Northern Hesse

Travel Guide

A large glass conservatory with a central dome and a bell tower.
A historic building with a tower and a pathway surrounded by lush greenery.
A large pavilion covered in colorful postcards.
A historic yellow building with ornate sculptures and a paved walkway lined with trees and planters.
A historic stone building with ivy-covered walls and a stone wall in the foreground.

Peruse art galleries in the towns, discover the legacy of the Brothers Grimm and encounter fairy-tale castles dotted around this hilly area.

Northern Hesse is a scenic region of undulating countryside adorned with quaint villages made up of half-timbered houses. It is a more tranquil and rural area than its southern counterpart and its castles and historic buildings create a fairy-tale setting. Visit the small hamlets and embrace the enchanting ambiance in the one-time home of the Brothers Grimm.

Get a sense of the region’s history and culture in its largest town, Kassel. It is known for its vast green spaces, with the mountainous Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe the crown jewel. Enter the park’s museums and photograph its castles and palaces, such as the Hercules monument and Löwenburg Castle. Wander through the charming town center to see the Town Hall Kassel and the University of Kassel.

Admire the works of art displayed in the Neue Galerie and look around the modern, glassy structure of the Documenta-Halle, which hosts the documenta art exhibition that takes place every five years. Learn about the region that gave birth to dark fairy tales at the Brothers Grimm Museum and explore the rural terrain that provided inspiration.

Head north to the city of Sababurg, famous for the so-called Sleeping Beauty Castle (Dornröschenschloß) that encapsulates the fairy-tale architecture of the region. Stay in the castle’s hotel and hike through the picturesque surrounding forests with your family. Embark on the fairy-tale route from Hanau to Hamelin.

Make your way southwest to the stunning lake of Edersee, where you’ll find Waldeck Castle and the Edersee Dam. Enjoy sailing or canoeing on the water.

The region is in the center of Germany, a little north of Frankfurt and south of Hanover. Fly to the Frankfurt Airport and drive north to reach the Northern Hesse territory. Get around the area via trains and long-haul buses.

Northern Hesse is a hilly terrain rich with castles. Visit to experience the spirit of the Brothers Grimm.

Wyndham Garden Kassel

Wyndham Garden Kassel

Heiligenroder Strasse 61 Kassel HE
$82 nightly
The price is $92 total per night from Aug 13 to Aug 14
$92 total
Aug 13 - Aug 14
Total with taxes and fees
Book a stay at this luxury hotel in Kassel. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and room service. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
7.2/10 Good! (1,030 reviews)
"Dirty room, no air conditioning, staff who just lies about parking, about cost, about water about conditioning. Hotel smelled pretty bad with smell of cigarette smoke everywhere. Rooms were smelly and dirty with lot of flies and insects Amenities looked broken or non-functional. Worst experience ..."

Reviewed on Jul 1, 2026

Wyndham Garden Kassel
Best Western Hotel Ambassador

Best Western Hotel Ambassador

3.5 out of 5
Friedrich Ebert Allee 1 Baunatal HE
$109 nightly
The price is $116 total per night from Aug 14 to Aug 15
$116 total
Aug 14 - Aug 15
Total with taxes and fees
Stay at this hotel in Baunatal. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and room service. Popular attractions Kart-Driving by Richi and Hessencourrier are located ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (414 reviews)
"Rooms do not have air conditioning, so our room was probably over 30 degrees when we arrived at 8pm and could not be cooled down. Keep this in mind if you book during the summer period. No possibility to charge electric car and the nearby charging stations did not work with either credit card, visa ..."

Reviewed on Aug 2, 2026

Best Western Hotel Ambassador
Schlosshotel Bad Wilhelmshöhe

Schlosshotel Bad Wilhelmshöhe

4.5 out of 5
Schlosspark 8 Kassel HE
$163 nightly
The price is $182 total per night from Aug 16 to Aug 17
$182 total
Aug 16 - Aug 17
Total with taxes and fees
Book a stay at this luxury hotel in Kassel. Enjoy free breakfast, free WiFi, and a full-service spa. Popular attractions Schloss Wilhelmshoehe and Weissensteinflügel ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (581 reviews)
"A beautiful place in a great location to the water feature that goes off on Wednesday and Saturdays in the park right next door. Saturday nights buffet was very good also."

Reviewed on Jul 17, 2026

Schlosshotel Bad Wilhelmshöhe
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Limehome Kassel Wilhelmsstraße

Limehome Kassel Wilhelmsstraße

Wilhelmsstraße 8 Kassel HE
Stay at this aparthotel in Kassel. Enjoy free WiFi, laundry facilities, and cable TV channels. Popular attractions Karlskirche Kassel and Fridericianum are located ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (55 reviews)
"Nice large bathroom Kitchen and still a spacious room No traffic street only pedestrians Parking around the corner in the Gallaria garage"

Reviewed on Jul 31, 2025

Limehome Kassel Wilhelmsstraße
Apartmenthaus Wesertor

Apartmenthaus Wesertor

Schützenstraße 23 Kassel HE
Stay at this aparthotel in Kassel. Enjoy free WiFi, daily housekeeping, and satellite TV channels. Popular attractions Bergpark and Martinskirche Kassel are ...
9/10 Wonderful! (122 reviews)
"Spacious 2 bedroom apartment. Interior and furnishings are dated but OK. No channels ion TV in one of the rooms."

Reviewed on Jul 5, 2026

Apartmenthaus Wesertor
Limehome Kassel

Limehome Kassel

Motzstraße 13 Kassel
Stay at this apartment in Kassel. Enjoy free WiFi, an in-room espresso maker, and housekeeping. Popular attractions Neue Galerie and Museum for Sepulkralkultur ...
Limehome Kassel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Stay near popular Northern Hesse attractions

Cities near Northern Hesse

Explore a world of travel with Expedia