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On Rantzau’s Castle Island, visitors can discover an ensemble of historical monuments unlike any other in Schleswig-Holstein. The former court clerk's office is now home to artist Karin Weissenbacher's studio, with crafts for sale in the small shed. The castle itself is now a mansion, which is still inhabited, while the "Royal District Court" has been turned into the Rantzau County Museum. Guests can enjoy a peaceful coffee-and-cake break in the former castle prison. On the opposite bank, water splashes through the watermill just as it did nearly 500 years ago.  The watermill is also the site of a pottery workshop. If you rent a rowboat, you can also discover this idyllic setting from the water – or explore the trail that circles the banks of the small Rantzauer Lake.

Fun fit for royalty: The Barmstedt Castle prison café serves visitors high tea in its former prison cells: served at 5 PM, the tea is accompanied by scones, sandwiches, pralines, petit fours, and other treats. The thieves and sinners are long gone; today the renovated castle prison on Rantzauer Lake's Castle Island is a cosy café that serves homemade cakes and waffles, savoury snacks, Sunday brunch, and hearty prison meals, in addition to high tea. In the spring and summer, a terrace shaded by old ship sails offers an enchanting view of the lake and the watermill. On the top floor, a small gallery holds temporary exhibitions. There also lectures and other cultural events on the island.