Thuringia (German: Thüringen) is one of the least known German states amongst foreign travellers but enjoys a good reputation with local holidaymakers. A predominantly mountainous and forested region, Thuringia is also known for a quartet of beautiful ancient cities and the Wartburg Castle - a UNESCO world heritage site and erstwhile refuge of Martin Luther that is regarded by Germans as one of the most important castles in the country. Thuringia's boundaries are Bavaria (specifically Franconia) to the south, Hesse to the west, Lower Saxony to the northwest, Saxony-Anhalt to the north and Saxony to the east. The border with Franconia, Hesse and Lower Saxony used to be the "inner-German" border and you can sometimes still see traces of that. Of particular note is the tiny village of Mödlareuth, nicknamed "little Berlin" by American soldiers as it was divided between Cold War Europe's East and West.
