A thousand-year-old ore mine beside the medieval town of Goslar in Germany's Harz Mountains.
The vast Romanesque hall of the imperial palace facing a square where the glockenspiel plays out the story of the miners, and, up the wooded hillside, the black mouth of a mine that gave up silver and copper for a thousand years.
Goslar is a medieval imperial town at the foot of the Harz — a UNESCO old town of slate-hung and half-timbered houses around a grand Romanesque palace, made rich for a thousand years by the silver and metal of the Rammelsberg mine on the hill above.
Goslar sits at the northern foot of the Harz mountains in Lower Saxony, central Germany. Its wealth came from the Rammelsberg, the mountain on its southern edge, whose silver, copper, lead and zinc were mined without a break for over a thousand years — money that built a favoured medieval seat of the German emperors and a proud imperial free city. The old town survives almost intact: a huddle of slate-hung and half-timbered houses around the market square and the great Kaiserpfalz palace, with the mine, now a museum, on the hillside. Together the old town, the mine and the historic water-management system form its UNESCO listing. Compact and atmospheric, it's a gateway to the Harz.
Goslar packs a thousand years of history into a beautifully preserved package — a UNESCO old town of half-timbered and slate-clad houses, a monumental Romanesque imperial palace where German emperors held court, and the extraordinary Rammelsberg mine, worked continuously for a millennium and now one of Europe's great industrial-heritage museums. Add a lively market square with a miners' glockenspiel, modern art, and the forests and steam railways of the Harz on the doorstep, and it's a rich, under-touristed town for lovers of history and the mountains.
The imperial palace — Goslar's grandeur is the Kaiserpfalz, an enormous Romanesque imperial palace built when the town was a favoured seat of the medieval German emperors — its great hall, restored and hung with grandiose 19th-century history paintings, and its imperial chapel speak of a time when the empire's business was done here. Stand before its long façade on the rise above the town, tour the hall, and grasp how the silver of the mountain made this small place a centre of power. It's the town's monumental highlight. **The thousand-year mine** — On the hillside above town, the Rammelsberg gave up silver, copper, lead and zinc in an unbroken run of mining that lasted more than a thousand years, until it finally closed in the late 20th century — and it's now a superb museum of that history. Don a helmet and ride into the tunnels, see the great water-powered machinery and the vast underground chambers, and learn how the ore shaped the town. It's one of Europe's most important industrial-heritage sites, and a genuinely thrilling visit. **The half-timbered old town** — Goslar's old town is a delight to wander — cobbled lanes of half-timbered and slate-hung houses, carved and painted gables, hidden courtyards, and the market square where a glockenspiel four times a day plays out the story of the miners in moving figures. See the richly carved Brusttuch and Siemenshaus houses, the gilded eagle fountain, and the little Zwinger tower. It's compact, atmospheric, and best absorbed slowly on foot, with a coffee on the square. **The Harz on the doorstep** — Goslar sits at the very edge of the Harz, Germany's northernmost mountains — forests, high moors, castles, folklore (witches and the Brocken), and a beloved network of narrow-gauge steam railways. The town's own UNESCO listing even includes the ingenious medieval Upper Harz water-management system of ponds and channels that once powered the mines. It makes a fine base for walks, drives and steam-train trips into the mountains, adding nature to the history.
Goslar neighbourhood by neighbourhood — the character of each and who it suits.
The medieval heart around the Market Square — half-timbered and slate-hung houses, the market church, the town hall and the miners' glockenspiel, in a warren of cobbled lanes. The atmospheric core.
The southern edge of the old town around the great Kaiserpfalz — the monumental Romanesque palace, its hall and chapel, and the gardens and old collegiate remains. The imperial, monumental corner.
The wooded hillside on the town's southern flank, where the Rammelsberg mine burrows into the mountain, now a sprawling mining museum, at the very edge of the Harz forests. The industrial-heritage-and-nature side.
Goslar eats hearty central-German and Harz fare — roast meats, sausages, dumplings and game from the forests, the pungent Harzer Käse sour-milk cheese, and hearty stews, with regional beer (the town has its own Gose beer heritage — a tart, salty style that took the town's name) and Harz herbal liqueurs. Cafés serve cake and coffee among the timber. Eat in the old-town taverns and try the local Gose beer and the strong cheese.
This is meat-and-cheese country, so committed vegetarians work harder here, though dumplings, cheese, salads and vegetable sides help — ask, as gravy and stock are common. Vegan options are limited outside a modern café. Halal and kosher are effectively unavailable. Gluten-free is hard around dumplings, sausages and beer — grilled meats, potatoes and salads are safer, but confirm.
