Join our castle crawl
Germany is known worldwide for its magnitude of its wonderful castles; however, many Germans have never visited them themselves. Nowadays people mostly travel according to the motto “the further away from their home country the better”. But this means many forget how beautiful their own country is. Germany has so much to offer and that includes the magical palaces and castles. Since there are a total of 25,000 castles and palaces in Germany, we have found our favourite locations and listed them here for you. Read into our world which comes close to being in a fairy tale.
10. Schwerin Castle, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Schwerin Castle is often called the “Neuschwanstein of the North” and if you visit it, you will know why. It looks very similar to a real princess castle like it’s from a Disney movie. The surrounding castle garden is perfect for a walk. For this reason, Schwerin Castle attracts many thousands of visitors from all over the world every year. The history is over 1000 years old, which makes it one of the castles where it looks back on a long interesting history. In the museum, which is located in the lower part of the castle, you can learn everything about history. Or you can also take part in a guided tour or even get married …
Opening times:
April – October, Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
November – March, Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Address: Lennéstraße 1, 19053 Schwerin
9. Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin
Named after the wife of King Friedrich |||, Queen Sophie Charlotte, another castle, which for us is one of the most beautiful palaces and castles in Germany. You can find this 17th-century castle and its wonderful facilities right in our capital. Many kings and queens have lived there over the centuries. Now it is a museum in which you can discover a lot from Italian baroque architecture to early and late classicism, to porcelain exhibitions. This castle is not only visited by tourists, but also by many Berliners.
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Opening times:
April – October, Tuesday – Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
November – March, Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:30p.m.
Address: Spandauer Damm 20-24, 14059 Berlin
8. Sanssouci Palace, Brandenburg
Our tour of the most beautiful palaces and castles in Germany continues to Potsdam because this is where the Sanssouci Palace is located. This is the former summer residence of the Prussian King Friedrich ||. Sanssouci means ” no worries ” and if you visit this palace, you will understand why Friedrich probably had no worries here. The lock is not only an eye-catcher from the outside! Inside, bright rooms with high ceilings that are decorated with tendrils await you. The associated park has even been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is perfect for you to take a relaxing walk.
Opening times:
April – October, Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
November – March, Tuesday – Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Address: Maulbeerallee, 14469 Potsdam
Sanssouci Palace, Brandenburg
7. Wernigerode Castle, Saxony Anhalt
The next stop on our journey to the most beautiful palaces and castles in Germany is Wernigerode which is located in Saxony Anhalt. Wernigerode Castle was historically founded as early as the 13th century, and since then noble families have found their residence there. This has been replaced by a museum with admirable works of art from the 19th century. There is also a small zoo and a great garden full of beautiful plants that you can visit. An insider tip is that there are events of the Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra, which regularly performs operas and operettas in a fairytale atmosphere.
Opening times:
April – November, Monday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
October – March, Tuesday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Address: Am Schloß 1, 38855 Wernigerode
6. Moritzburg Castle, Saxony
The next time you watch Drei Hazelnuts für Cschenbrödel, take a close look at the scenes in the castle as you may notice something.. This is because Moritzburg Castle served as the location for the popular film in the 70s. It is not difficult to guess why this castle was chosen as the backdrop. The building and its surrounding gardens are truly stunning, and the inside is well worth a visit. If you don’t want to see all of the castles at once, save this for a winter trip. With snow-covered roofs and a frozen lake, the sight is even more spectacular.
Would you like to plan your own castles trip? Then do so now on JoinMyTrip and find like-minded travel buddies for an unforgettable experience.
Opening times: all year round, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Address: Schloßallee, 01468 Moritzburg
5. Löwenburg, Hesse
This destination is a slightly different location because the Löwenburg in Kassel is not your typical beautiful fairytale castle in Germany. It was considered one of the first neo-Gothic buildings in Germany, but it was almost completely destroyed in the Second World War. Reconstruction began in the 1950s but has not yet been completed and was therefore deliberately laid out as a ruin. The Löwenburg is now considered a romantic, medieval replica of a knight’s castle and serves as a backdrop for many films and series. This castle is very special in its own way and therefore definitely worth a visit.
Opening times: all year round because it can only be viewed from the outside
Address : Schloßpark 9, 34131 Kassel
4. Drachenburg Castle, North Rhine-Westphalia
Next, we head to Königswinter (Kings Winter), to Drachenburg Castle (Dragon’s Castle). The names of the places alone are promising and sound like something out of a fairy tale. It’s not just the names that are magical, but the castle is truly stunning, both outside and inside. There is a lot to offer here, an interesting museum, castle tours, concerts and lectures. There are even two apartments in which you can stay overnight. To get a really good look at this video, you are guaranteed to want to pack up your imaginary knight gear and go there.
Opening times:
January & February, daily 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
March – June, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
July – August, 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
September – November, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Address: Drachenfelsstrasse 118, 53639 Königswinter
3. Reichsburg Cochem, Rhineland-Palatinate
In the small town of Cochem, directly on the Moselle, the Reichsburg sits enthroned on the top of a mountain. From here you have a wonderful view of the city and there is a lot to experience in the castle itself. You can admire the neo-Gothic architectural style, take a tour of the castle, buy a little something in a small souvenir shop or take part in the knight’s feasts. The knight’s meals take place every Friday and Saturday evening and it is an enjoyable evening with delicious food, drinks and music. Insider tip: Visit Cochem Castle in August, because a three-day castle festival is held there every year. Prepare to travel back in time to the Middle Ages.
And if you are already on the Moselle, how about combining your castle trip with a hiking holiday? You can find the inspiration for this on our blog about the 5 best Alpine hiking trails.
Opening times:
March – November: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
December – February: 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Address: Schlossstrasse 36, 56812 Cochem
2. Hohenzollern Castle, Baden Württemberg
Our journey slowly goes south along with the most beautiful palaces and fortresses in Germany to Bisingen. Here lies the Hohenzollern Castle, on the top of the Zollernberg. This was once the home of the Prussian King and German Imperial House of Hohenzollern; it now serves as a museum whereby the history of the castle and the families who lived here is shown. The first castle complex is said to have been built as early as 1000, but the castle as you can see it today dates back to the 19th century. You can take a tour of the castle and the area surrounding is perfect for a nice walk in nature, including a gorgeous view of the valley.
Opening times:
March – October, daily 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
November – February, daily 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Address: 72379 Hohenzollern Castle
ürttemberg
1. Hohenschwangau Castle, Bavaria
Our castle tour through Germany ends here in Schwangau. If you’ve seen enough of the famous Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau Castle is the perfect place for you. In the former summer residence of King Ludwig II, things are less touristy and more authentic. Inside you can admire special symbol from Norwegian mythology as well as the illuminated starry sky on the bedroom ceiling. The guides are known for their funny ways but don’t worry, there is still a lot to learn here. Since Neuschwanstein Castle is really only a stone’s throw away, it makes sense to combine the visit.
Opening times :
April – October, daily, 7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
November – March, daily, 8.30 a.m. – 3.30 p.m.
Address: Alpseestraße 30, 87645 Schwangau
Germany is known to impress with its many unique and interesting palaces and castles that you can visit this summer. Regardless of whether you look at just one or all of them, we wish you a lot of fun in the fairy tale world.
Or do you like to be active on summer vacation and still need ideas for a completely different type of vacation in Germany? Then check out the best surf spots in Germany .
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