Motorhome tour to toy paradise

You start your tour in Neustadt bei Coburg or Sonneberg: Centrally located at two of the most important stations of the German Toy Road in Coburg.Rennsteig, they score with short distances to the excursion destinations. You can spend a few days on the short trip pitch at the Schützenplatz in Neustadt bei Coburg or the simple pitch at Sonneberger SonneBad thanks to public transport connections and still comfortably reach all destinations on the tour. The “Franken Thüringen Express” from Nuremberg to Sonneberg takes you to all stations in the region (Sonneberg, Neustadt bei Coburg, Rödental and Coburg) every hour.

The toy tradition in the region can be traced back to the 16th century. Woodturners and carvers were the first to make the early toys from the wood of the Thuringian Forest. The German Toy Museum in Sonneberg shows how toys have developed over time with more than 5,000 exhibits. From the Sonneberg train station, the Sonneberg Play Mile leads directly to the museum. An audio guide tour reveals interesting facts from almost forgotten times and makes you want to go on a journey through time to the toy museum and marvel at the famous world exhibition group “Thuringian funfair”. Afterwards, it is also worth visiting the Martin Bären company with its German Teddy Museum: Teddy bears have been lovingly handmade here for five generations. And you, too, can take home a small cuddly companion as a souvenir: Martin Bären and the Tourist Information Sonneberg in the train station offer the creative offer “Stuffing Teddy”. If you also want to get your culinary money’s worth, you should definitely make the trip to Sonneberg on a Friday: Everywhere it smells then already in the morning of the well-known “Sumbarcher Bratwurscht”, a municipal speciality which one receives at the “Bratwurscht Freidich” at all corners of the city. Already early in the morning the locals queue up at their favorite butcher – just ask where to get the best: You will always get a different answer, but always a delicious bratwurst.

Typical regional cuisine can also be enjoyed in the neighboring town of Neustadt bei Coburg: The dumpling factory Lindenhof serves the famous “Coburger Rutscher”. The raw potato dumpling has a particularly soft consistency, so it almost melts on the plate. You can eat on site or in your own mobile home – on different days of the week there are also “dumplings to go”. If you want to try the specialty yourself, you can also book a dumpling cooking course by appointment. The tour continues in Neustadt with the next stop on the German Toy Road: the “Museum of the German Toy Industry”. The exhibition focuses on the pre-industrial and industrial developments, the occupational profiles of the toy industry and a unique collection of traditional costumes. Especially for children is the fairy tale story of “Santa’s workshop”.

You have the bikes or eBikes with you in your luggage? This is also no problem thanks to intact bike paths along the Itz and Röden rivers. The “Tour to the Dolls’ Paradise” takes you on a 46-kilometer round trip from Neustadt bei Coburg via Rödental to Coburg. In Rödental you will reach the home of the famous Hummel figurines and a stop at the Hummel shopping world with adjacent exhibition is worthwhile before continuing your journey. Once you arrive in Coburg, you can take a leisurely stroll around Coburg’s market square and enjoy the cafés there or a tasty “Coburger Bratwurst” before visiting the doll museum. Where once the famous poet Friedrich Rückert met his wife Luise, the Coburg Doll Museum today vividly recounts the development of the play doll.

Another insider tip is the “Tour to Eisfeld Castle”, which runs 73.9 kilometers from Sonneberg via Schalkau to Eisfeld. The Eisfeld Castle houses the town’s museum. In the Eisfeld marble region, many inhabitants lived from the production of the round little marbles called “Märbel”. A Märbel mill that was used for this purpose can be admired here today. A detour to the district of Sachenbrunn even promises a visit to a real mill: lovingly restored, one of the three mill wheels is now turning again and coffee can be enjoyed in the “1753” museum parlor.