Schmalkalden-Meiningen: Nature, Culture and Craftsmanship

A glass-walled nougat workshop, historic craft workshops and a blast furnace offer distinctive points of interest for a stay in Schmalkalden-Meiningen. There are also trails by lakes, a waterfall and activities along cycling and waterways. This lets you combine culture, craftsmanship and nature according to your interests—from a museum visit to multi-day cycling tours.

Food and Craftsmanship

At the Viba Nougat-Welt in Schmalkalden, visitors can watch silky-smooth nougat being made in a glass-walled workshop. Hands-on confectionery courses invite you to pour chocolate, decorate nougat and create pralines. Course times and booking conditions may change, so it is best to check them in advance if you are planning to take a course. Viba Nougat-Welt is just a few minutes’ walk from Schmalkalden bus and train station. Transport connections and station services can also change, so it is worth checking the latest connections.

The Metalworking Museum focuses on original workshops. It shows how nails, pliers and corkscrews have been made for centuries. These three examples bring craftsmanship to life through different objects and complement the insight into nougat production with another aspect of regional work.

Industrial History and Remarkable Spaces

The “Neue Hütte” Blast Furnace Museum in Schmalkalden is a blast furnace complex dating from 1835. Local iron ore was smelted there using charcoal to produce pig iron until 1924. The exhibitions explore the nearly 1,300-year history of iron and steel goods production in the Schmalkalden region, including the well-known “Schmalkalder Artikel.” A 45-minute guided tour covers the history and function of the blast furnace operation. Here, the history of the complex meets a comprehensive look at the region’s iron and steel goods production.

The Goetz Cave in Meiningen offers a very different impression: it is Europe’s largest accessible fissure and crevice cave. Its fissures and crevices reach up to 50 metres in height, and the cave is 500 metres deep. Unlike the workshops and exhibitions of industrial heritage, the scale of the natural rock formations defines the experience here.

Trails Through the Countryside and Along the Water

The Prachtregion of Schmalkalden-Meiningen district encompasses four varied landscapes: the Thuringian Forest, the Rhön, the Werra Valley and the Grabfeld. They can be explored on foot, whether you are looking for sporting adventures or relaxing family outings. The Rennsteig is one of the hiking trails in the Prachtregion where you can discover natural treasures.

The Breitunger Seen nature reserve has a 3.5-kilometre hiking trail with seating areas. The Trusetal Waterfall offers a different highlight: it plunges 60 metres over a granite formation in three cascades. Visitors can climb 228 steps alongside the waterfall. This gives you a choice between a designated trail with seating areas and a waterfall with a specific number of steps to climb.

There are also various options for cycling trips. The Werra Valley Cycle Path, with its impressive river landscape, is well suited to multi-day tours. In the Thuringian Forest, the Rennsteig offers natural cycling routes with beautiful views and fast, sporty descents. If you prefer to be on the water, a canoe trip on the Werra gives you a different perspective.

Pedal boats and rowboats can be rented at Kiessee lake in Breitungen for a trip on the water. Stand-up paddleboarding is also possible at Breitungen lido, where pedal boats and rowboats are available to rent as well. As the availability of these activities may change, it is best to check before your visit whether rentals are available.

Winter Sports in Oberhof

Oberhof offers a range of winter sports. It has alpine slopes for fast descents; their seasonal operation depends on snow and facility conditions. Cross-country skiing is possible in summer, too, at Germany’s first indoor cross-country skiing facility in Oberhof. The facility’s operating arrangements and booking conditions may change, so you should check them before visiting.

For freestyle-oriented skiers and snowboarders, the Oberhof Snowpark offers features such as straight boxes, butter boxes, A-frame boxes and various tubes. The options range from alpine descents and cross-country skiing to a snowpark with a variety of boxes and tubes.

Discover more destinations: Kühndorf, Erbenhausen, Meiningen, Zella-Mehlis, Rohr / Thuringia, Kleinschmalkalden, Trusetal, Oberschönau, Floh-Seligenthal, Oberhof, Oepfershausen, Wernshausen, Wasungen, Struth-Helmershof, Steinbach-Hallenberg, Schmalkalden, Friedelshausen, Fambach, Bermbach, Altersbach, Breitungen/Werra, Sülzfeld, Schwarza, Rotterode, Christes, Trusetal-Laudenbach, Jüchsen, Viernau, Unterschönau, Rosa, Birx, Ellingshausen, Roßdorf, Unterkatz, Obermaßfeld-Grimmenthal, Grabfeld, Kaltensundheim, Walldorf, Brotterode-Trusetal, Springstille, Benshausen, Schwallungen, Rhönblick, Frankenheim/Rhön, Hümpfershausen, Henneberg, Vachdorf, Wallbach, Kurort Brotterode.

Go to the higher-level travel overview: Thuringia.