Holiday in the Ore Mountains
The Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge), a picturesque low mountain range on the Saxon-Czech border, are far more than just a travel destination—they are an experience for the senses and the soul. Shaped by its mining tradition, unique craftsmanship, and a landscape that invites you to take a deep breath, the region offers an unforgettable vacation.
With its beautiful mountain landscape, the Ore Mountains stretch over 125 kilometers from the Elbe Sandstone Mountains to the Elster Mountains in the Vogtland region. The mountain range also lies on Czech territory, where it is known as the Bohemian Ore Mountains.
For over 800 years, mining shaped the life, culture, and even the landscape of the Ore Mountains. Today, this heritage is honored as the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Mining Region Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří.” Visitors can travel deep underground in numerous show mines, such as those in Annaberg-Buchholz or Freiberg, and experience firsthand the hard work of the miners. Above ground, mining towns with their impressive hall churches and historic market squares testify to the former wealth that the region’s “silver ore” brought.
When the days grow shorter, the Ore Mountains transform into a “Christmas Land.” World-famous nutcrackers, smoking figures, and Christmas pyramids come from the workshops of the toy-making village of Seiffen. The traditional craftsmanship can be admired here in demonstration workshops.
The Ore Mountains have much to offer active vacationers. In summer, an extensive network of hiking and cycling trails invites you to explore the rolling hills, dense forests, and idyllic valleys. The Fichtelberg, Saxony’s highest mountain at 1,215 meters, attracts visitors with magnificent panoramic views that can reach as far as Bohemia on a clear day.
In winter, the region around Oberwiesenthal transforms into the largest ski area in Eastern Germany.
Holidays in the Ore Mountains – tips for a trip to the region
At the foot of the Fichtelberg in the Ore Mountains lies the town of Oberwiesenthal. At 915 metres above sea level, it is the highest town in Germany. In winter, it is a great place for winter sports, and in the snow-free season, hiking trails attract visitors.
Oberwiesenthal lies directly on the border with the Czech Republic and the Zechengrund nature reserve forms a section of the direct border.
Oberwiesenthal is one of Germany's winter sports resorts, where top athletes hold their competitions and of course train. But what is it like in summer? Do the facilities of the Fichtelbergschanzen stand deserted in the terrain?
The Fichtelbergbahn is a narrow-gauge railway that runs from Cranzahl in Saxony to the highest town in Germany, the town of Oberwiesenthal. The route is just over 17 kilometres long and is one of the most popular excursion tips in the Ore Mountains.
It always surprises me when we discover the most interesting and lovingly designed museums in the smallest places. The Saxon Narrow-Gauge Railway Museum in Rittersgrün is just such a discovery.
In the Ore Mountains about 5 kilometers from Zschopau, lies the small village of Scharfenstein. High above the valley on a mountain spur towers the castle Scharfenstein.
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Accommodation
Ferienwohnung Sonnenhof
Blockhaus – Ferienwohnung Sunrise
Hotel Olbernhau
Naturhotel Sachsenbaude Oberwiesenthal
Hotel Seiffener Hof
Travel information about the Ore Mountains
Getting there
By plane
The nearest airports are in Dresden, Leipzig or Prague.
By train
The large cities of Chemnitz and Freiberg are served hourly by regional express trains from Dresden and Hof.
By car
The A 4 and A 72 motorways run along the northern edge of the Ore Mountains.
On the way in...
By car
The A 4 and A 72 motorways run along the northern edge of the Ore Mountains. A number of federal roads lead into the mountains, depending on the topographical conditions.
Smaller towns can often only be reached via small but well-maintained roads.
By rail
Rail transport is often along the river valleys. It can happen that the railway station is quite far away from the actual town.
Local transport provides a connection to the larger towns in the foothills.
Within the Ore Mountains, for example, the Müglitztalbahn (Freital – Kipsdorf), Flöhatalbahn (Chemnitz-Obernhau), Zschopautalbahn (Flöha- Cranzahl), Fichtelbergbahn (Cranzahl – Oberwiesenthal), Zwönitztalbahn (Chemnitz – Aue) operate.
Best time to travel
The Ore Mountains are significantly higher than the neighbouring areas. As usual in the mountains, it gets colder the higher you get.
Summers in the Ore Mountains are significantly shorter than in other regions, and at high altitudes frost can even occur as late as April.
Typical for the Ore Mountains is the amount of precipitation. The winds blowing mainly from the west and north bring the main mass of precipitation, which decreases from west to east. Most rain falls in summer (June-August). In winter there is often snow and skiing is possible.
Language
In the Erzgebirge, a very special dialect is spoken, the Erzgebirgisch (Aarzgebèèrgsch). Especially in the countryside, it can happen that you hardly understand a word when the locals are talking.
Not only do terms appear that cannot be assigned, but letters are also pronounced completely differently. For example, the ‘J’ is pronounced like a ‘G’ and the unstressed ‘e’ is omitted altogether.