Schloss Lichtenstein

Absolutely breathtaking. The view upon the town is beautiful. The photos just don't do it justice at all. The tour of the castle is in German but they will give you a pamphlet in your spoken language to read the history of each room. After the tour we walked around to the little shack near the parking lot and they have Glühwein, waffles and a few more fun treats (The bathroom is also behind this building) Which is very well kept. This was a very pleasant and quiet experience. It was just lovely.

Spectacular views from various points round the castle, and the Castle itself is pretty. We didn't take a conducted tours inside the castle. Unfortunately they are only narrated in German.

While quaint looking on the outside, the inside is abundant. The tour guide offered a wealth of information about the castle in English and all of us on the tour at the time were English speaking. Tours are in small groups since the inside of the castle is not as spacious as noisy of the other castles throughout Germany. The grounds were beautiful too. It is not difficult to find that perfect picture moment. I would definitely return.

There's nothing architecturally extraordinary or authentic about this castle, which has been remodeled several times, except for the road leading up to it. It sits at an altitude of 817 meters on the Albtrauf mountain in the Swabian Jura, and the view from its rocky spur is quite interesting. Nothing remains of its medieval history, which dates back to the 13th century when the Lichtenstein family founded the "Old Lichtenstein" castle. This castle was destroyed twice during the Imperial War, in 1311 and again in 1381, by troops from the Free City of Reutlingen. The second time, the castle was not rebuilt and fell into ruin. In 1802, King Frederick I of Württemberg had a hunting lodge built on the site. Inspired by Wilhelm Hauff's novel "Lichtenstein," Prince William, a collector of weapons, armor, and paintings, needed a place to house his collection. He was impressed by the novel published in 1826 and wanted to transform the hunting lodge into a castle reminiscent of the age of chivalry. Therefore, the castle was rebuilt between 1840 and 1842 in this Neo-Gothic style. Finally, this castle is also known as the "fairytale castle of Württemberg," as it perpetuates Romanticism in its architectural style and layout.

Lovely gothic castle, worth a visit. We didn't go inside because we had our dog with us, but the outside views and courtyard were worth the very reasonable entry price. Loved the little statues hidden around! Service at the café outside was friendly and the coffee was good too.

Schloss Lichtenstein feels like something straight out of a fairytale. Built right on the edge of a cliff, the way it sits perched above the valley is absolutely stunning. As you walk up to it, the first thing that strikes you is how dramatic the setting is — the castle looks almost like it’s growing out of the rock itself. Once you’re there, you can’t help but admire the views that open up all around you. The castle isn’t as large as some of the other well-known German castles, but that’s exactly what gives it so much charm. Its smaller size and unique location make it feel intimate and magical at the same time. Walking around, you get the sense of stepping into a storybook, with every angle offering another perfect picture. Compared to other castles I’ve visited in Germany, Schloss Lichtenstein stands out because of its setting. While Hohenzollern impresses with its grand scale and history, Lichtenstein wins you over with its fairytale look and the way it blends into the cliffside. The combination of scenery, architecture, and atmosphere makes it unforgettable. It’s one of those places where you stop, take your time, and just enjoy the moment. For me, visiting Schloss Lichtenstein was a highlight, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone who wants to experience a castle that looks like it was lifted straight from the pages of a fairytale.

Can a book inspire you enough to build a castle based on the book's description? I can clearly understand the feelings of Wilhelm von Urach who was mesmerized by Wilhelm Hauff's book "Lichtenstein" at the point that he ordered to build that castle. This is the essence of the era of German Romanticism – a dream of the times of medieval castles, knights and chivalry. The castle itself is magnificent: it rises directly from the cliff, immediately creating an atmosphere of medieval times. The suspension bridge can rise at any moment, blocking the path to the impregnable castle, while the princess has fallen in enchanted sleep... The exteriors are stunning, you might want to plan more than 3 hours for castle visiting. Don't miss the wooden sculpture of Wilhelm Albert von Urach on the road to the castle. The exteriors can be visited only with guided tour, which lasts around 30 minutes (on German or English, flyers provided). The entrance fee is now 14 euros (it was 12 in May 2024). Taking photos inside is strictly prohibited, which is very unfortunate, as the 193cm long champagne glass looks amazing, as well as the armory and weapons, wooden furniture, decorated walls and painted ceilings. The stained glass in the chapel is interesting, too. The other unfortunate thing is the transport communication. The bus goes to the castle only on Sundays, while on working days you will need to find your way to the castle and from it through the forest where no signs can be found (route from road L230). On the official website of the castle you can find the maps of the tracking paths, but there's no mention about the Honau track being unpassable because of numerous fallen trees. It's humid and slippery in the forest even on warm and dry weather. And again, no signs whatsoever. There is a parking area (2€ for the whole day) very close to the castle, so I strongly recommend reaching to the castle by car. TIP: Don't forget to visit the ruins of Alt Lichtenstein, they are close to the Lichtenstein castle and offer a beautiful view. P.S. Drones are prohibited in the area.