Stay in the half-timbered old town, near the Market Square or the palace, to walk to the sights and enjoy the lanes in the quiet hours — the centre holds characterful hotels and guesthouses in timber-framed buildings. Goslar is small, walkable and affordable, so any central base works, with the Rammelsberg and the Harz an easy hop. Book ahead for the Advent markets and summer festivals.
Pan, zoom and compare live prices — every stay in one map.
The old town is compact and entirely walkable — the Market Square, palace and lanes are all on foot (wear grippy shoes for the cobbles). The Rammelsberg is a short bus or walk to the hillside; buses and steam railways reach the Harz. A car helps for the mountains but is a liability in the old town.
The Market Square, the Kaiserpfalz and the Rammelsberg are all a short walk or hop apart (~approx) — the old town crosses on foot in 15 minutes, with the mine just up the hill.
Ready-made day plans for Goslar — from a single day to a long weekend.
Start on the Market Square for the town hall and the glockenspiel, then wander the half-timbered old town — the carved Brusttuch and Siemenshaus, the eagle fountain, the Zwinger tower. Tour the Kaiserpfalz imperial palace, have a hearty lunch, and spend the afternoon up at the Rammelsberg mine, riding into the tunnels. End with a tavern dinner and a quiet evening in the timber lanes.
With an overnight, add the Harz. Enjoy the old town in the quiet early morning, then head into the mountains — a forest walk, a castle, or a narrow-gauge steam-train trip toward the Brocken — and see the medieval Upper Harz water-management ponds. Return for a last evening among the timber and a Gose beer.
Skip-the-line tickets and small-group tours in Goslar — compare across our partners.
We're still curating hand-picked tickets and tours for Goslar. In the meantime, the map above and the nearby cities are a great place to start.
May to September — mild and green; festive December
What to expect — Mild and green, warming through the season with the odd shower, the Harz foothills fresh. A pleasant, uncrowded time.
What's best — Comfortable walking weather for the old town and the palace, green hills, and cafés reopening — a lovely, quiet season.
What to expect — Warm and pleasant, with long days, festivals and the Harz at its best for walking and steam trains; occasional showers. Comfortable.
What's best — Warm days for the town and the mountains, the Harz steam railways and hikes, and long light on the timber roofs — a fine time for the wider region.
What to expect — Crisp and colourful, cooling through the season, with the Harz forests turning gold. One of the best and most atmospheric times.
What's best — Autumn colour in the Harz, golden light on the half-timbered town, the game-and-harvest food season, and thin crowds — a rewarding window.
What to expect — Cold, often grey, with frost, snow in the Harz and short days, though the old town turns festive with a lovely Advent market and a "forest of light." Chilly but enchanting.
What's best — The atmospheric Christmas market and Weihnachtswald on the Market Square, snow on the timber roofs and the Harz, and cosy taverns — pack warm layers for the cold.
Skip a rushed daytime dash → stay overnight to have the timber lanes quiet in the early morning and evening.
Skip only the old town → the Rammelsberg mine and the Kaiserpfalz are the two great sights, worth the time.
Skip a generic beer → try the tart, salty Gose that took the town's name, if you can find it.
Skip a town-only visit → the Harz mountains and steam railways are a rewarding day out.
Goslar is popular with day-trippers and coach tours by day; early morning, evening and overnight are the calm windows.
The glockenspiel plays at set times daily — check the schedule to catch it.
The town is cobbled and the mine involves stairs and cool tunnels — wear proper shoes and a layer for the mine.
German dining is orderly; greet on entering, and tell the server the total (including tip) as you pay.
Sundays are quiet, with many shops closed — plan around it.
Carry euros for taverns, cafés and markets; cards are increasingly accepted but not universal.
Use bank ATMs and avoid the standalone tourist machines with poor rates.
The old-town taverns and a few bars hold the gentle evening life.
Goslar is small and quiet after the day crowds — the evening is a lamplit timber-lane stroll and dinner.
The Advent season brings a lovely lit market and a busier, festive evening buzz.
Goslar has no airport; Hanover is the nearest gateway, around 1.5 hours away, with good train links into Goslar's station, a short walk from the old town.
Flights, airport transfers and car hire — search and compare without leaving the page.
Parking, holiday extras, and more — coming soon.
We're lining up parking, holiday extras and activities you'll be able to add to any trip from here.