A Day Trip To Visit The Schwerin Palace in Germany
We were glad we got to visit the Schwerin Palace in Germany on our port stop in Warnemunde with Oceania Cruises. It looked like a fairy tale castle when we researched it in advance of our trip.
We missed our port stop in Visby, Sweden on our Baltic cruise because of bad weather. As a result we got a day at sea to relax. So everyone was excited when we landed in Warnemunde, Germany for our next port day. Many people took a long day tour to visit Berlin. But we stayed closer and went off to visit the Schwerin Palace.
Heading to Schwerin in Germany
The bus loaded up and set off for the autobahn. Along the way we were impressed to see a wide variety of alternate energy plants. There were massive wind turbine fields on both sides of the highway. A few solar panel fields were also visible. The landscape looked very much like the the countryside at home in Ontario. Farms lined the side of the highway and livestock was in the fields.
Our guide pointed out the green bridges. These bridges were planted with trees and shrubs along the side to encourage the deer and other small animals to use these instead of crossing the highway. He also noted that there were frog tunnels under the highway. He was not clear how deer and frogs were trained on the path to take across the highway!
Our First Views of Schwerin Palace
As we approached the Schwerin Palace the bus slowed down for our first view of the castle up through the front gardens. It just whetted our appetite to see more. We had the same feeling when we later visited Mont St Michel in France on this trip.
The bus parked close to the palace and we boarded a boat for a cruise around the lake surrounding the palace. It was cold out on deck and the skies were grey. But at least we missed the rain on our boat tour. We got a view of the lake and some of the properties that had an awesome views of the palace.
Looking back we saw the palace sitting close to the town of Schwerin. The boat got us a 180 degree view of the castle as the driver took us slowly close to shore. There was a part of the palace undergoing restoration. It reminded us of the time when the towers were under construction when we visited the Taj Mahal. We saw the baroque garden in the distance.
The Fairy Tale Palace
The boat docked and we went for a short walk to visit the Schwerin Palace. We stopped as we approached and took in the building from this different angle.
There was much detail to look at on the outside of Schwerin Palace. The entrance had a large gold dome at the top with a statue of a mounted rider in the archway.
As we walked around we saw a fascinating variety in the towers. One wall was quite different than the stone used for the rest of the palace. The red brick wall was carved with heads. The statues we found outside were also quite interesting.
After taking in the details on the outside, we were excited to visit the Schwerin Palace inside and explore more.
Touring Inside The Schwerin Palace
We saw so many palaces on this trip around the Baltic. Catherine’s Palace, the Hermitage and Peterhof on our visit to St Petersburg set a very high bar for palaces. We also saw a palace in Estonia that was another of the homes of Catherine and Peter of Russia. It was a shame that we started with such stunning sights. By the end of our trip we would definitely have had enough of palaces!
We walked up the spiral marble stairs for several flights and started our visit at the top. There were over 650 rooms and we surely did not see them all! Rooms were decorated with frescos and silk wallpaper. Each room served a different purpose. Decorating style also varied as we moved through the palace.
Ceilings were ornate. It was interesting to learn that the carvings and decorations on the ceilings were all done with paper mâché!
As we found in many other palaces, we found interesting wooden details in the walls and the floors. It reminded us of the amazing wood work in the Lednice Palace in the Czech Republic. Each room was different. In other palaces we wore booties to protect the floors. In this palace we just kept to the carpet runners.
We marvelled at the inside design when we visited the Schwerin Palace.
So Many Treats Inside The Schwerin Palace
We saw a small cabinet with iron jewelry. We were told that gold and silver jewelry was donated for the war effort. And that iron jewelry then became the style of the day.
The grandest room was the Throne Room. The throne sat at one side with the coat of arms behind it. There were columns of Carrara marble. The ceiling in this room was quite stunning, highlighted by the original chandelier that lit the room. This was one of the few areas that shone with gilt trim.
As we found in other palaces, large portraits of various people decorated the rooms.
We started to visit the Schwerin Palace with a tour of the outside grounds. It looked like a fairy tale. Our walk through the inside of the palace added yet more to this fairy tale story. It brought us back the the amazing palaces and castles we saw when we started this trip in Copenhagen.
