Discover Erfurt Responsibly
Travel by train, explore the city on foot or by bike, take a stroll through lush parks, and discover local products—Erfurt offers many ways to get to know the city in a responsible way.
Easy Access to Erfurt
Thanks to its central location in the heart of Germany, Erfurt Central Station is a major hub in Deutsche Bahn’s ICE network. It also connects long-distance and regional transportation with the city’s public transit system. From here, you can easily reach the Old Town and explore its sights on foot or by tram and bus, thanks to the short distances involved.
With the ErfurtTravelCard, you can use public transit flexibly during your stay while also enjoying additional benefits.
Erfurt by bike
Erfurt's old town and the surrounding city area invite you to explore the well-developed cycle paths by bike.
Don't own a bike yourself? No problem! The Erfurt Tourist Information offers e-bikes and touring bikes for hire. If you are looking for a Thuringia-wide bike rental service, we can refer you to our partner Travelbutler.
Traveling Accessibly
Erfurt impresses with one of the largest, fully preserved medieval city centers in Germany. Patrician houses, half-timbered buildings, churches, and historic structures define the cityscape. The city combines tradition with accessible amenities, allowing people with various disabilities to explore it independently. The transportation infrastructure is largely accessible, making it easy to get around. We highly recommend the Erfurt tour on the historic streetcar, which is suitable for all types of wheelchairs and people with mobility impairments.
The Erfurt Tourist Information Office and the City of Erfurt are certified under the “Travel for All” program. This certification provides verified and reliable information on the accessibility of tourist offerings. The accessible travel planner transparently describes potential barriers, thereby facilitating individualized travel planning.
Drinking Water on the Go
You can grab a quick refreshment at numerous drinking fountains in the city center and other neighborhoods. There, you can fill your own water bottle with drinking water for free. The drinking fountains are clearly marked and are regularly inspected and cleaned.
In addition, participating stores and establishments offer free tap water for refilling as part of the “Refill Station” initiative. You can find an overview of the drinking fountains and refill locations on the respective maps.
Parks in Erfurt
Enjoy life, relax and take a deep breath - the state capital attracts visitors with its many green parks. Horticulture in Erfurt also has a long tradition: from woad cultivation in the Middle Ages to cress cultivation in the 18th century to modern plant cultivation by local family businesses such as N. L. Chrestensen or Kakteen-Haage.
This central theme can still be traced today in the various parks and green spaces that run through the entire city area. In total, the city of Erfurt has 550 hectares of recreational green space and over 1,000 hectares of forest. They invite you to stroll and linger, but also to take part in sporting activities.
At 36 hectares, egapark Erfurt is one of Thuringia’s largest inner-city parks. It is open to the public year-round and features, among other things, several themed gardens, indoor exhibits, and the “Danakil” desert and rainforest house. Since its opening in 1961, the park has hosted annual outdoor exhibitions that bring the grounds to life from spring through fall. Its extensive tree population has a positive effect on the urban climate and provides habitats for numerous animal and plant species. As a special highlight, egapark was one of two exhibition sites for the 2021 Federal Horticultural Show.
The German Federal Garden Show 2021 in Erfurt
In 2021, Erfurt hosted the Federal Garden Show and delighted more than 1.5 million visitors at the two exhibition sites—Petersberg Citadel and egapark—with a wide variety of gardening, cultural, and recreational activities. For the state capital, this was a wonderful opportunity to let the city blossom and enhance its appeal for the long term. The redevelopment created new green spaces, recreational areas, and tourist attractions that can be enjoyed year-round. The two exhibition sites—Petersberg Citadel and egapark—delighted over 1.5 million visitors with a wide variety of gardening, cultural, and recreational activities.
The Petersberg Citadel was meticulously reconstructed and surprised its visitors with a wide range of new attractions. The star-shaped city fortress towers over Erfurt’s Old Town and offers a spectacular view of the Old Town.
Since 2021, the modern visitor center at the Petersberg Citadel has served as the central hub for the entire fortress complex. To ensure you’re fully equipped and prepared to begin your tour, you’ll receive information about the fortress on site. Other highlights include the exhibition “The Petersberg—An Exciting Journey Through Time” in the Commandant’s House, as well as guided tours through the listening tunnels (Horchgänge). The bridge to the Martin Bastion, which opened in 2023, offers a spectacular view of Erfurt. Since 2025, the VR tour “Petersberg Experience: Monastery – Emperor – Kneeling” has been part of the offerings, providing a virtual glimpse into the eventful history of Petersberg. Spacious green areas, walking paths, dining options, and events invite you to spend time on Petersberg.
