Lauscha: Glass Art, Nature and Winter Sports

Lauscha combines a rich glassmaking tradition with opportunities to enjoy nature and winter sports. When choosing a hotel in Lauscha, you can consider whether you’d especially like to explore glass art and the Advent market, go hiking or cycling in summer, or check out winter activities in Ernstthal. These themes are associated with different seasons: the bauble market takes place during Advent, cycling and hiking routes are ideal in summer, and the preparation of ski touring trails depends on suitable winter conditions. This allows you to choose when to travel based on the focus of your stay.

Glass Art and Christmas Ornaments

Lauscha is considered the birthplace of glass Christmas ornaments. The Museum of Glass Art Lauscha presents the history of glass Christmas tree decorations, from baubles to various shapes, from 1860 to the present day. It also features a significant collection of glass products from Lauscha and the Thuringian Forest. The museum thus offers insights into both the history of Christmas ornaments and glass products from these two regions.

At the Lauscha Colored Glassworks, you can experience a “Diatonschau” and watch glassmakers at work. This includes manually drawing tubes and rods as well as making finished glass objects. The museum and the colored glassworks offer different ways to explore the subject: the museum focuses on history and its collection, while at the colored glassworks you can observe glassmaking processes.

The Bauble Market During Advent

The traditional bauble market takes place every year during Advent and extends throughout the entire town. It features glass merchants and regional artisans.

Hiking and Cycling in Summer

One route with a specified distance is the “Hike Between Glass and Slate.” It starts in Lauscha and is a 12-kilometer circular route. The hike is considered moderately difficult and has 313 meters of elevation gain. Its length, circular format, difficulty rating, and elevation gain provide key details for planning your own route.

In summer, you can also explore the natural surroundings of the glassmaking town of Lauscha on numerous cycling paths and hiking routes. If you’d like to plan a specific hike, the circular route provides details about its length and difficulty. For a more general nature getaway, cycling and hiking are different options in Lauscha’s seasonal offerings.

Winter Activities and Summer Toboggan Run in Ernstthal

In the Lauscha district of Ernstthal, Erlebniswelt Ernstthal is located on the northern slope of the 835-meter-high Pappenheimer Berg. It offers three family-friendly downhill ski runs, ranging from easy to difficult. When winter conditions are suitable, the team prepares various ski touring trails with a combined length of up to 18 kilometers. The ski runs and ski touring trails are different options for a winter stay; preparation of the ski touring trails is explicitly dependent on suitable winter conditions. Check the current conditions if you plan to include these trails in your trip.

Ernstthal also offers a distinct summer activity: the summer toboggan run on Pappenheimer Berg in the district is 1,300 meters long. Together with the winter activities, this highlights the seasonal difference between downhill ski runs and ski touring trails on the one hand, and the summer toboggan run on the other.

Lauscha in the Wider Destination of Sonneberg

The wider destination of Sonneberg also provides a context for understanding the glassmaking tradition: the production of mouth-blown glass Christmas ornaments from Lauscha has been included in the nationwide Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Sonneberg district is located in the Thuringian Forest Nature Park and the Slate Land National Geopark. These regional connections complement Lauscha’s glass art, trails, and activities in Ernstthal.

Find Hotels in Lauscha for Your Travel Dates

Specific event dates are important for the bauble market, while ski touring trails depend on suitable winter conditions. If you’re interested in glass art, you can choose between the Museum of Glass Art and watching glassmakers at work in the colored glassworks. Then search for hotels in Lauscha that suit your travel dates and check the details for each stay.

Discover more destinations: Frankenblick, Föritz, Goldisthal, Steinach, Steinheid, Sonneberg, Spechtsbrunn, Effelder-Rauenstein.

Go to the wider travel overview: Sonneberg.