Attractions - from castles to fortresses, it's all here
Time for sightseeing! Interesting attractions are located in almost every major town. Your list should include at least one castle, as there are many in the Ore Mountains. Particularly beautiful are Augustusburg Castle and Wildeck Castle, making them among the most popular destinations. There is no shortage of fortresses in Saxony either. One of them is Scharfenstein Castle, built in 1250 and perched on a rocky spur. Among other things, it houses a Christmas museum. As you may know, the Ore Mountains are famous for their historical pyramids, incense smokers, and nutcrackers. Another visitor magnet is Hartenstein Castle, one of the oldest buildings in all of Saxony. St. Anne's Church in Annaberg-Buchholz, with its 78-meter-high tower, is also among the attractions that must be mentioned. A visit to the town itself is always a good reason to leave the lovely apartment or cozy holiday home.
5,000 kilometers of hiking trails run through the Ore Mountains
Historical attractions are not the only reason why you should visit Oberwiesenthal, Annaberg-Buchholz, Freiberg, and others. They are also excellent starting points for your hiking vacation in the Ore Mountains. Use your cozy apartment or large holiday home as a base for extensive hikes and walks, such as in the Ore Mountains/Vogtland Nature Park. Here begins Germany's oldest long-distance hiking trail, the Kammweg Erzgebirge-Vogtland, which connects Bärenstein, Oberwiesenthal, Breitenbrunn, and Johanngeorgenstadt.
Once you have hiked through the entire Ore Mountains, it's best to head west. Here, the mountain range transitions into Saxon Switzerland, where you can continue with your favorite activity. Those who are not so keen on walking don't have to miss out on a summit storm on the Fichtelberg: From Oberwiesenthal, Germany's oldest cable car takes you up to the Fichtelberg mountain station.
A vacation in the Ore Mountains for the whole family
Among the numerous affordable vacation apartments and homes in the Ore Mountains in quiet locations, you will surely find the right place for the whole family. But what exciting things are there for the kids to discover? Attractions such as show mines or castles can captivate even the youngest visitors. If a hike leads to a lookout tower, as is the case in Marienberg, Oberwiesenthal, or Altenberg, children will also be quickly intrigued. However, it's good if the place where your accommodation is located offers other excursion destinations that are interesting for all family members. For example, in Seiffen, there is the Ore Mountain Toy Museum.
Is your dog also in need of a vacation? Then just bring it along! A vacation with a dog in the Ore Mountains is not only a great idea because you will find lots of nature and forests for walks. Many private landlords also allow pets. It's best to look for an accommodation with a garden, so the dog can go outside to get some fresh air anytime, even if you want to stay indoors.
The Ore Mountain cuisine perfectly rounds off the vacation
For centuries, people in the Ore Mountains worked in mining, agriculture, and crafts. This is still reflected in the cuisine today, as food was sometimes scarce back then. The traditional dishes are made from simple ingredients but are no less delicious! During your stay in a privately-owned house or apartment, you will certainly eat well. A typical dish is "Klitscher," a potato dish similar to potato pancakes. Regional specialties such as buttermilk or blueberry Geetzen, roulades with green dumplings, and the very popular Eierschecke in the Ore Mountains can be found on every menu of a country inn. To finish a meal, locals like to drink a glass of rowanberry liqueur. If you need to drive back to the apartment or house, it's better to take a bottle with you to enjoy at your accommodation. If you acquire a taste for it: There is a schnapps museum in Crottendorf.
Experience mining, culture, and tradition
For many centuries, mining shaped the Ore Mountains and has left its mark everywhere to this day. Good for you, as this opens up numerous excursion destinations that provide information about this traditional industry and the Ore Mountain folk art. You can get close to history in a visitor's mine. Depending on where your vacation apartment or house is located, visiting a different living museum might be a good option. In Freiberg, the "Reiche Zeche" and "Alte Elisabeth" welcome you. In the tin mine of Ehrenfriedersdorf, a hoist takes you down to 100 meters below ground. Schneeberg has the "Fundgrube Weißer Hirsch" mine. Additionally, there are other opportunities to enjoy culture underground. One of the top museums for traditional crafts is the Frohnauer Hammer near Annaberg-Buchholz. In the former hammer mill, you can learn everything about the tools used in mining and agriculture back then. Looking for a change of pace from mining history? Then a unique museum awaits you in Sehmatal-Neudorf: the only soup museum in Germany!
Welcome to the Ore Mountains!
The majority of the Ore Mountains is located in Saxony, covering an area of more than 3,500 square kilometers. As the state borders the Czech Republic, the mountain range extends into the neighboring country. The highest peak is Klinovec, standing at 1,244 meters, located in the Czech Republic. On the Saxon side, the Fichtelberg is the highest elevation at 1,215 meters. Many vacation apartments and homes are found in the Upper Ore Mountains. Particularly, the spa town of Oberwiesenthal and the administrative center of the Ore Mountains district, Annaberg-Buchholz, are popular destinations for a vacation. However, affordable accommodations are also available in the regions of Eastern, Western, and Central Ore Mountains.
For your journey to your privately-owned house or apartment, various options are available. Traveling by car is comfortable, especially when the whole family is coming along. You can get close to the Ore Mountains via the A4 and A72 highways. From there, continue on the federal roads to your destination. The road network is well-developed. Prefer to travel by train? Then book a train to Zwickau, Dresden, or Chemnitz and transfer to a regional train there. Most of the larger cities have a train station. Of course, you can also fly to Saxony: Leipzig and Dresden have airports that are served by flights from many parts of Germany.