Bavaria, not only fairy-tale castles ...

There was once a young king who, by unselfish affairs of state, took refuge in a world of fairy tales ... Unfortunately, not all fairytales have a happy ending and the King Ludwig II of Bavaria died prematurely at the age of 41 years after being deposed from the throne for mental illness, without having achieved all his dreams ... Suicide, accident, murder? Probably remain forever a mystery. But before he died, the "mad king", as it was called, left a legacy to Bavaria invaluable: built three magnificent castles that are over one hundred people who dream visit: Neuschwanstein, Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee.
The fairytale castles of Ludwig II was for us and a couple of friends the starting point for a journey of 9 days in Bavaria in the period after Christmas. The itinerary also touched Lindau on Lake Constance, the Romantische Strasse, and the cities of Nuremberg and Monaco.

 

Car trip to Lindau

For those wishing to do the same trip, here is the path with all the detailed steps and daily km:

December 28: Milan - Lindau, with brief stop in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. Night Rider - ca 330 km
December 29: Lindau - Schwangau. Hohenschwangau & Neuschwanstein Castles. Night in Schwangau - ca 100 km
December 30th: Linderhof Castle, the Monastery of Ettal, Oberammergau, Wieskirche, Füssen. Night in Schwangau - ca 110 km
December 31: Romantische Strasse: Landsberg am Lech, Augsburg. Night in Augsburg - ca 95 km
January 1: Romantische Strasse: Donauwörth, schloss Harburg, Nördlingen, Dinkelsbühl. Night near Rothenburg ob der Tauber - ca 160 km
January 2: Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Nuremberg. Night in Monaco - approx 250 km
January 3: Monaco
January 4: Monaco
January 5: Herrenchiemsee Castle and return to Milan - ca 590 km

Some practical suggestions:
We found that the majority of pensions, small hotels and restaurants do not take credit card, then munitevi cash.
You can book hotels / pensions themselves as almost all have email and do not require a credit card number or other, except in big cities like Augsburg or Monaco.
Try to learn the names of some dishes based Bavarian cuisine in order to be able to understand something when menus are not translated into foreign languages, that is very often ...
The Bavarians are mostly very friendly and warm, learn some words, including the typical greeting "Gruss Gott" (when you enter a place), will be much appreciated!
It 'better to go for dinner on the early, ie around 20, as many local close early and at a certain time no longer to eat.
This is a journey that can be taken in any season, each gives a different and totally different landscape. In winter it is certainly very impressive with the bleached landscape of snow, but there are some limitations on the visits of castles, all the statues outside are packaged to protect them from frost, also the gardens, which in summer is a feast for the eyes, in the winter are obviously all covered with a thick snow cover. Moreover, the roads may be icy, and the transfers are slower.

And here's the story ...
On December 28 when we depart from Milan rain, shame! I was told that the road to Lindau was very beautiful ... maybe we are lucky and improves ... and no! Worsens! A Chiasso are submerged in snow and is traveling at 60 km / h. Well, we've already entered into the Bavarian!
Until the snows of the San Bernardino tunnel, Switzerland, the landscape should be beautiful, but see only the pines laden with snow at the edge of the road. Some machines have problems to go ahead and slide! Luckily we have mounted snow tires, I highly recommend if you intend to go to Bavaria in the winter, are very effective, in fact we have never had to put in chains.
However, after the tunnel of San Bernardino is the road dry and we can continue at a pace slightly 'faster. We make a brief stop in the Principality of Liechtenstein, the fourth smallest nation in Europe. In Vaduz, the capital, there is nothing to see except the castle perched on the side of the mountain. We are content with a picture, our goal is over ... Eat at Mc Donalds, I almost ashamed to say, unfortunately, is the only place that shows signs of life in this desert city!
We continue the journey and come to Lindau to 15.30. The location is wonderful, on Lake Constance, some swans are trapped in the frozen lake and trying with some difficulty to reach the water that remained liquid under the bridge connecting the mainland to Lindau Insel, the peninsula where the center history.
We go immediately to the hotel (Pension Seerose, € 65 double with breakfast) to download your luggage and leave well-covered for a tour of the town. Are about 16 and soon will be dark, we should Hurry up! Fortunately, the center is small and quickly see all points of interest: the Rathaus (town hall) richly frescoed, the main pedestrian street with its colorful houses, the beautiful harbor with a lighthouse and the statue of the lion, symbol of Bavaria.
In the background, the snow-capped mountains surrounding the lake makes the scene very impressive.

I am 17 and it is already dark, so we decide to go and drink a beer and we put in the first pub we meet, on port: Mar Mor Saal. The location, very spacious, decorated with warm colors, has a huge crystal chandelier that drops over the counter and tables made from an altar of the church, is a po 'particolare! All good until the waitress does not bring the tray with glasses of beer, and I almost put it down almost! Small disaster on my duvet, thank goodness that there is a radiator in the vicinity! See, my duvet was baptized by the beer! Not bad ... Later in the evening we go to dinner at Weinstube Frey, a restaurant located in a building of 1560, is very nice and eat the typical dishes of the first trip! After dinner we walking out, there is a soul, it seems a ghost town! At this point we return to the brewery in the afternoon, but we realize that on the upper floor, there is another room where two girls are going out foreign staggering, they strongly suggest we get in before you dive into a taxi! Climb the stairs and enter the enclosure, the Nana Lounge, and so we find that across the country met here! Out on a good laugh! So if you happen to Lindau and look for a place to go for a drink after dinner, you're forced to go to Nana Lounge! Ethnic furniture, tables, cushions, sofas, curtains, windows with lake view, underground music / dance mixed by a DJ in black coat camel color, with black cap and white sneakers, a look interesting ... Before midnight we nana ...

