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.

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.

Lichtenstein Castle is a truly enchanting destination, perched dramatically on a cliff in the Swabian Alps and offering one of the most fairytale-like experiences in Germany. Often described as a “storybook castle,” its romantic turrets, battlements, and picturesque setting make it especially striking as you approach through the surrounding forest. The views from the castle are outstanding, stretching across the Echaz Valley and providing countless photo opportunities. The guided tour is informative and well paced, giving visitors insight into the castle’s 19th-century origins, its connection to the novel Lichtenstein by Wilhelm Hauff, and the history of the Dukes of Urach. The interiors, while relatively small, are richly decorated with period furnishings, stained glass, and historical artefacts that add to the atmosphere. Each room feels carefully preserved and full of character. The grounds are equally enjoyable, with scenic walking paths and viewpoints that invite you to linger and take in the landscape. Lichtenstein Castle is not vast like some royal palaces, but its charm lies in its intimacy and dramatic location. It is an ideal stop for history lovers, photographers, and anyone seeking a memorable and romantic day out in southern Germany.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Beautiful and historic with stunning views. Very well preserved and full of atmosphere. Definitely worth visiting.

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.

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.

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!

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.