburg
The mentioned hotels and restaurants are only examples. There are further options.
Day 1
- Arrival in Eisenach
- Visit of Wartburg Castle, with e-guide or as a guided group
- Dinner at Landgrafenstube restaurant, with view of the Thuringian Forest and Eisenach
- Accommodation at the Romantik-Hotel auf der Wartburg
Day 2
- Continue journey to Gotha
- Visit of Friedenstein palace, including VR exhibition about the Ekhof Theatre, individually with audio guide or as a guided group
- Free time in Gotha, e. g. for individual visit of the Ducal Museum or impressions of the oldtown and individual lunch
- In the afternoon continue journey to Jena (via A4 ca. 1h 20 min)
- Free time and dinner in Jena, e. g. Landgraf restaurant, with view of the Saale valley
- Accommodation in Jena
Day 3
- Excursion to Seitenroda (ca. 30 min south of Jena)
- Visit of Leuchtenburg Castle and with the exhibition “Porcelain Experience and the Skywalk of Wishes
- Lunch at the castle restaurant
- Optional in the afternoon: shopping at the KAHLA factory outlet (ca. 10 min from the castle)
- Free time in Jena, Accommodation in Jena
Day 4
- Departure or extend journey
Options to extend journey include:
⠇
We will be pleased to advise you!
Did you like this story?
Maybe, you'll like this too ...
Sustainable Thuringia
Sustainability is on everyone's lips, and it is important. It's about us and our future, about a healthy environment, healthy people, a fair and just world for everyone. Come along and discover good examples in Thuringia – certified spots, sustainabel offers, national natural landscapes and more!
