Located directly at the Thuringian Forest, Ilmenau is a paradise for all nature lovers and outdoor athletes. So put on your hiking boots and climb the Rennsteig, the oldest hiking trail in Germany.
In winter, Ilmenau and the Thuringian Forest invite you to go skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing (with your own competition toboggan run!) and cross-country skiing.
The beer-athlon is known far beyond the borders of Ilmenau and every year encourages hundreds of students to climb the Kickelhahn with a beer crate in tow. Once at the top, the beer must of course be empty. That's what we call sportsmanship and we want to break the record next year.
An entire hiking trail was dedicated to the most famous visitor to Ilmenau. The highlight is the Goethhäuschen on the Kickelhahn, where Goethe immortalised himself in 1780 with "Wandereres Nachtlied". Probably the most beautiful graffiti of Ilmenau can only be admired in the original on historical photographs in the GoetheStadtMuseum, but the verses can still be read in 16 languages in the cottage.
In the Lindenlichtspiele, the cinema of the city, blockbuster fans can expect a first-class film experience. It is the only cinema in the world that is equipped with the "IOSONO sound field technology" and can present spatial sounds in a particularly authentic way.