Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [245]
Brudergasse, west of the Markt, leads uphill to a 13th-century Franciscan monastery, now recycled as the Stadtmuseum (City Museum; 598 471; Münzplatz 5; adult/concession/family €4/2.50/5; 10am-5pm Tue-Sun). Its major allure is the celestial building itself, and the collection of local late-Gothic carved altarpieces.
FEENGROTTEN
About 3km southwest of the train station, the Feengrotten (Fairy Grottoes; 550 40; www.feengrotten.de; Feengrottenweg 2; tour adult/concession/family €8/6.50/19; 9.30am-5pm daily Apr-Oct, 10.30am-3.30pm daily Nov, Dec, Feb & Mar, 10am-3.30pm Sat & Sun Jan) are Saalfeld’s prime attraction. Formerly alum slate mines (from 1530 to 1850), they were opened for tours in 1914 and rank as the world’s most colourful grottoes according to no less an authority than Guinness World Records. Don’t expect Technicolor dreams, though: ‘colour’ here refers mostly to different shades of brown, ochre and sienna, with an occasional sprinkling of green and blue. Small stalactite and stalagmite formations add to a bizarre and subtly impressive series of grottoes, with names like Butter Cellar and Blue-Green Grotto. The highlight is the Fairytale Cathedral and its Holy Grail Castle.
Above ground, aspiring Harry Potters may well be enchanted by the Feenweltchen (Fairy World; adult/concession/family €6/5/14.50, combination ticket with grottoes €12/10.50/29; 9am-6pm May-Oct), a kingdom of elves, fairies and nature spirits waiting to be discovered.
Bus A makes the trip from Saalfeld Bahnhof and Markt to the grottoes every half-hour.
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Sleeping & Eating
Zum Pappenheimer ( 330 89; www.zum-pappenheimer.de; Fleischgasse 5; s/d €40/55, mains €6-12; 8am-midnight Mon-Sat, 8am-3pm Sun; ) This cosy, ceramic-tiled bistro-pub is a good place to start or end an evening. Upstairs are a couple of simple rooms in case you feel like staying.
Hotel am Hohen Schwarm ( 2884; www.schwarmhotel.de, in German; Schwarmgasse 18; s €43-53, d €63-73; ) Rooms in this family-run hotel are in no danger of appearing in House Beautiful any time soon, but they’re comfortable, quiet and big enough to give you a good night’s sleep.
Hotel Anker ( 5990; www.hotel-anker-saalfeld.de; Am Markt 25-26; s/d €54/80; ) Emperor Charles V once rested his head in this 15th-century building that’s now a gracious hotel-restaurant, with 70 rooms dressed in elegant country style. The nicest are in the older wing of the building. Wrap up a day on the road in the cellar restaurant, whose extensive menu runs from locally caught trout to elk steak (€7 to €20).
Sächsische Kaffeestube ( 2944; Saalstrasse 62; 10am-7pm; ) This is the place for delicious ice cream and coffee, on a back terrace overlooking the leafy Saale River.
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Getting There & Away
Regional trains run frequently to Rudolstadt (€2.10, nine minutes) and Jena (€8.40, 45 minutes). There’s also an ICE connection to Berlin-Hauptbahnhof (€62, 2¾ hours). Saalfeld is linked to Rudolstadt and Weimar via the B85 and to Jena by the B88.
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Bavaria
* * *
History
Getting There & Around
Accommodation
Bavaria for Children
MUNICH
HISTORY
ORIENTATION
INFORMATION
Bookshops
Cultural Centres
Discount Cards
Emergency
Internet Access
Internet Resources
Laundry
Left Luggage
Libraries
Media
Medical Services
Money
Post
Tourist Information
Travel Agencies
Universities
DANGERS & ANNOYANCES
SIGHTS
Marienplatz & Around
Viktualienmarkt & Around
Max-Joseph-Platz
Odeonsplatz to Karlsplatz
Königsplatz & Around
Englischer Garten & Around
Olympiapark & Around
South of the Altstadt
West of the Altstadt
Schloss Nymphenburg
Other Sights
ACTIVITIES
Cycling
Surfing
Swimming
WALKING TOUR
COURSES
MUNICH FOR CHILDREN
TOURS
FESTIVALS & EVENTS
January/February
February/March
April
May
June/July
September
November/December
SLEEPING
Around the Hauptbahnhof
Altstadt & Around
Schwabing
Nymphenburg, Neuhausen & Around
Haidhausen
Westend & Ludwigsvorstadt
Southwest of the