Discovering Ludwig castles

After breakfast we depart towards Schwangau, Füssen near village located where the most famous castle in the world, Neuschwanstein (it takes training to pronounce it correctly and then it's sometimes call the "white castle", even if it is actually gray clear).
The landscape that we are experiencing already immersed in a fairytale, it has snowed recently, it's all white all around us.
We Deutsche Alpenstrasse, I recommend that, in certain places the landscape is almost unreal, and we stop every five minutes to take photos. So the pause between photos and the snow on the road, spend two hours for 70 km! As a result we lose the reservation that we made to withdraw the tickets to the castle. Fortunately, Ticket Center, located under the castle Hohenschwangau (I shall call the "yellow castle" for the same reasons mentioned above), the queue is non-existent and we take our 4 King's Ticket from € 15 each which allow the visit the two castles on the same day. In fact, the King's Ticket is not really a bargain saves just € 1 compared with the total price of two tickets! Another condition, the first castle that we visited is yellow, or the castle of the parents of Ludwig II (the Crown Prince Maximilian II and Princess Maria of Prussia).
This castle is visited by many fewer people than the famous Neuschwanstein but I can not be neglected for several reasons: 1 - we need to get a walk uphill but easy to just 10 minutes (or horse-pulled by horses for the most lazy), 2 - from there you can enjoy a magnificent view over the lake and the castle Alpsee white, 3 - is the castle where the young King has spent a whole childhood and adolescence, taking under control the construction of his castles. In fact in one room, there is a pair of binoculars focused on the castle of Neuschwanstein. Worthy of attention is especially his bedroom, richly decorated with frescoes depicting the story of Tristan and Isolde, the ceiling is painted with a starry sky, this sense this already very romantic character of the king. After the visit, which lasts about 25 minutes, come back down next to the Ticket Center, and we put ourselves in the queue to take a horse to go to white castle, which is much farther. The leaflet shows damage to the tourist a walk of 40 minutes and starts to snow as we would like to star on dry ground. Unfortunately the tail is rather long and rides are very few who come, in danger of jumping the time of our visit, so we decide to go on foot. A good step, it takes less than 25 minutes to the entrance of the castle, so it fattibilissimo! The shift in horse costs € 2,50 per person and it probably takes the same time. Arrived at the top, we buy the Pretzel die because of hunger, are about 14:40. The tour starts at 14:55.
Practical information: tickets can be bought only at the Ticket Center affaticatevi not to climb up to the castle without a ticket because you returning. There is a coding system to stagger the departures of the visits. On the ticket there is a number, when that number is indicated on the panel light (seems to be all'ASL) you have to go through the automatic gates and reach the group, then in the castle, everyone is given the audio guides follow the visit to the language.
The visit lasts less than half an hour, unfortunately, because you visit a few rooms because the construction of the castle has never been completed. In this castle you will find a much more romantic and fabulous than the parents. The furnishings are stunning, inspired by the famous works of Wagner! I am particularly impressed by the hall of the throne in Byzantine style (where, however, lacks the throne, was never finished), and the bedroom (with a bed inlaid wood, a true work of art!), The artificial cave and adjacent small winter garden with a view of the plains, and the hall of Cantori that was used only after the death of Ludwig. Even the guest rooms are tastefully decorated in the style of a hut. I regret not being able to go more in every room, there are thousands of details to be observed, and while walking, I try to imagine Ludwig more than 100 years back, walking in the same rooms that we are admiring. Of course that was just out of mind! :) The tour ends with the lower floor where the kitchen, ultra modern for its time, and all the technical equipment: hot and cold running water, oven, automatic spit, etc ...
After the visit, we decide to go until Marienbruecke, metal bridge built in 1866 where it has one of the best views on the profile of the castle. Access to the trail is closed because the danger, but because we are very courageous move on the same ...
After a few minutes to understand because it was crossed out: the path is pretty icy and snowy but it is fun, we cling to whatever we understand and we are beautiful laughter when one of us slips! Apart from this technical issue, the location is great and that I do not regret it even more! We take the most beautiful photos of the trip! It 'difficult to describe these moments, we find the idea of eccitatissimi in a place so beautiful and fascinating! What makes the scenario even more impressive is the snow is abundant on the ground and on tree branches and pine trees. There seems to be in the country of fairy tales! I understand that Walt Disney we found the inspiration for the castle of Sleeping Beauty. At some point you have a spectacular view over the valley: in the middle of the castle Hohenschwangau near the lake and Alpsee around the snowy mountains that are reflected in the lake: practically a yellow dot in the middle of the immensity white! Truly charming!
While my companions "dispatch" try to remain standing in the snow I'm all agitated and pull out the camera feverishly jumping for joy at the wonderful photos that I will definitely! :) But we must continue so that the light becomes less and the risk of doing way back in the dark (of course none of us has a torch). After some vicissitudes, finally arrive at catwalk. Abstract: I suffer from vertigo and the catwalk, as well as being rather dated, is located 92 m in height above the ravine of Pöllath, the name alone makes the chills! But I decided to overcome my fear and my adventure on the bridge close to trying not to look below! The vision actually worth! It is not one of those beautiful days of clear blue sky and, indeed, quite the contrary, the sky is gray and the fog began to envelop the castle. But this makes the scene even more mysterious and fascinating.
I read that Ludwig II loved to come here tonight to observe his castle lit inside by thousands of candles lit on purpose. Who knows what he thought in those moments ...
Back. The way back is even more comic as downhill, four penguins seem! The first spotlights are turned on in the castle and create visions of a dream with the snow-covered branches and the imposing facade of the enlightened. Seem right in the world of fairies and elves! I do not know how it is summer but I can assure you that the winter this place is truly magical!
Furthermore we are almost on their own, most tourists are not even more on the path to reach the walkway, and we are delighted to have the risk!