A Short Walk In The Gardens
When we drove up, we saw how vast the gardens were. But we knew we had only a short time to sample the beautiful baroque gardens we glimpsed on our first approach to Schwerin Palace. We started our walk in the rose garden by the side of the palace. And looked down at the lower garden on the terrace.
As we wandered we found an interesting array of statues scattered about. Some were playful. But then we saw the severed head of Goliath!
We were sure there were far gems to be found around the vast gardens. But it was great to get a small glimpse on this visit to the Schwerin Palace.
A Walk In The Town Of Schwerin
After our visit to the Schwerin Palace we followed our tour guide into the small town of Schwerin. We wandered through the small cobblestone streets with quaint shops. We headed in the direction of the cathedral steeple. As in many small towns, the cathedral marked the spot of the town centre.
We got our first glimpse of the Mecklenburg State Theatre from the water. As we strolled to got a closer look at the building. And right beside it we found the Staatliches Museum. Sadly we did not have time to visit.
There was a market set up in the town square. We always liked to wander in town markets to see the local wares and fresh produce.
A Coffee Stop In Schwerin
Our tour guide gave us 30 minutes to wander on our own. When he pointed out the cafe Rosterei Fuchs with the roastery, we knew where we were headed.
Fresh roasted coffee was always a treat. We ordered the “Romantico” coffee and it came loaded with dark chocolate. Yummy to the last drip of chocolate. Of course that came with even more chocolate in the Black Forest style cake “Schoko-Kirsch-Crisp Torte”.
The coffee roaster spun away but they did not unload the freshly roasted beans when we were there. It reminded us of our favourite coffee roastery in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Well worth a stop to savour the local flavours.
If you come to visit the Schwerin Palace, make sure to save time to wander the town and enjoy the local specialities.
Don’t Miss A Chance To Visit the Schwerin Palace
We were very glad we decided to pass on a trip to Berlin on this trip. We would be back to visit Germany on a much longer trip and would see Berlin at that time.
It was a nice trip to the small town of Schwerin. When we visited the Schwerin Palace we found the outside to be stunning, even with some renovations hiding the full view of this fairy tale palace. The restored rooms inside of the palace were interesting and added to the grandeur of this palace. A walk around the little town of Schwerin finished off a great day trip on our short visit to Germany.
We headed up to Denmark for our next stop in Skagen. This tiny fishing town was a stark contrast to the grandeur we saw at the palace in Schwerin.
Did you visit the Schwerin Palace? Did you get inside or just see the fairy tale castle from the outside?
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What an amazing place Germany is. So many hidden gems I never even knew about. Being a man in construction seeing building like Schwerin Palace really blows my mind. The architecture is outstanding and shows how creative the Germans were back then.
I am an architecture geek too. Schwerin Palace definitely was a great spot to see.
Even though I have a very good friend in Germany, I have never had the chance to visit Germany till date. I do hope to go there once things settle down and I am definitely adding The Schwerin Palace to my list. It surely looks like a fairy tale palace and the architecture is stunning. I will also take a short stroll in that garden.
We too have spent little time in Germany. So this was a good tease for us.
Schwerin Palace definitely looks like a great choice for a daytrip visit. The grounds are beautiful and it must have been wonderful seeing all the varied rooms inside. Reminds me of my tour of the Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. There are definitely a lot of castles and palaces in Europe — but I never tired of exploring more!
We too never tire of exploring the castles and palace in Europe. And love when the insides have been restored like this.
Schwerin Palace and the gardens are definitely worth a visit! You were lucky that you had the chance to visit. I think not many foreign tourists even know about this gem in Germany. This said, I think you saw pretty much all the highlights Schwerin has to offer….
We were indeed happy we had the chance to visit the Schwerin Palace. Loved the opportunity to see inside and to wander the town for a bit.
Beautiful palace, Linda I’d only heard of Schwerin. That spiral staircase, those frescos and the wood panelling and antique furniture all look fabulous. 650 rooms? I wonder what that would be by UK standards where we only count bedrooms… Probably still a pretty decent 500 rooms or so, not too bad haha…. 🙂
We visited here after we were in Russia and saw so many absolutely stunning palaces. So we were a bit jaded going in. But it was still great to see the inside and outside of this. Even if we did not see ALL the rooms!
