The 20 Most Beautiful Places to Visit in Germany

Forget Berlin and the other big cities in Germany.
If you want to discover the essence of the country, you will have to travel to Alpine peaks, mysterious forests, villages with half-timbered houses and castles (such as Neuschwanstein) that seem to belong to fairy tales.
We recommend a few places that are a must-see in Germany.

Places in Germany that seem straight out of a fairy tale

• Rakotzbrücke, Saxony

• Wiblingen Abbey

• Königssee, Bavaria

• Rothenburg ob der Tauber

• Bastei Bridge

• Neuschwanstein Castle

• Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain

• Pilgrimage Church of Wies, Steingaden

• Sylt, Frisian Islands

• Hängeseilbrücke Geierlay

• Rügen Island

• Bamberg

• Lake Schrecksee

• Lichtenstein Castle

• Meissien

• Sieseby

• German Fairytale Road

• Quedlinburg

• Tüchersfeld

• Partnach Gorge

Places to visit in Germany

• Rakotzbrücke, Saxony

In Kromlauer Park in Saxony, the Rakotz Bridge is better known as the Devil's Bridge. It was built in the 19th century to create a perfect circle when reflected in the water. Commissioned in 1860 by the Knight of a Kromlau, the arch built from local stone stands on the waters of the Rakotzsee.
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• Wiblingen Abbey Library

This former Benedictine abbey, founded in 1093, is famous for its incredible Rococo library with statues, columns and extensive ceiling frescoes. The abbey is located at the confluence of the rivers Danube and Iller, south of the city of Ulm in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.

• Königssee, Bavaria

In the Berchtesgaden Alps, close to the Austrian border, Königssee is an alpine lake surrounded by an incredible atmosphere: it is the green lake characterised by the beautiful St Bartholomew's Peninsula on which the shrine known as St Bartholomew's Chapel on Königssee was erected.

• Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Rothenburg is considered the perfect embodiment of the German fairytale, characterised by cobbled streets and half-timbered houses: you will feel like you are taking a trip back to the Middle Ages. Its medieval walls are entirely preserved and you can walk past watchtowers and walkways overlooking the Bavarian hills.

The village is part of the Romantic Fairytale Route.

• Bastei Bridge

This is the place to admire one of the most beautiful views in all of Germany. It is a spectacular bridge in the Saxon Switzerland National Park over the River Elbe.

• Neuschwanstein Castle

The castle, not far from the Alpsee lake and surrounded by a lush landscape that changes colour with the seasons, is one of the fairytale places to see once in a lifetime. Indeed, there is a fairytale connection: Walt Disney was so enchanted by the castle that he took it as a model for his famous animated film, Cinderella.

• Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain

The Zugspitze is the highest peak in Germany, with an altitude of about 2962 metres. Cable cars will take you to the top, where you can enjoy some of the best views of the Alps.

• Pilgrimage Church of Wies, Steingaden

With its bright colours and exuberant frescoes, the Wies Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a masterpiece of Rococo architecture set against a spectacular Alpine backdrop.

• Sylt, Frisian Islands

This small island in the North Sea is a little gem with rolling dunes, unique biodiversity, unspoilt nature and beach saunas.
Here is a selection of the most beautiful beaches to discover in Germany.

• Hängeseilbrücke Geierlay

With a length of 360 metres, this bridge is not for the faint-hearted. But its beautiful setting in Hunsrück might inspire even the less fearless to face their fears.

• Rügen Island

Germany's largest island, it has Baltic beaches, white chalk cliffs and a number of interesting seaside resorts.

• Bamberg, Bavaria

This picturesque town in northern Bavaria is known for its architecture (much of it a World Heritage Site since 1993) and its Romanesque cathedral dating back to the 11th century.

• Schrecksee, Germany's highest Alpine lake

With a height of 1813 metres, Schrecksee is the highest Alpine lake in Germany. Hiking here will take seven to eight hours, but the effort will be amply rewarded.

From here you can see the border with Austria.

• Lichtenstein Castle

Known as the fairytale castle of Württemberg, this manor house was built on the edge of a cliff and overlooks the Echaz Valley.

• Meissien

Meissen is famous throughout Germany for its prestigious ceramics factory. In the thousand-year history of Meisen, majestic buildings and fine architecture have been built. These include the cathedral and the Albrechtsburg castle, the oldest castle in Germany. The backdrop to these marvels are the rolling hills covered with vineyards.

• Sieseby

Sieseby is located on a peninsula in the North Sea. The sea breeze mingles with the roses and flowering bushes that are everywhere in the village. In the summer you can rent small boats for a sea trip or go cycling or walking in the surroundings.

• Fairytale Road

It is called Deutsche Märchenstraße and is a 660-kilometre-long route that retraces the places and fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. The route passes through 70 enchanted places and winds through castles, towns and fairytale landscapes.

• Quedlinburg

The Harz Mountains offer some of the most beautiful and scenic views in Germany. Alongside hiking trails, cycling routes, ski slopes and forests, you will also find one of the most beautiful villages in Germany. Quedlinburg is probably the most magical of all, with its cobbled streets and gabled houses that make for a fairytale-like atmosphere.

• Tüchersfeld

This Bavarian village in the Püttlach Valley looks like a postcard, so beautiful that it has been depicted on German postage stamps.

• Partnach Gorge

At 702.5 metres long with walls rising up to 80 metres, this gorge, about an hour south of Munich, is one of the most popular and incredible hiking spots worth a visit.

• Germany