If you are in Germany and searching for a castle to visit, definitely add this one to your list! Hohenzollern Castle is picture perfect, full of history, and such a fun and easy day-trip. This guide will tell you everything you need to know in order to plan your castle trip, while also sharing our own magical experience!
The Castle
Hohenzollern Castle is the ancestral seat of the Prussian Royal House and is located on the periphery of the Swabian Alb. The Castle is the perfect mix of historic museum and functional space. It houses essential pieces from the family’s art collection, a picture gallery, valuable silver and China, and the Prussian King’s Crown (which in my opinion, was the best part!) In addition, the Castle also hosts concerts, exhibitions, open-air cinemas, and a Christmas market. In the 19th century, the Castle was jointly restored by the Hohenzollern lines. It is a private property and has provided temporary housing for the family for almost a thousand years. Raise your hand if you’re super jealous of the family that gets to stay here (*raising my arm as I write this one-handed). 
Know before you go
Opening Hours:
March 16 – October 31 from 10:00 am – 5: 30 pm every day
November 1 – March 15 from 10:00 am – 4:30 pm every day
*On holidays the castle may be closed or have varying opening hours. You can find exceptions to the opening hours here.
Tickets:
Tickets to the Castle may be purchased in the shop located in the parking lot next to the bus station.
Two options exist for purchasing tickets to the Castle:
- Castle visit without interior rooms; basically a walk around the property with the ability to view both Castle chapels and the Casemates. 7 euros per adult and 5 euros per child.
- Castle visit including Castle rooms; a walk around the property as well as a guided tour of the interior. 12 euros per adult and 6 euros per child. Admission discounts are also available for seniors, disabled persons, students, groups, and families. The guided tours are available in various languages and they run regularly each day. The tours last about 45 minutes highlighting the extensive history of the Castle and showcasing all of the amazing features. Sidenote: if you decide to visit the Castle during the cold months, make sure you dress warmly. Although you are inside, the Castle rooms are not heated!
⇒ Don’t fret over buying a ticket! With the purchase of your tickets, you are contributing to the preservation of the Castle. Fun fact: the Castle is still privately owned and self-financed.
Dogs:
Like many places in Germany, you can bring your four-legged friends along with you! Dogs are allowed to walk around the grounds of the Castle, as long as they remain on a leash. However, you are unfortunately not allowed to bring your fur babies with you inside of the Castle. But hey, I’m sure your dog wouldn’t mind feeling like royalty for a day while they stroll through the property with you.
How to get there
Hohenzollern Castle is accessible by car, bus, or train. For specific directions to the Castle, you can visit the link here to read up on various transportation options and schedules.
If you choose to drive there yourself, there is a parking fee of 2 euros per car. You can also park a motorcycle for 1 euro or bring your caravan for 4 euros, which also includes an overnight stay. (I’m secretly wishing I owned a caravan right about now).
Now what?
Okay, you’ve parked your car, purchased your tickets and now you’re standing in the parking lot wondering where to go next. You have two different options here:
- A shuttle bus is available to bring you up and/or down from the parking lot to the Castle entrance. The bus stop is right in front of the shop where you just purchased your tickets from. Convenient, huh? A shuttle bus ticket costs 2 euros per adult for a one-way ticket and 3.30 euros per adult for a roundtrip ticket. Once again, discounts are offered for children and groups.
- You can also choose to walk to the Castle from the parking lot. You can take the less scenic route and walk up the paved road (where the shuttle drives). But, if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, there is a trail through the forest which you can walk up in order to reach the Castle entrance.
Food & Drinks
But of course, refreshments are available at multiple locations on the Castle grounds. If you chose to hike through the forest and earn your visit to the Castle, you definitely deserve a beer right about now! During the summer months, the Castle Beer Garden is a must. Various drinks, snacks, and sweets are available, and you are also welcome to bring your own lunch. If you fancy something with a bit more ambiance, the Cafe Restaurant is also open! The cook prepares regional specialties prepared fresh every day. The restaurant serves lunch, coffee, and of course, cakes and unlike the Beer Garden, the restaurant is open year-round.
What we did
Ryan and I made the trip to Hohenzollern Castle from Stuttgart during the fall season. Since it was only a little bit over an hour away, we chose to drive ourselves and park in the Castle parking lot. The Castle is kind of located in the middle of nowhere, far away from major cities. But hey, in my opinion, that adds a bit of magic and beauty to the whole experience, doesn’t it?
When we arrived, we purchased our tickets in the shop located in the parking lot and we went with the guided tour option. After all, what’s a castle visit without seeing the interior, am I right?! If you are making the trip to Hohenzollern Castle, I would always recommend buying the ticket that allows you to take a tour inside. For the few extra euros it will cost you, it is definitely worth it. After we purchased our tickets, we debated our options for getting to the Castle entrance. We opted to take the shuttle up to the Castle, and then walk the trail back down to our car when we were finished. After all, what’s life without a little variety?
We took our guided tour in English and man, was it awesome! When you arrive inside, you are given slippers to wear over your shoes, as to not damage or dirty the floors. It’s a bit silly looking, but also something that will be engrained in my memory forever. Our tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable, pointing out all of the beautiful features of the Castle, while also sharing the extensive history behind it all. We toured many of the main rooms and spaces, as well as the residence chambers. I should also note here that photographs are not allowed to be taken inside the Castle. Therefore, if you are curious as to what the interior looks like, you’ll just have to make the trip yourself!
After our interior tour was finished, Ryan and I took to the outside! We spent a long time wandering around the property and admiring the facade. Since we were there in the fall, the Beer Garden was unfortunately closed for the season. However, we did remember to pack some snacks and we stopped for a quick break while walking outside.
When it was time to head home, we took the footpath back down to the parking lot. It was a pretty steep walk, but definitely doable. As you can see, we were clearly not dressed for a “hike”, but I was glad we chose to walk. It was so beautiful to see the Castle from the forest and get our last looks in before we had to leave. 
If I haven’t convinced you by now, Hohenzollern Castle is a must-see! It’s beautiful, magical, and such a fun day-trip. I hope you all have the opportunity to see this beauty in your lifetime. Leave a comment and let me know if you have ever been, or if you are now adding this to your Bucket List!