Schwerin Palace looks so amazing! Exploring castles is so much fun. Adding this to my list for my next trip to Germany~
We have seen so little of Germany but it was great to have the Schwerin Palace as a starting point.
This looks absolutely amazing! I want to visit this castle so badly
I hope you do get to visit the Schwerin Palace one day.
Germany has so many beautiful castles! This one is certainly no exception. I especially loved the gardens. Thanks for sharing!
We loved the chance to see the outside of Schwerin Palace from different spots before we went inside. A stunning palace to visit for sure.
this looks like such a magical castle! i have been to Germany a few times now, and have never even heard of this place or had it recommended by anyone! i’m so glad i’ve just now discovered it.
I am so happy to show you a new place to visit the next time you get to Germany.
Whenever, I see palaces, forts or castles. I begin to wonder what life in those days was about. How did they manage to make such marvelllous places to live in. I am also curious about the frog tunnels, never heard of these before. Would certainly like to try that Romantico coffee.
We too wonder about how such great places like Schwerin get built. But cool to see the inside and see how they lived.
What a beautiful palace full of so much history.
Definitely a place filled with history. The portrait gallery was just one piece we saw.
You were right to take the road less traveled and get a wonderful little taste of Germany in the small town of Schwerin and its fairy tale palace!
We had so many day trip options. But we are glad we visited Schwerin.
I visited Schwerin once a couple of years ago. I don’t like visiting Germany’s east, whereby Mecklenburg-Wester Pomerania is still halfway okay. I remember that they told us that there were many parts ‘artificial’, i.e. marble is not always marble etc. Nevertheless, it’s nice. I didn’t remember those large paintings – maybe I should visit once again.
There is a Lednice-castle in the Czech Republic? That’s funny since lednice translates to fridge 😀 Hope they have functioning fire places there 😀
We were glad they had the inside open – even if parts of it were artificial – to show the impressive spaces that were lived in. Funny to know that Lednice means fridge. I don’t think the fireplaces worked there either!
I lived in Berlin for a while but never made it to Schwerin. I’m so sad I didn’t! The interior marble looks incredible. I visited Neuschwanstein though and must say nothing compares tothat.
We are creating a very long list of places to visit in Germany when we actually plan a long trip. I will add Neuschwanstein to that list.
I laughed out loud when you described how sad you sort of felt seeing the Schwerin Palace only because it was after seeing 3 other amazing palaces before. I had a similar experience in Thailand where by the time I made it the Chiang Mai, I had seen about 2 billion Wats (Thai Buddhist monastery or temple) so even though Chiang Mai has some of the most amazing Wats ever, I was already kind of over them…I called it Wat Weary…so were you Palace Pooped?
Anyways, I had never heard of Schwerin Palace but what a remarkable sight. The Gardens alone would be fun to walk about, plus I love staring at that colorful dome above the Mounted rider.
The Rooms are cool too. Love all the paintings and murals. Always love a good ceiling mural too
Palace Pooped is a good phrase for how we felt. We have had the same feeling when we visited church after church. I know what you mean about the wats in Thailand. But Schwerin was still a great spot to visit. And always more special when we can see inside.
Schwerin Palace looks admirable but yes in Europe, there are too many of them. After some time, they all look the same. This palace reminded me of the Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna. The small town of Schwerin looks charming. Loved all your clicks of the palace and in and around.
We were indeed a little palaced-out by the time we got here. But it was great to see so much of the beautiful interiors. Always a good glimpse into how they lived.
I hope to visit Schwerin Palace in Germany one day, as it’s spectacular, like from a fairy tale. Architecture and also interiors are so detailed and beautifully decorated, as ceilings ornate, carvings and decorations. I add it to my must-see list.
I hope you do get to visit Schwerin Palace one day. It was a great surprise and we were so glad we chose this as our day trip.
It looks beautiful here!! The architecture of the building is so detailed oriented I’m sure it was amazing to see in person!!
It was indeed beautiful to spend so much time seeing the inside and outside of this beautiful palace.
I can’t imagine how they keep track of 650 rooms in the palace. The throne room is spectacular. It amazes me how a room like that is designed and created from start to finish. A magnificent work of art!
We too were amazed with the interior of this palace. So much intricate detail.
I live in Germany and visiting the Schwerin palace has been so high on my list of things to do. I can’t believe I haven’t been yet. I’m saving this post so I can be motivated to get there ASAP. Your photos are lovely and thanks for such a detailed guide!
