Discover Bad Sulza: salt, wine and the Ilm Valley

Bad Sulza lies in the Ilm Valley. Gentle hills rise on both sides, some planted with vines. The town’s salt and spa history, winemaking tradition and cultural venues shape the range of things to discover: you can explore local history, follow the trails or set aside time for the spa gardens. The best location for your accommodation depends on which of these themes you want to shape your stay.

The Ilm Valley, spa gardens and trails

The Ilm Valley Cycle Route runs through Bad Sulza’s spa gardens and past the Tourist Information Centre. Bike rental and an e-bike charging station are available there; check current operating details before your trip. Bad Sulza has a signposted network of walking trails, with two starting points: at the Tourist Information Centre and at the Thuringian Wine Gate. You can plan your route around either of these starting points.

The Wine Trail No. 6 offers a dedicated wine walk: the route is just over five kilometres long and pairs three Thuringian wines with a digital wine tasting. The cycle route, signposted walking network and wine trail each offer a different focus—a useful basis for deciding whether you would rather spend your days cycling, walking or exploring wine.

Local history to see and experience

Goethe Garden House 2 in Bad Sulza is an exact replica of Goethe’s garden house in Weimar. Visitors are allowed to touch the interior, try sitting on the furniture and explore. St. Mauritius town church reaches further back in time: it dates to an 11th-century chapel dedicated to Saint Mauritius.

The history of the salt works can also be discovered at specific sites. You can explore the extensive surviving facilities and equipment used for salt production along the “Brine and Salt” themed trail or on a guided walk. At the Salt Works and Local History Museum, the historic convent hall is a highlight from the heyday of the Sulza salt works. The room itself has not been preserved in its original state, but its furnishings have; they were used by members of the Salt Works Society. The exhibition at the technology museum in Bad Sulza railway station includes gramophones and televisions, equipment belonging to the National People’s Army, two-wheeled vehicles from the GDR and other exhibits.

The Villa Sonneck art villa displays works by Bad Sulza painters Georg Judersleben and Karl Holfeld from different periods of their careers. The bandstand in the spa gardens offers a different kind of experience: built in 1875, it is still used for spa concerts and events. Art, local history and events can therefore be included in your travel plans according to your interests.

Exercise, brine and winemaking tradition

The Kneipp facility combines a footbath fed by fresh water from the Ilm with a barefoot path made from a variety of natural materials, including wine corks. If you would like to get to know Bad Sulza on a guided tour, consider one led by Norbert Becker in historical costume: the tours cover local history as well as salt and spa traditions. Seggy Tours Laube offers guided Segway tours exploring Bad Sulza, Naumburg or Mittelberg; a thorough briefing is provided beforehand.

You can also find wine and brine in the Tourist Information Centre shop. The selection includes original Bad Sulza brine products such as brine jam, brine sweets and liquorice tagetes brine liqueur. Product availability may change; checking in advance can help you plan your visit. The Thuringian Wine Festival is celebrated annually on the third weekend in August and is linked to the grape harvest. One of its highlights is the crowning of the Bad Sulza Wine Queen. If the festival is important to your trip, check the date for your specific travel dates.

Choose accommodation to suit your travel plans

When choosing accommodation, it helps to decide first what you want to focus on during your stay: local and salt-works history, cultural attractions, wine or active days on cycling and walking trails. If your group has different interests, you can alternate between these themes as you plan each day. Then compare the location of your accommodation with the places and routes you want to visit, so your search reflects your actual travel plans.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Nohra, Niederzimmern, Blankenhain, Kapellendorf, Ilmtal-Weinstraße, Weimar, Auerstedt and Ettersburg.

Back to the main travel overview: Weimarer Land.