Here’s how to choose your focus: city history, karst landscapes, mining or regional food and drink.
Museums in Nordhausen
FLOHBURG | The Nordhausen Museum presents Nordhausen’s eventful history across three floors, from its beginnings to the present day. Guided tours are available by appointment. If you plan to take a tour, you should arrange it in advance.
The Museum Tabakspeicher has a different focus. Covering more than 1,000 m², it features exhibitions on crafts, trades, industry and archaeology. Special experience areas showcase telecommunications technology from various centuries; old demonstration devices can also be viewed in a cinema room. The museum also offers tastings of schnapps and chewing tobacco. Before your trip, check whether a tasting is available on the date of your visit.
The two museums offer different perspectives: FLOHBURG traces Nordhausen’s history from its beginnings to the present day, while the Tabakspeicher brings together various aspects of working and economic life, as well as archaeological topics.
Karst Landscapes and Mining in the Wider Nordhausen Destination
In the wider Nordhausen destination, the Karstwanderweg crosses the Nordhausen district for 56 kilometres from east to west. One section of the Karstwanderweg in the wider Nordhausen destination is the Feuersalamanderpfad: it passes below and over the MĂĽhlberg in the nature reserve, through a gypsum karst uvala, and by sinkholes, spoil heaps, caves and historic traces. The length and direction of the Karstwanderweg convey the scale of the route through the district; the Feuersalamanderpfad focuses on the named karst formations and traces along the way.
In the wider Nordhausen destination, the Rabensteiner Stollen offers another perspective on regional history; it is the only hard-coal visitor mine in Central Germany. The guided tour in the wider Nordhausen destination explores the nearly 300-year history of hard-coal mining in the Harz and passes the last traces of hard coal, fossils, authentic workplaces, mined-out seams and workings that are often only 60 cm high. The tour begins with the “Rabenstein-Express” mine train travelling 500 m into the mountain; the route then continues into 18th-century mining areas. Check the latest tour arrangements before your visit.
The Harzquerbahn also provides a regional point of reference in the wider Nordhausen destination: it connects Wernigerode in the northern Harz with Nordhausen in the southern Harz foothills. The Heimatmuseum Ilfeld offers a vivid account of the history of Ilfeld and Wiegersdorf.
Food, Drink and Other Excursion Destinations
The “From Grain to Schnapps” tour at the Echter Nordhäuser Traditionsbrennerei takes visitors through a historic complex: from the mill room and distillery to the brandy store, office and barrel cellar, and on to Bar Henriette. A tasting of the distillery’s own premium spirits and liqueurs takes place there. Ticket availability depends on the date; check it before making plans.
The Burggasthof Hohnstein serves upscale traditional German cuisine and regional specialities amid the historic ruins of Hohnstein Castle. From the terrace, the view stretches over Neustadt and the Southern Harz. As the restaurant’s opening status should be checked again before your trip, it is advisable to confirm before visiting.
The Southern Harz Nature Park Information Centre in Neustadt features an interactive exhibition offering insights into the gypsum karst landscape and the distinctive features of the Southern Harz. Neustadt Forest Pool is a seasonal attraction with a water slide, paddling pool and diving boards at 1 and 3 metres. The grounds also include a playground and football, volleyball and table tennis courts. Check current opening status and facilities before your visit.
Activities for children in Harztor include the “Harztor Wanderkinder” (Harztor Hiking Kids). Programme details may vary, so check the current offer in advance. When choosing a hotel in Nordhausen, it helps to decide first whether you want to focus on the city’s museums or destinations in the wider Nordhausen area. Plan individual guided tours, tastings and seasonal activities according to their respective conditions.
Discover more destinations: Niedergebra, Windehausen, Neustadt/Harz, Hamma, Wolkramshausen, Hohenstein, Rodishain, Werther.
Return to the main travel overview: Nordhausen.
