Hessen: The 10 Most Spectacular Sights for an Excursion

Between breathtaking nature and urban jungle: Hessen is full of variety and contrasts. Come with us to discover the ten most exciting attractions in the state.

Frankfurt's skyline, the Rheingau, or the charming Baroque city of Fulda: Hessen is an incredibly diverse state and an exciting travel destination for hikers, wine lovers, or city fans. But what are actually the most beautiful, exciting, and truly unique attractions in Hessen?

Join us as we explore the most spectacular attractions: Which places should you definitely see at least once? Here's our list of top attractions - including impressive natural hotspots, majestic buildings, and dreamy parks and gardens.

Known as the Neuschwanstein of Hessen: Braunfels Castle is an imposing fortress built on a basalt cone in the central Hessen Lahn-Dill district. Since the 13th century, the castle has been the seat of the Counts of Solms. To this day, it is inhabited by the princely family. With its towers, Braunfels resembles a fairy-tale castle - no wonder it was used as a backdrop for the fairy-tale film 'King Thrushbeard' in 2008.

The interior of Braunfels Castle is also impressive: You can tour the princely rooms and marvel at knight's armor, family paintings, and Flemish tapestries. In the family museum, there's a large collection of weapons, uniforms, silver, porcelain, coins, and much more. Various themed tours are offered - from the classic castle tour to the experience tour to the dialect tour.

Braunfels Castle is just one of many castles in the state of Hessen - perhaps the most impressive. Other worthwhile visits include the Frankenstein Castle, Marburg Castle, Löwenburg in Kassel, and Biebrich Castle in Wiesbaden.

In the Hessenpark Open-Air Museum in Neu-Anspach near Bad Homburg, you can travel through the centuries. Walking around the vast grounds with its approximately 100 reconstructed half-timbered houses, you explore village and small-town life in Hessen - from the 17th century to the 1980s. You'll find, for example, a historic post office, a village school, churches, and craft businesses like a bakery, a print shop, and windmills.

The oldest and most famous part of the open-air museum is the marketplace, where there are hotels, restaurants, and shops. You can also view typical farm complexes from different parts of Hessen. Hessenpark is definitely one of the most beautiful and spectacular attractions for the whole family. In addition to an exploration tour, the open-air museum offers guided tours for children and adults, courses, and recurring demonstrations such as building a charcoal kiln or presenting agricultural machinery.

You can find an event calendar and more information on the Hessenpark website.

From village idyll to big city: The Römer should not be missed on a sightseeing tour through Hessen or Frankfurt. The historic city hall with its stepped gable facade is the landmark of the city. Today, it often appears on television when successful soccer stars celebrate on the balcony. In the past, emperors used to visit here.

If there is no event taking place, you can visit the Römer's gem: the old, magnificent Kaisersaal, which is still a venue for receptions today.

The monastery near Eltville close to Wiesbaden is a highlight for all wine lovers. You might recognize the white building with its arcades as a backdrop from the film 'The Name of the Rose'. Founded in the 12th century, the Cistercian Abbey has a storied history. Today, Eberbach Monastery is known for its fine wines. The well-maintained monastery garden, the wine shop, and the monastery tavern attract both travelers and local wine enthusiasts. The well-preserved complex is surrounded by fields and forests.

Feel free to bring a picnic blanket when you visit the monastery. You might spend a few idyllic hours on a meadow. You can learn more about the abbey's history during a tour. You can taste the wines during a tasting in the monastery's cellar. Additionally, Eberbach Monastery is known for concerts and events - so be sure to check the website to see if an event is happening on your visit day.

A piece of the tropical forest in the middle of Frankfurt: The Palm Garden is one of the largest gardens of its kind in Germany and, together with the Botanical Garden and Grünebergpark, forms one of the most popular green spaces in the city. There, you can discover plant species from around the world, marvel at rare insects, and experience the life cycle of a butterfly.

The centerpiece of the garden is the Palm House, which, in addition to many exotic plants, contains a magnificent ballroom. But the Palm Garden isn't just tropical: It also features a subantarctic landscape and two desert environments. The garden is definitely a perfect oasis for taking a break from the city jungle.

From the Wasserkuppe, you have a spectacular view over the Rhön landscape. It is the highest mountain in the Central Uplands and the highest peak in Hessen. In good weather, you can see as far as the Hoher Meißner, Rothaar Mountains, or Taunus from there.

The Wasserkuppe is mainly known for its large gliding center, home to the world's oldest gliding school. The 950-meter-high mountain is also a great destination for hikers and a popular ski area in winter.

One of the most beautiful parks in Hessen is the Kurpark in Bad Homburg. Built in 1856 to make the area more attractive, the goal of horticultural director Peter Joseph Lenné was to overshadow all other spa gardens. Did he succeed? See for yourself by strolling through the park designed in the English garden style.

Highlights of the park include the Kaiser-Wilhelms-Bad, the Elisabethenbrunnen, and the Thai Salas, two temples that Thailand gave to the German spa town - out of gratitude: A sick Siamese king found recovery during his visit to the traditional spa.

A particularly distinctive destination for hikers are the Eschbacher Cliffs near Usingen-Eschbach in the Taunus Mountains. The twelve-meter-high quartz rock juts angularly out of the otherwise rather gentle, hilly landscape. The rugged rock face forms an amazing contrast to green meadows and forests.

Actually, the rock is much longer - the Eschbacher Cliffs are merely the smaller, visible part of a six-kilometer-long quartz vein stretching from the Usa Valley to the Wormstein in Usingen City Forest. The cliffs are a perfect hiking destination and a nice spot for picnicking. They are also popular for climbing and bouldering.

The nearly 30-kilometer-long Edersee is one of the largest reservoirs in Europe and a dream destination for nature excursions: You can swim, hike, fish, and boat there. The Kellerwald-Edersee Nature Reserve is thus a popular excursion destination for Hessians and their guests. Particularly impressive is the view of the almost 50-meter-tall and 400-meter-long Eder Dam. You can cross the opulent barrier wall on foot.

Other sights include the ruins of Waldeck Castle and Waldeck Castle itself, from which you have a spectacular view over the lake. The aquapark and the wildlife park, on the other hand, are great destinations for families. The Edersee is not just a spectacular backdrop but offers something for all visitors - for hikers, water enthusiasts, and even explorers and adventurers: When the lake's water level is low, you can travel to Edersee-Atlantis and view the ruins of the villages that were displaced over 100 years ago to build the Eder Dam. In the dried-up lake bed, you can embark on an exciting journey into the past.

One of the most spectacular sights is also the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe in Kassel. Why is it so spectacular? Firstly, because the park features the famous water features: The water flows down the mountain to the fountain lake - a spectacle observed by thousands during the season. Secondly, because it houses the Hercules, a 71-meter tall statue and a Kassel landmark. And thirdly, because it features the Wilhelmshöhe Palace, an impressive Baroque palace that perfectly complements the Gesamtkunstwerk 'Bergpark'.

This combination of bubbling entertainment, nature, and exciting architecture makes the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe a unique excursion destination in Hessen. It's unparalleled in Germany, perhaps even Europe. From the Hercules, you also have a great view over Kassel. The water features, consisting of several highlights like the Steinhöfer Waterfall and the Devil's Bridge, are only visible from May 1 to October 3.

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