Füssen, a town with the most enchanting castles

After four exciting days in Munich, I drove about 90 minutes southwest towards Füssen (Fuessen) with a short stop in Murnau (Staffelsee).

It has been about 25 years and I was anxious to visit Füssen, which is nestled near a cluster of majestic Bavarian mountains and a view to several castles where King Ludwig II had lived

Füssen was a good starting point for my excursions and explorations around the Schwangau and Allgäu region. I was able to visit Oberammergau, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the Linderhof Palace and the Ettal Abbey and Wieskirche Chapel within a one hour drive.

I had booked an adorable Hotel in town. I basically could not miss the Hirsch hotel on the right side of the street, it is bright pinkish red on the outside. The hotel was built a century ago in a ‘Jugendstil’ style that looks decorative and elegant.

My room was unique and had a theme reflecting the history or culture of Bavaria. In the evening I relaxed and took a drink on the rooftop terrace where I could see the mountains, the “Hohes Schloss” castle and below the Altstadt Füssen.

I passed over a bridge with a sparkling river and drove into the enchanting 700 year old town of Füssen in the South Bavarian mountains. After checking into Hotel Hirsch, I freshened up and stepped outside.

I crossed the road and strolled through a small pathway in the medieval town wall passing by an Italian Restaurant. Walking through a Passage, I immediately was greeted with cobblestoned streets and rainbow colored pastel-toned houses with shops on the ground floor.

Füssen old town, Altstadt — Apotheke, Drugstore in Füssen

Füssen old town, Altstadt, Rathaus — Füssen old town, Altstadt

Füssen old town, Altstadt, church — Hospital Curch of the Holy Spirit in Füssen

While walking and looking, I stumbled upon gothic houses, baroque churches and even a town castle. I took lots of pictures of facades of the buildings that were in wonderful colored in different shades.

I took my time and let myself drift through the old town and the small alleys, took a seat outside with an ice cream at the Café named after the castle “Hohes Schloss”. A little later I had coffee at the Füssener Kaffeerösterei in the Ritterstraße. There are many cafes like this.

One evening I took a ride to the nearby Forggensee, enjoyed the stunning panoramic view with a “Hausmacher Brotzeit”

In summer the Forggensee is a popular spot for walkers and cyclists. On the other side of the lake are boat rides that are offered for tourists. The musical Ludwig II is being performed on the banks of the Forggensee at the Ludwigsfestspielhaus Theater

Just as I was driving to the town of Füssen, I saw the majestic Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castle to the left built into the mountain. The beauty was breathtaking!

I have been at the Neuschwanstein Castle before, this time I did not go inside. This castle is considered one of the most visited tourist attractions in all of Bavaria, if not all of Germany. Walt Disney was inspired by this castle and recreated it it in his Disney Theme Park, the Magic Kingdom.

I had a rental car, but I found out at the Hotel reservation that you can rent a bike as a combination ticket with entry to Neuschwanstein Castle, also you could drive to the parking lot yourself, or pay about € 6 to take the bus. From Füssen you can reach the castle with bus line 78 towards Schwangau or line 73 towards Steingaden/Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

The stop is Hohenschwangau castle at the Alpseestrasse.

On the third day, while I was exploring the area, I saw paragliders near the Tegelbahn cable car. This place looked like a popular meeting spot for hiking, and mountain climbing. After we started to ascend with the cable car, I got the stunning view of Neuschwanstein castle. I thought to myself, this is seriously worth the trip alone. When I reached the top, I was greeted with panoramic views of the stunning Bavarian mountains and landscape for a short time until some rain clouds covered my view.