Perched on a rocky outcrop above the Zwickauer Mulde river, Stein Castle is one of Saxony's most picturesque fortresses — a place where a 13th-century Romanesque keep meets Renaissance and Baroque additions, and every stone seems to whisper tales of knights, robber barons and a legendary princely kidnapping.

The castle is striking even from a distance: a round tower rising nearly 50 metres above the river, the whole complex wrapped in steep cliffs and the remains of old moats. In summer the green valley of the Mulde contrasts beautifully with the grey stone walls, in autumn the surrounding forests blaze with colour, and in winter mist rising from the river gives the castle a fairy-tale atmosphere. It's a wonderful spot for a relaxed walk combined with a dive into the history of the Ore Mountains region.

How to get there

• Hartenstein town centre — 500 metres away, about 10-15 minutes on foot, easy walk
• Hartenstein railway station — short walk along the river, easy route

Practical information

• The Oberburg (upper castle) houses the castle and local history museum, run by the town of Hartenstein
• The keep (Bergfried) itself is not open to visitors
• The Unterburg (lower castle) is privately used — its festival hall and Gothic tower vault can be hired for concerts and weddings
• The museum displays the former Schönburg family weapons collection and a life-size figure of court jester Streitenberger

It was near here, in the nearby Prince's Cave, that kidnapped Prince Ernst was hidden during the famous 1455 'Saxon Princes' Kidnapping' — a story that still captures visitors' imagination today.