Travel back in time to the Middle Ages – markets, jousting tournaments and castle festivals

This thousand-year-old era with its dramatic castles, crusades and brave knights still exerts a very special fascination on us to this day, and it is still celebrated with a variety of events throughout Germany. Medieval castles, palaces and ruins provide the perfect backdrop for medieval festivals or markets, jousting matches and tournaments.

Cochem: Reichsburg Cochem ©DZT (Francesco Carovillano)

Spectacles all around

All year round, in almost every region in Germany, you can experience a journey back in time to centuries gone by. Immerse yourself in a world full of mysticism and magic during your visit to a medieval festival: a joyful spectacle awaits you. Musicians perform, jugglers and artists show off their body art and fire-eaters impress guests young and old. Camps are set up that are modelled on this time, its customs and traditions. Robes are made of leather and linen, the men wear long hair, beards and hats with feathers – the women adorn themselves with specially-tied headscarves and hoods. Hearty dishes are prepared for sale on fireplaces and honey wine flows from stone jugs. Try sweet Baumstriezel chimney cake, all kinds of campfire bread and a variety of hearty soups.

Medieval stew over the fire ©Adobe Stock (Stephan Böhm)

Medieval music, craftsmanship and sword fighting

Activities for guests are offered almost everywhere, such as archery, basket weaving or bread baking, allowing you to also experience typical crafts of the time. Blacksmiths, for example, show how copper was worked in the Middle Ages; potters craft stone vessels. Traders offer their goods, many of which they have made themselves, at a variety of colourful stalls. In addition to period costumes, you can also purchase wooden art, knight's armour, pottery and medieval jewellery. Get ready for storytellers, swordsmen, knights, throwing games and a variety of musical performances.

Medieval market ©Adobe Stock (Stephan Böhm)

Highlights for fans of the Middle Ages

Depending on how you plan your trip to Germany, you are sure to find a medieval festival nearby that you can enjoy with all your senses: opportunities to smell, watch and discover are everywhere. The Freienfels Knights' Games in Hesse are particularly well-known and attract tens of thousands of visitors every spring. On the historic grounds around the ruins of Freienfels Castle, you can experience great jousting tournaments on horseback, a huge army camp as well as craftsmanship and market activities just like in the Middle Ages. Another legendary event is the Kaltenberg Knights' Tournament in Bavaria, one of the largest medieval festivals in the world: in July, the grounds around Kaltenberg Castle are transformed into an impressive stage for spectacular tournaments, fireworks and musical performances.

If it's an authentic castle setting you're after, you'll find it at Rabenstein Castle in Franconian Swizterland. An atmospheric medieval market with camp life, jugglers, knights and traditional music awaits you there. The large castle festival in Burghausen, which takes place around the longest castle complex in the world, also offers a particularly impressive experience. In northern Germany, the medieval festival in Stade is a must – in the historic old town with its half-timbered houses, the Middle Ages come to life once again with the hustle and bustle of market scenes and street theatre.