Sanssouci Palace, Potsdam - UNESCO World Heritage

Sanssouci Palace from Potsdam is the former summer residence of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. The Sanssouci Palace was designed by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747 following the King's ideas and sketches and had the primary role of fulfilling Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the Berlin court. The French phrase, sans souci, translates loosely as "without worries" or "carefree" symbolising that the palace was a place for relaxation rather than a seat of power. The Sanssouci Palace is relatively small, more likely a villa that a palace like Versailles with which it is oftenly compared. The Potsdam Palace has 12 glamorous rooms including a concert hall and it is located on top of a terraced vineyard, beautifully decorated in rococo style. There are numerous temples and follies in the park like the Orangery, the Charlottenhof Castle, the Tea House and the Roman Baths. Paintings by Watteau, Panini and Pesne are on exhibit in the picture gallery. The Sanssouci Palace from Potsdam is listed by UNESCO between the World Heritage Monuments. It´s a pitty they don´t allow you to take pictures of the rooms, as they are truly breathtaking. The complex is rather large so you need a full day to explore it. Take your time and enjoy it and pray for a sunny day!

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Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century Bavarian castle on a rugged hill near Hohenschwangau and Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. Neuschwanstein Castle was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as a homage to the composer Richard Wagner, the King's friend and inspiring muse. Ludwig did not allow visitors to his castles, but after his death in 1886 the Neuschwanstein Castle was opened to the public (in part due to the need to pay off the debts Ludwig incurred financing its construction). Neuschwanstein Castle is the most photographed building in Germany and is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. Unfortunately public photography of the interior is not permitted. Thou there aren´t many rooms opened to the public, mainly because the castle was left unfinished, the ones that you can visit are huge ball rooms extremly rich in details. Neuschwanstein Castle appeared in several movies and was the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle at both Disneyland Park and Hong Kong Disneyland.

Beautiful painted German houses at the bottom of the hill from where you can get to the Neuschwanstein Castle by foot, by bus or by a traditional horse carriage.

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Heidelberg

Heidelberg is a jewel among German travel destinations. Heidelberg is located in the Neckar river valley right where the dark Odenwald (Forest of Odes) opens up towards the plains of the Rhine Valley. Heidelberg is home to the oldest university in Germany (est. 1386). During WWII, Heidelberg was almost completely spared by allied bombings which destroyed most of Germany's larger inner cities. As a result, Heidelberg has retained its baroque charm of narrow streets, picturesque houses and of course the world-famous Heidelberg Schloss (castle).

Heidelberg Castle

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