Alexisbad combines hiking trails with historic traces dating back to the early 19th century. The ceremonial inauguration of Alexisbad on 12 June 1811 provides a specific historical point of reference. When planning your visit, it is worth first choosing between a stay focused on hiking and an exploration of its architectural and commemorative history.
Hiking around Alexisbad
The Klippenweg is 9 km long, is a circular hiking trail and is part of the Selketalstieg. There are three viewpoints along the route. A hike to the Selke waterfalls starts at Alexisbad station. The Selketal Trail also runs between Alexisbad and Mägdesprung; shortly before Mägdesprung are the Selke waterfall, the Selke River and the Selketal Railway route. For practical planning, these are different types of routes: a loop, a section running between two places, and a hike starting at the station. Check local trail conditions before setting out.
Buildings and commemorative sites
The Petrus Chapel in Alexisbad was built in 1812/15 as a tea pavilion, based on a design by Karl Friedrich Schinkel. The Köthen branch of the Harz Club built the Köthener Hütte as a shelter on Kapellenfelsen in 1897. The Betrothal Urn was donated by Württemberg nobles in memory of a stay at the Alexisbad spa; it was erected on Habichtstein in 1845/1846. The Luisentempel stands on a plateau high above the Selke Valley. These buildings and commemorative sites bring different historical associations into your planning—from the original purpose of a tea pavilion to a shelter and a memorial.
Travel via Quedlinburg
One option for travelling from the north is via Quedlinburg: first take the train to Quedlinburg, then continue to Alexisbad on the Selketal Railway. Alternatively, take a long-distance bus to Quedlinburg and change there to bus route 242 to Alexisbad. Both options follow the same sequence via the same transfer point; for the onward journey, choose between train and bus. Check current connections before departure.
In the wider destination of Harzgerode
Harzgerode offers a historical focus of its own: Harzgerode Castle is a Renaissance building with a stair tower and a round tower. It was rebuilt between 1549 and 1552 and served from 1635 to 1709 as the residence of the Harzgerode line of the princely House of Anhalt. The HARZKUGELEUM is located in the castle. There, a beechwood ball travels with visitors through different themed worlds and conveys information about the Lower Harz, mining, nature, and local and regional history through its shape and weight. The Harzgerode nature trail is also part of this wider destination; its stations include a quiz, a barefoot path and a sound organ.
Another seasonal option in the wider destination of Harzgerode is the natural toboggan run: it descends for 1,100 metres from the Harzgerode plateau, following several bends down into the Selke Valley and on to the promenade in Alexisbad, with a drop of around 75 metres. Tobogganing depends on sufficient snow; when there is too little snow, the route is also suitable for a winter walk. The Harzgerode Advent Paths return every year on the second Sunday of Advent as a pre-Christmas experience for the whole family; dates and programme vary.
Discover more destinations: GĂĽntersberge, Schielo, Dankerode, Neudorf, Siptenfelde.
To the wider travel overview: Harzgerode.
