Munich, Germany

Welcome to Munich, Germany? Or welcome to Bavaria?

Unique diversity of attractions, its scenic beauty and unspoiled nature, its romantic castles and medieval towns, its beer halls, traditional festivals and oompah bands, its excellent cuisine and hospitality, its pleasant climate and its cosmopolitan high-tech capital of Munich, Bavaria is undoubtedly the prime holiday destination in Germany, no matter at what time of the year you come for a visit.

Hofbräuhaus

Folklore and age-old traditions exist side by side with sleek BMWs, and designer boutiques. Its museums include world-class collections of artistic masterpieces, and its music and cultural scenes give Berlin a run for its money. With the oktoberfest and opera, Hofbräuhaus beer hall and Pinakothek art galleries, BMW and Bayern Munich, the city manages to marry old Bavarian tradition with vibrant modern life.

Munich is a gem in and of itself.  My Wife and I where here for just a few days but let me tell you I can’t wait to go back.  We arrived by train from Paris around 9 o’clock at night, and we made our way through the tunnels of Munich to our hotel.  The Underground in Munich at first was very confusing but with that in mind once we (my wife) had the basic idea it was the easiest and sound way to get around.

Castle Neuschwanstein

We woke up to a beautiful sunrise and a chill in the air.  I told my wife with excitement  “Today is Our first full day in Germany” and we were ran out of the hotel and back on a train for a day trip to Castle Neuschwanstein in the Bavarian hills. Castle Neuschwanstein which was built by King Ludwig II in the 1800s. The castle is one of the most visited sights in Europe and is a must see according to many. We took the train down to Fussen, the Bavarian town closest to Neuschwanstein.

Fussen is a small town nestled between towering Alpine peaks, and Schwangau, a village about 4km further east. Together they form the Königswinkel (Royal Corner), home to Germany’s biggest tourist attractions: Ludwig II’s fantasy castles Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.

Once we got to Fussen, we took a bus up with countless other tourists to the base of the hill where the castle sits. There I got my ticket we had a choice we could walk up to the Castle (30 minute hike up a 5% Grade) or we could take the shuttle bus for just a few Euro’s.  We were there fairly early in the day so we didn’t have to wait long.

Hohenschwangau Castle

The exterior of the castle is beautiful. It sits high on one hilltop with another hilltop in the background. Its white facade stood out majestically against all the trees, whose leaves were just starting to turn to yellow and orange.

The inside was nice but it couldn’t compare with the external beauty and some of the other castles I’ve seen. If I went again, I’d be satisfied to just see the outside in various seasonal settings (there were some gorgeous post cards of it in the wintertime).  I could only imagine how amazing it would be in person after a dusting of snow.

Recap

After the long train ride back, watching an amazing Bavarian sunset it was time for reflection.  Until this trip I had never been out of the states, and my perception of Germany was bombs and war, concrete and the autobahn.  I was DEAD wrong!  So far what I have seen is beautiful country towns, friendly and lively people, and scenery that would put most of the USA to shame.  I can’t wait till tomorrow to see what else this amazing place has to offer.

Tags: Bavaria, Bayern Munich, Castle Neuschwanstein, Fussen, Germany, Hofbräuhaus, Hohenschwangau, holiday destination, Munich, oktoberfest, oompah bands, Pinakothek art galleries

This entry was posted on November 6, 2009 at 10:29 pm. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Posted in Europe Germany Munich by James Gray No Comments Yet