The ascent via the accessible Panorama Trail and the Panorama Elevator promises a fantastic panoramic view of the entire city!
Regional markets and events in Erfurt
In front of Erfurt’s landmark, Cathedral of St. Mary, the regional Erfurt weekly market takes place from Monday through Saturday. There you can buy flowers, plants, baked goods, meat and sausage products, fruit, vegetables, and many other products—including organic items and those sourced directly from the region. Browse the stalls and enjoy the colorful market atmosphere. Of course, there are also great weekly markets to explore in Erfurt’s various neighborhoods.
Another highlight for gardening enthusiasts are the wonderful Erfurt Perennial and Garden Markets, which take place in the spring, summer, and fall on Domplatz. At these markets, Erfurt and Thuringian gardening businesses and retailers offer everything you need for seasonal planting.
The Erfurt Night Flea Market is held regularly at Messe Erfurt. Here you can discover secondhand items and give them a new home.The selection ranges from collectibles and antiques to clothing.
For many people, Christmas time is a very special and reflective time. Erfurt also has a lot to offer during the Christmas season. Among the many traditional Christmas markets, both large and small, there is also the “Fair Trade Advent Market,” featuring carefully selected and fair-trade products. The Fair Trade Advent Market takes place annually over a weekend in the ruins of the Barfüßer Church in Erfurt and highlights various ways to incorporate fairness, regional products, and mindful consumption into everyday life.
Shop Locally and Enjoy
Would you like to discover regional products or specifically visit establishments that offer vegetarian options? Erfurt boasts a diverse culinary scene—from cafés and bakeries to restaurants serving regional and international cuisine. Some establishments place special emphasis on regional ingredients, organic products, or fair-trade foods.
In addition, we’ll introduce you to shops that offer regional, fair-trade, or organically produced goods. The selection is rounded out by flea markets and craft fairs, where you can discover secondhand items, handmade goods, or unique one-of-a-kind pieces.
More regional enjoyment
You can experience even more enjoyable food and drinks in our regional manufactories. Particularly popular and well-known is Goldhelm, one of the largest chocolate manufacturers in Germany. The history of the chocolate manufactory began in 2005 directly on the Merchant’s Bridge in the "Haus zum güldenen Helm". The handmade chocolate is prepared using traditional craftsmanship. The fair-trade fine flavor cocoa comes directly from farmers and is refined with fresh seasonal ingredients. A must on any visit to Erfurt is a tasting session at Goldhelm directly on the Merchant‘s Bridge. The selection is varied! From chocolate bars and ice cream to fresh pralines, truffles, spreads and much more.
Handmade and regional ice cream in unusual flavors is available at the manufactory Zucker & Zimt in Erfurt. You can also try the hand-baked ice cream waffles, good coffee or handmade pralines.
The Erfurt brewery „Heimathafen“ in the Zughafen stands for craft-brewed beer in Erfurt. Jan Schlenstedt, master brewer and founder of the brewery, primarily uses regionally selected raw materials of the best quality, passion and heart and soul. The beer specialties from Heimathafen are available from many different retailers in Thuringia.
The Erfurt Gin manufactory and whiskey distillery Nicolai & Sohn, stands for the production of high quality, 100% handcrafted dry gin with organic botanicals. They are produced in the in-house distillery using a gentle maceration process and pot still distillation. Storage and maturation for 14 days in stainless steel tanks guarantee a full-bodied drinking experience before each gin is bottled, labeled and numbered by hand. The gin is available at the Erfurt Tourist Information, the Petersberg Visitor Centre and online at nicolaiundsohn.de.
Accommodation
There is a lot to experience in Erfurt, so a day trip is often too short. Erfurt offers various hotels, guesthouses and vacation apartments to make your stay for severals days complete. Sustainability is already a priority in many establishments, by having certified various accomodations with the GreenSign sustainability seal already.
The GreenSign sustainability certification from the GreenSign Institute in Berlin is a certificate officially recognized by the GSTC that determines the sustainability level of a hotel. With five levels, it shows how many of the certificate requirements have been met.
The Legere Hotel Erfurt, NYX Hotel Erfurt and Victor‘s Residenz Hotel have been awarded the GreenSign sustainability seal. Many of the hotels offer e-charging stations and are committed to numerous measures such as green bags, reducing food waste and reducing the carbon footprint.
