By: Debanjana Maitra
This summer, I travelled to Europe for a tour of the charming castles and the historical towns of Germany with my family.
Munich
Munich, situated in Bavaria, the southernmost state of Germany, is considered to be one of the most scenic parts of the country and not without reason, as I was to discover.
The city of Munich has preserved the old and built the new. Surrounded by castles straight out of a fairy tale, the city is nestled in the breathtaking Alps.
Marienplatz marks the old center. The Rathaus or the city hall is 100 yrs old.
My mother at Marienplatz , München
We were informed that almost everything that is seen in the old town today, had been once bombed in World War 2.
Fussen
The city of Fussen is a train ride away from the München-Pasing railway station in Munich.
The panoramic view on the train ride is painted with rolling green meadows, cows happily grazing on them and tall, onion-domed churches standing like sentinels in the background.
Altstadt von Füssen
Altstadt von Füssen
The “Fussen old town” or as they call it Altstadt von Fuessen is a charming old town with colorful houses and Bier Gardens.
From Fussen Hbf, a bus station at the city of Fussen, we boarded a bus to visit the Neuschwanstein Castle and the Hohenschwangau Castle.
The castle was built by King Ludwig of Bavaria, also known as the “Mad King”. Historically, he wasn’t much of a ruler as much as he was a pleasure seeker. The king had built the castle for the beautiful views, where romantic operas were commonplace.
The best spot to view the castle is from a hanging bridge which is a hike away from the castle.
Many claim it actually served as Walt Disney’s inspiration for Cinderella’s Castle. But to me, hidden behind the woods, it was more a reminder of the grand castle of The Beauty and the Beast.
Hohenschwangau Castle
The Hohenschwangau Castle is where the king had spent his childhood in.
Alpsee
Füssen’s lake landscape is diverse and multifaceted.
When one is around this region, exploration of the bathing lakes should be combined with a bicycle tour or a mountain bike excursion or hiking.
We explored the famous lakes namely the Alpsee, the Alatsee and the Forggensee. One could explore the Alpsee area by rental kayaks and boats.
We hired a boat to explore the Alpsee .
TO BE CONTINUED…..
