Thuringia is a region of magnificent natural beauty in the heart of Germany. 16,000 kilometres of well-maintained marked trails make Thuringia one of Germany's top destinations for walking enthusiasts. They include the Rennsteig, one of the best-known hill trails in Germany, as well as the Rennstieg trail through Hainich National Park, the Barbarossa Trail in the Kyffhäuser hills and the Thuringia Trail from Altenburg to Creuzburg.

In 1776, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote about the Thuringian Forest: "This region is magnificent, quite magnificent". To find your way through this vast expanse of trees, take the Rennsteig, a 168 kilometre long hill-walking trail running across the ridge of the Thuringian Forest and the adjacent Slate Mountains area into the northern Franconian Forest. Pine forests alternate with beech woods, wet moorland and hill pastures. Animal lovers should keep their eyes peeled for black and yellow fire salamanders and wild boar.

The Kyffhäuser nature reserve is in northern Thuringia, in the southern foothills of the Harz mountains. The 81 metre high Kyffhäuser monument with its equestrian statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I and stone figure of emperor Barbarossa is a well-known landmark. From the dome at the top of its tower, reached by 247 steps, you can see across the "Goldene Aue" region as far as Mount Brocken in the Harz - a sight to gladden the heart of every hiker. Each year thousands of migrating cranes rest on the wetlands surrounding Kelbra Reservoir. Together with saltwater springs, beechwoods, low-nutrient grassland, orchards, crags and caves they combine to form a remarkable landscape covering an area of around 240 square kilometres. 30 different varieties of orchid grow in this region, which is also the habitat of the indigenous wild cat.

The Slate Mountains nature reserve in south-east Thuringia encompasses 80,000 hectares of high, densely wooded hills dissected by valleys. The central uplands are characterised by undulating plateaus with magnificent panoramic views far across the countryside. Two reservoirs, the Hohenwarte and the Bleiloch, located in the Upper Saale Valley are known locally as the "Thuringian Sea". The area is known for its "blue gold" or roofing slate. Slate quarries and spoil heaps are reminders of this centuries-old mining industry and visitors can learn about traditional slate mining and roofing at the Lehesten Historic Slate Mine, an industrial heritage site and the Rooftiling College in Lehesten.

Hainich National Park is situated between the spa resort of Bad Langensalza and Eisenach, home of Wartburg Castle. It is Europe's largest contiguous area of mixed forest and its most common tree is the common beech. More than 170 identified species of bird, as well as wild cats and bats also make it their home.