Our delicious Romantic Pension

Let's go back down to the village on foot, now is dark but the road is full of people like us are falling, there are groups of boys who are battles of balls of snow, there is a very cheerful! The castle is now yellow illuminated by spotlights that give a very beautiful golden. We are physically destroyed, we walked a lot today, it's time to go to take possession of our rooms in the board (Romantic Pension, € 64.40 double with breakfast) which I booked via the web, hoping that it is nice as the pictures! It is located five minutes by car from the parking lot of Hohenschwangau, we find them quickly because the site was a photo showing the house with the white castle in the background, and indeed the reality exceeds almost picture!
E 'bellissima, white with taxes of wood pale blue, the sloping roof, the front a snowy garden (looks like a doll house!) And there it is in the background here: the Neuschwanstein castle in all its glory at night, with almost a halo Nature all around, which gives the idea of being inaccessible, mysterious ...
Our hostess, Frau Strauss, welcomes us with a long white shirt that makes it sound like a pharmacist! Going up the stairs covered with carpet to reach our rooms, I said that the house was one hundred years! The rooms are charming and have a balcony with views of the castle! We could not expect better for this stay of two nights. After a couple of hours to relax (we were almost all heavily abbioccati!), Leave and go up in Füssen, a couple of km, for dinner. Same scenario Lindau, there is no one around! Basically I see that the Germans eat from 18 onwards, there is no other explanation, because many pubs and restaurants close early, so I recommend you go for dinner no later than 20th We go into a restaurant called Gasthof Krone, medieval atmosphere and waitresses in period costume very cheerful! Here's the menu (do not miss anything!): Potato soup served in a large loaf of rye dug, various meat dishes proportioned Pantagruel, potatoes, cabbage to sformato, strudel, apple fritters, mini bignè with vanilla sauce . 22.30 we are in bed, dead tired, and with the full belly!

