Saalfeld

Saalfeld sits in the picturesque Saale valley on the edge of the Thuringian Slate Mountains and is one of the oldest towns in Thuringia, with roughly 1,100 years of recorded history — locally nicknamed the "Stone Chronicle of Thuringia" for its well-preserved medieval and Renaissance townscape. It is best known for the Saalfeld Fairy Grottoes (Feengrotten), a former alum-shale mine that has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the most colorful cave grottoes in the world.

By train

Saalfeld (Saale) station lies on the regional rail line connecting Erfurt, Jena, and Leipzig to the north with Nuremberg to the south via the Thuringian Forest.

By car

Saalfeld is reached via regional roads from Erfurt, Jena, and Weimar to the north, and from the Nuremberg direction to the south, with the A4 and A9 motorways passing within driving distance.

By plane

The nearest airports with commercial service are Erfurt-Weimar and Leipzig/Halle.

The town centre of Saalfeld is compact and walkable. Local buses connect the main districts and nearby attractions. Taxis are available from the train station.

As well as the medieval town centre, and the surrounding forests and lakes of Thuringia:

Schloss Saalfeld

( Saalfeld palace ).

the palace of Queen Victoria's grandparents, the Saxe-Coburg. Now a regional government building

Feengrotten .

the nationally famous fairy grottoes

There are several butchers in the town center who grill and sell the justly famous Thüringer Bratwurst (Thuringia sausage) in the afternoon.

Hotel Anker , on the Markt, houses the restaurant Güldene Gans and serves Thuringian regional cuisine. The building itself dates to at least 1486 and is one of the oldest inns in Germany — it was renamed from "Gasthof zur Güldenen Gans" after Holy Roman Emperor Karl V held Elector John Frederick I prisoner there following the Battle of Mühlberg in 1547.

Cafes and bars in the town centre serve coffee, wine, and local beverages. Regional wines and spirits are worth sampling.

There is nearly a dozen hotels and pensions in the area. Except for the high peak season around July, you should be able to just turn up and find a place to stay.

Hotel Anker ,

Markt 25/26 ,

☏

+49 3671 5990 .

  ( updated Jan 2016 )

co.med Hotel ,

Rainweg 68b ,

☏

+49 3671 45570 .

  ( updated Jan 2016 )

Hotel u. Gaststätte Müller ,

Lachenstraße 52 ,

☏

+49 3671 512632 .

  ( updated Jan 2016 )

The area is a rewarding place to shop for unique craftsworks made from glass, ceramic and precious stones.

• Berlin — Germany's capital city, reachable by regional train
• Nearby towns in Thüringen — explore the surrounding region