My Favorite Spots in Germany

Another year has passed and again I’m lamenting at the fact that I never took the time to write about our 2016 holiday! I’m feeling a bit unmotivated and I thought maybe getting some thoughts down on paper would get my creativity flowing and help with work and personal goals. So, I wanted to do a little mini series on our trips that have come and gone with our fave spots we visited while out and about since 2016. First on the list is Germany, which I mean is a pretty broad category but we didn’t spend a lot of time in any one place so a dedicated post to Bavaria would be pretty lackluster.
So without further ado– my favorite places to visit in Germany.

The Little Town of Landstuhl

I mean, I’m pretty biased because I grew up here, but there’s something about the little town of Landstuhl that just makes me so happy. In the off-chance you visit during the wintertime there is usually a little Christkindlmarkt which is aglow with the same fairy lights that have been there since I was 5 years old. And, yes I know, there are literally so many castle ruins to explore in Germany but because I’ve been going up to Burg Nanstein since I was a kid, it feels like my own personal castle with the sweetest view of the valley Landstuhl sits in.

Idar-Oberstein

Similarly to Landstuhl, Idar-Oberstein is also a place I have been visiting since I was super young. I have always been fascinated by the gorgeous church that seems to be perched gracefully above the city, and enamoured by the crystal shops that line the streets (this is where my crystal obsession began). I remember being 8-9 years old and holding the little stones in my palms and thinking they were so precious, and I still have some of them to this day (currently writing this and staring at my fools gold aka pyrite that I thought was soo incredible when I was little). If you feel like doing a small hike up to the cliffside the church sits on you can visit inside and take a tour of the cave system inside the mountains. Or if you just want a lunch with a good view you can visit — which has a delicious margarita pizza.

Geierlay, Mörsdorf, Germany

Not too far from Idar-Oberstein, and actually a new discovery of ours (thanks to J who found it), is this suspension bridge. The walk to the bridge is pretty typical of German towns with fields and a small town with a church in the distance, but then you make a small decent to this amazing bridge. As far as suspension bridges go I’m sure it’s pretty tame, but it was still a nice way to experience the scenery and valleys of Germany .

Bavaria (yes, just in general)

Nothing makes you feel more like your in a movie than a visit to Neuschwanstein Castle and the surrounding area. The castle is sat nestled into the gorgeous mountains of Bavaria, and even just looking at it from the outside is worth the trip. The interior is still set up in the traditional style of the era, and it’s incredible to walk around and imagine what it would be like to live in this gilded age (obviously more as a royal then as a peasant). It easiest to buy your tickets in advance online, because the lines can be really long, and can delay the rest of your day if you don’t plan ahead. On the way up to the castle we opted for a horse drawn carriage, which was a nice change from the typical shuttle buses that run up and down the mountain. No option takes you all the way to the entrance of the castle, so there is still a small climb after your transportation drops you off. We had some time to kill before our entrance time, so we chose to stop at the little cafe just before the castle and have a luxurious hot chocolate for me and tasty latte for Michael. Our tour was informative (there’s a audioguide to tune into) but not too long. Go! And live out all your Cinderella wishes.

Alsace-Lorraine, France

This is 100% cheating (well maybe not because technically Alsace-Lorraine did go back and forth between being part of France and Germany), but if you’re in Germany you may as well hop over to the storybook towns of Strasbourg and Colmar, in France. I saw these towns first on Instagram and I knew that I had to visit them, and it was 10/10 worth it. Colmar is so picturesque it feels like you’re literally standing in the middle of the village from Beauty and the Beast.
 
Do you have any favorite fairytale villages you’ve visited in Europe?