Top sights in the Füssen and Schwangau area in Bavaria, Germany include Schloss Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, Linderhof, Ettal, Oberammergau, and Wieskirche.
Schloss Neuschwanstein Castle is without a doubt the main attraction of the beautiful Füssen-Schwangau region, which is popular with vacationers and day-trippers from Munich. There are several other sights – both manmade and natural – worth exploring but Schloss Neuschwanstein is the one sight that the average visitor insists on seeing.
Schloss Neuschwanstein, a medieval-look, 19th-century fantasy castle built by Bavarian King Ludwig II is perched on a rocky hill from where it absolutely looks the part. It may have inspired Disney. Around 1.2 million tourists tour the castle annually.
Schloss Hohenschwangau is a neo-Gothic castle constructed during the 1830s. Bavarian King Ludwig II spent many happy childhood summers here and it may have inspired him to build the more spectacular Schloss Neuschwanstein nearby. Hohenschwangau Castle generally attracts far fewer visitors than Neuschwanstein.
Many visitors rush through Füssen – mostly from the station by bus – to the castles of Schwangau. However, this small town with the official end of Germany’s popular Romantic Road (Romantische Straße) is pretty and has several sights worth seeing.
The Hohe Schloss (High Castle) is mostly Late Gothic from the 15th century but the origins are two centuries older. It now houses Gothic paintings from the Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlung (Bavarian State Gallery) and the Städtische Gemäldegalerie (Municipal Gallery).
More interesting is the large former Kloster St Mang (Monastery). It is mostly 18th-century Baroque but parts of it go back to the 9th century. The crypt of the Klosterkirche (Abbey Church) has the oldest wall paintings in Bavaria (from around AD 1000).
The richly decorated Fürstensaal (Prince’s Hall) is often used for concerts.
The former Franziskanerkloster (Franciscan Monastery) has fine views of the old town, castle, and monastery. It is also the official end of the Romantic Road.
Sights near Füssen and Schwangau, Germany
Several interesting sights are within less than an hour’s drive from Füssen. All of these can be reached on public transportation but services can be limited making a car a much better option.
Die Wieskirche (Church in the Meadow) is considered the definitive work of the Bavarian Rococo. It is on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list and worth a journey.
Oberammergau is a small town famous for its Luftmalerei (tromp d’oeil) painted building façades and grand performances of Christ’s Passion every ten years. It is also famous for woodcarving of mostly religious souvenirs.
Ettal is a small town with a famous monastery and the most amazing abbey church. The church has the only figure 8 floor plan in Germany, a huge cupola, and rich Baroque interior. The monks brew a first-class beer.
Schloss Linderhof is the only of King Ludwig’s fantasy castles that was ever completed. It is surprisingly small but the interior is rich. The large park has huge water features and wonderful views of the Alps.
Outdoors Activities Near Schwangau & Füssen, Germany
Hiking opportunities abound in the Alps around Schwangau. Pleasant hikes go into the mountains and forests near the castles while cable cars sweep hikers up to great heights in minutes for walks with spectacular views.
Even short walks near Schloss Neuschwanstein are rewarding: the Pöllatschlucht (Pöllat Gorge) is a wild-romantic walk next to the small but fast flowing stream while the views of the castle are best from the Marienbrücke (Mary Bridge).
The Forggensee is the fifth largest lake in Bavaria. However, it is only from mid-June to October that the Lech River is dammed to form this large lake popular for all kind of non-motorized water sports.
The Füssen area is one of the best in Germany for cross-country skiing. The mountains in the region are also popular with downhill Alpine skiers. Ski passes for the region include resorts in Austria.
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