- Historic hilltop castle: Dating back nearly 1,000 years, overlooking the village of Elgersburg.
- Charming rooms: Cosy standard and deluxe options blending medieval character with modern comfort.
- Authentic dining: Traditional German cuisine served in a grand hall, plus house-brewed Elgersburger Beer.
- Guided castle tours: Learn the rich history dating back to the 12th century.
- Scenic location: At the edge of the Thuringian Forest, with Goethe connections and Weimar nearby.
- Most Notable Former Guest: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
- Check dates & prices here.
Near Weimar and Leipzig, Germany is the beautifully atmospheric Elgersburg Castle.
It has a history going back to at least the 12th century, is one of Thuringia’s best-preserved castles, and now happily serves as a luxury castle hotel.
It has a lovely hilltop position, towering over the pretty village of the same name, at the edge of the fabled Thuringian Forest (Thüringer Wald in German).
The Rooms:
You can choose between standard and deluxe singles and doubles, with the deluxe being worth the extra premium, we feel, for their extra space and more lavish decor.
All of the rooms, in line with the rest of this roughly 1,000-year-old castle, display plenty of old-world charm.
They feel cosy and warm, and with modern facilities, TV and their digital hotel guides, for example, kept relatively unintrusive.
Prices:
Check out all the price details on the booking page here.
Facilities & Things to Do:
Though the hotel feels intimate there is much common space to be explored, allowing one to soak up some of the medieval atmosphere.
With its strategic hilltop location a stroll around the castle grounds offers some marvelous views over the pretty little village of Elgersburg, and the surrounding Forest of Thuringia.
There is a very fine restaurant at Schlosshotel Elgersburg which serves up excellent food, mainly inspired by traditional German recipes, in a suitably lovely old dining hall.
They brew their own Elgersburger Beer here too which you can sample alongside a wide range of other drinks at the restaurant or at the friendly hotel bar, and brewery tours are also available.
As mentioned previously the castle has a long history; it was first mentioned in official deeds in 1139 with the original structure believed to have been built in the tenth century. A great first introduction would be to join one of their daily guided castle tours.
Location:
Schlosshotel Elgersburg sits on a hill above the scenic village of the same name, Elgersburg, and at the edge of the wilds of the Thuringian Forest/Thüringer Wald.
Von Goethe has strong connections with Elgersburg, both the village and the castle, having stayed there on occasion. He will though always be more associated with the very historic and cultured town of Weimar which is just over a half an hour’s drive to the northeast.
Beyond Weimar, the city of Leipzig is around an hour and a half by car, with train connections to both via Erfurt also available. Frankfurt can be reached in about two and a half hours by car.
Some Guest Reviews:
“Absolutely lovely! The views were gorgeous and the castle hotel was just as lovely. The staff was the friendliest I had encountered in my two weeks in Germany. The restaurant food was also incredible…..”
“Fairytale night at the castle with a great breakfast! Lovingly designed interiors with historical flair, without having to miss comfort. Rich breakfast buffet in great rooms with a spectacular view. Very nice reception; Location great, just a few minutes from the motorway, but very quiet, nice starting point for hikes in the Rennsteig area….”
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