Trifels Castle — Attraction in Annweiler am Trifels

This castle, situated on a hilltop in the Palatinate Forest, is much more impressive than it may appear in pictures. After a windy drive above the town of Annweiler, the closest parking is at the Barbarossa Restaurant, where they have modern plumbing facilities. (They also have bathrooms at the castle, but I did not visit them.)

There is a short walk up (about one kilometer) up to the castle from the restaurant. When you arrive at the castle, you first approach through a giant archway and are instantly greeted with amazing 360° views of the forest and the surrounding mountains. These impressive views continue throughout the rest of the tour.

Upon entering the castle, a small fee of 3€ per adult allows you to visit the grounds. They did not charge us for our children. At the entrance hut, they also sold postcards and books, mostly in German, but they did have one book in English which only cost us 4€ and contains a page or two about most of the castles and ancient buildings and monuments in the Rhineland-Palatinate. It is a great book and has inspired us for many more day trips in the near future.

Stone rails were built and you are allowed to walk freely from above the giant archway which we passed under to the other side, past the walls of the castle where a metal guardrail keeps you on the sandstone rock formation, where the castle is perched.

Up a steep set of stairs, we are finally permitted into the castle, where there is information about the castle written only in German and models of the castle in various stages of its construction. The second floor contains a grand room with a staircase, a balcony and a candle-lit chandelier, each impressive. Through a doorway, you can see the room where Richard the Lionheart was held prisoner in the castle in 1193 by the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry VI.

The level where the balcony of the great room lies includes a small room with a decorated crown, a scepter, a sword and some other artifacts encased in glass. These are all duplicates, as the originals are likely too valuable to be displayed without ridiculous security measures. The pressed coins might be authentic.

Another floor up contained a smaller great room, with a throne that my kids enjoyed posing upon. It also had a toy crown and a scepter for them to hold, so pictures were obviously encouraged. A half-staircase below this floor contained a small theater with a short documentary about the castle through the ages (only in German) behind a heavy curtain.

A staircase above this floor was the roof of the castle with more panoramic views of Annweiler, some other towns and the surrounding mountains, many of which also contain guard towers or lookouts. We had a Lord of the Rings moment there, as we were remembering the lighting of the towers in the last movie.

A word about eating: the Barbarossa Restaurant at the parking area looked like it was likely an excellent restaurant; We certainly used their facilities before hiking up to the castle. However, it was more expensive than we wanted to spend on food, so we drove into Annweiler, where parking was free for up to two hours with the blue parking wheel. There, we found a döner shop that was excellent.

Sadly, it is not listed on Google, so I would like to review it here: The language barrier was huge because they spoke very little English; however, I attribute language difficulties in Europe to my own inability to learn the language. Nonetheless, they were very nice and got our order 100% correct. My whole family (seven total) ate for only 30€ plus drinks!! (Seriously, that's cheaper than McDonald's!!) Besides döners, they also had pizza and other Italian foods. I had a yufka döner and they made the wrap from scratch while we waited!! Some in my family had pizza and it was easily large enough for two children, also made from scratch while we waited. We watched them rolling and tossing the...

Came here today for a "quick stop" after visiting the Historische Walddusche with my three kids ages 6,4 , and 2 years. I had seen signs on the way there and recognized the name from my "lower priority" list of things to see while here in Germany, and figured we'd check it out since we were in the area. I wish I had known was a great castle this was, otherwise I would have left much more than the 1 hour we had before it closed at 6pm on this August weekday afternoon. We parked at the dedicated parking lot near Barbarossa and a food kiosk (which was closing when we got there at 4:30); there was also a "playground" along the "steep" path to the castle, which consisted of a single slide). I put my youngest in a baby carrier and had the older two walk. The man running the kiosk suggested I take the longer but less steep route behind the barricade for cars, which I did. This walk took about 15 minutes walking at a decent pace (once I put the 4 year old on my shoulders) and was a little over 1km. We ended up taking the "steeper" path on the way back, which was about 800 km and honestly didn't seem that steep; I'd likely choose to do that for the ascent if we were do to it again. Both were gravel paths clear of any roots or large rocks and would likely be possible for a heavy duty stroller, if you don't mind pushing one uphill. The path is largely shaded, thankfully, and has a couple of benches along the way as well as a viewpoint with a telescope to pay to use.

The castle itself is the perfect balance between ruin and restoration. You can tell which parts are restored, which is always nice. The exterior is BEAUTIFUL in terms of magnificence of the structure and the 360* amazing views from many places (top of the castle, top of a tower, front of the castle atop the rock formation, etc). The interior is perfectly understated - the restored walls and accents and minimal decor and furnishings do a great job of allowing you the opportunity to enjoy its splendor without being distracted by reproduction furniture and art. There is a beautiful display of reproduced items such as a crown and sword and scepter. There are SO MANY STAIRCASES, most of which are redundant (I think there were really only 2-3 end points that they all lead to), all safe and sturdy and well lit with googd handles. The tops of the towers and all viewpoints had solid high walls that my kids couldn't climb over or fall through. There was a room with an educational (I assume, as it was in German) video to watch about the castle with ample seating. There were free bathrooms on the exterior at the base of the castle, as well as a few picnic tables. The castle kasse had souvenir coins but NO FOOD OR DRINKS OR ICE CREAM. It was inexpensive (kids were free, I was 4.50 euro).

Overall, this is a BEAUTIFUL well balanced (between ruin and restoration) castle that is somewhat easily accessed (with at least 10 minutes of walking uphill on a gravel path) from a dedicated parking lot, which itself has two food and drink options. I wish I had left more than an hour to explore, though we did manage to see the whole thing in about 45 minutes walking as fast as I could corral the kids. Bring good shoes and cash, and food if you don't plan on eating at the parking lot...

A beautifully preserved medieval castle nestled in the Palatinate Forest, offering stunning panoramic views and a strong sense of historical significance.

Best known for once holding Richard the Lionheart as a prisoner, the site carries a rich past that’s well-presented through exhibits and reconstructed elements that give visitors a glimpse into its imperial legacy.

It’s a bit of a hike to reach the castle from the parking area, so wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for a moderately steep but scenic walk through the forest. Once at the top, you’re rewarded with breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape, especially on clear days.

Inside, you’ll find displays of imperial regalia replicas and information about the castle’s history. It’s not a large site, but it’s well worth the visit for history lovers and nature enthusiasts alike.

Be sure to check the seasonal opening hours as they vary, and keep in mind that much of the experience involves walking stairs and uneven terrain, so it may not be ideal for those with mobility concerns. Also, there’s no café at the castle itself, but you can find several local eateries in nearby Annweiler and a vending machine at the castle itself.

Souvenirs available at the vending machine, or at the shop near the parking with post cards, magnets, and more.

Parking in the castle base is about 2 euros, and you must display the ticket on your car’s dashboard.

A visit to Burg Trifels pairs well with a longer day trip exploring the region’s hiking trails or other nearby...