LICHTENSTEIN CASTLE
Lichtenstein Castle looks like it emerged from the jagged rocks underneath it, and while it boasts impressive views, this castle wasn’t our favorite due to the relative newness of it and how castle visits are managed. However, it is less than an hour outside of Stuttgart, so if you find yourself in the southwest part of Germany and are fixing for a fairytale castle, venture on over!
When you arrive, you will have to pay for parking (on top of the fees you will have to pay to access the castle). Castle Tavern is right next to the parking lot where you can enjoy food and utilize the restrooms, but depending on the time of day this area can get very crowded. There are also plenty of hiking trails that you can partake in, which can be reached from the parking lot.
Lichtenstein Castle has one entrance, and it is operated by a single person in a ticket booth. This ticket booth also functions as the tiniest souvenir stand that I have ever seen. Whether you want to purchase a little princess figurine, a ticket to the castle courtyard, a ticket to tour the castle, or a combination of sorts, it is all funneled through this singular entrance. Thus, the line gets quite long. In addition, because tickets cannot be purchased in advance, this line is unfortunately inevitable.
Once inside the grounds, you can walk around the small courtyard. Please note that you can only view the interior of the castle during German-led 30-minute tours, which are offered every 20 minutes. There are English brochures that you can read during the tours, but otherwise the tours are not available in other languages.
view from the castle grounds
Unlike other castles like Linderhof Palace or Nymphenburg Palace, Lichtenstein Castle was not inhabited by kings or queens. Actually, King Wilhelm of Württemberg’s cousin, Count Wilhelm of Württemberg, bought the estate from the king and then had a medieval knight’s castle built from 1840 to 1842, inspired by the novel “Lichtenstein,” by Wilhelm Hauff. Since then, the castle has stayed in the family, with the great grandson of the Count now running Lichtenstein Castle. If you visit, let us know what you think!
