Around Thuringia — 7 stages through Germany's green heart

Thuringia is a land of castles, palaces and historic old towns with all their myths and stories. It’s a land of bratwurst (although, it's not really my thing) and dumplings, and the land of glass and porcelain. It’s in the middle of Germany and full of culture and beautiful landscapes. Thuringia is so versatile, which is why it’s also the land of the road bike! What better way to discover all the beautiful spots than on two wheels?

At least, that's what I thought when I signed up for the small ‘Thüringen Erfahren’ event in 2018. The plan was to cycle 500 kilometres (310 mi) through Thuringia in one go. Okay, it was ambitious, but doable. Unfortunately, I somehow had a bad weekend. My body didn't really want to play and so I had to give up. However, I found the route (or at least the part I managed) so beautiful that I wanted to make this Collection. After all, you can experience Thuringia in several stages rather than doing it all in one go! So, across seven stages, this Collection takes you through the south-east of Thuringia. Characterised by the Saale River with its impressive dams, tranquil villages, shady forest slopes and sun-drenched vineyards, you’ll experience Thuringia (and parts of Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony on a few small detours) in a way that no other means of transport can.

As with ‘Experience Thuringia’, the starting point of this adventure is the university town of Jena. The cool thing about it is that you can easily take the train back to Jena from any stopover. This means that, despite the long distance, you always have a plan B up your sleeve in case you can't make it or the weather changes. Plus, this gives you the opportunity to cycle the stages individually or to ‘build’ your own adventure, which may only last two or three days. Or, you can try it like I did and decide to do the whole round in one go. When you run out of beans, the train will take you back – that's exactly what I did.

If you want to take your time, my route is also suitable for a relaxed cycling holiday. In each stage town, you'll usually find a large selection of hotels and guesthouses as well as shopping facilities, restaurants and cultural highlights. That means there’s plenty to discover even after the day’s ride is over. The individual Tours are relatively short, so you can do them even if you're not in top shape. If, on the other hand, you want to challenge yourself a little more, you can simply combine one or two stages. Keep in mind, however, that Thuringia is quite hilly so it doesn't hurt to take it a little easier. Whatever you do, I hope you enjoy your journey of discovery through beautiful Thuringia!