# Thuringian Forest: Wartburg to Weimar

> 4-day road trip of about 160 km (100 mi) with 8 stops, from Eisenach to Weimar. About 2 h 13 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b4-thuringian-forest/

**At a glance:** 4-day road trip of about 160 km (100 mi) with 8 stops, from Eisenach to Weimar. About 2 h 13 min of driving in total. Luther’s castle, the forest ridges along the Rennsteig, colourful grottoes at Saalfeld and the classical town of Goethe and Schiller.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 160 km (100 mi) |
| Driving | 2 h 13 min |
| Suggested days | 4 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | Eisenach → Weimar |
| Countries | Germany |
| Updated | August 4, 2026 |

## Route description

Eisenach is where Johann Sebastian Bach was born, and the Wartburg above it is where Luther hid while translating the Bible. Allow half a day for the castle and the town, then drive south-east into the forest.

The road climbs to the Großer Inselsberg, one of the highest points of the Thuringian Forest, where the Rennsteig long-distance trail crosses. Follow the forest roads along the ridge to Oberhof, a winter sports resort with ski jumps and a biathlon stadium, and on to Ilmenau, where Goethe walked up the Kickelhahn to write one of his best-known poems.

Descend east through the Schwarza valley to Saalfeld, whose Fairy Grottoes are a former mine turned into the most colourful show cave in the world. It is a good stop in any weather, and the small old town has a castle ruin above the river.

Finish north in Weimar, the town of Goethe, Schiller and the Bauhaus, with parks along the Ilm and several museums; a full day is not too much. The forest roads are winding but well surfaced; snow is common from December to March.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Eisenach** (Germany)
2. **Wartburg Castle** (Eisenach, Germany): The castle where Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German, on a wooded ridge above Eisenach. Park below and walk or take the shuttle up the last steep stretch.
3. **Großer Inselsberg** (Brotterode-Trusetal, Germany): One of the highest peaks of the Thuringian Forest, crossed by the Rennsteig ridge trail. A short, steep walk from the car park leads to wide views over the forest.
4. **Oberhof** (Germany)
5. **Ilmenau** (Germany)
6. **Saalfeld** (Germany)
7. **Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes** (Saalfeld, Germany): A former alum slate mine whose dripstones glow ochre, green and blue, listed by Guinness as the world’s most colourful show caves. It stays cool inside all year.
8. **Weimar** (Germany)