Hohenzollern Castle is the ancestral seat of the Prussian royal Hohenzollern family, rebuilt in the 19th century in a dramatic neo-Gothic style on top of an isolated hill in the Swabian Alb. Its silhouette - a fortress crowning a steep, freestanding peak - is the main draw even before you reach the interior. Unlike the town-based trips on this list, this is a single hilltop site reached by a shuttle or a fairly steep walk up from the parking area.
| Distance | 65 km from Stuttgart |
|---|---|
| Travel time | 1h 30min by train and bus from Stuttgart |
| Getting there | Regional train to Hechingen then bus 305/Burg-Bus, about 1h 30min |
| Cost | $$ |
| Address | Burg Hohenzollern, 72379 Hechingen, Germany |
How to get there
- Regional train (RB) from Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof to Hechingen, then bus 305 or the seasonal castle shuttle uphill, about 1h 30min total
- Car via A81, about 1 hour, with paid parking at the base and a shuttle bus or 30-minute walk to the entrance
- Organised day tours run from Stuttgart during peak season
Location
Burg Hohenzollern, 72379 Hechingen, Germany
48.3235, 8.9678 View on map
Highlights
- The castle's hilltop approach and courtyards - the walk or shuttle ride up, with the fortress walls and towers coming into view, is part of the experience
- The Royal Treasury (Schatzkammer) - houses Prussian crown jewels and Frederick the Great's personal effects
- The castle chapel (Christuskapelle) - a neo-Gothic chapel inside the complex with notable stained glass
- The panoramic terrace views over the Swabian Alb - on a clear day you can see toward the Alps