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Castles & Palaces of Europe

Castles & Palaces of Europe

Where stones whisper stories.

A curated travel guide through the finest castles, palaces and fortresses – with visiting tips, guided tours and places to stay nearby.

12
Castles in English
7
Regions
3
Routes
6
Experiences

Most visited

Popular Castles & Palaces

A curated selection of the most impressive landmarks – each with history, visiting information and hotels nearby.

Neuschwanstein Castle
1

Allgäu, Bavaria

Neuschwanstein Castle

Bavaria's most famous fairy-tale palace crowns the cliffs above the Alpsee – Ludwig II's romantic vision became the most photographed building in Germany.

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Hohenzollern Castle
2

Swabian Alb

Hohenzollern Castle

A throned silhouette above the Swabian Alb – the ancestral seat of the Hohenzollerns unites Neo-Gothic splendour with 900 years of dynastic history.

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Eltz Castle: Tickets, Hours & Visit Guide
3

Wierschem, Moselle Valley

Eltz Castle: Tickets, Hours & Visit Guide

Eltz Castle near Wierschem opens daily from late March to 1 November. Adults pay €14 incl. guided tour; from the car park you walk or take a €2 shuttle.

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Königstein Fortress
4

Saxon Switzerland

Königstein Fortress

High above the Elbe stands one of the mightiest hilltop fortresses in Europe – rock, history and panorama combined in one extraordinary site.

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Wartburg Castle
5

Eisenach, Thuringia

Wartburg Castle

Thuringia's landmark high above Eisenach – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Luther's refuge, and the very embodiment of medieval castle romanticism all in one.

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Heidelberg Palace
6

Heidelberg, Neckar Valley

Heidelberg Palace

Visible from afar above Heidelberg, the red sandstone palace reigns over the skyline – Germany's most celebrated ruin and the very embodiment of Romanticism.

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Reichsburg Cochem

Cochem, Moselle Valley

Reichsburg Cochem

High above the Moselle, Reichsburg Cochem crowns its hilltop as one of Germany's most imposing hilltop castles, with a turbulent history spanning the Middle Ages to the Wilhelmine era.

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Hohenschwangau Palace

Hohenschwangau, Allgäu, Bavaria

Hohenschwangau Palace

This Gothic Revival palace in the Allgäu was the childhood home of Ludwig II and shaped the later 'Fairy-tale King' more profoundly than any other building.

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Moritzburg Palace

Moritzburg near Dresden, Saxony

Moritzburg Palace

A fairytale Baroque palace on a lake island – Augustus the Strong's magnificent hunting residence glows as if from another century.

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Sanssouci Palace

Potsdam

Sanssouci Palace

Frederick the Great's Rococo jewel sits atop vineyard terraces in Potsdam and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Schwerin Palace

Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

Schwerin Palace

The fairy-tale Schwerin Palace stands on a lake island and ranks among the most significant palace buildings of Romantic Historicism in Germany.

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Würzburg Residence

Würzburg, Bavaria

Würzburg Residence

The baroque masterpiece on the Main: the Würzburg Residence is one of the most significant princely palaces in Europe and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1981.

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More to come

Hundreds more castles – in our German guide

Our English edition is growing. In the meantime, explore the full collection of 240+ castles, regions and curated routes in the German guide.

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Übernachten am Schloss

Sleep where kings once ruled

For every castle we find the right hotels within walking distance – from castle hotels to charming guesthouses in the historic centre.

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Kartenansicht

Koordinaten übergeben, um Hotels in der Nähe anzuzeigen.

Image credits (12)