Tour of Bavaria

 

1st day, Innsbruck - Munich

In general
A short route that allows you to visit one of the characteristics of Europe; beautiful medieval towns, enchanted castles surrounded by unspoiled nature, good hotel accommodations at reasonable prices.
The center of Munich is a jewel to visit a by pleasant walk, because all areas of interest are around its main square, Marienzplatz.
The car is to drive along the Romantic Strasse, a succession of typical places well restored and preserved, the ordered Bavarian houses surrounded by walls and Rothenburg that represents the culmination of medieval age.
The most spectacular area lies instead in the far southern of Bavaria, on the border with Austria, near the pleasant town of Fussen there are wonderful castles, the famous Neuschwanstein, Linderhof and Hohenschwangau that are the most important in the world.
Finally the little old town of Innsbruck, capital of Tyrol, dominated by the surrounding mountains, but in summer loses its Nordic charm represented mainly by its Christmas markets.

Innsbruck

The center of Innsbruck is quickly visitable: the most interesting is the Herzog-Friedrich-Strasse, very special, completely paved with pebbles: On its path you can visit the most important monuments, like the Altes Rathaus, the old City Hall and Neuer Hof, whose facade is the famous Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl) composed of a balcony decorated with coats of arms and scenes of dance with the protruding part covered by 2657 fire-gilded copper foils.
All roads in this area are very nice features also walking because they are closed to traffic.
Nearby is the Hofburg, the Imperial Palace, but the visit is of great interest and the ticket is pretty expensive compared with things to see (much better than the Residenz of Munich).

2nd day - Munich

Two days are enough to visit the most important city in Bavaria: the modern suburbs contrasts with the beautiful old town, incorporated in the large pedestrian area, where the focus is Marienplatz, the living room of the city, where you can sip a beer in the many small tables outdoors in front of the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus) in neo-Gothic style, waiting for the famous sounds of Carillon, one of the attractions of the city (you can see it 3 times a day at 11, 12 and 17 o'clock).
The churches of Monaco are very beautiful, baroque and all easily accessible from Marienplatz: The main Frauenkirche (Cathedral with the dome visible from afar), St. Peter (a staircase to reach the top of the tower, from where you can see across the city and a beautiful view of Marienplatz and the town hall), St. Michael and Theatinerkirche, one of the most impressive Baroque churches of Germany. One of the most famous attractions is the Viktualienmarkt, a food market in business for nearly 200 years; walk among sorted benches is a real pleasure for the eyes, all products are positioned perfectly, and the whole area is full of rooms with tables where you can eat or drink a beer outside. The market is opened from Monday to Saturday
Another place absolutely not to lose is the Residenz, the royal palace of Monaco. It is divided into two parts: the treasure room, where you can admire the precious assets of the royal family, and the rooms of the building that affect the visitor for their sophistication (the Ahnengalerie beautiful, the gallery of the ancestors).
Incredible as in the period of August the town is full of people, all the shops opened as if it was a normal month, unlike our deserted city.
The best way to visit Monaco is the subway with a single ticket costing € 4.50 you can run all day.
Overnight at the Hotel Rivoli (4 stars), good position in front of the underground station Harass (4 stops from Marienplazt), enough room, good breakfast, price double room with breakfast buffet € 85.00 per day.

3rd day - Romantische Strasse

Leaving Munich until Augsburg, in the middle of the Romantic Strasse connecting the south of Bavaria (Fussen) in Wurzburg, interspersed with numerous places of interest, mainly to the appearance medieval towns still intact. The initial part around Fussen winds also in a beautiful natural setting, with mountains, lakes and forests, the ideal environment to host its fairy-tale castles.

Augsburg: The largest town on this journey, the most trafficked and the least characteristic. The central square is the most beautiful and important, and it faces the typical city hall (we unfortunately find "work in progress" on the square that ruined the glance).
A short walk you reach the cathedral. Not far from the center you can visit the characteristic "Fuggerei", realized for the poor people of the city. It is the oldest example of social housing in the world, built when the city was a most important financial metropolis of Europe.
If you have limited time available, I think this stage is definitely droppable. Continuing north to meet:

Donauwörth: Town on the Danube, the Reichstrasse with town houses, one of the most beautiful roads of southern Germany, form the axis of the city center between City Hall and Fuggerhaus.

Nordlingen: Medieval town, to see the walls and the church of Saint George with the bell tower 90mts high . You can visit the town through the main streets and then going back to ancient walls.

Dinkelsbuhl: Town with all the homes in Bavarian style, with the focus on the Gothic cathedral of St. George, the wine market (Weinmarkt), the castle, the picturesque neighborhood of painters (Malrwinkel), the old City Hall and the mill.

