Overview
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1. Burg Eltz
Burg Eltz or Eltz Castle is one the most beautiful castles in Germany. The castle is located in Wierschem, in a valley of the Moselle between Koblenz and Cochem. It is built on a rock at a height of 70 meters and is largely surrounded by the water of the Elzbach.
You don’t need a ticket to see the Burg Eltz castle from the outside. Visiting the castle from the inside is only possible during a guided tour of 45 minutes.
In this area, you can also enjoy various walks through the Eltzerbos around the castle. There are walks of different lengths and levels of difficulty.
Practical
Parking lot
Car: € 4,00
Campers: € 8,00
Shuttle: € 2,00 per person, per trip
Guided tour
Adults: € 14,00
Students: € 7,00
From March 24 to November 1st: Daily open from 09:30 AM until 05:30 PM
From the car park you can either walk to the castle or you can take the shuttle (€2). If you choose to walk you can choose between two ways. Both ways will take you about 20 minutes to reach the castle. The first one goes through the woods. The second one goes the same way as the shuttle, down a paved road. This one is quite steep but you’ll get a stunning view over the valley and the castle along the way.
2. Geierlay Hängeseilbrücke
Not far from Burg Eltz, in Mörsdorf, you’ll find the Geierlay Suspension bridge. This is a suspension bridge in the low mountain range of the Hunsrück and it connects the villages of Mörsdorf and Sosberg. Crossing the bridge is a thrilling experience, as you’ll walk up to 100 meters above the ground of the Mörsdorfer Bachtal. And on top of that: visiting ànd crossing the bridge is totally free!
Practical
The entrance to the bridge is free
The bridge is 24/7 open as it is part of a hiking trail
It’s not possible to park your car near the bridge. There are several parking lots specifically for visiting the Geierlay Suspension bridge, and they are well indicated with arrows. The closest parking lot is located at the visitor’s center. From here it’ll take you 15 to 20 minutes by foot to reach the bridge.
There’s two different paths to the bridge. The first one is the short and easy one. This way will take you about 20 minutes and goes along a paved road. The other route goes through the forest and will take you about 25 minutes. Both routes are shown on google maps and on this map below.
You can either visit the bridge and go back to your car the same way you came or you can cross the bridge and complete the 6,4km long Geierlayschleife hiking trail.
As the Geierlay is a popular sight in Germany, it can get really crowded, especially on weekends. Therefore we recommend you to go there on weekdays and as early as possible. Most people start arriving from 10am, so try to finish your visit before this time.
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3. Königssee & Obersee - Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden National Park is a park in Bavaria and it’s the only German national park in the Alps. In 1990, the park was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. There are a lot of trails and bridges in this park, so you can make many amazing hikes in this area. The most beautiful and popular sights in Berchtesgaden are the wonderful Königssee and the little Obersee behind it.
Königssee is an emerald green lake in the National Park of Berchtesgaden, and probably one the most beautiful lakes in Germany. The lake is surrounded by steep mountains, making it impossible to have a walk around the lake. The only way to visit the stunning waters of the lake is by electric(!) boat. You can either take the boat to st. Bartholomeus or you can go even further until Salet. From here you can walk to the stunning Obersee.
There’s a viewpoint, called Rabenwand that overviews this beautiful lake. This viewpoint can be reached in 30 minutes on the trail of ‘Malerwinkel’. There are a few benches to have a rest and enjoy the view. Make sure to wear sturdy shoes because the trail is quite rocky, but not that difficult.
Fact: Besides being the deepest lake in Germany, Königssee is also one of the cleanest lakes in the country. There’s no wastewater discharged in this lake and only electric boats have operated here since 1909. Therefore they say Königssee should have drinking water quality.
Practical
Return ticket
to St. Bartholomeus € 22,50
to Salet € 28,50
Operating hours vary every year and between periods. You can find the timetables here.
As Königssee is (one of the) most beautiful lakes in Germany, it is unfortunately also the most crowded lake, especially during the summer. Therefore we recommend you to not visit this lake during this period. You also have to keep in mind that boats run to Saint Bartholomeus the whole year but not to Salet. So make sure to check the operating hours if you want to visit Obersee as well.
Hotels
Find the best places to stay near Berchtesgaden and enjoy a comfortable trip.
Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden
via Booking.com
4. Schloss Neuschwanstein
On a craggy cliff above the village of Hohenschwangau in Bavaria, you find the world-famous Neuschwanstein Castle. It is probably one of the most famous castles and even sights in Germany. It was built in the 19th century by King Ludwig II. The shy king built the castle to withdraw from public life.
Unfortunately, the king died on June 13th, 1886, before the construction work was completed. On August 1st, 1886, the castle was opened to the public, and now approximately 1,5 million visitors annually come from all over the world to visit this beautiful castle.
It’s an idyllic location on top of the cliff in front of the Alps and its fairytale look is what makes this palace so popular.
You don’t need a ticket to see Schloss Neuschwanstein from the outside. Visiting the castle from the inside is only possible during a guided tour of 30 minutes.
Fun fact: This castle inspired Walt Disney and served as a model for his famous Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Practical
Guided tours
Adults: € 18,00
Students: € 17,00
Tickets are available online at their website and on-premise at the Ticket Center Hohenschwangau (limited capacities).
Guided tours
April 1st to October 15th
Daily between 09:00 am - 06:00 pm
October 16th, 2021 to March 31st
Daily between 10:00 am - 04:00 pm
Annual closing: December 24th, 25th and 31st, and January 1st.
Photographing or filming is not allowed in the castle. Also drones are not permitted in the area, as the castle is on the edge of the Ammergebirge nature reserve.
