Füssen
A truly romantic town

On the banks of the turquoise river Lech, the old town centre is a maze of narrow medieval streets and magnificent baroque churches. Grouped around it are the villages of Bad Faulenbach, Hopfen am See and Weissensee, all set in idyllic lakeland scenery amid the foothills of the Alps. The variety of the beautiful countryside - Alpine mountains, rolling Allgäu hills and idyllic lakes - provides endless possibilities for an unforgettable active holiday.

Places of interest

The attractions of Füssen's romantic old quarter include Hohes Schloss Castle, the baroque monastery of St. Mang, medieval gabled houses and secluded squares. The former royal residences of Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle (4km), the Wieskirche Pilgrimage Church (25km), Oberammergau, Linderhof Palace (50km) and the Zugspitze mountain (60km) are easily reached from here.

Hohes Schloss Castle
The 13th century Hohes Schloss Castle above the old quarter was formerly a bishopric residence and summer retreat, and, in the 16th century, was one of Swabia's foremost medieval castles. The trompe d'oeil paintings are particular noteworthy. The "Rittersaal" served as a prestigious banqueting hall. Late-Gothic and Renaissance works of art are exhibited in the northern section.

Baroque parish church of St. Mang
The interior of the church, built over the burial site of Saint Magnus to plans by the baroque architect Herkomer, is adorned with delicate acanthus leaves, clouds with putto heads, shells and stylized flowers. The oldest part is the monks' chancel (1709). When it was consecrated in 1717, the whole room was stuccoed before the building was even finished.

Neuschwanstein Castle
Just four kilometers south of Füssen, high above the town and the lake and romantically framed by woods, is one of the world's best-known castles and the most-visited building in Germany: King Ludwig II's fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle.

Suggested excursions

The central location that has been responsible for Füssen's interesting past also makes it a perfect base for modern-day visitors. All the loveliest spots in Bavaria and the Tyrol can be easily reached from Füssen by car, coach or train.

The Wieskirche Pilgrimage Church (25km)
High on the "must see" list is the Wieskirche Pilgrimage Church, a rococo gem and UNESCO world heritage site. The church is an unparalleled example of how light can be used as a building element alongside brick and stone. True pilgrims leave their cars in Steingaden and climb the shady path on foot, a walk that takes around an hour.

Linderhof Palace (40km)
The smallest of King Ludwig's fantasy castles is set in the climatic health resort of Ettal with the abbey of the same name. It is surrounded by a picturesque park containing fountains, Venus grotto and the Moorish Kiosk. It is the only palace that King Ludwig II lived to see completed.

Oberammergau (60km)
Oberammergau is just 50km from Füssen. This pretty village is famous for its house wall paintings, wood carvings and the Passion Plays that are staged here every ten years in fulfilment of a vow that was made in 1633, a year of plague. Equally well-known is the "Romantic Road" which passes through one ancient town after another, linking numerous places of interest along the way from Würzburg to Füssen.