Erfurt
Thuringia's capital, with the inhabited Merchants' Bridge and the twin-spired cathedral; Goethe and Schiller's Weimar and Luther's refuge at Wartburg Castle are easy day trips.
Erfurt, capital of the German state of Thuringia, lies near Germany's geographic center. It grew rich in the Middle Ages on the woad dye trade, and its old town preserves many churches, half-timbered houses and the Merchants' Bridge (Krämerbrücke), Europe's longest inhabited bridge. About 20 km east, Weimar, where Goethe and Schiller lived, is the "capital of German Classicism", the birthplace of the Bauhaus and the namesake of the Weimar Republic; about 55 km west, Eisenach is home to the World Heritage Wartburg Castle. The climate is mild, and May–Sep is the best time to visit; the Christmas market on Cathedral Square in December is one of Germany's best-known; in winter some palaces have shorter hours or close. Erfurt makes a good base: on day 1, explore Cathedral Hill, the Petersberg Citadel, the Merchants' Bridge, the Old Synagogue and the Augustinian Monastery; on day 2, head to Weimar for Goethe's House, the Duchess Anna Amalia Library, the Bauhaus Museum and the Park on the Ilm, optionally adding the Buchenwald Memorial; on day 3, take the train via Gotha to Eisenach to visit Wartburg Castle and the Bach and Luther houses. Getting there: Erfurt is an ICE high-speed rail hub, about 2 hours from Berlin and Frankfurt; trains to Weimar take about 15 minutes and to Eisenach about 25–40 minutes. The Thüringen-Ticket allows unlimited travel on regional trains for a day. The Duchess Anna Amalia Library limits daily visitor numbers, so book ahead.
Top sights
- Krämerbrücke – Europe's longest inhabited bridge, a 120-meter stone-arch bridge lined with 32 half-timbered houses that hold craft shops, cafés and galler…
- Erfurt Cathedral & St. Severus' Church – Two Gothic churches standing side by side atop 70 steps, a landmark of the city skyline. Luther was ordained a priest in the cathedral.
- Petersberg Citadel – One of Europe's best-preserved city fortresses. From the baroque bastion walls, you can overlook the twin towers of the cathedral and the r…
- Old Synagogue Erfurt – One of Europe's most completely preserved medieval synagogues and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The basement displays the extraordinarily r…
- Augustinian Monastery – The monastery where Martin Luther lived and studied from 1505 to 1511. You can see the monk's cell he occupied and medieval stained glass.
- Fischmarkt & Town Hall – The historic centre square of the old town, surrounded by a Neo-Gothic town hall and Renaissance merchant mansions. The town hall interior…
- egapark Erfurt – One of Germany's largest horticultural exhibition parks, with large flower beds, the tropical greenhouse 'Danakil' and a castle lookout tow…
- Predigerkirche – A Gothic monastery church of the Dominican order from the 13th to 14th centuries, where master Meister Eckhart once preached. Simple, brigh…
- Friedenstein Palace – One of Germany's largest early Baroque palaces, with the Ekhof Theatre, which retains its original 17th-century wooden stage machinery, and…
- Zeiss Planetarium Jena – A projection planetarium opened in 1926 that has operated longer than any other in the world. It is a landmark of Jena, the birthplace of Z…
Where to eat
- Zum Güldenen Rade – A long-established inn near the cathedral, known for its handmade Thuringian potato dumplings. Its 160-seat beer garden…
- Gasthaus Feuerkugel – One of Erfurt’s best-known old town inns, famous for its beef roll with house-made Thuringian potato dumplings. Weekend…
Itineraries
- Classic East Germany Cities Rail Journey – Travel west by train from Berlin, connecting Dresden, Leipzig, Weimar, Erfurt, and Wartburg Castle.
- Luther & Protestant Reformation Trail – A road trip tracing Martin Luther's life from Wittenberg via Torgau and Eisleben to Erfurt and Wartburg Castle.
- Classic Thuringian Towns Road Trip – Drive from west to east connecting Wartburg Castle, Gotha, Erfurt, Weimar, and Jena, with very short daily drives.