I am so glad to motivate you to visit the Schwerin Palace. We loved the inside and outside views. Hope you get to visit.
Schwerin Palace looks beautiful! I love exploring palaces and seeing how royalty live! The Throne Room looks spectacular! Thanks for the great guide!
We too love when the insides of palaces and castles have been restored. A look into life at another time!
The palace is stunning and I love all the statues. It’s hard to imagine that many rooms in such an opulent location.
We loved the view we got of the Schwerin Palace. But were probably glad not all of them were on display!
Before you called it the fairytale palace I was thinking this looks straight out of a fairytale! Haha. The views from the boat are stunning. The decor inside is so elegant and luxurious! The throne room is a jaw dropper! Looks like a lovely town to visit!
Schwerin was a cute town to visit and the palace well worth a visit. So beautiful inside and out.
What an incredible experience! Schwerin Palace is breathtaking…I’d be wandering around for days! And the town of of Schwerin looks so charming. Adding this palace in Germany to my list.
I hope you do get to visit Schwerin if you get to Germany. It was a real treat to visit.
Thank you for this post. We have been looking at a similar cruise and enjoyed hearing your impressions of stops along the way. (Must say I’m super impressed by the green bridges and frog tunnels!)
How did the people who went to Berlin enjoy their day? It seems such a long drive from port.
Berlin was indeed a long trip and we were glad we did not do it. We want to go back to Germany for a long visit and spend much more time in Berlin.
I had never heard of Schwerin but this palace looks stunning, both inside & out. 650 rooms is immense! You’ve definitely put it on the map of places to visit in Germany, thanks for sharing!
Glad to share our discovery of the Schwerin Palace. A beautiful spot to visit.
I was also wondering how to get a frog to use a bridge! I always chose castles over cities as well.
The Schwerin Castle was a great day trip. And we loved the chance to wander in town for a bit too.
What an impressive palace. I do love visiting Germany’s palaces and I haven’t heard of this one. Having been to Berlin, you definitely made the right choice. Am heading off to Germany in the morning, just Googling to see if I can fit the Schwerin Palace in the trip.
I hope you do get to fit in a visit to Schwerin Palace. It was a beautiful spot to visit.
This is such an amazing tour. Palaces always fascinate me and this one definitely looks like one that came out of a fairy tale book. I love the picture that you have taken from the garden with its two staircases. I found the spiral staircase quite interesting. Got me thinking of how this is common in the European palaces, not so with the Indian ones. The ceilings got me to my tour of Vatican palace – I suppose they do belong to the same architectural school.
Interesting to be able to compare this palace design to Indian palaces. We sure saw a lot on that trip!
Germany has so many things to see and so many places to visit. This day trip to schwerin palace sounds amazing . I loved the whole palace tour especially Throne room which appears very large and royal . The garden seems an amazing area to stroll a bit. Loved the pictures too.
It was great that we had enough time to visit the outside and inside of Schwerin Palace. So much to see!
It’s amazing to me how luxurious the rich lived back in the day. I know they still do, just modernized, but the castles, furniture, how they’re decorated… it just screams elegant/royalty haha The fairytale castle is absolutely gorgeous. Thanks for sharing!
Schwerin Palace was indeed a fairy tale spot. The opulence was amazing to see. So interesting to see how they lived.
What a gorgeous castle!!! The spiral marble stairs are so beautiful. On the ride to the castle, the green bridges were so interesting. I hope they start building those in the US. I hate seeing road kill and there is a lot of it here.
The whole day was an interesting trip to visit Schwerin Palace. The green bridges were indeed interesting.
Schwerin Palace is so beautiful! I love all of the detail in the rooms, and the exterior is exquisite. I haven’t seen one German castle, despite only being a few hours away! This is now on my list 🙂
Schwerin was our first Germany castle to visit. But it sure would inspire us to visit others!
You certainly have visited MANY gorgeous palaces on your adventures, but this one was nothing to balk at. The in lay wooden floors and the paper-mache ceilings were stunning. I found it interesting that in the throne room the throne was simply on the floor, as opposed to an elevated podium of sorts.
We were so glad we got to visit the Schwerin Palace. So many beautiful rooms to explore! Great to see how people used to live.