As a child I was a big fan of fairytales and I remember that the first book I read was a book with fairy stories. I must confess that I was so fascinated by that book that I read it at least ten times.

It is said that no one is too old for fairytales, but the truth is that there is no better time in life for this type of stories than childhood. When I think about fairytales one image pops up in my mind. I’m talking about castles and there are so many of them in the world.

Despite the large number of castles that can be found all over the world only a few of them have something particularly special. On this note, I will talk about four lovely castles that I discovered during my trip to Germany.

1.Lichtenstein Castle (Schloss Lichtenstein) is a Gothic Revival castle built in the 19^th century and owned by the Dukes of Urach. Situated in the Swabian Alps, in Baden-Württemberg area, this neo-Gothic castle is a real architectural delight. Its design is inspired by the novel with the same name written by Wilhelm Hauff.  The name Lichtenstein means light colored stones and even if this castle is not very colored, thanks to its picturesque appearance, it is considered a fairytale castle.

Lichtenstein Castle was used as the location for one version of the movie “Sleeping Beauty” in 2009. The fact that it is situated on a cliff will offer you the chance to admire wonderful panoramic views over the Echaz Valley and the Swabian Alps. You should know that special guided tours are available in case you want to admire its lovely interior and also a large collection of weapons and armors.

2.Sigmaringen Castle (Schloss Sigmaringen ) was the seat of government for the princes of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen. The Hohenzollerns were considered one of the most important dynasties in Europe. Sigmaringen Castle is also situated in the Swabian Alps, in the beautiful Baden-Württemberg area. Located on top of a cliff above the Danube, this castle seems to guard the entire picturesque town of Sigmaringen.

It is actually the largest castle in the Danube Valley. Its exterior seems to be cut out of a fairytale with its interesting design embellished with a lot of towers and turrets. The sumptuous interior of the castle can only be visited in the presence of a guide. Come to think of it, this is a very good idea because only a guide could offer you interesting details about the history of the place, the antique furniture, chandeliers, Flemish tapestries and about the paintings and the beautiful exhibitions that are displayed inside the castle.

3.Neuschwanstein Castle (Schloss Neuschwanstein) or” the castle of the fairytale king” is a Romanesque Revival castle built in the 19^th century. Situated above the village of Hohenschwangau, in the region of Bavaria, this castle is one of the most popular of all the castles and palaces in Europe. Neuschwanstein Castle rises majestically in an idyllic setting, in the middle of some extremely beautiful mountain landscapes.

The castle is surrounded by a charming garden which seems to highlight even more that fairytale scenery. This imposing and magnificent castle was used as a setting for many movies and it also inspired the design of the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland Park.  Its name means” New Swan Stone” and it was built in the honor of King Ludwig II. You should know that the interior of this castle can be visited only as part of a guided tour.

4.Hohenschwangau Castle (Schloss Hohenschwangau) is a 19^th century castle where King Ludwig II of Bavaria spent his childhood. Situated in the village with the same name, on a small hill, this Gothic building is not as famous as Neuschwanstein Castle, but it is also extremely beautiful.

The name of Hohenschwangau means” the high country of the swan” and it’s not difficult to guess that this bird is the emblem of the castle. King Ludwig’s passion for swans makes this elegant bird a symbol which was used on all his properties. In the beautiful garden of the castle the tourists can admire three beautiful fountains: the swan fountain, the lion fountain and St. Mary’s fountain. The interior of the castle is decorated with scenes from medieval legends and poetry and it can also be visited only in the presence of a guide.

Even if you are not a big fan of medieval buildings, I advise you to visit these four wonderful castles if you ever get to Germany. Believe me when I say that they are definitely worth visiting!

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I am talking about Stuttgart, the sixth largest city in Germany and also the largest city in Baden- Württemberg area. The Stuttgart Region is a powerful industrial center, hosting about 150.000 company headquarters and branches. This famous development and research center is actually the birthplace of tech industry.

Did you know that the motorcycle or the automobile on four wheels were both invented in Stuttgart? This is one of the reasons why Stuttgart is considered an important research center in the world. Leaving aside its industrial reputation, “Stuttgart offers more”, the way the city’s tourism slogan says. Even if my visit in Stuttgart was a short one I have to say that I agree with this slogan.

