Weimar is a must-see for any traveler following the paths of history, art and literature. The small town is idyllically located in Thuringia and is a treasure trove of Germany’s intellectual and cultural heritage.
A city trip to Weimar is like a time travel through different eras of German history. It is often referred to as the city of Goethe and Schiller, whose houses now serve as museums and offer a deep insight into their lives and works. But Weimar is more than just Goethe and Schiller. It is a place where the paths of important thinkers and artists such as Bach, Liszt, Nietzsche and many others crossed.
A highlight of any trip to Weimar is the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Classical Weimar,” which includes a number of sites associated with Weimar Classicism and the Bauhaus movement. The impressive Bauhaus Museum, which celebrates the city as the cradle of this revolutionary design and architecture movement, is a crowd-pleaser for any visitor to Weimar.
The charming park on the Ilm invites you to stroll around and at the same time offers cultural highlights such as Goethe’s Garden House. The Duchess Anna Amalia Library, which houses one of the most important literary collections of the 18th and 19th centuries, is something every book lover will not be able to resist.
On the northern edge of the city lies the Ettersberg, which at 482 meters is the highest mountain in the Thuringian Basin. The Buchenwald concentration camp memorial is located there.
Sights in Weimar
The Buchenwald memorial near Weimar is visible far beyond the region and hopefully unforgettable. For us, it was a place that left a deep impression on us and made us very thoughtful. For us, it is a place that should not just be visited quickly, but should be consciously perceived.
Old books and libraries have an almost magical attraction for us. In Weimar there is a library that you simply have to see. The Duchess Anna Amalia Library is certainly one of the most beautiful libraries in Germany.
We arrive a little outside the old town at a large building with a modern entrance. This is where the traditional Deinhardt brewery is located. Good beer and good food at the Weimar Felsenkeller.
Not far from Weimar is Belvedere Palace, built for Duke Ernst August I, with its beautiful park and orangery with its many exotic plants.
The Bauhaus is a world-renowned movement that has had, and continues to have, a profound influence on art, architecture and design. Its roots are in Weimar, a city considered the cradle of this "revolutionary" movement.
Weimar has always captivated people. So it is not surprising that Goethe felt at home here. One of the most famous Germans died in Goethe's home on the Frauenplan in 1832.
Travel information about Weimar
Arrival
By plane
Erfurt airport, from which only a few airplanes depart, is located near the city. The nearest airports with international connections are in Leipzig (120 km) and Frankfurt a.M. (300 km).
By train
In Weimar there are almost only trains of the regional traffic. These are operated by the Thuringian Railway, the Ilmbahn and the Holzlandbahn. The nearest train station with the possibility to get on long-distance trains is in Erfurt.
By bus
The city’s bus station is located near the German National Theater in Hoffmann-von-Fallersleben Street. From the bus station Weimar nowadays bus connections are offered to Weimar’s surroundings, e.g. to Niederzimmern, Blankenhain or Apolda but also connections, e.g. to Berlin.
By car
The city is easily accessible via the federal highway A 4. The federal highway B 7 and the federal highway B 85 intersect in the city.
On the way in…
By public transport
All 9 city bus lines leave from the central interchange station Goetheplatz. Another bus interchange is located at the main train station, from where lines to Weimar’s surrounding areas also depart.