Discover Ilmenau
Accommodation in Ilmenau
Ilmenau is well suited to a winter stay, with its ski and winter hiking trails, Kickelhahn, and attractions relating to the town’s history and mining heritage. If you are looking for a ski hotel in Ilmenau, you can weigh these different focuses when planning your trip.
MarktstraĂźe mit Stadtkirche St. Jakobus in Ilmenau
Photo: H.Helmlechner via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Winter Trails and Kickelhahn
Numerous ski and winter hiking trails lead from Ilmenau to the Rennsteig, and from Auerhahn to Kickelhahn. These two route directions provide a guide for outdoor activities. Kickelhahn is Ilmenau’s local mountain and stands 861 metres high. Its 21-metre observation tower is one of the town’s landmarks. The mountain and tower give this destination a distinctive character, while Kickelhahn also serves as a specific reference point along the trails described. Snow and trail conditions can vary by season. Check current conditions before setting out.
Mountain bikers have three different trails to choose from at Trailpark Lindenberg. This offers a separate focus alongside the ski and winter hiking trails. As facilities can change, check current local information before riding. This will help you match the activity and conditions to your planned visit.
Hiking and Cycling
The 20-kilometre Goethewanderweg connects places associated with Goethe’s work, from Ilmenau to Stützerbach. Its length and endpoints give you a clear idea of the route’s direction. Its theme brings together hiking and places connected with Goethe’s work. If you would like to include a longer route with this cultural connection in your plans, the trail offers a specific option.
The Ilmtal Cycle Route is another option for cycling in the Ilmenau area. Hiking and cycling can cater to different interests in your plans; the Goethewanderweg is described in more detail by its length and its connection between Ilmenau and StĂĽtzerbach. Which activity shapes your stay depends on whether you are more interested in the Goethe connection of a hiking route or in cycling.
Culture and Mining History
The Münzkeller is right next to the Alte Münze and offers insights into the 16th century. The two sites can therefore be considered closely neighbouring cultural attractions. For a visit focused on the town’s history, the 16th century provides a specific point of interest.
The Bergmannskapelle is on Sturmheide, in the middle of the former Ilmenau copper and silver mining district and below the spoil heap of the former “Gottes Gabe” mine shaft. The chapel houses an exhibition on Ilmenau’s copper shale mining. Its location and exhibition connect mining history with the landscape where mining once took place. Together with the Münzkeller, it offers distinct historical themes: the 16th century on the one hand and Ilmenau’s mining heritage on the other.
More Places to Visit in the Ilm District
Beyond Ilmenau, the wider destination of the Ilm District offers other distinct points of interest. The Thuringian Forest Creative Museum in GroĂźbreitenbach includes the 1st German Dumpling Press Museum. The two-kilometre Kleinbreitenbach Art Trail offers a different focus: works of art adorn the Romanesque fortified church, the cemetery, the church forecourt, the village and the path at the edge of the village. These attractions are part of the wider Ilm District destination, not sights in Ilmenau.
Discover more destinations: Herschdorf, Elgersburg, Großbreitenbach, Altenfeld, Gräfenroda, Gehren, Frankenhain, Friedersdorf
Back to the wider travel overview: Ilm District.