To my big surprise, beyond all those innovative constructions that can be admired there, Stuttgart unveils a striking simplicity. I am talking about that type of simplicity which has the power to put you in a good mood. I honestly felt overwhelmed by a state of good mood as soon as I entered Schlossplatz, which is the central square in Stuttgart.

This square seems to be cut out of a different story because, unlike the rest of the city, it displays a very simple architecture and an abundance of green spaces. A youthful vibe can be felt throughout the square and everywhere you look you see young people sitting on the grass. Schlossplatz is considered the heart of the city, a place which will give you the chance to relax and have a great time. Once you get there you can either relax or visit some local tourist attractions.

The first place that caught my eye was the imposing Neues Schloss or the New Palace, a magnificent 17^thcentury Baroque residence of the kings of Württemberg. Today the New Palace hosts the Ministries of Financial Affairs and Education and it is also used by the Government to receive important visitors.

In front of the palace you can admire the Jubilee Column (Jubiläumssuäle), which represents the statue of Concordia, the goddess of harmony.

Situated in the same area, a small fountain and the statue of Herzog Christoph von Württemberg complete this beautiful scenery.

Near the New Palace, a little further back you can see the Old Palace, which hosts today the Württemberg State Museum.

If you are a shopping lover, Königsbau Passagen, the oldest shopping center in Stuttgart, will fully satisfy your passion.

Even if you are not a big fan of industrial cities, you have nothing to lose if you give Stuttgart a chance.

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Situated in southern Poland, Auschwitz is the place where more than 1 million and a half innocent people lost their lives. Most of them were Jews, but also people who didn’t share the Nazi ideology. Hitler’s vision was to exterminate all the Jews in the world and this way he planned one of the biggest genocides in history, the Holocaust.

Spread over an area of 71 hectares, Auschwitz was the largest place where Nazi Germany implemented its macabre plan. This isolated place was a real inferno for a huge number of people who died tortured by the Nazis.

What happened there was a real atrocity and it is very difficult to even imagine those people’s torment. A lot of men, women and children died tortured, shot, hanged and gassed over a period of five years (May 1940-January 1945).

Only a few people survived this genocide and they were released by the soviet troops after Nazi Germany lost the World War II. With the exception of Auschwitz-Birkenau, all the other death camps in the area were destroyed. Auschwitz –Birkenau was turned into in a Memorial Museum.

This museum consists of two different sections, Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II and it is important to visit both of them, in case you want to get the full picture of what this death camp really meant.

The things you will see there are indeed very difficult to grasp. The story of this death camp is definitely overwhelming and shocking. It is practically impossible to understand how people were able to commit such atrocities.

I have to confess that I don’t want to ever return to Auschwitz, but that at the same time I don’t regret my visit there. This visit gave me the feeling that I experienced those people’s pain, torment and torture.

Maybe I didn’t leave the museum with a great feeling, but at least now I’m sure I better understand their story.

“Never Forget”, the slogan of Auschwitz is a cry against racism, discrimination, wickedness and cruelty. It is the desperate cry of all those innocent people who wanted to never be forgotten.

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One of these things is a really interesting place which will make you plunge into the world of marine creatures. I am talking about Sea Life, a beautiful aquarium that shelters more than 4500 animals. Divided in 33 different exhibition spaces, the interior of this aquarium is specially designed to imitate the marine environment.

This place gives you the chance to admire a variety of interesting creatures, most of them being considered endangered species. Common or rare and mysterious, all these animals will delight you with their fragility and grace.The complete list is impressive, but I will mention just a few of them: amazing seahorses, stingrays, clownfish, dogfish, turtles, crocodiles, octopuses, sharks, jellyfish, anemone or crabs.

You might not know but Sea Life shelters an impressive collection of sharks: the black tip reef shark, the carpet shark, the zebra bullhead shark, the gray reef shark, the epaulette shark, the striped cat shark, the nurse shark or the Port Jackson shark.

I could go on talking about all these lovely creatures but I think there is no point in telling you more and I should let you take a look at the following pictures:

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.13.14.15.16.17.

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