After the Drei-Talsperren-Marathon: Annaberg-Buchholz
The Route: Eibenstock → Annaberg-Buchholz → Eibenstock (or onward) Logistics: Regional bus or rail, typically with one connection. A longer trip than the day-trip options in this collection, justifying an overnight stay. Marathon Month: September Duration: 1 night
Eibenstock ──(regional bus/rail, ~45-60 mins)──> Annaberg-Buchholz ──(regional bus/rail, return)──> Eibenstock
Annaberg-Buchholz built its wealth on a sixteenth-century silver rush, and the town that grew from it remains one of the Erzgebirge's most complete surviving examples of that mining-boom architecture and culture, part of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Montanregion Erzgebirge. For a runner with one spare night, it offers considerably more depth than either of the region's day-trip towns, without requiring a demanding day of walking to appreciate.
September in Annaberg-Buchholz brings the same cool Erzgebirge conditions as the rest of this itinerary collection, with the town's genuine altitude, one of the higher settlements in the region, meaning layers are worth packing regardless of what the forecast in the valley suggests.
Night One: Annaberg-Buchholz
St. Anne's Church (Annenkirche), a large late-Gothic hall church funded directly by the silver boom, anchors the old town and sits a short, flat walk from most central accommodation. Its interior, largely intact from the period, is worth the visit on its own, and requires no more than standing and gentle walking to appreciate.
The Erzgebirgsmuseum, housed in a former merchant's house near the church, covers the region's mining history and its knock-on cultural legacy, including the wood-carving and Christmas-decoration traditions the Erzgebirge remains internationally known for. Entry runs approximately €7 (£6), worth checking for current pricing.
For anyone with slightly more energy, the Im Gößner visitor mine (Sehenswerte Grube), a short walk from the centre, offers a guided underground tour on largely level tunnel floors, a genuinely different way to understand the terrain the marathon's course runs across at surface level.
Where to stay: the Best Western Hotel Erzgebirgsblick, on the edge of the old town, offers reliable mid-range comfort with views over the surrounding hills. The smaller Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, more central, suits anyone who wants to be within the old town itself.
Where to eat: a plate of Erzgebirgische Grüne Klöße (green potato dumplings) with a regional sauce at one of the old town's traditional restaurants is the signature dish of this specific part of Saxony, worth seeking out rather than a generic German menu.
Getting Home
There is no airport near Annaberg-Buchholz. Return toward Eibenstock or onward by regional bus or rail, continuing from either point to a larger German hub airport (Dresden or Leipzig/Halle are the more realistic options for this part of Saxony) for international travel.