Sustainability
Sustainability and the protection of the global ecosystem are issues that are very close to our hearts in Erfurt. Find out what the Thuringian state capital of Erfurt has to offer in these areas.
Reaching Erfurt sustainably
Thanks to its central location in the middle of Germany, Erfurt Central Station is an important hub in Deutsche Bahn's ICE network. It also links long-distance and regional trains with the city's local public transport network.
Located in the old town, you can easily board all tram lines and buses from here or explore the city by foot.
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.
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.
The egapark in particular distinguishes Erfurt as a "green garden city". With an area of 36 hectares, it is the largest park in the city and can be visited all year round, with several themed gardens, indoor garden exhibtions and the "Danakil", the desert and jungle house. Since its opening in 1961, there have been annual open-air shows that light up the grounds from spring to fall. As a special highlight, the egapark was one of two exhibition areas at the 2021 Federal Garden Show. The park also actively contributes to climate protection with a total of 2400 trees.
The German Federal Garden Show 2021 in Erfurt
Erfurt hosted the Federal Garden Show in 2021. For the state capital, this was a great opportunity to let the city blossom, to sustainably upgrade it and to permanently increase the quality of life in Erfurt. The two exhibition venues, Petersberg Citadel and egapark, delighted over 1.5 million visitors with a wide range of garden, cultural and leisure activities.
The Petersberg Citadel was reconstructed at great effort and has surprised its visitors with a wide range of new attractions. The star-shaped city fortress rises above Erfurt's old town and offers a fantastic view over the old town.
Since 2021, the modern visitor center on the Petersberg Citadel has been the central point of contact for the entire fortress area. You will receive information about the fortress on site so that you can start your adventure tour as well equipped and prepared as possible. Other highlights include the exhibition "The Petersberg - an exciting journey through time" in the Commander‘s House and guided tours through the underground passageways. In 2023 the bridge to Bastion Martin was newly opened and promises a fantastic view over Erfurt. Overall, the Petersberg offers a lot of greenery, many great paths for walking, gastronomy and various concert highlights throughout the summer.
The ascent via the barrier-free panorama path and the panorama elevator promises you a fantastic view over the entire city!
Regional markets and events in Erfurt
The regional Erfurt weekly market takes place from Monday to Saturday, in front of Erfurt's landmark, the Cathedral of St. Mary. Here you can buy flowers, plants, baked goods, meat and sausage products, fruits, vegetables and many other organic products directly from the region. Browse through the stalls and enjoy the colorful market atmosphere. Of course, there are also great weekly markets to explore in the various districts of Erfurt.
Another highlight when it comes to horticulture are the fantastic Erfurt perennial and garden markets, which take place in spring, summer and fall on the cathedral square. At the markets, Erfurt and Thuringian horticultural businesses and traders offer everything needed for the annual planting.
Another regional tradition takes place every year in September, the Erfurt Wine Festival. Winemakers from various wine-growing regions invite visitors to the romantic old town of Erfurt to celebrate with a good drop of wine, good food and great music.
A sustainable shopping opportunity that regularly takes place in Erfurt is the night flea market at Messe Erfurt. There is a large selection of collectibles, antiques and clothing to discover.
The Christmas season is a very special and contemplative time for many people. Erfurt also has a lot to offer at Christmas time. Between the many small and large Christmas markets, there is also a sustainable Christmas market. After all, Christmas can also be contemplative without lots of junk and plastic. The Fairtrade Christmas market takes place every year on a weekend in the ruins of the Barfüßer Church in Erfurt.
Sustainable shopping and enjoying
Are you looking for regional food and attach great importance to organic farming? Then you are sure to find what you are looking for in one of the many restaurants in Erfurt's alleys. You can look forward to a large selection of vegetarian and sustainable restaurants and snack bars. Erfurt's gastronomy is diverse, whether Italian, Greek, Asian, Portuguese, Indian or Southern cuisine - there are delicacies from all over the world in Erfurt. On many menus you will find references to products from animal-friendly husbandry. Beautifully designed cafés and bakeries await you in many corners of Erfurt. They are inviting and guaranteed to offer something for every taste.
Sustainable shopping in Erfurt is possible. We present the following stores where you can consciously shop regionally, fairly and ecologically. There are also a number of flea and creative markets in Erfurt.
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, Radisson Blu 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.
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