6 hikes that make you go “aha“

This trail truly reads like a poem – it connects key moments in the life of Germany’s literary icon, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. Here is where masterpieces like Iphigenia in Tauris and Wanderer’s Night Song were written. Along the way, you can quench your curiosity at the Goethe City Museum, the little Goethe House, or the Hunting Lodge Museum Gabelbach. A real highlight: the Schwalbenstein viewpoint – not only offering stunning views, but also the very spot where Goethe penned the fourth act of Iphigenia. Who knows – maybe it’ll spark your creativity too?

If you're longing for vast open views, you’ll find them here: The Rhön is known as the “land of open distances.” Gentle hills, wide treeless ridges, mysterious moors, and ancient beech forests await you. Along the way, discover what makes the local flora and fauna so special – for example, from the panoramic platform Noah’s Ark (views included!). And for night owls: lie-back benches invite you to gaze at the stars under the clear Rhön skies.

This trail follows the once heavily guarded patrol path – today part of the Green Belt, a thriving strip of protected nature. Wander through flowering meadows, forest tracks, and past relics like old fences and watchtowers. Info boards along the route tell powerful, moving stories from Germany’s divided past. Now a haven for bats, wildcats and more. Insider tip: take a weekend break at Hof Sickenberg and enjoy coffee and cake in the charming farmhouse garden.

This forest trail turns the woods into a place of discovery – especially for curious young minds. At interactive stations, you’ll explore wildlife, forest fairy tales, and even the healing secrets of woodland plants. With the natura jenensis app, the trail gets even more exciting and hands-on. By the end, you’ll know how the forest affects our climate – and you might just spot where virtual wild boars wallow.

This scenic hike through the Rhön offers more than just views – it offers perspective. Starting at the Point Alpha Memorial, the trail takes you along former patrol roads, quiet forest paths, and sites steeped in Cold War history, including original border installations and the former US observation camp. The route winds through the Ulster Valley with a rhythm of ups and downs – each climb rewarded with a new outlook.

This cultural trail takes you from the oldest church in the Vogtland region to the Osterburg in Weida – once the ancestral seat of the medieval lords known as the Vögte. Following the White Elster river and the Luther Trail, you’ll pass monasteries, churches, and quiet witnesses to the Middle Ages. If you prefer to experience history outdoors, this is your kind of path. Tip: Don’t miss the 360° museum inside the Osterburg tower – and the sweeping view across the town.