Hohenzollern
Castle is a photographer's
wonderland. The landscape offers panorama views of the
countryside in every direction, and the excellent shape of the
castle presents visitors with a variety of towers and castle
courtyards.
I have visited Hohenzollern castle many times, and I have taken the
tour twice. I would only recommend the tour to those who 1)
Speak German or 2) Are not going to visit any other castles and
therefore will not be able to go on any other castles. This is
not to say that the tour is not informative and interesting
(especially the Hohenzollern family tree at the start, and the
museum of weapons and treasure at the end), but I have never been a
fan of castle tours in general. They tend to go slowly and
drag on far longer than I would like. But that is just a
personal preference.
As
for the courtyard and castle itself, Hohenzollern is a delight to
visit. In the winter, the whole setting is itself magical,
with frosty treetops and a castle towering over the countryside.
You can also find German children sledding on the hill below the
castle (where else but in Europe can you sled with such a
picturesque background?). But I think the best time to visit
the castle is when it's warm.
There parking lot is just below the castle, just make sure you have
a couple Euro handy to hand to the parking attendant. From the
parking lot, you can either hike up to the castle, or take the
mini-bus. I would definitely recommend taking the bus.
The bus only costs only a few Euro, otherwise it's about a 30 minute
walk if you decide to rough it.
At the gate, you will have to pay for entrance into the castle, and
for the tour (you can opt not to take the tour, and you will not be
charged for it). You then walk uphill through the several
gates to the central courtyard. In the summertime, it is quite
pleasant to sit at the courtyard restaurant and have a beer or a
meal. If it's a nice day, you will undoubtedly be joined by
Germans who are out to enjoy the weather and the scenery.
If you are taking the tour, you will need to queue up at the top of
the stairwell in the main courtyard. In addition to the castle
courtyard area, Hohenzollern also offers an outdoor snack bar, a
restaurant, a souvenir shop, a small Hohenzollern family chapel, and
a larger castle church.
Click Here for a map of Hohenzollern Castle!