Linderhof, Ettal, Oberammergau, Wieskirche, Fuessen

After a hearty breakfast served by our Frau Strauss, in white coat, start with the machine direction Linderhof, where the favorite castle of Ludwig II, the one carried out and where he has lived for a while ' .
Walk down a road that passes through the Tirol in Austria, is wonderful for a few km along a frozen lake hours, the Plamsee, surrounded by mountains.
Today we are lucky, the sky is blue and sometimes there are some beautiful rays of sunshine. The road, narrow and ice is almost deserted by luck, we can then enjoy the view and stop every so often. We are immersed in a white / blue, it's really spectacular!
At 10 we arrive at Linderhof. Here there are far fewer tourists than the castle of Neuschwanstein, do the tickets in an instant. Unfortunately, the facade of the castle is covered with a tarpaulin as the castle is under restructuring, it is a shame because the picture looks like a real gem. If we go in spring or summer you will see the statues and fountains (now covered), visit the gardens, the artificial cave and other small buildings throughout the park. In winter and after heavy snowfalls, everything is covered with a thick white mantle.
We follow the visit with a recording in Italian, where every time you enter a room. This we followed with the Guide (real) but an English lady Neapolitan almost forces us to stay with you and your family to have such a group and a guide in Italian ... No comment.
This castle is even more incredible than that visited the day before. If Neuschwanstein is full of dreams and romance, the castle of Linderhof is very kitsch and it is the triumph of the baroque and rococo, in homage to Versailles for the King Ludwig II had been impressed during his previous stay. Very nice the rooms are round pastel color, placed at the corners of the castle, and which serve as the transition between one zone to another. The most impressive room is the bedroom, with a majestic canopy bed by the Prussian blue curtains! All rooms are decorated with paintings of life at court of Louis XIV of France, which Ludwig II greatly envied for power that he has never possessed in his country. Interesting detail: in the dining room, the table could be dropped down into the kitchen and again raised apparecchiato so that the king could eat alone without being disturbed. At that time already begun to have upset some of the personality ... It seems to have been left without teeth, that's why I could not stand to be observed while eating! What a pity, the portraits of Ludwig II show a truly fascinating and I have been impressed by the charisma that emanated. High, dark brown, with intense blue eyes, no teeth, I imagine it is difficult. In his last portraits, however, shortly before his death, was almost unrecognizable and much fattened, a kind of Elvis Presley Bavarian! :)
While visiting the castle, I was a little 'of sadness for this king, who spent his days alone, admiring the rooms of the castle, his paintings, his vases ... It was surrounded by hundreds of valuable items, but it is clear that the bottom was very sad and you feel incredibly alone. Took refuge in an imaginary world through its enchanting castles. Linderhof Castle is also a room for guests, furnished with care and a piano that had been affixed to realize his friend Wagner, Ludwig II of which was a fervent admirer and sponsor ... unfortunately did not receive visits, and Wagner never not ever put your feet in the castle.
After the visit and a walk in the park, go to the Benedictine Monastery of Ettal, a few kilometers. The building is impressive and reminds me a little 'Basilica di Superga Torino. Inside the style is baroque, very full, and is the work of the 700 Dominikus Zimmermann.
Then, we go in the village of Oberammergau, famous for its frescoed houses, some are of famous fairy tales like Hansel and Gretel or the Little Red Riding Hood. It 'nice to do a walk through its streets. Eat a goulash of venison in a food, in feet.
We continue the day with a visit to the Wieskirche, triumph of the baroque church in Bavaria included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The church was built and decorated with ... Dominikus Zimmermann (still him) and his brother Johann Baptist. Compared with the photographs I had seen, is different: instead of a church roof clear with a beautiful dark in the middle of a green lawn, here is all white ... No different from the roof and surrounding landscape ... But the effect is very beautiful even if the same un po 'triste.
Not tired, we continue our journey and we close the loop "back to Füssen where we do a tour. Even this charming town has a castle perched, very nice, but this is rather ignored by tourists for the most famous Neuschwanstein, 2 km from here. At the time we arrived unfortunately is closed and the light begins to fade, but fail to penetrate into the courtyard and have a beautiful view over the roofs of Füssen.
Note cuisine: I would advise you to try Schneeballen, a Bavarian specialty. There you can find in different places, we have found in a bakery at the foot of the castle, cakes are strange, are practically the chatter (or lies or frappe) rolled up on themselves-whether in the shape of a ball and covered with chocolate, sugar or frosting .
Taste if you happen to move from those parts! A tip: a schneeballen in two widely enough!
Then we return to our Romantic Pension relax for a while 'before dinner. I go immediately to appear on the balcony, unfortunately the white castle is shrouded in fog, which sfiga ... Before leaving, at about 20, I again facing e. .. the castle as if by magic it was freed from the clouds and mist to be admired in all its glory! We take some pictures with different opening times, to be sure!
While we leave the board, I realize that the Hohenschwangau castle is completely free of clouds, so before leaving for dinner to Füssen placed the camera with the tripod on the roof of the car to make some shots.
The position of our board is definitely a winner: a few steps from the two castles, surrounded by silence and five minutes drive from Füssen. An address to be kept really!
Füssen is no longer enlivened yesterday-now there we are made a reasonable and we therefore directly into a brewery / restaurant (Franziskaner) where you can sample Bavarian specialties.

