From Rapunzel's tower to Cinderella's lost shoe and the castle where Sleeping Beauty slept for a hundred years, this is the fascinating German Fairy Tale Route.

Once upon a time, there were two German brothers who were the greatest storytellers of all time: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, the inventors of the famous phrase Once upon a time in English, Es war einmal in the original German, or Once upon a time in Spain.

Born in Hanau, Germany , in 1785 and 1786, respectively, the Grimm brothers gave life to or reinterpreted Cinderella, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, and Little Red Riding Hood , among many other characters that we all know and that were created more than two centuries ago.

But Rapunzel's tower or the castle where Sleeping Beauty slept for 100 years are places that not only exist in fiction, but are part of real destinations along the German Fairy Tale Route , which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary .

Why? Because since 1975, this tourist itinerary has invited people from all over the world to follow in the footsteps of the talented brothers and their fantasy heroes and, at the same time, to discover various facets of German culture and history, including some UNESCO World Heritage sites.

This is where the Grimms spent most of their lives , coinciding with their most fruitful years.

In 1812 and 1815 they published for the first time two volumes with more than 200 stories, and they have been translated into almost all languages .

In turn, Jacob and Wilhelm's personal copies were distinguished as Documentary Heritage of Humanity.

This route in Germany is 600 kilometers long, from Hanau to Bremen, and connects some 70 towns and cities.

To begin with, the places where Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were born, studied, and worked are highlighted, as well as several villages with half-timbered buildings, landscapes, and palaces.

Although the German Fairy Tale Route was created 50 years ago as a typical family holiday route by car , it has recently also been possible to travel on e-bikes or electric bicycles .

Below, eight stops to explore it, discovering mysterious castles, enchanted forests, and dreamy villages where the magic of stories comes alive.

It all began in Hanau , in the state of Hesse, where the Brothers Grimm were born just a year apart. A bronze monument to these most famous German storytellers honors their lives and work, marking the beginning of the Fairy Tale Trail .

Not far away is Philippsruhe Castle with the interactive museum “GrimmsMärchenReich” and the palace garden, which includes a sculpture park.

Every year between May and July, Hanau becomes the perfect setting for the Brothers Grimm Festival in the palace amphitheater, and it is one of the most popular open-air celebrations in the country.

While the Paper Theatre Museum has become a "museum within a museum," the right wing of the castle reveals a world of brave princes and princesses, cunning witches, and dangerous giants across more than 340 square meters. The café and, during the summer, the spacious terrace overlooking the River Main are enjoyable spaces during the visit.

This small town of 10,000 inhabitants earned the official title of “Brothers Grimm Town” because the talented duo spent part of their childhood there: the Brothers Grimm House Museum traces their life, work, and influence.

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were 6 and 5 years old when they moved to Steinau an der Strasse with their family in 1791, following the transfer of their father, Philipp Wilhelm Grimm, to the post of Landgrave Bailiff. They lived there until 1796, and the old building is now a splendid timber-framed structure in a picturesque courtyard.

Steinau still vibrates with the magic of fairy tales at the "Die Holzköppe" Marionette Theater , one of Germany's oldest puppet companies. An undisputed must-see on this tour, it offers performances that revive classic tales through carved wooden puppets, maintaining a deep connection with oral tradition and the legacy of the Grimms.

Facing the Town Hall and surrounded by historic buildings, the Fairy Tale Fountain is located on the Market Square (Marktplatz “Am Kumpen”), near St. Catherine's Church and the castle. It was built in 1985, to commemorate the bicentennial of Jacob Grimm's birth, and commissioned by the Steinau an der Strasse City Council.

Another worthwhile visit is Steinau Castle , the former country residence of the Counts of Hanau, built between 1525 and 1560.

The building forms an irregular pentagon with four wings and pavilions (originally there were five), and two gatehouses to the north and south. The fifth wing was destroyed during the Croatian invasion in 1634 and later demolished, but its walls are still visible.

A valuable exhibition of the Brothers Grimm is on display in the museum's halls.

You can also climb the 41-meter-high castle tower and enjoy views of Steinau and the Kinzig Valley.

With its perfectly preserved half-timbered houses, Alsfeld looks like something out of a fairy tale.

Located on the trade route from Frankfurt to Leipzig, today its charms lie in architectural gems such as the 16th-century Town Hall , which attracts all eyes and is one of the most photographed corners of the city.

