Discover Ilmenau and find hotels
Accommodation in Ilmenau
Discover Ilmenau through its different highlights: a distinctive mountain with an observation tower, themed trails, and places connected to its mining history. When looking for a hotel in Ilmenau, you can start by deciding which of these interests will shape your trip. Then check the specific details of each offer against your travel plans.
Hiking, cycling and winter trails
The Kickelhahn, Ilmenau’s local mountain, is 861 metres high. Its 21-metre observation tower is one of the town’s landmarks. The 20-kilometre Goethewanderweg connects places where Goethe worked, from Ilmenau to Stützerbach. The mountain and its tower, and the longer route associated with Goethe, offer different approaches to planning a tour.
The Lindenberg trail park offers three different trails for mountain biking. Before setting out, it is advisable to check current local information, as facilities can change. The Ilmtal Cycle Route is another cycling option to consider in connection with Ilmenau; trail conditions may vary. Numerous ski and winter hiking trails run from Ilmenau to the Rennsteig, as well as from Auerhahn to the Kickelhahn. Snow and trail conditions change, and route availability is not guaranteed. Check current conditions before your tour.
Town history and mining
The Münzkeller is right next to the Alte Münze and offers insights into the 16th century. The two cultural sites are close together, while the Münzkeller’s exhibition focuses on a distinct historical period.
The Bergmannskapelle on Sturmheide offers a different historical focus. It lies in the heart of the former Ilmenau copper and silver mining district, below the spoil heap of the former “Gottes Gabe” mine shaft. The Bergmannskapelle houses an exhibition on copper shale mining in Ilmenau. This places insights into the 16th century alongside the region’s mining heritage as distinct cultural and historical themes.
More to explore in Ilm-Kreis
Within the wider destination of Ilm-Kreis, the Ilm-Rennsteig cycle route follows a former railway line from Ilmenau to GroĂźbreitenbach or Neustadt am Rennsteig. It connects the Ilmtal Cycle Route with the Rennsteig Cycle Route, is almost entirely paved, and is signposted as a cycle street.
The Kleinbreitenbach Art Trail is two kilometres long. Artworks adorn the Romanesque fortified church, the cemetery, the church forecourt, the village, and the path at the village exit. A longer route is the 21-kilometre Pilzsteig: it runs from Gehren via the Langen Berg to the European Mushroom Park in Gillersdorf, then continues through the Reicheltal to Neustadt am Rennsteig.
The region’s highland landscape is another distinctive feature: the Rennsteig region in Ilm-Kreis, with elevations of over 900 metres, is among the high-altitude areas of the Thuringian Forest; the Rennsteig high-altitude trail is a defining feature of the region. Other cultural attractions in Ilm-Kreis include the Baroque doll town “Mon plaisir” in the New Palace in Arnstadt. The Thuringian Forest Creative Museum in Großbreitenbach includes the 1st German Dumpling Press Museum.
Discover more destinations: Elleben, Plaue, Altenfeld, Möhrenbach, Ilmtal, Behringen, Bücheloh, Großbreitenbach
For the overview of the wider destination: Ilm-Kreis.