New Year's Day in Augsburg

Today it snows a lot. Do look from the balcony: the castle seems almost gone! We were fortunate to visit two days ago, when the weather was not too bad ...
After breakfast and after having greeted Frau Strauss, starting in the direction of Augsburg on the Romantic Strasse, which begins and ends in Füssen, about 350 km further north to Wurzburg.
On the streets passing among Schongau, fortified town that seems very nice, but does not descend from the car as it snows very strong.
A few kilometers further, we pause to Landsberg am Lech, another fortified town with colorful houses perched and some beautiful churches and a Rathaus (City Hall =) from the facade painted very beautiful. We do a walk but it snows a lot and it is not nice, so after an hour go back to the car and we continue to Augsburg.
This is the city that we have chosen to spend the evening of New Year. We leave the luggage at the hotel (Ost Am Kö, € 80 double with breakfast) and go out for a spin. Continues to snow but we did not want to be locked up in a hotel and equipped with umbrellas and caps we approach the snow. Worthy of interest is the beautiful Rathaus, with its twin peaks dark green in the shape of a bulb. If you visit a website dedicated to Augsburg certainly see the town hall, only that we see under the snow and white with a sky that does not particularly emphasize the building.
Lunch in a pub full of happy Germans and loud. After, leave again and take two steps in the Maximilianstrasse, the main street of the city where I have said that this evening people gather to shoot fireworks at midnight. Then we go in the neighborhood called Fuggerei created by Jokob Fugger in 1521. This quarter, closed by gates at the ends of his ways was one of the first examples of social housing. Providing for a symbolic figure of three rooms housing for the Catholic poor, who in return had to recite a prayer a day. Still hosts some families with few resources. The small neighborhood is made up of long two-storey houses of ocher color with green taxes and sloping roofs. The gates are closed at night, give a sense of claustrophobia, but also safety for those who live there. In fact, has remained the tradition of closing the gates after a certain time at night and for once the time is a small fine!
Begins to be dark and we still do not know what to do tonight. Then enter any premises in which we find to ask if they have a table for tonight. Unfortunately the company is proving difficult. All restaurants are fully booked or closed for holidays, try also in a room where you perform the Drag Queen (could be very funny!) But even this is already all booked ... We start to joke that probably ceneremo for new year with a nice Kebab, when on the road to return to the hotel, we see a restaurant in a large courtyard with large glass windows and illuminated, that seems quite nice. Look at the name of our guide tells us that this place was built from an old barracks of the firemen! Come and talk with someone who appears to be the owner. Miracle, there is room! But close to 23 ... ah this is where the cheat, but ch'importa, after dinner we go around in Maximilianstrasse ...
Then visit the Ste Anne Kirsche, a Protestant church where Luther stay when he was in Augsburg, and finally go back to the hotel to relax a little '. Look on TV shots of the festivities on the other side of the world, in Australia. In this moment of celebration that I am inclined to sleep! But let us do not take the lazy! At exit 20 and go on foot in our restaurant, hoping that it was not a buffalo. The first guy is there to welcome us. Later we discover that it is turkish and is actually the owner of this restaurant, and another room, and speaks good Italian. We are pleasantly surprised with a very sensitive and warm place, the tables decorated with taste and elegance, and even the dinner turns out to be excellent! Finally something different from the usual dishes shank and potatoes! :) In the local people there is very little and is pretty quiet, makes a strange effect, there appears to be December 31. The only "incident handled" when the waitress down a glass of champagne on him to our friend Henry! Then it is a flaw ... Decree that the German waiters are not able to cope with drinks trays! The owner apologized and tantissimo punishment sends the maid in the kitchen! Not meet again for two more hours! At 23, we are kindly invited to find another place to continue the evening:) Luckily it stopped snowing, the atmosphere is unreal and padded, all the streets are white and the lights of the buildings and street lamps contribute to a ' feeling really strange.
Go from Maximilianstrasse, where the boys have already begun to explain their arsenals barrels and fireworks. We decided that staying in the street could be dangerous for our lives and pushed us in a bar drinking a cocktail and wait for midnight. The enclosure, with large windows, we can observe it safely (we hope!) Boys and girls in the street are causing with their rockets, which the Neapolitans would envy! Two types are apparently not very encouraging and a pistol to fire rockets! Mad! Even young children are helped by their parents to switch from rockets more extravagant! We are frightened and at the same time for so astounding casino out there! Never seen stuff like this! Half an hour later, we go out, the streets seem a battlefield! In the night, we are in bed ... My goodness, we did very late! ;) But the day after we get up soon ...

Happy New Year! Donauwörth, Harburg Schloss, Nördlingen, Dinkelsbühl, Rothenburg ober Tauber

We start from Augsburg to 10, the streets are deserted, we are the only crazy around this time of the morning! Today the weather is gray ...

First stage: Donauwörth, very pretty town with lots of colorful houses. We stop only ten minutes to do some photos of the main street. There is not a soul around!

Second stage: Schloss Harburg, a fortified castle perched on a hill. In winter it is closed but you can enter the village and make a lap in the courtyard. E 'molto bello, and there is no one can enjoy a little' peace. On the parking outside the walls of the castle, a group of Germans arrived by bus is singing Christmas carols with a glass of mulled wine in hand. The scene is pretty funny!

Third stage: Nördlingen. It 'a very special town, built inside a crater 25 km in diameter formed by a meteorite. To enjoy a panoramic view, climb the tower of the church San Giorgio. There are over 200 steps, but it's worth, the only way to realize the appearance of the city: it is perfectly round, surrounded by ancient walls, with some doors still in excellent condition. The view is really beautiful! All the roofs are bleached but guess their bright red under the splash of snow.

Fourth stage: Dinkelsbühl, another medieval town is also enclosed in walls. It 'really very pretty, with cobbled streets, quaint houses with colorful facades with typical gables. As recommended by Lonely Planet, after a tour on foot, we enter the Museum of the third dimension. He was described as a museum entirely devoted to the simulation of hallucinogenic been! There was intrigued. In the end it is a museum on three floors with a lot of prints and three-dimensional images, holographic, stereoscopic, optical effects. There fun for about an hour and then leave, because after a while 'and we are tired rimbambiti, and we have a slight hunger ... are the 15th Eat a dish with sausage and sauerkraut in a restaurant, while other customers are doing a good snack, damn! We are a po '! And we thought of doing the real Germans! ... One sees that it is rather 'provide for the dinner and too late for lunch, but never mind! When hunger calls ...

Fifth stage: Rothenburg od Tauber der, German in all the catalogs of Japanese travel! E 'famous for having preserved its medieval style, in fact all the signs of shops and restaurants are in gold, brass or iron, but the visit tomorrow.

