German Toy Road
Where childhood dreams come true

The Schaumberger Land region is home to Schildkröt dolls and is a real collector's tip. An especially warm (and cuddly) welcome awaits in Weidhausen. The "Bavarian doll town" of Neustadt is true doll heaven. The German Toy Road then continues to Sonneberg, a former "world toy town", whose attractions include the German Toy Museum, the Nautiland aquarium and the Raceway, a racetrack for model cars. Children's games also feature in Oberweissbach, a climatic health resort, because it was here that Friedrich Froebel developed "play gifts" - spheres, cylinders and cubes - as educational aids. Find out more at Oberweissbach's memorial museum. The health resort of Lauscha is the birthplace and home of glass Christmas tree decorations. It is the centre of south Thuringia's fine tradition of glassblowing and offers a huge choice of glass baubles, marbles and glass works of art. Between Saalfeld and Ilmenau there are lots of discoveries to be made about porcelain and model building bricks. Gehren is known for its soft toys, music and Bach traditions.

Visitors to Arnstadt on the edge of the Thuringian Forest can see a ducal town in miniature. Ohrdruf, the "gateway to the Thuringian Forest" and a former garrison town, is the birthplace of the character baby doll and also where the rocking horse was invented. The story of toy production is vividly told at the municipal museum at Ehrenstein Palace. Ohrdruf is also known for paper processing as well as for porcelain manufacturing and wood working. For gnomes galore, including a massed display beside a waterfall, head for the gnome park in Trusetal. The Hühn visitor mine, also in Trusetal, provides fascinating insights into the history of mining. One of the highlights is the original pit railway, which is still running. Tabarz at the foot of Mount Inselberg is a hydrotherapy resort once favoured by Heinrich Hoffmann, the author of the children's book "Struwwelpeter". Artist dolls and character heads are the speciality in Waltershausen. The German Toy Road is adorable for both children and grown ups. Where better to choose a doll, a toy train or a teddy bear to add to your collection? Now it's up to you to come and discover it for yourself.