Saale-Holzland: Hiking Trails, Forests and Cultural Sites

The Holzland is a hilly landscape with extensive woodland. At the same time, trails follow the Saale through the Saale-Holzland district, while palaces, castles and museums explore different chapters of history. For your trip, you can focus on spending time outdoors, on culture, or on a mix of both.

Hiking, Cycling and Getting Out on the Water

The SaaleHorizontale quality hiking trail runs north to south along the Saale through the Saale-Holzland district. The Saale Cycle Route also runs north to south along the river through the district. The two Saale routes therefore share their orientation and connection to the river, but differ in how you travel: the SaaleHorizontale is a hiking trail, while the Saale Cycle Route is a cycling route. Well-developed hiking routes also run through the Zeitzgrund.

Canoeing and inflatable-boat trips are also among the most popular outdoor activities in the Saale-Holzland district. This gives you a choice of different ways to get around when planning your trip: a named route, hiking trails through the Zeitzgrund, or a trip on the water. Which option suits your plans depends on whether you prefer to travel on foot, by bike, or by boat.

Hill Country and Protected Area

The extensive woodland and hilly terrain give the Holzland its distinctive landscape. The Gleistalhänge protected area offers a specific example of protected land: it includes Beutnitz, Graitschen, Löberschütz, Poxdorf and Tautenburg. The former Poxdorfer Hang nature reserve is part of the area. It covers 277.02 hectares; the protected area was designated on 27 August 1999.

Palaces, Workshops and Collections

The Dornburg Palaces form an ensemble of three palaces from different stylistic periods. The Bauhaus Workshop Museum Dornburg is housed in the Marstall building on the Dornburg palace grounds, in the former Bauhaus ceramics workshop. The permanent exhibition provides information about the site’s history and displays outstanding exhibits. In Dornburg, you can therefore encounter both the different stylistic periods represented by the palace ensemble and the history of the Bauhaus workshop.

In Bürgel, the Ceramics Museum focuses on the pottery trade. Its permanent exhibition illustrates the history of Bürgel pottery from its beginnings in the mid-17th century to the present day. An audio guide leads visitors to 22 stops in Bürgel and Thalbürgel. Check whether the audio guide is available before your trip. The exhibition and the audio guide stops focus on different things: one explores the history of a craft, while the other takes you on a tour of two towns.

Schkölen Water Castle is a castle complex with a museum and changing exhibitions. Hummelshain Hunting Lodge was once a hunting lodge of the Dukes of Saxe-Altenburg. In Orlamünde, the Kemenate houses an exhibition on local history. Each of these three places offers a distinct historical connection: a castle complex with a museum, a former hunting lodge, and an exhibition on local history.

Camburg also combines architectural remains with a museum collection. The castle complex was first mentioned in a document in 1166; today, only the more than 30-metre-high keep remains. Camburg Town Museum displays exhibits ranging from Stone Age hand axes to tools and weapons from different cultural groups, as well as items relating to the town’s recent history. The timeline therefore spans everything from early tools to more recent chapters in the town’s history.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Waltersdorf, Hermsdorf, Jena, Tautenhain, Jenaprießnitz, Stadtroda, Eisenberg, Serba, Mörsdorf, Bad Klosterlausnitz, Rothenstein, Reichenbach, Seitenroda, Heideland, Weißbach, Kahla, Gösen, Hill Country/Valleys, Dornburg-Camburg, Schkölen, Golmsdorf, Orlamünde, Crossen An Der Elster, Hummelshain, Zöllnitz, Weißenborn, Neuengönna, Großbockedra, Renthendorf, Tröbnitz, Großlöbichau, Bürgel, Tautendorf.

For the regional travel overview: Thuringia.