See - Marvel - Experience: Attractions & Excursions in Erfurt
The Thuringian state capital of Erfurt is best known for its beautifully preserved historic old town, where the Krämerbrücke bridge, the cathedral square and the fish market stand out as real attractions. Thanks to the central location of the H2 Hotel Erfurt, you can explore the sights in the city on foot from the hotel. Let's start with a tour of the city:
Walk from the H2 Hotel Erfurt past the Alte Oper opera house through the streets Lange Brücke, Fischersand and An den Graden to Domplatz. Here you can admire the impressive late Romanesque-Gothic ensemble of St. Mary's Cathedral and the Severi Church and take the time to visit them. Incidentally, you have a fantastic view over Erfurt from the cathedral tower!
From the cathedral square, you can take a detour to the Petersberg Citadel via the panoramic path. It is one of the largest baroque city fortresses in Europe and awaits you with an interactive exhibition in the Commander's House. A guided tour through the approximately two-kilometer-long listening corridors in the fortress walls is exciting for young and old alike.
Below the Petersberg lies the Andreasviertel. Not an attraction in the spectacular sense of the word, it is well worth a visit: medieval craftsmen's houses with pretty courtyards lend the alleyways a romantic flair. Continue along Michaelisstraße or Marktstraße to the fish market. Magnificent town houses from the Renaissance period, inviting cafés and the historicist town hall line the square: time for a short break.
The next attraction on the city tour is the Old Synagogue, a Jewish medieval heritage site in Erfurt: the Old Synagogue is located on Waaggasse next to the fish market. The museum in the over 900-year-old building was opened in 2009 and displays the Jewish Treasure of Erfurt as well as important medieval Jewish writings. You can also visit the Small Synagogue and the 13th century mikvah. The Jewish medieval heritage of Erfurt is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Just a hundred meters further on is the Krämerbrücke. As one of the oldest buildings in Erfurt, it spans the River Gera over a length of 126 meters. The special thing about the bridge, which dates back to 1156, is that it is lined on both sides with half-timbered houses where artisans and small stores sell their wares.
There is another special attraction for children to discover on a city tour in Erfurt: Large figures from the most popular Kika children's programs are set up all over the old town. The Sandman, the mouse and the elephant, Pittiplatsch and many more - children can pick up a special city map with these characters at the tourist information office and set off on their search.
A scavenger hunt or escape game are also exciting city tours for families. Before you return to the H2 Hotel Erfurt, a visit to the Erfurt City Museum, which is housed in an imposing Renaissance building in Johannesstraße, or the Augustinian monastery Waidhaus, where Martin Luther once spent seven years of his life, is a great way to round off your excursion through the old town.
If you spend several days on vacation at the H2 Hotel Erfurt, you will have time for other excursions and activities. One of the most popular excursion destinations in Erfurt is the egapark. The local recreation area offers space for relaxation and sport. It also impresses with themed gardens, an observatory, cafés, a huge playground, a petting zoo, a fun train and much more. Attractions in the park include the "Danakil" desert and jungle house and the German Horticultural Museum. The Citadelle Cyriaksburg turret is located on the grounds. From up there, you have another wonderful view of the cathedral ensemble in Erfurt's old town.
The Thüringer Zoopark Erfurt is also a great destination for families and animal lovers. The Erfurt zoo is extensive and diverse and takes great care to keep the animals as species-appropriate as possible. Speaking of animal lovers and families: the Natural History Museum is not just a bad weather option.
Housed in a former woad storehouse, the Erfurt Natural History Museum displays an impressive collection of flora and fauna as well as the geology of Thuringia. Among the attractions of the exhibition are the 350-year-old oak tree, which fills the entire staircase from the root on the first floor to the crown on the 4th floor, and the "Noah's Ark". Life-size animals provide an insight into the diversity of species in the hull of the ship in the basement of the building.
You can also experience nature and culture on excursions in and around Erfurt. A boat tour on the Gera is ideal for active people - even with children. Canoes, pedal boats or kayaks allow you to go on an adventure at your own pace, through the city and out into the surrounding countryside. Those who prefer to travel on two wheels can consider a trip to Molsdorf Castle. Around twelve kilometers southwest of Erfurt, the baroque castle with its beautiful castle rooms, a park and a café is well worth a visit. It is also around 30 kilometers from the H2 Hotel Erfurt - whether by bike or car - to the Drei Gleichen. Numerous legends surround the Mühlburg, Burg Gleichen and Wachsenburg castles. The most famous is the Drei(n)schlag.
There are also other excursion destinations on a city trip to Erfurt: Attractions not to be missed during a visit to Thuringia include a trip to Weimar and a trip to Wartburg Castle near Eisenach, as well as an excursion to the treetop trail in Hainich National Park. The regional train takes you to Weimar in 15 minutes, which is famous for its baroque architecture, the Goethe House and the Bauhaus Museum. From the H2 Hotel Erfurt, it takes about an hour to reach Wartburg Castle. This is where St. Elisabeth of Thuringia lived and Luther translated the Bible. The wonderfully preserved castle has a long and varied history, from the Singers' Controversy to the Wartburg Festival: simply worth seeing! The wild cat village in Hütscheroda is around 50 minutes away by car. Here you can learn a lot about the shy forest dwellers and discover the flora and fauna in one of the last primeval beech forests in Europe. The Hainich rightly bears the title "UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site".
Book your room at the H2 Hotel Erfurt now and look forward to a varied time in the state capital of Thuringia - attractions worth seeing and a variety of excursions included!