Things to visit close to Schloss Neuschwanstein
- Schloss Hohenschwangau
- St. Coloman church
5. Bastei brücke
The Bastei is an incredible rock formation in Saxon Switzerland National Park, known for its massive, steep cliffs. There are a few short hiking trails in the area with amazing viewpoints that take you through gorges and over the rocks.
One thing you definitely can’t miss is the Bastei Brücke, a beautiful stone bridge that connects several of the rocks. Walking across it gives you an awesome view of the gorge below. If you’re into photography, there are lots of great spots for taking pictures of the Bastei Bridge, each giving you a different and stunning angle.
The bridge is located close to the parking lot, so you can either pay a short visit to only the bridge or you can follow one of the hiking trails that loop around the area. The trails are safe and well-maintained, with railings on the steeper parts. Sturdy walking shoes should be sufficient.
You can also start your hike in Rathen and walk up to the Bastei. This hike is quite pleasant and will take you about 30-45 minutes.
The Bastei bridge leads to the ruins of Neurathen Castle, the largest rock castle in the Saxon Switzerland region. The ruins and the partly reconstructed castle are now part of the open museum at Bastei and can be visited for a small entrance fee.
Practical
Entrance to the bridge is free
Neurathen Castle: € 2,50
Parking lot
Up to 4 hours: € 7,00
More than 4 hours: € 12,00
Campers: € 24,00
We recommend you to visit the Bastei Bridge early in the morning or late in the afternoon, as it can get really busy around the middle of the day.
6. Kleiner Winterberg
Kleiner Winterberg is a hill with an amazing panoramic view over the rear of Saxon Switzerland. To get to the top of this hill, you’ll have to hike 3,5 km upwards in total with a height difference of 330 m. So the total hike is about 7 km and will take you approx. 3 hours. It’s not an easy hike as you’ll have to climb a few rocky stairs, but it is certainly doable. If you ask us, this is one of the more hidden gems in Germany.
Practical
Entrance to the park is free
We parked our van at the border with Czech Republic
Bring enough water and snacks on your hike
7. Harz Mountains - Brockenbahn
In the middle of Harz, in the Harz mountains, you find the Brockenbahn. It’s part of the Harz Railway. The Brockenbahn itself is a 19km long railway from Drei Annen Hohne, via Schierke to the highest mountain of northern Germany: the Brocken. On this track, a real steam train will bring you all the way to the top of this 1141m high mountain. On his way up, the train makes a 10-minute stop in Schierke to fill up with water to make it to the top.
To explore the Brockenbahn and see the steam train, you can either take the train itself or you can try to catch a glimpse of the train along the track. There are different places and times to make a day trip with the steam train. You can find the train schedule here. Besides the train, you can also explore Harz National Park along various hiking trails.
If you just want to see the train instead of taking a ride with it, there are different walking routes in the area that will cross the train tracks. We parked our van at the train station of Schierke (€6) and then we started walking on a trail along the train track.
Note: Apparently, they use 2 different types of steam trains: a Monopoly type, and more of a Hogwarts/Polar Express type. We’ve seen the Hogwarts/Polar Express version, but we’ve heard that if you want to see the Monopoly version, you’re more likely to see it on weekends.
8. Rakotzbrücke
Rakotzbrücke, also known as the Devil’s Bridge, is a bridge that would fit perfectly in a fairy tale book. This beautiful piece of architecture can be found in Kromlauer park in Gablenz. This is a 81 ha park similar to an English garden with many small ponds and lakes.
Practical
Entrance to the park is free
Parking costs:
Car: € 3,00 per hour
Camper: € 5,00 per hour
There's a parking lot next to the park and it's only a five minute walk to the bridge.
In order to preserve the Rakotzbrücke it is not allowed to cross the bridge.
9. Partnachklamm
Partnachklamm is a deep gorge in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the South of Germany. The gorge is 702 meters long, with limestone walls that reach 80 meters high, and acts as a natural conduit for the Partnach River. There’s a path carved out of the rocks, so visitors can walk along the flowing water of the river and behind the waterfalls in the gorge. In 1912, the gorge was designated a natural monument. When you enter the Partnach Gorge, you’ll be amazed by the massive rock faces and the rushing water through the gorge beneath and next to you. It certainly deserves its place in this list of unique places to visit in Germany.
Practical
Adults: € 10,00
The Partnachklamm is open from June to September from 08:00 AM until 08:00 PM and from October until May from 08:00 AM until 06:00 PM.
Hotels
Find the best places to stay in Germany and enjoy a comfortable trip.
Münstermaifeld
Andernach
Moselkern
via Booking.com
10. Black Forest
The Black Forest is an excellent and very popular area to go hiking in Germany. It is not only a great destination for hiking, but it is also home to the Schwarzwaldhochstraße or Black Forest High Road. This is the oldest and one of the best-known tourist roads in Germany. It is a 60 km long scenic drive from Baden-Baden to Freudenstadt.
Be sure to map out a route that also passes the Kreuzfelsenkurve. This is an impressive hairpin turn on a road in the Black Forest.
As you can see in the pictures below, this bend has a very unique shape! There is a small parking lot not far away from the turn, where you can have a quick stop and let the drone out, as we did.
Christmas Markets: Visiting Germany during the holidays? The country is known as one of the best destinations in Europe for Christmas markets. Also in the Black Forest, you will find some nice Christmas markets such as in the town of Freiburg, Baden-Baden, and the Ravenna gorge. If you visit Germany during the holidays, be sure to visit at least one Christmas Market.
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Win-Win for everyone
Did you know that, if you buy or book something through our links, we receive a small commission?
However, you still pay the same and therefore have no extra costs! So a win-win for everyone. This way, we can continue to add even more travel inspiration and tips to this blog for your next adventure. Thanks a lot!
