Where is the love for Thuringia?

I spent a few days in Erfurt two years ago, it was great. You are right about daytrips, too.

Don't forget Gotha. Also around the corner.

I LOVE this region. Thuringia is basically "Small-Town Germany". It was once divided into many tiny duchies, and each duchy had a tiny capital... with a huge castle. Apart from Wartburg castle the state lacks real highlights.... even Weimar, a World Heritage Site, is just a small town like many other Thuringian towns, but I think that's exactly the charm of the state.

Have a look at Bad Langensalza for example, a tiny, very provincial and unknown town:
Town Square, street scene, tower of the town wall

Nearby is Mühlhausen, bigger and historically quite interesting (Thomas Müntzer and his anabaptists ruled here):
street scene, biggest square, town wall

And the government buildings of Gotha are much too big for the town:
courtyard of the castle, square below the castle, view up to the castle

Schmalkalden is quite famous because of the Schmalkaldic League and the Smalcald Articles... it's also a cute, small town:
town square, street scene, castle garden

And Rudolstadt is basically just a huge castle with a not so interesting old town:
castle with the house where Schiller and Goethe met for the first time in the foreground, courtyard of the castle, castle from afar

Erfurt however is probably Germanys best preserved bigger city:
town square, street scene, medieval houses in side street, on the bridge, craftmens quarter, old house sign (house to the red b-ottle)

Ha, I've lived in Germany for nearly 7 years now and I've never even been to Thuringia. I certainly don't know anyone who has.

However I suspect it would be great for people who don't want to rub elbows with tourists and want to see "real" Germany (not that the rest of Germany isn't real, but you know what I mean) just because I have never, ever heard of anyone going to Thuringia for any reason.

Thüringen isn't among the most popular destinations in Germany, but it's hardly unknown. Foreign guests alone spent half a million overnights in Thüringen last year - and for each of the last 8 years, as a matter of fact:

http://www.tls.thueringen.de/datenbank/tabWMAnzeige.asp?tabelle=ld000804%7C%7C&ersterAufruf=x&wmID=451220%7C%7C2&tit2=&TIS=&SZDT=&startpage=1&auswahlnr=

The search box, top center, reveals some love for Thuringia:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/germany/independent-extension-recommendations-for-germany-trip

https://search.ricksteves.com/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=quedlinburg&button=

Rob you know me and I'd love to spend a month or more in Thuringia. I think Erfurt would be the THE ideal base, we really liked Erfurt. Thuringia (and the neighboring states) are the epitome of slow travel. We spent a month in Quedlinberg in the state to the north and between these 2 states you wouldn't run out of scenic and interesting things to explore from a history and natural beauty perspective. There are also interesting cities to the east and south to explore that I'm hoping to see someday.

PS, I think I could eat a Thuringer brat from a street vender (~2€) every day for a month too, one of the best in Germany!

Thanks for replies everyone, makes me want to visit. Martin, those photos are gorgeous. I do have a question about Erfurt and how much had to be rebuilt due to war damage. According to the German Wikipedia article, 17% of homes were destroyed, many others seriously damaged and the old part of town badly hit by different air raids. OTOH, a huge British air attack was called off due to US forces taking the city unexpectedly fast, thank goodness.

I wasn't slagging off Thuringia, quite the opposite, and the people that I know are mostly Germans...

I was just pointing out that it would indeed be a great destination for people who want to avoid the usual tourist stuff. I was agreeing with y'all, jeez.

@ rob...I have been to parts of Thuringia, used to be known as southwest Prussia. Of the places you list above, I have only been to two of them...Weimar (twice as days trips and one overnighter at the hostel). It is a lovely place, esp when you are am Theaterplatz. That statue of Goethe and Schiller am Theaterplatz is also in SF as you know.

The other place was Jena...was there this time but did not make it out to the battlefield site and Museum at Jena-Cospeda. That is ample reason to go back.

I have been to parts of Thuringia, used to be known as southwest
Prussia. Of the places you list above, I have only been to two of
them...Weimar. The other plce was Jena.

Both Weimar and Jena weren't part of Prussia but of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, one of those tiny Thuringian duchies. Southwestern Prussia was the Saar region close to France.

I am refering to the Prussia prior to the formation of the North German Confederation.

@rob...Regardless of the specific place is in Thuringia or Saxony, etc, I suggest you include definite places in eastern Germany in the planning of your trip; be it Meissen, Frankfurt an der Oder, Erfurt, Weimar, Leipzig, Magdeburg, or small places like Neustrelitz, Babelsberg, Neuhardenberg, Wustrau/Brandenberg (for the history purpose), Rheinsberg, Potsdam, Neuruppin, Pillnitz, and others. Your German will serve you well there; I've listed here the places I have visited, once if not more, since 2009.

I am refering to the Prussia prior to the formation of the North
German Confederation.

Well, but it's still wrong. This region belonged to the Ernestine branch of the house of Wettin, i.e. Saxony. Saxony was divided into the Albertine and Ernestine branch, and the area of Ernestine branch broke up into many tiny duchies. Both towns belonged to several of these tiny duchies over the centuries: Saxe-Jena, Saxe-Eisenach, Saxe-Weimar, Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.... but never to Prussia. I mean, Weimar Classicism in Prussia? Unthinkable.

I did not intend to say that Weimar had been part of Prussia, obviously not. With the forming of the North German Confederation in 1867, Prussia was the driving force everywhere north of the Main, except for Mecklenburg.

On Weimar and its influence: Goethe went to Berlin once and only once...did not particularly like it nor was attracted by it, neither was Lessing a great fan of Prussia,