Thüringen, 16.04.2026. The upcoming weekend offers a variety of attractive excursion destinations in the immediate vicinity of Jena as well as throughout the Free State. Highlights include the Street Food Festival in nearby Weimar and the Long Library Night in neighboring Apolda.
- Weimar: Street Food Festival
- Apolda: Long Library Night
- Gera: „The Udo Jürgens Story“ at the Kultur- und Kongresszentrum (KuK)
- Altenburg: Farmers’ Market
- Bad Frankenhausen: Kyffhäuser Mountain Run
- Bad Salzungen: Music and cabaret at the Kulturkeller
- Bad Tabarz: Reading with Annett Renneberg and Brigitte Janner
- Eisenach: Kling Klang – Hands-on concert at the Nikolaikirche
Excursion tips around Jena
Particularly the events in the neighboring cities are ideal for spontaneous weekend trips from the City of Light. The Street Food Festival in Weimar traditionally attracts visitors from the entire region and promises culinary variety under the open sky. Those interested in culture will find what they are looking for in Apolda at the Long Library Night, while fans of Udo Jürgens can expect a musical highlight in Gera.
Sports and Family in the Free State
For those active in sports, the Kyffhäuser Mountain Run in Bad Frankenhausen marks an important running event in the Thuringian sports calendar. Families and children will find an age-appropriate offering at the „Kling Klang“ hands-on concert in the Nikolaikirche in Eisenach. The farmers’ market in Altenburg also offers regional products and traditional crafts.
Travel tip: Cities such as Weimar, Apolda, and Gera are easily accessible from Jena via public transport. Regional trains on lines RE 1, RE 3, as well as local trains (RB 20, RB 21), run regularly from the stations Jena West and Jena Paradies. With the Thuringia Ticket or the Deutschlandticket, many of these excursion destinations can be reached stress-free and without the need to search for parking.
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Event tips for Thüringen
Transparency note: This article was automatically created, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.