15 Most Beautiful Vantage Points in Germany
Just clear your head and get the right overview, that’s possible at one of the most beautiful vantage points in Germany.
In the treetops on a treetop path or high up in the mountains on the Zugspitze you can enjoy wonderful views over the most beautiful regions of Germany.
We will show you the best viewpoints in Germany and tell you which travel destinations you should definitely visit when on holiday in Germany.
AlpspiX viewing platform at the Zugspitze
The AlpspiX viewing platform protrudes almost 13 meters in an X-shape over the rock on the Osterfelderkopf and is located in the Zugspitze region on the Alpspitze. The Zugspitze itself is only a few kilometers away from the viewing platform.
From the steel platform you have a fantastic view of the approximately 1100 meter deep Höllental.
You can reach the AlpspiX viewing platform at an altitude of around 2000 meters thanks to the cable cars and without having to undertake a strenuous hike.bOnce at the top, the area is also ideal for a short hike.
The special highlight of the platform:
Part of the floor is transparent and therefore only suitable for people with a good head for heights.
The vantage point is open all year round and is therefore an excellent destination for a short break.
The next highlight is waiting for you at the foot of the cable car. There you will find the Eibsee at around 1000 meters above sea level.
In this beautiful German bathing lake you can take a bath in front of a breathtaking alpine panorama or explore the lake with a rowing boat. It is one of the most beautiful lakes in Germany.
Gasometer in Berlin
Next on our list of the most beautiful vantage points in Germany is the Gasometer in Berlin. A tour of the Berlin gasometer in the Schöneberg district takes you to dizzy heights.
As part of a guided tour, you can enjoy a great all-round view of Berlin from a height of 78 meters.
The tour guide will also provide you with exciting information about the gasometer and the various views from the steel colossus.
Before you can enjoy the view, however, you have to climb around 420 steps.
The gasometer was in operation from 1913 to 1995 and served, among other things, as a low-pressure gas holder.
After completion, it was one of the three largest gas holders in all of Europe.
Insider tip: Other great vantage points in Berlin are the famous Berlin TV Tower and the former listening station on Teufelsberg.
Königsstuhl on Rügen
Almost everyone knows this romantic place in Germany: the Königsstuhl vantage point on the chalk cliff coast of Rügen.
From here you have a unique view over the coast of the island of Rügen with its picturesque chalk cliffs and the Baltic Sea.
The Königsstuhl vantage point is around 118 meters above sea level and is visited by around 300,000 tourists and locals every year.
Since the porous chalk cliffs cannot withstand the masses of visitors in the long term, plans were presented in March 2018 to build a new visitor platform on the Königsstuhl.
This should be anchored in the solid ground behind the chalk cliffs and protrude over the edge of the cliffs and almost float freely over the rocks.
So we can look forward to an even better view from the Königsstuhl in the foreseeable future.
Hohentwiel fortress ruins near Singen
The Hohentwiel fortress ruins rise majestically above the town of Singen near Lake Constance.
The fortress stands on the Hohenzwiel volcano and was first mentioned in 915. After the Thirty Years’ War, the castle was used as a prison and finally razed in 1801 during the Second Coalition War. This means that Hohentwiel Fortress was demolished or dismantled as the property of the losing party.
It quickly developed into a popular tourist attraction. Today you can visit the Hohentwiel fortress ruins daily on your own or take part in a guided tour.
Around 100,000 visitors come to the old fortress every year, not only because of the exciting history of the castle, but also because of the great view over Lake Constance and the spectacular Alpine panorama, which you can experience from up there when the weather is nice.
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Philosopher’s Walk in Heidelberg
Where Heidelberg students once sought undisturbed togetherness and certainly thought more or less intensively about their studies, today you have the opportunity to experience a beautiful view of Heidelberg’s most popular sight, Heidelberg Castle, the old town, the Neckar and the surrounding region.
The Philosophenweg leads from the northern bank of the Neckar at the Old Bridge over the quite steep Schlangenweg to the gardens and the vantage point on the Philosophenweg.
Thanks to the good climatic conditions, you end up here in one of the warmest places in Germany.
While all the flowers are still closed in the valley, many plants on the mountain have often woken up from their hibernation. Exotic plants such as lemon, pomegranate, palm, American cypress and Portuguese church grow here.
Overall, the Philosophenweg is around two kilometers long and, thanks to the many seating options, is also suitable for those of you who can no longer walk long distances in one go.
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Monument to the Battle of the Nations in Leipzig
At 91 meters high, it is one of the tallest monuments in all of Europe:
the Leipzig Monument to the Battle of the Nations. Even from below, it impresses with its size and the imposing stairs that are located in front of the monument.
If you want to save yourself the entrance fee, you already have a beautiful view over the city from the outside stairs.
If that’s not enough for you, you should definitely make your way to the upper viewing platform.
You can reach it via an elevator and a narrow spiral staircase.
From the upper vantage point you have a magnificent view over the city of Leipzig and the surrounding region with its many beautiful lakes.
The Monument to the Battle of the Nations was built between 1898 and 1913 and was inaugurated on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig.
Insider tip:
Visit the Monument to the Battle of the Nations at sunset. From the outside stairs and the vantage point on the monument you can enjoy a romantic panorama.
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Rossel castle ruins near Rüdesheim am Rhein
In the middle of the Niederwald landscape park above Rüdesheim am Rhein you will find the ruins of Rossel Castle and even if it looks like a ruin, it is not a natural castle that has been marked by time, but is of artificial origin.