Now it's dark and we must try our hotel which is located about 10 km from here. Unfortunately we lose a little 'and "visit" all the villages we encounter on the street looking for our hotel, with the help of a small black and white photos printed from the Internet. Ask for help from those parts is not easy, people do not understand English and begins to give us explanations in Bavaria, you can imagine our plight, lost in the countryside at night ... After some ups and false alarms, we will do! In fact we had the wrong amounts, we could continue to run forever!
The inn, converted into a house, it's really nice (Zum Falken, € 60 double with breakfast). The rooms are lovely, under the roof, with wood beams on sight, colorful duvets, spacious and clean bathrooms. Dinner is divine-our guest is an excellent cook-: smoked salmon on potato pancakes, fresh salmon in butter pastry with spinach, freshly baked bread, all made in house.
Unfortunately, during the dinner a little accident happens to Paul, which threatens to choke on a piece of food stuck in his throat-he thinks it is a piece of meat. " Exceeded the tragedy and we are about to go to the hospital is so bad. Fortunately there is a doctor among the guests who visit and says that has nothing to big stuck in his throat, unable to understand what it is, therefore advised to drink cold water and eat a piece of bread . It is the winning solution! Was probably only un'erbetta however, that blocking the throat. In a moment, Paul incorporates color and finally manages to swallow! We had a great fear !!!... Unfortunately for our dinner that we had finished, was postponed in the kitchen, because we were absent for more than an hour! After we recovered, we descend again into the hall of the restaurant where Giorgia and Enrico ahead and we eat an ice cream in the company of our host / chef who comes from the kitchen with his arms up to elbows bloody! Nightmarish vision! Where are we finished? He guesses our astonished eyes, and reassures us: he was just slaughtered a boar! Ah well ... Chatted a little 'with him and after a while' there we go to nana. It 'been a first in January "challenging"!

Rothenburg ober Tauber, Norimberga e arrivo a Monaco

We make an abundant breakfast of croissants, bread and home made jams, in the restaurant adjacent to the hotel that was once a stable. Our host tells us that next weekend will prepare a dinner for 300 people and he is the only cook! We do not understand how can do it alone but he says that she does so without problems, has people who help to clean up the kitchen! Cooking is his passion, and believe! The get well! Come back! .. After we greeted, we go way to Rothenburg od Tauber der. Parked outside the walls and do a nice walk in town. It 'true that medieval atmosphere! Everything is taken care of the details for you to feel in a different era, indeed, it almost seems too exaggerated and somewhat 'fake, but it is nice ...
Fortunately, there are few tourists and we can walk safely and take photos without annoying tablet. Rothenburg is filled in the summer and in December for the Christmas market. The weather is still gray, but maybe the sun is out ...
We decide to visit the Kriminal Museum where you can admire an impressive collection of medieval instruments of torture and old prints to regain the most common torture! It 'very interesting and the visit. Leaving the museum definitely change the atmosphere in the shop and enter the world's craziest: Käthe Wohlfahrt, labyrinthine shop devoted entirely to Christmas 365 days a year! In a delirium of color, Lucina, balls, toys, Christmas trees, all accompanied by a musichetta "hellish" Christmas! The orders are dressed in the traditional Bavarian dress, among the orders of the Japanese and see! Incredible! Is also quite funny to see a Japanese dressed as a Bavarian! In a room, there's even playing greatness of nature with a small square house in the middle and a huge Christmas tree decorated in a faux starry sky.
After a while 'we are stunned! Paul desperately seeking the release! E 'a maze of rooms, stairs, steps, one way ... Aiutooo! Finally find the exit and we can breathe a nice fresh air! Obviously we have not bought anything because the prices were Japanese! Meanwhile the sun is out, we cross again the Markt, main square of the town where it overlooks the beautiful town hall of the fourteenth century, and go back to the car.

Abandon the Romantische Strasse (which still continues to the North until Wurzburg) to head towards the east, in Franconia, in Nuremberg, about 60 km from Rothenburg.
We arrive around 13.30, there is a beautiful blue sky with the sun shining at last!
Parking in an underground garage (to read the detail of history is important ...) and go around the center, pedestrian. For lunch we eat the Pretzel bought in a kiosk and we are heading for Altstat. There are rivers of people! We cross the Pegnitz River where the bridge is a beautiful view sull'Heilig Geist Spital, a former hospital, built on the river.
After crossing the Hauptmarkt, the main square, and visited a couple of beautiful churches (the gothic Pfarrkirche Unsere Liebe Frau Sebalduskirche and St, the oldest of Nuremberg) Kaiserburg climb up to the castle from which you have a splendid view of the city. Nuremberg was almost razed to the ground during the Second World War and most of the monuments and churches and the castle were rebuilt or heavily restored. The Alstat is very pleasant to shoot, and then at the time we visit the city, there is a light warm-just missing the sunset-that allows us to make beautiful photographs.
Around 16.30, we arrive at the garage, Paul gives the change to Henry for help, because he is tired, tonight we have to reach Monaco which is 160 km. We pay the ticket, climb in the car, we arrived at the machine, Enrico enters and leaves the ticket. Damn, the road is uphill and steep Henry not do it to go right away, not knowing well the machine, and so turns off the engine, in the meantime it also lowers the bar ... And now as we do? Pigiamo the button to call the keeper but no one answered, I go up to gabbiotto but it is empty! Meanwhile, some machines are coming and we are blocking the move, luckily no one plays it and all are quiet ... After a while 'but resigned there and then running back, approach the machine does not give discomfort. A Paul is an idea, pass behind another car! We are seriously worried. And if the bar closes above us ... But we have no other choice if we do not want to spend the night in the garage of Nuremberg! Descend all three selfishly from the machine (you never know who we are sheared in two!) And look to throw the first machine. A lady arrives, enter your ticket, Paul is ready to scoured, the chases fast Oddio! the bar is lowered on the machine, and I issue a Giorgia urletto! Fortunately, there must be a photo-cell, it raises the bar and Paul goes through the garage. We are entering the race in the car and filiamo away, like thieves! In fact we paid but the impression from the outside must have been one!