Nearby, the Alsfeld Fairy Tale House invites you to immerse yourself in the world of the Brothers Grimm with creative and evocative offerings. Meanwhile, on the upper floor, there's an exhibition featuring hundreds of dolls and more than 80 dollhouses from over two centuries.

Fun fact: Alsfeld is billed as the gateway to “Little Red Riding Hood Country,” a region of dense forests where you can see several Little Red Riding Hoods, dressed in traditional Schwalm costumes, including the characteristic red cap.

Along the banks of the Lahn River, the Grimm Trail runs for 2.5 kilometers through Marburg 's Old Town, inviting you to walk while rediscovering the Brothers Grimm's most famous fairy tales. They studied here.

The route combines exercise with imagination: through 15 stations, 282 steps, and a 109-meter drop that traverses cobbled streets, visitors admire and photograph the wooden-beamed houses and the viewing points near the Landgrave's Castle.

The scenes that decorate the route were created by the artist Pasquale Ippolito: they are striking figures inspired by characters such as Hansel and Gretel, the Frog King or The Wolf and the Seven Goats .

Along the Grimm Trail you can see Snow White's evil queen's mirror, Cinderella's lost slipper, and even Little Red Riding Hood's basket.

Those who dare to climb the castle will be rewarded with a unique panoramic view of the Marburg an der Lahn landscape.

And if you're still feeling adventurous, just a few kilometers away are the ruins of Mellnau Castle—almost 800 years old—and the postcard views from Frauenberg Hill.

For almost 30 years, the Grimm Brothers made Kassel their home. It was there that they compiled a large part of their famous Children's and Household Tales, which would become the most widely read German-language work in the world.

The original manuscripts are on display in the museum called “World of Grimm” , opened in 2015.

In the heart of Germany, Kassel has the imposing Hercules Monument , the ornamental waterscapes and the ruins of Löwenburg Castle.

Art lovers will find one of the most important Rembrandt collections at Wilhelmshöhe Castle.

A tip for travelers: don't miss the Frau-Holle-Land Geo-Nature Park, which offers hiking trails, more than 200 geotopes, fortresses, castles, and picturesque fairytale cottage villages.

Georg August University enjoys a prestigious reputation, supported by more than 40 Nobel Prize winners, numerous prominent inventors, and the Brothers Grimm, who worked there as librarians and teachers between 1829 and 1837.

A commemorative plaque at 6 Goetheallee and the historic library of the Paulinerkirche church keep the memory of his time in the city alive.

However, the icon of Göttingen is the Gänseliesel Fountain (a young peasant girl tending geese), in front of the Old Town Hall.

Two must-sees. First, to the north is Sababurg Castle, known as Sleeping Beauty Castle . The gardens can be visited, but the interior is under renovation.

And on a rock, in the Diemel Valley, stands the Trendelburg Castle and the emblematic Rapunzel Tower .

Rapunzel's Tower is open to the public and is the main attraction. It operates as a castle hotel: you can sleep there, eat in its restaurant, and tour parts of the building.

There are also guided tours and themed events, such as reenactments of the story with actors during the high season.

Nestled in the Weserbergland hills, Hamelin is the setting for the legend of the “Pied Piper of Hamelin.”

From May to September, every Sunday the streets are transformed into an open-air theater, where some 80 actors relive the magical story that has fascinated generations, accompanied by the musical "Rats."

Walking through the old town, with its narrow cobbled streets and Weser Renaissance buildings, is like entering a landscape that blends history and fantasy.

And of course, the Casa del Pied Piper stands out, built in 1602, a silent witness to a thousand stories.

For the more adventurous, Bodenwerder—the birthplace of Baron von Lies von Münchhausen—offers the perfect starting point for hikes and cycling tours through the Weserbergland hills.

Almost at the end of the Fairytale Route is the beautiful Bremen , a Hanseatic city with more than 1,200 years of history and the soul of a fairy tale.

Facing the west wing of the Town Hall - declared a World Heritage Site -, there is a bronze sculpture that immortalizes the beloved Bremen Town Musicians: the donkey, the dog, the cat and the rooster .

Next door, in the cathedral courtyard, the story of these mythical creatures is told once a week, free of charge.

Along with the imposing statue of Roland , the bronze animals are the most photographed by tourists.

And in the old Schnoor district, there is a chapter dedicated to them in the Bremen Fairytale House .