Lauscha: Glass Art, Nature and Trails

Lauscha combines a glassmaking tradition with experiences in nature. The town is considered the birthplace of glass Christmas tree decorations. At the museum, the Kugelmarkt and the Farbglashütte, you can discover different aspects of this craft; hiking trails, cycling routes and seasonal activities round out your stay.

Glass Art and Advent Tradition

The Museum of Glass Art Lauscha displays the history of glass tree decorations, including baubles and various shapes, from 1860 to the present day. The museum also features a significant collection of glass products from Lauscha and the Thuringian Forest. The visit therefore focuses both on a specific chapter in the history of glass and on products from two named regions.

The traditional Kugelmarkt also brings the town’s glassmaking tradition to life: it takes place every year during Advent and extends throughout the entire town. Glass traders and regional craftspeople are part of the market. If the market is the reason for your trip, check the dates for that year’s event in advance.

At the Farbglashütte, visitors can experience a “Diatonschau” and watch glassmakers at work. The activities on display include manually drawing tubes and rods, as well as making finished glass objects. The opportunity to watch glass being worked therefore complements the historical and finished products in the museum with a glimpse into craft processes.

Hiking, Cycling and Winter Activities

In summer, you can explore the natural surroundings of the glassmaking town of Lauscha on numerous cycling paths and hiking routes. One specific route is the “Hike between Glass and Slate”: it starts in Lauscha, follows a 12-kilometre circular route, is of moderate difficulty and has 313 metres of elevation gain. Its length, circular format, difficulty and elevation gain give you different points of reference for comparing this hike with your own plans for the day.

In the Lauscha district of Ernstthal, Erlebniswelt Ernstthal is located on the north slope of the 835-metre-high Pappenheimer Berg. It has three family-friendly downhill ski runs, ranging in difficulty from easy to hard. When winter conditions are suitable, the Erlebniswelt team also prepares various ski touring trails with a total length of up to 18 kilometres. The ski runs and ski touring trails offer two different ways to spend time outdoors in winter; preparation of the trails depends on suitable winter conditions.

For another season, the 1,300-metre-long summer toboggan run on Pappenheimer Berg in the district of Ernstthal offers another option. Together with the many summer cycling and hiking routes, it gives you a choice between activities along the trails and a trip on the toboggan run.

Choose Accommodation to Suit Your Reason for Travelling

For days spent in nature, there are hiking and cycling routes; in winter, the activities on Pappenheimer Berg are a seasonal option, provided conditions are suitable for the ski touring trails.

Discover more destinations:

Scheibe-Alsbach, Neuhaus Am Rennweg, Neuhaus-Schierschnitz, Frankenblick, Schalkau, Goldisthal, Judenbach, Föritz

Back to the main travel overview: Sonneberg.