Located in the heart of Thuringia, Eisenach is a charming city where you can settle in for the time to take superb walks in its surroundings, by going to visit the Wartburg castle and the dragon gorge (Drachenschlucht in German). A little further towards Bornhagen, let yourself be seduced by the Hanstein Castle while crossing the Hainich National Park. Here you have an ideal program to offer you four dream days in Thuringia!

Day 1. Discovering the Wartbourg castle

Your program should start with a high place, in every sense of the word, in Thuringia. Located above Eisenach, it is the Wartburg castle (Wartburg in German).

This fortress, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO, is attached to a rocky outcrop and dominates the region. You also have extraordinary views on the latter.

Like Richard Wagner and Louis II of Bavaria, two of his admirers, you will dream of an idealized Middle Ages as you approach this monument. Initially raised to 11th century, it has undergone various changes architecturally until 19th century.

The charm continues during its visit, which takes you through various beautiful rooms evoking characters who frequented them: knights, minstrels …

In the part described as a Romanesque palace, you contemplate the mosaics that cover the bedroom of Elisabeth of Thuringia.

In one of the towers of the castle, you ponder the fate of Martin Luther, who took shelter here in a room, the 16th century. In this refuge, the theologian, who was one of the founders of Protestantism, translated the New Testament into German: a very decisive act to give strength to his conception of Christianity!

Day 2. A stroll through Eisenach and the Drachenschlucht

The town of Eisenach is nestled in a small valley surrounded by mountains covered with forests. On one of them stands the fortress of Wartburg.

The historic heart of this city gives you to see beautiful constructions of different styles: medieval, Renaissance or Baroque, in particular.

You have the house of Martin Luther (Lutherhaus) which sheltered the theologian during his young years, as well as the house of Jean-Sébastien Bach, who spent his childhood in Eisenach, where this famous composer was born in 1685. This house, like that by Martin Luther, has been transformed into a museum. There are works of art, documents, scores, instruments that are played at certain times, or booths to listen to his music.

Another kind of museum: the Automobile Welt Eisenach (AWE), which recalls that Eisenach is one of the cradles of the German automobile industry. The first BMW models were built there, followed by those of the EMWs during the GDR era, including the Wartburg limousines. Cars that can be admired in a large hangar.

Leaving the city, you will find nature, which presents a curiosity here: the Drachenschlucht (Dragon Gorge). It is a canyon which is 3 km long and very narrow. Its width is less than 1 m in places!

Day 3. In Bornhagen, between Hanstein Castle and Klausenhof

It is Bornhagen we admire the romantic ruins of the castle of Hanstein , a medieval building which has suffered the effects of the Thirty Years War in the 17th  century.

The castle is located in a superb hilly landscape that you can travel along a hiking trail of a dozen kilometers. It leads to a beautiful panoramic viewpoint called Teufelskanzel (devil’s chair). It is very far from hell, because a tavern and a nice biergarten are there!

In this regard, in Bornhagen awaits the Klausenhof, an inn with exceptional decor that dates back to 15th century. It is an address renowned for its typical Thuringian cuisine. Homemade, it smells of herbs and herbs grown on site!

We take strength there before setting off to explore the Eichsfeld-Hainich-Werratal natural park. This brings together three entities. The Werratal is a territory where meadows are crossed by the Werra river, bordered by imposing rock walls. The Eichsfeld is for its part a plateau cut by valleys which includes deciduous forests. Finally, let’s save the last day for the visit of Hainich National Park.

Day 4. The natural beauties of Hainich National Park

The Hainich National Park is one of the most beautiful natural sites in Germany. A number of walks or hikes await you in landscapes as harmonious as they are varied.

The passage through its beech forests is inevitable. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, they plunge you into a very distant past, in times when nature was not yet, or so little, domesticated by man. Such a site in Europe is exceptional.

Two particular places will no doubt encourage you to make a stop during this 100% green day. One is the Baumkronenpfad, an installation that allows you to walk along the canopy of a forest. Above the trees, you walk on a long footbridge and this safely, whatever your age.

The other is Hütscheroda, which is a village dedicated to wild cats which includes an observation spot and an information area. This type of animal, which has become rare in European forests, is particularly protected here. It is even emblematic of the Hainich National Park, a unique place in Europe.

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