Lauenstein stands on a rock above the Müglitz valley in the eastern Erzgebirge, where the mountains tilt down toward Saxony and the Czech border is only a few kilometres off. The castle, a medieval stronghold that grew into a Renaissance residence, was long the seat of the Bünau family, a powerful Saxon dynasty, and its administrative centre controlled the surrounding district, with its farms, forests and mines. The little town gathered at its feet, with narrow lanes and old houses. Today the castle is a museum, with a dramatic position above the valley.
The surrounding mountains were rich in tin, and the mining landscape is part of the Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří UNESCO World Heritage Site, which links Saxon and Bohemian sites such as Freiberg and Mědník Hill. The Altenberg tin mine, with its vast sinkhole, the Binge, lies close by, and in Zinnwald, on the border, you can visit a historical mine. The power of the lords of Lauenstein rested on that underground wealth.
Bärenstein, a village of about a thousand people, is nearest, and Geising and Altenberg are bigger. Altenberg, with just over five thousand inhabitants, is the sensible place to buy fuel and have a meal, and it is also a winter sports centre, with a bobsleigh track and ski runs. Dippoldiswalde is a larger market town in the valley to the north. Local specialities include game, mushrooms and bilberries, served in sweet or savoury dishes.
For riders, the Müglitz valley road is a classic, with smooth surface, flowing bends and gentle climbs through forest and meadow, while roads up onto the plateau around Geisingberg, a conical hill that stands out on the horizon, offer wide views. Traffic is light on weekdays, but motorcyclists are popular on sunny weekends, so slow down in the villages. Winter brings snow and ice from November, and mist hangs in the valleys for days. Late spring and September are the best seasons for clear air and colour.