Small but Mighty! The 20 Most Beautiful Small Towns in Germany According to Instagram Check 2019

City trips are one of the most popular types of travel for Americans: Over 35 million Americans are eyeing a city vacation this year. However, it doesn't always have to be New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. Charming small towns in Germany are also worth a visit - and they are so beautiful that they are actively shared on Instagram.

For the third time, Travelcircus has analyzed 1,012 German small towns based on their number of Instagram posts and now presents the long-awaited update! Which towns have climbed up and which have lost positions? Our update reveals it!

Which German small towns are particularly photogenic and what are their absolute highlights on Instagram? And which towns are more popular on the photo platform this year compared to 2017 and 2018? The new top 20 ranking of the most popular German small towns on Instagram reveals it.

Füssen is and remains number 1! With its stunning Alpine panorama, crystal-clear mountain lakes, and especially the splendid Neuschwanstein Castle, this is hardly surprising. The small town currently boasts an impressive 169,600 posts on Instagram - that's 42,200 more posts than in 2018 and over 90,000 more than in 2017. Undoubtedly, the most popular photo subject is the fairytale castle of Neuschwanstein.

As in the previous year, the small town of Winterberg in Sauerland secures second place. Winterberg is known as a winter sports resort and attracts numerous visitors each year. In snow-free periods, Winterberg is a paradise for mountain bikers who enjoy the Bikepark Winterberg and share their experiences with the Instagram world. The small town has now broken the 150,000 posts mark, rising from 74,082 (2017) to an impressive 163,400 Instagram posts.

Located on the Romantic Road that leads from Würzburg to Füssen, Rothenburg ob der Tauber impresses visitors with its historic old town, adorned with beautiful half-timbered houses - which are also widely represented on Instagram. Under the hashtag #rothenburgobdertauber, the small town is now very close to hitting the 100,000-post mark with 99,300 posts and shows a growth of 44% from 2018 to 2019.

What would a vacation by the sea be without the memorable photos of the beautiful beaches? Even in the Baltic resort of Kühlungsborn near Rostock, vacationers cannot resist snapping away. Last year, visitors were particularly thrilled, as the Instagram posts rose from 60,400 to 89,700.

Who could resist taking a photo of the majestic Reichsburg that overlooks the Mosel valley? Naturally, this is the reason for the numerous posts on Instagram that Cochem boasts. While there were 36,240 posts in 2017, this year it has already reached 82,700.

Heiligenhafen continues to rise in terms of Instagram posts this year: The small town on the beach counted only 26,000 posts in 2017, but it was already 52,100 last year. In 2019, Heiligenhafen defends its 6th place with nearly 80,000 Instagram posts. The most popular subjects? Clearly the beaches and the sea.

Meersburg on Lake Constance has maintained its strong position at rank 7 since 2018. The town impresses visitors with its wonderful castles, natural monuments, and museums, all of which are eagerly photographed - now totaling 67,100 posts. However, the most popular photo subject is the Lake Constance itself.

The eighth place goes, as last year, to the North Rhine-Westphalian town of Monschau with its characteristic half-timbered houses and narrow streets in the heart of the town. This, of course, is well-received on Instagram, bringing Monschau a total of 59,500 posts on the photo platform, over 43% more than last year!

Located in Upper Bavaria, Burghausen is situated on the Salzach River, right on the border with Austria. The town derives its name from the castle, which, at over 1,000 m in length, is the longest castle complex in the world. This motif must naturally be captured on camera! And a total of 47,100 times, because that's how many posts Burghausen now has on Instagram.

Located in Upper Franconia, Kronach impresses primarily with its picturesque landscape and the late medieval character of the historic town center. The Rosenberg Fortress is also a popular photo subject, as it is one of the best-preserved fortress structures in Germany. Kronach now boasts 45,900 posts on Instagram. This is a 64.42% increase compared to the previous year - stronger than any other town in the top 20.

Bad Tölz enchants its visitors with its historic market street in traditional Bavarian style. Coupled with the impressive landscape of the foothills of the Alps and the Isar River, Bad Tölz becomes one of the most popular small towns in Germany. 44,100 Instagram posts are the clear proof!

Eichstätt in Upper Bavaria offers its visitors a beautiful nature and cultural highlights. The baroque architecture especially gives Eichstätt a unique charm. No wonder Instagrammers are excited about the sights - especially Willibaldsburg. Thus, Eichstätt climbs four places and now records 39,100 Instagram posts.

Known for Beelitz-Heilstätten near Potsdam, Beelitz is mainly associated with the historic site that contains several now-abandoned clinics. The somewhat different photo subjects have a mystical effect and particularly appeal to Instagrammers. There are 39,000 posts under #beelitz, thus the small town unfortunately slips four places this year. Tip: The adjacent treetop path offers an incredible view over the grounds.

Located in Rhineland-Palatinate, Bad Dürkheim is a spa town on the scenic Wine Route. Here one can discover not only the wonderful nature and vineyards but also castles, natural monuments, and many markets. Thus, Bad Dürkheim, as a newcomer in 2018, rises another place this year with 38,900 Instagram posts.

A popular photo subject in Sassnitz on Rügen continues to be the beautiful nature, including the impressive steep cliffs. Last year, the small town by the Baltic Sea had 27,700 posts on Instagram, which has now increased to 38,500. Nevertheless, the coastal pearl has lost a total of three places and lands in 15th place.

