Germany - Country of castles and palaces

Having first been mentioned in the 12th century, Anholt Moated Castle is one of the few privately owned castles in North Rhine-Westphalia. It has evolved to become one of the region's largest museums.

The Hermitage in Bayreuth is an impressive combination of gardens and various buildings dating back to the 18th century, including the Old and New Palace and Monplaisir House.

Bremen Bürgerpark is a prime example of how nature can be brought to life in an urban setting. This large yet small slice of paradise covering 202 hectares is one of Germany's most stunning landscape gardens.

Bückeburg Palace in Lower Saxony is still the ancestral seat of the Princes of Schaumburg-Lippe, sparkling as one of the most stunning gems within the Schaumburg Land region.

For more than a thousand years, the castle has been watching over the surrounding area as a prime example of a Gothic fortification. This is quite possibly the most phenomenal castle of its kind in the whole of Germany and certainly an important page in the Bavarian history book.