Begin with a descent through a valley in the ancient Eltz Forest. As you round the final bend of the forest trail, the spires of Eltz Castle emerge. Framed by woodland and surrounded on three sides by the Elzbach River, the scene is nothing short of cinematic. Construction began in 1157 and loving restorations over the years have resulted in a romantic patchwork of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance styles. Half-timbered towers and climbing ivy line the cobbled courtyard while inside, guided tours unveil walls adorned with tapestries and hand-painted ceilings. The castle is also home to one of the most important private collections of historical weaponry in Germany – a nod to its celebrated past. 

Rising 2,800 feet on Mount Hohenzollern, Hohenzollern Castle is a glorious monument to the powerful dynasty of Prussian kings and German emperors from the House of Hohenzollern. Its architecture is a triumph of neo-Gothic romanticism: arched corridors, turreted towers and sweeping parapets overlooking the Swabian Jura. Enter through the Eagle Gate before crossing the drawbridge and ascending serpentine paths flanked by rose gardens and weathered statues. 

Delicately perched on a limestone cliff in the Swabian Alps, Lichtenstein Castle is a vision of gothic fantasy inspired not by military strategy or noble lineage, but literature. Built in 1842 by Count Wilhelm of Württemberg, the castle was designed in homage to Wilhelm Hauff’s novel ‘Lichtenstein’ – a tale of medieval chivalry and lost honour. Its slender turret, needle-like spires and vertiginous bridge, spanning a wooden gorge, make it easy to imagine storybook tales. 

Sitting majestically atop the Bavarian Alps, Neuschwanstein Castle is thought to be the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle. A celestial vision with turrets, gables and balconies that spill across its mountain setting, it was commissioned in 1869 by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, the “Swan King”, not merely as a royal residence but as an homage to mythical beauty and opera. Murals depict scenes from Wagnerian operas, the Throne Room gleams with Byzantine splendour and the King’s bedroom is a wood-carved marvel of Gothic imagination. Though Ludwig only lived in the castle for a few months before his mysterious death, his legacy endures in this most magical of places.

To truly complement the experience, book hotels such as Schloss Lieser, Autograph Collection, itself a historic castle in the Moselle Valley, or Schloss Elmau Luxury Spa, Retreat and Cultural Hideaway, a slice of paradise in the Bavarian Alps with a two Michelin-starred restaurant and state-of-the-art spa. Explore these and more on ASMALLWORLD Collection.