While the pandemic may have kept many international visitors away, there are still lots of people who have been enjoying Germany’s top attractions throughout 2021. Here’s the most popular tourist attractions for this year!

Top 100 destinations in Germany survey

The top 100 destinations in Germany survey, created by the German National Tourist Board, lists the most popular attractions for each year that are visited by foreign tourists. In 2021, more than 14.000 international visitors took part in the vote, which ran from January to July, 2021. 

The survey has named Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg as the winning attraction for 2021. It is the fourth year in a row that the model railway, which is the largest of its kind in the world, has been named the country's most popular tourist attraction. 

Europa-Park, Neuschwanstein Castle and Phantasialand Brühl are favourites

In second place behind the Miniatur Wunderland came Europa-Park in Rust, in the state of Baden-Württemberg. The theme park is the largest in Germany and is the second most popular in Europe, after Disneyland Paris. 

Other popular attractions included the Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, and Phantasialand Brühl, in North Rhine-Westphalia. Neuschwanstein Castle is visited by over 1,6 million visitors each year, while Phantasialand Brühl is often voted as one of the best theme parks in the world, even having had a section of the park opened by Michael Jackson in 1996. 

The top three for 2021 are the same as those in the top positions last year, showing the persistent popularity of Miniatur Wunderland, Neuschwanstein Castle and Phantasialand Brühl with foreign visitors. 

Top 10 attractions in Germany for 2021

The top 10 most visited attractions in 2021 are:

• 1. Miniatur Wunderland, Hamburg
• 2. Europa-Park, Rust, Baden-Württemberg
• 3. Schloss Neuschwanstein, Schwangau, Bavaria
• 4. Phantasialand Brühl, North Rhine-Westphalia
• 5. Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria
• 6. Romantische Straße, Bavaria & Baden-Württemberg
• 7. Dresden, Saxony
• 8. Berlin
• 9. Black Forest National Park, Baden-Württemberg
• 10. Kriminalmuseum Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria

For the full rankings, visit the website of the national tourist board.