Falkensteiner Summer Tours 2026

The Falkensteiner Summer Tours are a series of guided hikes and themed tours spread throughout the summer months, taking place around Falkenstein Castle and the municipality of Falkenstein (Pfalz) in the Donnersberg district. The organiser is the municipality of Winnweiler, in collaboration with the local tourism office and volunteer hiking guides.

Falkenstein Castle and the Donnersberger Bergland

Falkenstein Castle towers over the Palatinate village of the same name, situated at the southwestern foot of the Donnersberg mountain. The ruins date back to the 12th century and are closely linked to Palatinate legends and the history of the Wild- and Rheingrafen families. The surrounding nature reserve, with its forests and rocks, provides an ideal backdrop for themed hikes.

Diverse Themed Tours

The summer programme is divided into several thematic modules: the legendary opening hike, a summer night hike in midsummer, a family tour to search for the Elwetritsche (a mythical Palatinate creature), a Space Night Tour for the Perseid meteor shower in August, a hut hike to Kupferberg, and several moonlight castle tours on late summer and early autumn evenings. Each tour is tailored to a specific audience – from families with children to adults interested in astronomy.

Legends and Moonlight

A special feature of the series is the moonlight castle tours, where the history of the castle and legends from the Falkenstein region are recounted under the evening sky and in the moonlit castle courtyard. The opening tour "Legendary Falkenstein" also brings the region's rich folklore to life.