Ein Dreiburgentag

 Yesterday, we had a "three castle day," or Dreiburgentag, I'm guessing in German.  Münzenberg, Friedberg, and Bad Vilbels, all just north of Frankfurt.

Münzenberg

We could see the ruins of Münzenberg from miles away (I should have stopped for a picture, but there was no safe place to do so), and we knew we were in for a treat. Its two-towered shell looms over the town and was fun to explore. Some of the detail in the surviving stonework was impressive. We were the only ones there for most of the visit, which cost only 4€ for the four of us (three were kids). Nearby parking was free. The only bummer: the tower you can normally climb was closed due to the pandemic, so we couldn't get a shot like this. But it was still fun, and the views were still spectacular.  After leaving the castle, we walked around the outside and discovered that the R6 bike trail goes through here. Departing, I took a shot from the backside, but it wasn't nearly as impressive from that direction.

Friedberg

As we approached Friedberg, I was impressed by the castle/fortress wall and former moat complex. As we entered, though, it felt less like a castle and more like a stately home complex. Quite scenic and peaceful, but not a proper castle (indeed, apparently the castle was destroyed and only the Adolfsturm remains). The tower looked cool, but didn't open for hours later (1400), so we strolled around the area, then left the complex to enjoy a nice main street and- of course- ice cream.  We drove by a very nice cathedral worth exploring, but parking was hard to come by. So on we drove.

Bad Vilbels

Bad Vilbels is a spa town famous for its water (Hassia is bottled here). Upon entering and during our visit, the word 'tranquil' came to mind. The town is small, but a lazy river meanders by a peaceful park, quaint downtown, and small, moat-encircled castle. The park includes a monument to the water, complete with protected spring (see first picture). We weren't allowed in the castle, but it was fun to see the outside, and the kids loved just walking through the park and enjoying the painted water bottles, replica Roman mosaic display (the original was unearthed nearby in 1848), and town center.

Summary

I had hoped our 'dreiburgentag' would mean we saw the inside of three castles. We saw the interior of only one, and were 0 for 2 in tower climbs, but we enjoyed the outside of all three, and the towns were charming and enjoyable. Taken together, it's a nice day out.