An absolutely stunning castle with incredible views! The location on the cliff is breathtaking, and the architecture looks straight out of a fairytale. It’s a beautiful place to wander around, take photos, and just enjoy the atmosphere. Definitely a must-see if you’re nearby! There is a large parking lot nearby to drive up to the castle that costs €2 (you can pay cash to the parking attendant or with card at the nearby cafe if you do not have cash) There’s a small fee to enter the castle grounds, which I found totally worth it for the views alone. You can also pay extra for a guided tour inside the castle, but I just explored the outside area and still had a great experience. I wouldn’t buy tickets in advance, the line at the ticket desk goes down quickly and it’s worth the wait!

It was cold cold cold as we drove up the curvy road to the castle and parked the car in a snowy parking lot. Schloss Lichtenstein is a privately owned castle but it's open for tours. The location dates back to around 1100 and despite being destroyed in twice in the 13th century, a new castle was built adjacent in 1390. It was eventually acquired by King Frederick I of Württemberg in 1802 who rebuilt it into a hunting lodge. The modern castle was added to it in 1840-1842. It has been updated and restored in the 20th century. Despite the cold, it was a clear and dry day. We did the guided tour (in English!) and had a great walk throughout. Our guide pointed out several of the interesting features including the main dining hall, some of the entertainment areas and of course, the tremendous view of the valley. Note that photographs inside the castle are not permitted. The castle is stunning and well worth walking the grounds and trying for a tour. [Review 21243 overall - 247 in Germany - 208 of 2024.]

We were driving from Munich to the edge of France, so this was somewhat at the halfway point, so we used it as a place to stretch our legs. It is pretty amazing to see it up close, and there are many vantage points on the grounds to view the surrounding countryside. We chose not to do the tour, since it is only given in German and we didn't speak the language, so we just walked around the grounds and took pictures. There was scaffolding up on part of it, but it was still neat to see. There are many better castles in terms of larger grounds, well furnished interiors and tours in English, so I would say go to Coburg or others if you could only go to one. But if you have time to visit other castles on your trip, this is a pretty stop.

I have visited castles, churches, castle ruins, etc. But this - has by far - been my favorite. I did not do the interior castle tour - only the exterior gardens. However, it still made it my favorite castle. We were lucky enough to have a stunningly beautiful blue sky day. It was such a great experience. The staff were super friendly. My brother's dog was even able to join us on the tour! One of the pictures I took of the castle is even the background on my phone...because I liked it so much. This doesn't seem like a very "popular" castle when looking up different castles in Germany - but definitely one to visit!

Beautiful castle! Guided tour is given in German, however you can get a handout in your native language. Lots of different buildings to look through. My favorite was the artillery room. Wish I had gone on a non-foggy non-rainy day, though - would have loved to see a clear castle view.

Well, as far as castle go ... wait, this may be the only castle I've ever visited! IT was GORGEOUS and the tour guide gave tons of wonderful information. I would go again and it's a perfect place to take visitors!

I don't say this often, but if I could give 10 stars I would. The architectural beauty of this castle is so unbelievably picturesque, especially in the snowy winter when I was here. The natural beauty of the swabian alps and small villages that can be seen from all around is even more amazing. Situated on the edge of a steep, sharp cliff, the castle itself is not easy to spot from the road below, but once you drive way up the curvy narrow road and arrive at the entrance it is simply stunning. The parking is close to the entry of the castle. There is a 2 euro fee to park. There is also a 2 euro fee to enter the garden and exterior area of the castle or 6 euros for a guided tour. Normally I would have opted to take the tour but we decided to skip it due to time constraints. Definitely worth it if you have time here. If not, just enter the open courtyard area, take in the amazing sights from all around, take 900 photos like I did and then go on your way. There is also a nice restaurant area as well as a gift shop here and nice picnic tables for when the weather is warmer. I have honestly never in my life seen something so amazing as this castle. If you are ANYWHERE in the southern Germany region, you MUST go! Also, hohenzollern castle is located close by and also worth a stop (see my separate review for that castle) To sum it up shortly - Lichtenstein is two thumbs up, out of this world marvelous!!

First off it's a beautiful drive through the town to get there from Vaihingen. It's only an hour away and a great one day getaway with kids. I did an itinerary to head there by 10:30 have an hour around the area "no tour" just family fun and pictures. It's breathtaking beautiful. Yes it's small but well taken cared of. The grounds were clean and the building has lots of care. It's fascinating how it's off a cliff but more so just nice being up there. It has enough shade and places to sit and relax. There's a restaurant at the parking entrance which we didn't go but it had a small menu and looked delicious but we had plans to just have lunch at our next stop. It was only less than 10 minutes to Traumland "bear cave" which we planned on for lunch and kids to have a good time. Afterwards, they have a Asian Restaurant called San Bon that is along the way back called San Bon which was a nice Dinner to end our day! Enjoy Europe it's wonderful.