After some laughs, we take the road to Monaco. Fortunately it's all highway. It 'the first time a few days when we go to more than 80 km / h! We arrive in the capital of Bavaria in the evening. We reach our hotel (Nymphenburg, € 70 double with breakfast, rooms painted in bright colors, not suitable for those who love the simplicity in the furniture!) Posiamo bags and leave immediately for dinner.
We go to Löwenbräu, a very large brewery not far away. Eat, as usual, pork, spätzel, sausage, potato and strudel, all accompanied by the usual half a liter of beer! We're rolling on the table ... Are witnessing a shameful and pitiful scene near our table, two Italian kids if the spin without pay in a moment of distraction of the waiters! We are disgusted! ... The waiter who served them was visibly upset and angry, and his previous good mood vanished. He tried to pursue it, in vain ... But cheap food in Germany ... Therefore we also ashamed to speak in front of the Italian waiter ...

Munich under the sun

Today is a beautiful day. Take the subway to Marienplatz, the famous square in Monaco. The tower of the new City Hall is closed and unfortunately we can not climb to enjoy the panorama of the city. We visit a couple of churches, take a trip to an ancient port city and after we go back to the Marienplatz to hear the carillon (Glockenspiel).
Pending the 11, we observe a group of young Japanese by us, who are trying to take photos with a mini digital camera: three are posing and the fourth to 2 m from them, is doing the contortions allucinanti to try to take over the friends and the whole tower of City Hall behind them. Virtually impossible if you do not have the fish eye! The scene is quite funny, there are more tourists that are passing all the time and I know that in the end surrendered ...
However, the carillon is a half disappointment, like a po 'all the carillon in the world I think. In most died from the cold! There will be -3 ° C. So in order to circulate the blood in the legs we decide to walk without seeing the end of spettacolino puppets with musichetta excruciating.
We make two steps in the Maximilianstrasse, a long street full of elegant shops and hotels, before arriving at the Max Joseph Platz where you overlook the old post office building (in a beautiful building from a portico adorned with frescoes in the Italian style), the Teatro National and Residenz. This is a very impressive building, housed the kings of Bavaria from 1385 to 1918 and contains more than 400 years of history of architecture.
Visit the Residenzmuseum comprising over 100 rooms. Visits are therefore divided into two: the morning tour and the afternoon tour, but as we get to 12 we can see almost everything. There is an incredible mixture of styles, from Renaissance to Baroque to Rococo, the Neoclassical. What we see, however, is a faithful reconstruction of what the Residenz was bombed in the 45th After an hour and a half, we saw almost everything and we would like to leave but we can not find the exit, it seems a joke, and then we have to do all the way back is a little 'situation as comic, walk fast, at and down the stairs, long corridors forward, we seem to be prisoners of the palace! Finally find the exit ... Now I realize that we seem a little 'rimbambiti and that this scene reminds one of Christmas shop in Rothenburg, but I assure you that the exit was not clearly indicated, at least I think ... :)
For lunch, we go in the famous Hofbräuhaus, overflowing with tourists and Bavarians in traditional dress, all with an overflowing mug of beer in hand! There is a group that plays folk music, Japanese tourists dancing in the middle of the brewery, and a German waiter in Japanese Bavarian dress (yes, again!) Going back and forth with baskets full of enormous Pretzel. Two guys next to us, bent with laughter (that bad!) Seek in every way to get photos with the Giapponesina, impassive. There is a really festive! We order the usual diet dish that various types of sausage (try the Weiss Wurst), sauerkraut, mashed potatoes and a liter of beer accompanied by a giant Pretzel that we can not even finish! What draws my attention: there is a kind of visual cabinet with a closed grill and mini padlocks with many glasses of beer. Virtually the habitués of the site have their own personal mug! I make some pictures of these Bavarian all very cheerful, some call me to be photographed!
After lunch, we go around the pedestrian street from Marienplatz to Karlplatz, to do some shopping and take the metro to go back to the hotel. This evening, for a change ', we go into a Thai restaurant across the street, ah that good eating Pad Thai!