Rothenburg: Certainly worth the trip to Bavaria. The town of Rothenburg is a medieval jewel of: walls, old gates, churches and palaces. You can follow different routes, to travel all its roads, that after a certain time, become pedestrian areas.
Completely surrounded by walls, is accessible through feature gates on either side of the city, at the center is located Marktplatz (Market Square), which has always been the main place of life in the city thanks to the presence in the square of the Rathaus (town hall).
The main street of Rothenburg is the Herrngasse (Lords Way), which connects the Marktplatz with Burggarten (gardens of the castle). It's a typical street of Bavarian country, with elegant facades of houses made with different styles and colors, balconies full of colorful flowers, many shops and restaurants with outdoor tables.
From the gardens of the castle you can admire a beautiful view across the green valley of Tauber, and part of the country.
Of note also a unique shop where seems Christmas in August, specializing in the sale of Christmas decorations. A very strange visiting when outside there are more than 30°C degrees.
The town was completely restored after the serious damage reported following the bombing of the Second World War

For the overnight stay in Rothenburg I want to report a fantastic bed and breakfast : the Hornburg (www.hotel-hornburg.de/).
Outside looks like a mini castle, a beautiful garden with tables outdoors, away from the confusion but just at the entrance of the country (less than 10 minutes walk from the main square).
Each room has its characteristic (and price), all very large and very typical. At most it seems to me that there are a dozen rooms, and never more than 20-25 people. Breakfast is a buffet and it's a bit of everything, and in his small, is comparable to that of major international hotels. In addition, served at the table at 7.30 am, a beautiful tray of cold cuts and cheeses, with the inevitable speck.
For a double in August you will spend 74 euros, bed and breakfast, 2 people, good value for money. The owners are very kind.

4th day - Fussen and Ludwig Castles

A convenient highway brings in less than two hours from Rothenburg to Fussen, town known mainly for its proximity to the two most important Bavarian castles, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. Excellent starting point for their visit thanks to the possibility of lodging, besides being a typical small town with many local restaurants. First consideration: the castles are famous because of it crowds are much to be expected, especially for the tickets, but with a small supplement you can book directly via internet indicating the preferred time of entry (www.hohenschwangau.de). The cost to visit both castles is € 18.00 per person including taxes.
The first castle to visit, the Hohenschwangau, it is not absolutely comparable to the most famous Neuschwanstein, so those who had little time would be well advised to visit only the second.
With this castles, we start to discover this intriguing historical figure, King Ludwig, sensitive and dreamer, one of the most historic fascinating, mysterious and controversial monarch in modern history.

From Hohenschwangau Ticket can be reached by a short climb of about 10 minutes. Castle was not built by Ludwig but greatly influenced his life.
Built in the twelfth century, is distinguished by the beautiful Hall of Heroes, the largest room of the castle, as well as for the various rooms including the Queen's room, the room of the Knight of the Swan and the private chapel attached to the room of Hohenstaufen.

Then we are at Neuschwanstein to visit the most incredible and most imitated castle in the world (even by Walt Disney), the "castle of fairy tales." The position is spectacular, perched on a cliff overlooking the entire valley with beautiful lakes that reflect the mountains that surround it.
The climb can be done on foot (about half an hour) or by horse-drawn carriages. If the outside is beautiful, the interior leaves visitors speechless.
The throne room, dining room, bedroom built in Gothic style is adorned with beautiful carvings in wood where 14 engravers worked for four years. From the window you can admire an astonishing landscape, a gorge with a waterfall 45 meters high.
Through a pretend cave with stalactites and stalagmites and passing in front of the winter garden, we access to royal living room, until we reach the more important room, the Hall of Singers, once lit with 600 candles. Everywhere beautiful paintings, candles and objects of great value.
At the end of the visit, with a walk you can reach a waterfall, where you can admire a splendid view of the castle.

The overnight stay in Fussen is the most expensive in this part of Germany: the Hotel Kurcafe, excellent 4 stars well-positioned near the pedestrian zone, with the usual lavish breakfast and a nice room comes for 99 euros a night.

5th day - Lindherof

The last castle to visit is Lindherof, reachable from Fussen with a beautiful panoramic view of 50 km along a lake in the mountains. It is better to visit it the early morning because it is not booked and tails are easy to find.
It's a little jewel built in Baroque style with a fabulous garden full of statues, fountains and Eastern style pavilions, an invitation to a trip on the slopes of a mountain.
The interiors are always very splendid, starting from the Hall of Audiences, the usual magnificent Bedroom with view on the fountains in the garden, dining room and suggestive Hall of Mirrors.
In the park you can finally reach the Cave of Venus, a totally artificial cave made of stalagmites, where Ludwig liked to spend hours to dream and think soothed by taking in a small boat shell-shaped that you can still admire .