Whilst Germany is known for plenty of things, from beer to festivals, from its free education to engineering, one of the most stunning aspects of the country are the plethora of castles you can find scattered across its scenery.
One of the more striking castles can be found in the capital city of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state – Schwerin, a city that might not be the first city on your list to visit, but has many things to offer.
Live – Nistkasten/ Nesting Box – Schwerin/ Germany
To begin, the obvious one is the Schwerin Castle, an absolutely beautiful grand manor that stands on an island located in the town’s main lake. While historically home to the dukes of Mecklenburg, nowadays it houses the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament, making it one of the most stylish in Europe.
Although don’t get fooled by its looks, as while definitely impressive, the castle as it is today is not as old as you might think. Initially a fort as far back as AD 973, but the major parts of the castle have been built between 1845 and 1857.
The masterminds behind the project were a team of renowned historicist architects (Ernst Friedrich Zwirner, Friedrich August Stüler, Gottfried Semper, and Georg Adolf Demmler) and nowadays stands as one of the best works of romantic Historicism and is set to become a heritage site. The castle is more than worth a visit.
The rest of the city has many stunning buildings all over it as well, from the Schwerin Cathedral to Galerie Alte & Neue Meister Schwerin, a museum, the city has a feel to it. While rather quiet, the city is a treat to navigate through as it’s full of small and medium-sized lakes, with the biggest being the home of the Schwerin Castle, combined with great architecture it makes for an aesthetic getaway, full of romantic historicism and color.
Whilst lost in the peaceful and romantic streets of Schwerin, there is no better time to partake in what Germany has to offer. The coffee and tea culture is more than alive and well, with many people traditionally spending their early evenings with a cup of brew and wonderful local pastry, and with such offerings as Topfenstrudel, Bienenstich, and Zwetchenkuchen it’s not hard to see why.
A great addition to such evening activities that are yet to be mentioned is the royal gardens. Found on the castle grounds, the garden is well preserved and maintained, with the orangery looking straight from a fairytale.
But great views to walk past do not stop with the island, as while back on the mainland due to the nature of the town, which is full of bodies of water, almost every corner provides with cinematic and great views, so either on the island or back near the hotel, you are bound to find something striking to look at.
The local climate is not surprising for a European country, with summers staying at a comfortable 17 degrees Celsius (62 degrees Fahrenheit) and winter looking at mild 0-degree temperatures (32 degrees Fahrenheit).
This, unfortunately, means that you are unlikely to see a winter wonderland, but when the city already looks like something from a Disney movie, it’s just as great of a getaway. May it be for one of the most important examples of romantic Historicism or just as a great and calm alternative for a German vacation destination to enjoy most the country can offer, this city is worth a visit.
But if something is still getting in the way to book the next flight over, feel free to take a look by using one of the free webcams you can find on this site!
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