Love around Germany

Bridge of 40,000 love locks

Hohenzollern Bridge / Cologne (North-Rhine Westphalia)

The railings of Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne are decorated with 40,000 love locks. In no other place in Germany can you find a clearer illustration of the magic of great love than here. This charming tradition arrived from Italy a few years ago and has already caught on in many German towns and cities. How does it work? Lovers attach a little padlock engraved with their initials and the date they met to the railings of the bridge, close the lock and throw the key into the water. This is said to ensure eternal love. Many thousands of love lock keys now lie on the bed of the Rhine below Cologne's Hohenzollern Bridge – and the number is growing every day. Not far from here is the Tree of Love, the oldest meeting place for romantic couples in the Rhine metropolis.

A fairy-tale castle as the backdrop for a happy event

Neuschwanstein Castle / Near Füssen (Bavaria)

Although it isn't actually possible to get married at Neuschwanstein Castle, this fairy-tale setting has a captivating appeal for lovers. The impressive building perched on a craggy rock in the midst of picturesque mountain scenery makes couples feel like princes and princesses. Neuschwanstein is the perfect place to pledge eternal love to a sweetheart. For the ultimate romantic experience, you can even take a trip in a horse-drawn carriage against the backdrop of the castle. Happy couples seeking to seal their commitment with marriage can do so in style in nearby Füssen. There is then, of course, always the option of a wedding photo shoot in the beautiful setting of Neuschwanstein Castle.

Intimate island experience

Great Brückentinsee / Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania

The ultimate dream destination for lovers simply has to be a romantic island. You don't need to travel to the South Pacific or Australia to find your romantic retreat: Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has the perfect solution. In the middle of the Great Lake Brückentin in the Feldberg Lake District Nature Park, a densely wooded island in the shape of a heart awaits you. Around two hours north of Berlin, romantic couples can find an idyllic natural paradise, covering an area around the size of six football pitches. Do you like the idea of strolling hand in hand under mighty, old beech trees, or perhaps a refreshing dip in crystal-clear water? Those who wish can also hire a rowing boat and make their way around the entire heart – to ensure their love lasts forever.

Milestone for love

Fairy Grottoes / Saalfeld (Thuringia)

Anyone looking to take their love to a new dimension can go underground in Saalfeld – into fairy grottoes, just one hour's drive to the south of Erfurt. In a former slate quarry, you can discover a fascinating underground world with shimmering lakes and curious stalactite formations. Visitors are immersed in a mysterious magic of a kind that lovers are particularly susceptible to. Any happy couple strolling hand in hand through this fairy-tale world will surely be keeping an eye out for a good fairy ready to grant the wish of eternal love with a wave of its magic wand.

Rocking to happiness

Liebesweg Love Trail / Poppenhausen (Hessen)

Love moves in mysterious ways, so they say. But the Liebesweg Love Trail in Poppenhausen guides you along the way. Covering a distance of just three kilometres, this panoramic trail on the local Wasserkuppe and Pferdskopf mountains is dotted with romantic stops at different love stations. A bench with two wooden hearts is a perfect place for a romantic break, while a double swing invites lovers to rock their way to happiness. Adoring couples can learn how to say "I love you" in a hundred languages and then formulate sweet nothings which, thanks to two parabolic dishes, can be carried to their beloved up to a distance of 40 metres. By the end of this trail, couples are bound to be head over heels in love and can then seal their commitment with marriage at the final station in the wedding pavilion.

Museum of feelings

Liebes Leben Museum (Love Life Museum) / Soest (North Rhine-Westphalia)

"Did the stork bring you?", is the somewhat blunt question posed to visitors at the Liebes Leben Museum in Soest. But let's be quite clear. This museum isn't one of the many erotic showcases that can be found all over the world in astonishing numbers. The main focus is on the greatly extolled feeling of love that brings joy to many and suffering to some. The spectrum is wide. "Do looks matter when it comes to attraction?" or "Is love all about scents?" are among the questions considered by experts in matters of the heart. Anyone seeking to get to know that special woman or man that bit better can find answers to their questions here.

Romantic breaks

Liebesbankweg (Love Bench Trail) / Hahnenklee-Bockswiese (Lower Saxony)

In the romantically beautiful natural setting of the Harz area, love wears hiking shoes. The seven kilometre Liebesbankweg trail signposted with two hearts invites couples to enjoy a romantic break on the many love benches along the way. Couples, whether newly in love or seeking to celebrate the many hours of their relationship, can find the perfect bench here to express their feelings. There's a bench for newlyweds and a bench for couples who have celebrated their Diamond Wedding. All of the love benches are located in romantic spots with views over floral mountain meadows and crystal-clear lakes. And there are plenty of attractions to keep love alive on the stroll between the creatively designed love benches. There's the Spring of Love, the Ge(h)-Dicht-Steine poetry stone and the Harz gondola for a trip to happiness.