This post was produced in partnership with Travel Mindset and Germany Tourism.
Every little girl has the princess that she identifies with more than any other. Mine was Rapunzel. I remember my childhood book of Rapunzel (I wonder if my mom still has it?) was beat-up and bruised from so many readings and flipping of pages but treasured all the same. My mom made me this long yarn wig for Halloween one year, and it’s still to this day one of the costumes I remember most vividly. Even when the Mandy Moore Disney version of Rapunzel came out, I was so excited to see it even though I didn’t have a child at the time.
Fast forward to now, and my three year old loves Rapunzel just as much as I did as a kid. We play dress up almost daily, with crowns and costumes. She has the Rapunzel doll that is definitely her most treasured, as it is still almost perfectly put together, unlike the others that are missing shoes and their hair is all distressed.
So you can imagine our excitement when we discovered that Rapunzel’s Tower was on our itinerary for our road trip along the Fairytale Route, one of 150 scenic routes, through Germany. And we weren’t just going to stop there for a short visit, oh no, we were going to spend the night right next door and live out our own princess fantasy. It was almost too much to process.
First of all, I should mention that Augustine wholeheartedly believes that all of Disney’s princesses, the ones that are based off the Brothers Grimm’s stories, are real and live somewhere out in the world. She’s traveled a lot and even when we visited Canada in the winter, she felt like Anna and Elsa could be near. It’s all very cute.
As we were packing, she wanted to bring her full Rapunzel costume, complete with hair, gloves, crown, princess shoes and dress. This required another checked bag on the plane but once it was decided that we were bringing costumes, the whole family got really into it. Bob bought and packed a Prince Charming costume (that came in handy as Augustine snuck her Cinderella costume in, too, so we had multiple days of dressing up as we explored the Fairytale Route). I packed a long, pretty dress and a big flower crown, and at 48 pounds of just costumes, we were ready to embark on our transatlantic flight to Germany.
We arrived at Hotel Trendelburg just in time to watch a Rapunzel let down her golden hair from the tower. The late afternoon mist had come in around the castle and added a special bit of magic to the already exciting experience. After the performance, we walked over a drawbridge (are you kidding me?! Pitch me!) and through a small stone-covered archway to the courtyard of Hotel Trendelburg. The front is covered in ivy, with the windows peeking out just enough. There is a giant tree that provides coverage from the sun and creates little dots of light all over the cobblestone walkway. The light dances almost as if there is a disco ball hanging from the big tree.
We saw the entrance to the tower but checked into the hotel first to get our bearings and see what was on the agenda.
We were given a heavy brass key, circle in shape, with a carved out Rapunzel, wrapped up in her hair. We brought our bags up to the 2nd floor and opened the door to room 9. The room was huge, with a four-poster wood bed, enclosed by delicate drapes and a blanket in the shape of a heart covering the bed. Rose petals finished off the romantic feeling, and we were all in awe.
Augustine rushed over to the rose petals, picking them all up and saying she wanted to keep them forever (we still have them in a bag in her room).
It wasn’t quite time for dinner, so Augustine decided she wanted to change into her first princess costume and walk up inside the tower. The tower has tiny steps in a spiral staircase up the top and there are figurines throughout. The witch cut-out kind of scared Augustine, so she held onto our hands as we walked the rest of the way up to the top. She 100% felt like she was in Rapunzel’s tower and was waiting for her prince, so it was good that Bob dressed up and could play the part.
As a grown woman, you might be thinking that it was just a fun stay for my daughter, but I was completely enamored, as well. It felt as if we were floating in a storybook, and I didn’t want to flip the last page.
Dinner was inside Hotel Trendelburg with white tableclothes and lots of fancy silver. They made it very kid-friendly though, with a special straw for Augustine’s water. The restaurant is lined with windows on the far side, and while you’re enjoying dinner, you have the most amazing view of the mountains afar and valley below. As Bob and I sipped a glass of Champagne, Augustine played in this little play area with a Lego castle. The dinner was somehow perfectly romantic and relaxed for the adults and still magical and fun for kids.
We returned to our room, exhausted from the day’s excitement and fun, and before too long, just as a storybook would tell you, the princess and prince were fast asleep. This stop on the Fairytale Route was just as special as you can imagine- it was romantic, fun, magical, and inspiring all at once. For this Rapunzel-loving girl, it was a dream come true.
Know before you go:
- Definitely bring costumes. We were all completely dressed up, and it was so much fun.
- Rapunzel arrives and lets down her hair on special days each week, before you book, inquire about which days that will happen as it was truly a special moment and you don’t want to miss it.
- The hotel does offer spa services, and I’d book before you arrive to get your preferred time.
- We spent most of our time on the hotel’s grounds and playing around the tower, but the village was super cute and we were told there was great hiking in the area. If you have extra time and enjoy hiking, make sure to ask the hotel about the trails.
- When planning your trip to Rapunzel’s tower and staying in the castle, plot out the rest of your Fairytale Route road trip using our 5-day guide.
- From Hamelin to Marburg there are so many beautiful stops on the Fairytale Route – learn about the Pied Piper, The Princess and the Frog, Snow White and so many more. Bremen shouldn’t be missed either and it’s only a short drive from Hamburg,
