Rising to 659 metres in the western Ore Mountains, Steinberg is a modest but charming peak crowned by a wooden lookout tower that has drawn hikers since the early 1900s. It's the kind of place where you can enjoy sweeping views without fighting crowds.

The summit is built mainly of andalusite mica schist, with bare rock outcrops visible near the top, giving the hill a rugged feel despite its gentle elevation. The surrounding area is protected as the Steinberg Nature Reserve, so the approach winds through quiet forests and meadows that feel especially atmospheric in autumn mist or under a blanket of winter snow. From the 17.5-metre wooden tower, views stretch across the Vogtland and Ore Mountains borderlands.

• Wernesgrün — main trail (red), via Plitzschenhäuser, approx. 3 km, easy hike

• The historic Steinbergturm tower, built in 1903, still stands at the summit alongside a former shelter now expanded into an inn
• Just before the summit, on the approach from Rodewisch, you'll pass a rock formation known as the Jüdenstein

Local legend tells of robbers trapped inside the Jüdenstein rock by the Devil himself — every hundred years, it's said, a pure soul might still set them free.