Bad Tabarz: Nature, Views and Craftsmanship

Bad Tabarz combines nature trails, swimming, scenic views and local craftsmanship. If you’re looking for a hotel, it helps to first consider which activities interest you during your stay. The Naturpark-Weg, TABBS, the adventure tower on the Inselsberg and the pipe-making workshop each have their own focus.

Nature Trails, Garden and Views

The Naturpark-Weg starts at the Naturpark-Tor in the centre of Bad Tabarz and follows well-maintained paths with a steady series of ascents and descents around the spa town. Along the Datenbergpromenade, the route passes the rhododendron garden, the high ropes course and the ski jump before leading to Seifartswiese. These named locations provide specific landmarks for planning. As trail conditions can change, check them before setting out.

Admission to the Rhododendron-Garten Bad Tabarz is free. It’s a good idea to check the latest operating information before your visit.

The adventure tower offers a different perspective: it is 21 m tall and was created in 2015 from a former radio relay tower on the 916 m-high Inselsberg. From the Großer Inselsberg, it offers a 360-degree view across a very large part of the Thuringian Forest. The tower therefore centres on the views, while the Naturpark-Weg is defined by its route around the spa town and the points along the way. Operating details may vary seasonally; check the latest information before visiting.

Swimming and Climbing

TABBS – the sports and health swimming complex in Bad Tabarz – includes a leisure pool with an outdoor section, a four-lane sports pool, a children’s area and an outdoor pool with a large sunbathing lawn. It also has a sauna area and a Kneipp and natural health centre. The different pool areas are complemented by sauna and Kneipp facilities. Individual areas may be subject to operational changes; check the latest information before your visit.

The Lauchagrund near Bad Tabarz has a climbing area with 26 crags and more than 260 climbing routes. Grades range from 2 to 9. Unlike the Naturpark-Weg, whose route is defined by named points along the way, the crags, number of climbing routes and their grades provide a way to assess this area.

The Pipe-Making Tradition in Bad Tabarz

During a guided tour of the pipe-making workshop on the Inselsberg, Peter Filß demonstrates the process from raw wood to the shape of a pipe and explains the special techniques used to make the unique pipe from Bad Tabarz. The workshop continues Bad Tabarz’s century-old pipe-making tradition. Around 1900, pipes were made at several workshops in Tabarz. The demonstration therefore combines an insight into how pipes are made with a look back at a craft that was practised at several locations in Tabarz at the time.

Getting to Bad Tabarz

Travellers can reach Bad Tabarz from Gotha on the Thüringer Waldbahn, Line 4, getting off at the Bad Tabarz stop; the journey takes about an hour. Check the latest timetable before travelling so you can factor the approximate journey time into your plans.

Discover more destinations: Gräfenhain, Gamstädt, Seebergen, Aspach, Luisenthal, Bufleben, Tambach-Dietharz, Schwabhausen

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