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Please note, that we are not in any way reimbursed by any of the mentioned places and we just liked the food/price/service ratio.

Also realize, that you are in our taste zone, if your taste buds are not close to ours try one of our recommendations and if you don’t concur, you are on your own.

By the way, there is quite often a McDonalds around somewhere to serve more familiar meals.

Welcome City Guide History Schoenwald Why Schoenwald

A day in the footsteps of the reformer Martin Luther.


This round trip is about 660 km and requires about 7½ hours total driving time.

This will only give you a glimpse of Luther’s history and life.

A day in Lutherland

From Schönwald to:

Kilometers

Driving Time



hrs


min

Eisleben

202

1

:

59

This city is home to Luther’s Birth House and the church, where he preached his last 4 sermons before he died here. There is a museum at the house where he was thought to have died in.

Eisenach

149

1

:

56

Luther spend time here during his youth and later the Wartburg castle became a safe haven for him.

Erfurt

68

0

:

48

Erfurt is the city where Luther entered priesthood.

An intensive English website gives a great overview.

Coburg

119

1

:

20

A immense castle here was another of Luther’s refuges for a time.

Schönwald

115

1

:

30

The trip back includes 107 km on the Autobahn






Totals:

653

7

:

33

Rated: Strenuous

Today you have to get up and have your breakfast early as you want to be on the road by 7 AM.

Program Eisleben into your GPS and enjoy your drive mostly on the Autobahn.


Park as close to the marketplace as you can. Look around the marketplace on your way to the St. Andreas church with the Luther museum next to it. Luther’s Birth House is under 400 yards away from the marketplace.


Eisenach, the birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach is another 2 hours drive but mainly over country roads.

We had lunch at a charming little restaurant in town, the Gasthof "Am Storchenturm"  ·  Georgenstraße 43 a  ·  99817 Eisenach (see note below).

A drive by and photo stop at the Lutherhaus should be in your plans, the participants of our Luthertour were not too impressed by the guided tour there.

A scenic drive takes you up to the Wartburg, from the parking lot it is quite a walk to the castle with steep inclines and many steps. They advertise the donkey ride up to it, but look around and ask, there are actually mini busses that drive you up or down for a fee. We suggest the “up hill” portion on the bus for sure. A tour of the castle is recommended.


Erfurt is only about 45 minutes away

Parking around the combined St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Severus Church will have you in walking distance to the old town. As you are in Luther’s footsteps a stop at the Augustinerkloster (St. August monastery) is a must and also the stroll over and around the unique Kraemerbruecke. Their English website at  http://www.erfurt.de/ef/en/  takes the guess work out of your visit. Take an hour and look around.


Now on the way back, stop and walk up to the immense fortification of the Coburg Castle for a look around, as it is later in the day you might not be in time to tour the art galleries there.

A stop in one of the restaurants or if you are in time on the marketplace should give you the chance to try the city’s famous Bratwurst.

After a long day you will look forward to getting back to your home base.