The glass bauble on a Christmas tree, the magic of the Christmas markets in historic towns, fortresses and castles, the healing power of mountain herbs and ski touring in a fantastic forest landscape – there are so many good reasons to explore the holiday state of Thuringia in winter.

Without the craftsmanship of the people of Lauscha, there would probably be no glass Christmas tree decorations – and the hand-made glass decorations are still produced in traditional fashion in Lauscha today. The Thuringians cannot imagine Christmas without these ornate glass baubles neither can they do without their coveted Advent gourmet treats. Christmas without “stollen” is inconceivable, for which Thuringia has its own recipe and its own stories. Some 30 bakers, so-called “stollen masters”, produce this Christmas cake every year.

But not only “stollen” is an important Christmas custom. Some of the most-sung German Christmas carols originate from Thuringia – “O Tannenbaum” (Oh Christmas Tree), “Alle Jahre wieder”, “Weisst du, wieviel Sternlein stehen” (Can you count the stars), “O du fröhliche” – they were all written by Thuringians. And since carols are often sung around the Christmas tree, this custom too began in Thuringia. In 1815, the Weimar bookseller Hoffmann set up a public Christmas tree in the Weimar marketplace for the town’s poor children. Today the tradition of setting up Christmas trees in public places has been adopted all over the world.

Thuringia’s most spectacular Advent event takes place in Erfurt every year, when bright lights twinkle throughout the historic city centre from 24 November until 22 December. The monumental complex of St Mary’s Cathedral and St Severi Church impresses thousands of visitors to the Christmas Market and creates the mood for a delightful pre-Christmas period. Visitors can enjoy a romantic stroll over the Merchants’ Bridge, the longest bridge in Europe with buildings over its full length, and be enchanted by its little shops. At one of the best-known castles in Germany, on the other hand, we are taken back to the Middle Ages. At Wartburg Castle near Eisenach, an historic Christmas market is held on all the weekends in Advent, focussing above all on traditional crafts.

Candle makers, glass blowers, soap makers, stone masons and travelling salesmen all offer their wares, while musicians, storytellers and puppeteers charm visitors with their entertainment. At Leuchtenburg Castle in Kahla, the focus is on a “Christmas Market of Wishes”. From 5 and 6 December and from 12 to 13 December, you can give your own lovingly designed wish list to the Leuchtenburg Father Christmas in the castle. Visitors can record their wishes not only on paper but also on porcelain and then thrown them down into the depths on the “Wishing Skywalk”, to “break something to mend your luck”, as the saying goes. On the fourth weekend in Advent, the mighty Heidecksburg castle complex in Rudolstadt turns into an enchanting Christmas market. And in Eastern Thuringia, the Middle Ages come back to life at the legend-shrouded Burgk Castle. On the first weekend in Advent, craftspeople offer their wares in the inside courtyard, in vaulted cellars and in castle rooms and bowers. For refreshment, there are a wealth of sweet delicacies, baked apples, honey, mulled wine and mead. Incidentally, this castle is extremely popular as a film set – the new version of the “Golden Goose” fairy tale often shown at Christmas was filmed here.

Never mind how dull and cold a winter day may be, Thuringia has the right recipe. A feel-good massage with essential oils, a bath in fragrant hay from mountain meadows, gentle herb peelings for the skin, healthy food and a crackling fire. So, in cold weather, Thuringian forest wellness is just what you want – wellness in and with Nature. Here the focus is on natural healing powers, such as regional herbs, forest moss, brine and mud. Whether a Buchinger fasting week at the heart of the Thuringian Forest, fasting for body, mind and soul within old monastery walls in Volkenroda, Kneipp Days with delicious menus in Tabarz, a spa stay with organic beauty products in Zeulenroda or feelgood moments in the Brine World in Bad Salzungen – the selection of programmes is not only diverse but also, and above all, authentic. The healing powers of Nature in the local environment and regional culinary delicacies form the basis of the attractive holiday offers. For example, the ingredients for languorous hay baths and fortifying hay menus come straight from the organic mountain meadows of the Thuringian Forest.

As soon as the first snow falls and Thuringia is turned into a white winter paradise, the action starts on the pistes and cross-country runs. There are ski touring routes on the Rennsteig trail, skating fun on the slopes, snowshoe tours through a dream landscape, all at 38 winter sports centres. The Thuringian Forest is considered a real mecca for lovers of winter sports, with more than 900 kilometres of certified ski touring trails, more than 600 kilometres of crosscountry runs, of which 142 kilometres alone are on the Rennsteig Ski Touring Trail, making it the longest long-distance ski touring trail in Central Europe. There is real fun to be had for skiers on the pistes in the Silbersattel Ski Arena in Steinach – Thuringia’s largest Alpine skiing area. A snow machine ensures optimum conditions and on the flood-lit slope, you can ski and snowboard in the evening too. Germany’s most northern and largest fun parks in Oberhof and Heubach offer ideal conditions for all snow kite enthusiasts, snowboarders and freestylers.

For more information, call the hotline +49 (0) 361-37420 at Tourist Information Thuringia or go to the website www.thueringen-entdecken.de on the internet.

Photo: Andreas Weise / Thüringer Tourismus GmbH