When the park was redesigned in 1774, it was built based on real castle ruins.
In the park you will also find a hunting lodge and the Niederwald monument.
Kaiser Wilhelm II had this built from 1877 to 1883 as a monument to victory over the French.
The Rossel castle ruins offer you as a vantage point in Germany a magnificent view over the Rhine, the Nahe estuary and the Binger Loch.
You can also see the ruins of Ehrenfels Castle and the Bingen Mouse Tower.
So there are many reasons to visit the artificial castle ruins of Rossel.
The ruin is about a 20-minute walk from the Niederwald Monument and a 10-minute walk from the Niederwald hunting lodge.
Just 15 minutes away by car is the Abbey of St. Hildegard, surrounded by vineyards. This beautiful monastery not only impresses with its more than one hundred years of history, but also with delicious wines from its own winery.
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Wilhelmshöhe in Kassel
The next vantage point in Germany that we would like to show you is in the city of Kassel in the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe.
Below the statue of Hercules, the landmark of the city of Kassel, you have an unobstructed view of the city and the entire surroundings over the cascades falling from the mountain towards Wilhelmshöhe Castle.
Although the Hercules actually only refers to the copper statue of the Greek demigod, according to modern usage, the Hercules also includes the underlying octagon, the pyramid and the cascades.
In the Hercules Visitor Center, which opened in 2011, you can find out everything about Hercules and the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe.
This has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013.
Pledges on Lake Constance
For the vantage point on the approximately 1062 meter high Pfänder we leave Germany at least when it comes to the ascent to the vantage point.
The view that you have from Bregenz’s local mountain of Lake Constance covers the German part of Lake Constance for the most part and should therefore not be missing from the list of vantage points.
The Pfänderbahn, a panorama gondola, takes you up in around six minutes. In this time you will overcome about 600 meters in altitude. Not only do you have a great view of Lake Constance, but also of the surrounding Austrian Alps.
Radom Wasserkuppe in the Rhön
Not only do you have a great view of the surrounding Rhön landscape from the Wasserkuppe in Hesse, but you can also enjoy a 360-degree view from the Radom Wasserkuppe vantage point.
The striking radome is the last remaining radar dome from the times of the Cold War, when the Wasserkuppe peak was still used for military purposes.
The vantage point with the unusual exterior is around 920 meters above sea level and offers you a view of up to 100 kilometers away when visibility is good.
Visit the radome on the Wasserkuppe on a hike over the Hochrhöner. This long-distance hiking trail is one of the most beautiful hiking tours in Germany and runs not far from the Radom vantage point.
Insider tip:
In order to better understand the history of the radome and the view it offers, we recommend a guided tour. You can book these online.
Saar loop near Mettlach
It is the symbol of the Saarland and one of the most beautiful vantage points in Germany.
The course of the Saar river forms a picturesque curve in the landscape here, which is known as the Saar loop.
Above the Saar loop is the Cloef vantage point at a height of around 180 meters.
The view is even more spectacular when you look down at the river from the Saarschleife treetop path observation tower.
The observation tower is located directly above the Cloef viewpoint and is a lot higher.
The tower alone already 42 meters.
From the observation tower you can look out over the landscape of the Saar-Hundsrück Nature Park and, in good weather, even as far as the Vosges in eastern France.
I have compiled the most beautiful treetop paths in Germany for you.
Bastei in Saxon Switzerland
With around one million visitors a year, it is one of the most popular viewpoints in Germany:
the Bastei and the Bastei Bridge in Saxon Switzerland.
From the bastion you have a fabulous view of the Elbe valley and the landscape of Saxon Switzerland, the neighboring Lausitzer Bergland and the Eastern Ore Mountains. Today’s Bastei Bridge was built in 1851 and is around 77 meters long.
Since the famous Bastei rock is extremely porous and would not be able to withstand the influx of visitors much longer, the front ten meters of the Bastei rock are currently closed.
By 2019, however, a new construction should be built so that the vantage point can be used again without restrictions.
The Bastei is located on the edge of the Saxon Switzerland National Park, one of the 16 German national parks and, as a hiking and holiday region in Germany, is perfect for an active holiday.
Main Tower
It gets urban at this vantage point, which you can find in the middle of the banking metropolis of Frankfurt am Main.
At a height of around 198 meters on the roof of the Main Tower you will find one of the two viewing platforms. The other is a little lower at around 192 meters.
From here you have a perfect view over the banking district and the unmistakable skyline of Frankfurt.
In addition to the viewing platforms, you will also find a restaurant on the upper floors of the Main Tower, where you can enjoy the view.
The Maintower was opened in 2000 and was impressive at the time with its fully glazed facade. There had never been a high-rise building like this in Europe before.
The Maintower actually consists of two nested high-rise buildings, a square and a round high-rise.
Tenants in the Main Tower include the Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen, other banks and various law firms.
15 Most Beautiful Vantage Points in Germany
- AlpspiX viewing platform at the Zugspitze
- Gasometer in Berlin
- Berlin TV Tower
- The former listening station on Teufelsberg.
- Königsstuhl on Rügen
- Hohentwiel fortress ruins near Singen
- Philosopher’s Walk in Heidelberg
- Monument to the Battle of the Nations in Leipzig
- Rossel castle ruins near Rüdesheim am Rhein
- Wilhelmshöhe in Kassel
- Pledges on Lake Constance
- Radom Wasserkuppe in the Rhön
- Saar loop near Mettlach
- Bastei in Saxon Switzerland
- Main Tower