The Bavarian town of Miltenberg is located in Lower Franconia and impresses with its colorful half-timbered houses that line the streets. These are, of course, a popular Instagram subject, bringing 38,200 posts to the small town. This allows it to climb one place this year to rank 16.

Dinkelsbühl also improves its position by one place: With 36,300 Instagram posts, the small town increases by 56%. Dinkelsbühl is located on the Romantic Road and is thus perfectly suited for Instagram. The old town, with its marketplace and colorful houses, is the perfect subject for Instagram, but the St. George's Minster is also a prominent building.

Located on the northeastern edge of the Harz mountains, the small town of Thale impresses with its spectacular natural backdrop and numerous hiking trails. But that's not all: One of the most popular photo subjects is the famous Witch's Dance Floor, which brings Thale 35,200 posts on Instagram. Nevertheless, Thale has lost four positions in the ranking compared to the previous year and is now in 18th place.

The Hessian town of Borken has made it into the top 20 of Instagram small towns for the first time in 2019: With 34,900 posts, the city climbed from 21st place to 19th and achieved a 59% growth. One of the most popular Instagram motifs is the natural swimming lake Stockelache.

The last spot in the top 20 also goes to a newcomer: The small town of Nördlingen in Bavaria has recorded a 55% growth in Instagram posts compared to last year, reaching a total of 33,100 posts. Users of the photo platform love to photograph the famous half-timbered houses and their red roofs.

The list of the most photogenic small towns also includes German islands, which are considered separately in the top 3 ranking. This is because, by definition, they belong to small towns, but also include other small municipalities that have been incorporated.

This way, a fair basis can be created for the small towns since islands, with their stunning beach landscapes, naturally hold an advantage in the Instagram world.

Still ranked 1 in 2017, Norderney dropped one spot last year. However, in 2019, the North Sea island seems to be significantly more popular again, reclaiming its top position. With a growth of 27%, Norderney now boasts 191,500 posts; that's over 52,000 Instagram posts more than in 2018. The most popular photo motif is, of course, the snow-white sandy beaches.

Last year, still ranked first among the most popular islands on Instagram, Fehmarn can only secure second place this year. Naturally, the white sandy beaches and the sea are primarily captured; after all, the stunning nature is the best side of the Baltic island. Whereas there were still 141,800 posts on Instagram last year, it has now become an impressive 189,700 - even if it doesn't make it to the top in 2019.

The third place also goes to the North Sea, more specifically to Borkum. The island now boasts 105,100 posts on Instagram, which means an increase of over 40%. The beautiful nature is, unsurprisingly, the main subject, whether it be the beach and sea or the lush greenery of the island.

Among the small towns with the greatest ranking success, Rahden leads by a wide margin in first place. The North Rhine-Westphalian small town managed to climb a whopping 261 places upwards - more than any other. Diligent Instagrammers have propelled Rahden up to rank 325 this year, after only placing 496th last year. If the small town keeps this up, a spot in the top 100 may soon be within reach!

Similarly, two other towns in North Rhine-Westphalia are doing well: Sassenberg and Drolshagen climbed 171 and 169 places respectively, dominating the top 3 winning small towns in 2019 alongside Rahden.

After Bad Orb in Hesse climbed an incredible 650 places last year, it unfortunately fell 17 places this year. One can only hope that Instagrammers will rediscover the beauty of the small town in 2020. But Bad Orb is not the only winning town from 2018 that has slipped this year: Ober-Ramstadt has even dropped 18 places.

However, the other winning towns from 2018 continue to rise - if only in small increments. For instance, Kronberg im Taunus and Stadtoldendorf were able to climb only three and nine places in the ranking, while Hückeswagen (Castle Town) improved from rank 330 to 245. None of the top 11 winning small towns of 2019 include a previous winner town from last year.

The most photos taken from 2018 to 2019 were in Winterberg - 45,900 Instagram posts were added! In second place regarding absolute hashtag growth is Füssen with an increase of 42,200 Instagram posts. Last year, Füssen led the table, while Winterberg was in 2nd place. Rothenburg ob der Tauber claims the third spot with an increase of 30,200 Instagram posts.

All small towns that made it to the cities with the greatest increase in Instagram posts (in absolute numbers) in 2018 are represented again this year. Additionally, there's a newcomer: Bad Tölz narrowly missed the top 11 last year but made it this year with an increase of 16,500 Instagram posts to rank 10.

Percentage-wise, Wettin-Löbejün has achieved an incredible accomplishment - compared to the previous year, the Instagram posts have grown by almost 467%! Reichenbach in Upper Lusatia (+390%) and Sulzbach an der Saar (+342%) also shine with an enormous growth rate of Instagram posts.

What is noteworthy: Of the rising stars from last year, only Reichenbach in Upper Lusatia made it back into the top 11 small towns with the greatest percentage growth of Instagram posts in 2019 - albeit not as strongly as in 2018: Last year, the small town reported a growth of an unbelievable 900%, while in 2019 it is "only" 390%.

The former leader from last year, Kronberg im Taunus, ranks in the middle of the field in 2019 with a growth of 62.55%; last year, the small town captured the hearts of Instagrammers with an increase of 1,800%.

The biggest losses have been recorded by Beerfelden in Hesse: Having already dropped 122 places last year, in 2019 Beerfelden has to let go of another 126 places. Similarly, Jessen (-126), Baiersdorf (-122), Moringen (-122), and Herrnhut (-110) have lost significant positions. Moringen and Herrnhut, just like Beerfelden, were also leading in the rankings of losing small towns last year.