Munich under the snow

Today the weather is again bruttina is gray, and as usual very cold, some degrees below 0. We go out and take the tram up to the Castle of Nymphenburg, the summer residence of the Wittelsbach, the family of Ludwig II. The palace, the gardens, the half frozen lakes and the sky are one white, but it is very fascinating.
In a pond there are hundreds of birds, ducks, swans, they "fight" and run for a piece of bread make much noise. We visit the castle with the help of audio guides that I recommend you to take despite the rather high cost, not to wander from room to room without understand anything. We, with the court Braccini, we take only two, but increasing the volume you hear very well, sometimes we succeed and to leave them together and so we get a very nice stereo ... vabbè I digress ... The rooms are very beautiful and richly furnished. The first can be seen entering the hall, where it was christened the little Ludwig II in 1845, the year of his birth. A room I particularly striking: the gallery of beauties. A series of 38 portraits of women, noble or not, which Ludwig I considered beautiful. The audio guide tells the story of some of them, it is very interesting and it is pleasing to observe these beautiful portraits until the bus comes to noisy tourists Roman ruins that some 'effect.
After the visit, take the tram, after a coastal trail curling obtained on frozen river where many people play. We go to eat at a Pizza Hut, the only place on our road, next to our table, a "meeting" of four teenagers sfigatelli obviously fans of Star Trek as clothes like in the show! Chilling! A barely able to contain the laughter!
After lunch, we seek refuge nell'enorme Museum of Science, I think it is one of the biggest in the world. Obviously we see only a part: boats, planes, trains, cars, bridges, chemical, paper, musical instruments, etc ... After 3 hours, leave, destroyed and stunned, a fiocconi snows, we go into a pub for a drink.
Then we return to the hotel to lie down for a moment and come back for dinner again Löwenbräu. Today is Sunday, and several rooms are closed, the pub is almost empty. We order a dish made of sausage, sausage and potatoes and sweet as an apple strudel with vanilla sauce ... this menu reminds me of something ... On the sweet we really big! Since we already had dinner here two nights ago, we knew that the strudel was served with another piece of cheese cake type quark, which was particularly heavy and there was so much liked. Then we furbetti comunichiamo the waitress that we want the sweet without the cake to the quark, and three plates ordiamo because I think I can eat half a slice of strudel with Paul. But as my greedy maritini is telling me that you will eat everything and there is the 'awful doubt "that lead us only a slice, I go by the waitress asking another pot. She smiles ... Behold, I make the figure of the dead of hunger! And in the end brings us our meals with as many as four ... two slices of strudel a huge head!
Oddio! We're just bad at the thought! We get to laugh like crazy for 5 minutes abundant! We thought we would bring just one piece! And what's more, the figure of m. .. I will leave me with the famous phrase: "and then I do not even like the strudel!" and everyone laughed at squarciagola! I still tears in my eyes to rethink the scene! The entire restaurant is watching us! Obviously, as expected we can not finish our dishes and the waitress, sorniona, takes us around asking every five minutes if we expect to finish our dish ... In the end we must not capitulate to really feel sick! The waitress who had understood the quiproquo, it makes you laugh and makes us take two glasses of local beer, as I remember! Let's go to bed after you swallow a pill to swallow!

End of the travel at Herrenchiemsee

Today is the last day of the trip. Snows a lot! We go to Lake Chiemsee, 70 km from Monaco, to visit the third castle of Ludwig II: Herrenchiemsee almost perfect copy of Versailles. The castle is situated on an island in the middle of the lake and take a boat to get there. There rituffiamo romantic atmosphere of the castles of Ludwig ... There is a storm of snow, we are very few tourists. We arrive on the island after about 10 minutes, and walk for another 15 minutes on a path between the trees to the castle. It makes a shocking cold and there is so much wind!
And there it is here: the castle is majestic glimpses between the trees, it's really impressive!
Unfortunately, the gardens do not see anything and all the statues are packed. In summer or spring should be a show! We enter. Let us visit only four with a guide who speaks in Italian with a strong German accent with the aid of the leaflets. The castle remained largely unfulfilled as Ludwig II had ran out of money before you take it out, and then died. Only 20 rooms on 70 have been completed. Unfortunately, the hall stairs, from the photos that seemed really spectacular, is restructuring and we can not see. The most impressive rooms are the bedroom Journal, sfarzosissima, and the hall of mirrors, which reproduces that of Versailles. Crossing the unfinished parts of the castle and come downstairs where we can observe the mechanism of the table to disappear, also here as a Linderhof. The last room is the bathroom with a magnificent marble pool 1m70 deep for about 7 meters in diameter (we are told that it takes 60,000 liters of water to refill it). Unfortunately the king did not have time to enjoy the very castle, in fact lived in Herrenchiemsee only 10 days before he died drowned (?) In Lake Starnberg near where it was locked. The tour ends this way, in a room that probably is not the king attended even during his brief stay, and this thing leaves me a little 'melancholic ...
Complete the visit with a tour in the small museum dedicated to Ludwig II, we discover different aspects of his life, it's strange to see the end of the trip, having seen almost all the places of his life. E 'come take a step back: the image of Ludwig child, her baptism dress from ... Among the material exhibited, there are several prints, cups, plates (a merchandising!) To him with his cousin Sofia (sister Sissi), in which he was engaged for seven months, before dissolving the (probably Ludwig, consistent with his homosexuality, he chose not to marry). Very interesting are the drawings of projects for its castles, we discover that he had in mind the construction of other castles that never had the time to achieve.
Let us return to reality quickly eating a sandwich in the bar adjacent to the entrance of the castle and make the road back to return to the pier where a boat should start shortly. The snow storm has not died down and we can not even enjoy a walk among the trees in a scenario that should be very impressive.
So the island is again almost abandoned, the few tourists who were discharged if they are going away as we ... During the journey to Prien, where we parked the car, I get a sense of sadness, thinking to Ludwig and his castles so beautiful, but so isolated, as was he ...
On the way back to the time a little better 'in Austria, offering beautiful landscapes with small huts scattered on the sides of snow-capped mountains and a beautiful sun welcomes us finally to Italy, the Brenner Pass.

The journey is over and the magical atmosphere of Bavaria has vanished ...