Although they’re not nearly the most famous castles in Germany, the style of the buildings and, more importantly, the interior designs were to influence the creation of other princely courts for more than a century. They are extremely significant in terms of architecture and design of the 18th century and are worth visiting for anyone interested in those topics.

Both castles are close to each other and just short walks from the train station at Brühl. It is an easy trip from nearby Cologne and could be done quickly in an afternoon or morning – or as a more leisurely day trip.

It is definitely worth seeing both castles and spending a bit of time in the surrounding gardens as well. Augustusburg Castle can only be seen as part of guided tour but Falkenlust Castle is open for you to explore at your own pace. It doesn’t matter which you see first but it might be a good idea to base that decision around when the next tour is starting.