Solms lies west of Wetzlar in the Lahn-Dill district of Central Hesse. Visitors interested in mining, regional history and trails through the countryside will find a range of things to explore during their stay. Highlights include an underground tour of the Grube Fortuna visitor mine, historic machinery at the industrial museum and hiking trails that meet in Solms. There is also a natural stone geopoint and a launch point for water tours on the Lahn.
Discover mining and industrial history
Historic machines are in operation at the industrial museum. These include machines that make nails in various sizes, and visitors can watch the production process. Grube Fortuna in Solms-Oberbiel offers a different insight into mining history: the one-hour underground tour includes a vertical trip in the winding cage down to the 150-metre level, a ride on the mine railway and demonstrations of original machinery. While nail production is the focus at the industrial museum, the underground tour takes you below ground and shows machines in their mining context. Check tour availability before your trip.
The history of present-day Solms can also be explored through a range of materials. The Solms Industrial and Local History Museum documents it with archaeological finds, pictures, maps and documents. Its local history section is housed in the former administration building of the Heinrich Hollmann & Co. agricultural machinery factory. The museum also preserves Mathilde’s Little Shop: a reconstructed historic general store from Burgsolms that offers a glimpse into shopping culture before supermarkets.
The Solms Geopoint focuses on regional natural stone and raw materials: the exhibition covers their extraction, processing and use. Altenberg Abbey offers an older historical connection. The abbey complex, more than 800 years old, was built around 1170 and is associated with Gertrude of Thuringia.
Hiking trails, forests and cycling routes
Hiking routes lead through the Lahn Valley or the adjoining Hochtaunus Nature Park. The Lahn Hiking Trail, Bergmannsroute and Elisabeth Path meet in Solms. Other trails each have their own described landscape setting: the Walter-Veit-Weg runs through Mainbach Forest, while the signposted BergbauTrail leads through the former open-cast mining area and Bergmannswald near Grube Fortuna. When choosing a route, you can therefore distinguish between these different settings and trail features.
The Lahn Valley Cycle Route also passes through Solms. Along its 245-kilometre route, it runs below Altenberg Abbey and past the Solmser Land swimming pool before reaching the Industrial and Local History Museum. The route thus connects several of the places mentioned as it passes through Solms. For planning, this cycle route offers another way to combine a view of the town with a longer ride along the Lahn Valley.
Plan water tours and stargazing
Solms-Schohleck is a launch point for water tours on the Lahn. Three businesses in Schohleck rent kayaks, canoes and inflatable boats. Check with the providers to find out which boats are available before making plans. Alongside the trails on land, you can also choose to focus on the water.
Burgsolms Observatory holds public observing evenings regularly once a month, except during its summer break; no advance booking is required. Check the specific dates before your trip. A guided tour of the observatory, however, is available only by prior appointment, so arrange a date in advance. A public observing evening and a pre-arranged guided tour are therefore two different ways to include the observatory in your stay.
Whether you want to focus your stay on mining and industrial history, hiking trails or a water tour, Solms offers several distinct themes. The museums and mining sites offer a different focus from the trails in the Lahn Valley and Mainbach Forest. This makes it easy to choose activities to suit your interests and preferred itinerary.
Discover more destinations: Eschenburg, Dietzhölztal, Greifenstein, Bischoffen, Braunfels, Dillenburg, Mittenaar, Siegbach.
Go to the main travel overview: Lahn-Dill district.
