Destination report Füssen, Allgäu: Deceleration & health next to Neuschwanstein {reader travel tip}

Füssen in the Allgäu is world-famous primarily for Neuschwanstein Castle. But apart from the tourist flow, there is a lot that can be done for your own well-being - recently also in the form of a Kneipp sleep cure.

The fairytale castle of Ludwig II

When you think of Füssen in the Allgäu, you think of the world-famous fairytale castle Neuschwanstein, built by the so-called fairytale king Ludwig II. His father Maximilian II built the Hohenschwangau residence at the foot of the mighty Säuling in the 19th century, in which Ludwig spent a large part of his childhood and with his mountaineering enthusiasts Mother Marie climbed one or the other summit.

For this reason, Ludwig had it built on the rugged Pöllatfelsen directly opposite Neuschwanstein Castle, a dream of a medieval Grail castle turned stone with strong borrowings from the Wartburg, but equipped with modern achievements such as electric light and telephone. Not only the wide view into the country but also the extravagant interior furnishing offered the king refuge from court ceremonies and government duties.

Neuschwanstein: from debt trap to tourism magnet

But Ludwig, who, among other things, as a patron of the Success by Richard Wagner, died under mysterious circumstances in Lake Starnberg in 1886 and at that time had considerable dept accumulated. After his death, the construction of his castles was stopped immediately, so that both Neuschwanstein and Herrenchiemsee in Upper Bavaria remained unfinished.

Nevertheless, Neuschwanstein in particular soon became a tourist magnet after Ludwig's death. The two royal castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau attract well over a million visitors from home and abroad every year. In Neuschwanstein, these are passed through the castle every 5 minutes and in groups of 65 - with guided tours and audiguides in 15 languages. A logistical masterpiece that ensures that no group ever disturbs the other. I visited the castles in winter and found it pleasant. Unfortunately, because of snow and the risk of falling, the Marienbrücke with the famous view of the castle is closed.

Shopping and history in Füssen

Nevertheless, if all this is too busy for you, the foot of the Alps region still has something for you clear more to offer: only four kilometers away is the historic town of Füssen at 800 m above sea level and with around 15.300 inhabitants on the banks of the Lech. It is also the crossing point of the "Romantic Road", "German Alpine Road" and the transalpine Via Claudia Augusta, which is followed by the Reichenstrasse, which certainly invites you to linger in summer with its numerous street cafés. The physical well-being is also taken care of, good and healthy You can eat, for example, in the "Hechten" or in the Lila Haus, a fairly new gastronomic establishment Concept, which I unfortunately did not try, the Ritterstube also offers vegan cuisine.

In general, the romantic old town of Füssen with its medieval streets, high Gothic gables, the old city wall and many churches from the Baroque and Rococo periods is a thoroughly relaxing experience Effect and impresses with rich art treasures from more than seven hundred years of city history.

One of the largest Gothic castle complexes in Swabia

The imposing Benedictine monastery of St. Mang on the banks of the Lech now houses the museum of the city of Füssen, in which, in addition to magnificently decorated baroque halls, one of the most beautiful collections of historical lutes and violins in Europe can be seen. She remembers them Significance Füssen as the cradle of European lute making and the center of violin making in the 18th century. The former monastery church has one of the oldest preserved frescoes in Bavaria (around 980) in the east crypt.

Above the city on a mountain spur is the High Castle, once the summer residence of the prince-bishops of Augsburg, rulers of the city for almost five centuries. Your residence, completed at the beginning of the 16th century, is one of the largest and best-preserved late Gothic castle complexes in Swabia. In the former living quarters of the bishops, it houses a branch gallery of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. Above all, late Gothic and Renaissance works of art from the Allgäu-Swabian and Franconian regions can be admired here. Also worth seeing are the five-hundred-year-old illusion paintings on the facades of the inner courtyard, to this extent unique in Deutschland.

Center for lute architecture

Events such as the summer Kaisersaal concerts, the music festivals "Füssen goes Jazz" and "multifaceted", the traditional festivals on the old town squares and the cultural events in the Festspielhaus take place here regularly. Music has a long tradition in the city: Füssen gained outstanding importance in European music history thanks to its lute and violin makers. The first lute maker guild in Europe was founded here in 1562.

At that time, around 2.000 master masters worked in the town of Lech, which had around 20 inhabitants. In the Baroque period, Füssen then developed into the most important center of German violin making. In the 18th century alone, 80 violin makers were active in the city, whose instruments were in demand all over Europe.

Hike and slow down in the footsteps of King Ludwig

Short ways lead from the city to the districts in the countryside. The climatic and Kneipp health resort of Hopfen am See is known as the "Allgäu Riviera", the Weißensee district is a mosaic of many small hamlets and fantastic views. Bad Faulenbach in the quiet Faulenbach valley is recognized as a Morrheilbad and Kneipp health resort. From here it is only about an hour's walk with a moderate climb through the picturesque Valley of the Senses to the almost legendary Alatsee. In the Alatsee restaurant, which has been awarded a prize in the Michelin Guide, you can fortify yourself with creative, good and healthy cuisine for the way back.

In general, hiking is my favorite deceleration method, and Füssen offers a number of options, even in the deepest winter. The Allgäu “Schlosspark” region around Neuschwanstein and Füssen is one of the most beautiful alpine holiday destinations and looks even more magical due to the snow and makes our hiking tour to Neuschwanstein Guide the competent hiking guide and King Ludwig Expert Erih Gößler for a special experience.

Walking and cycling in the castle park

So it went over the Maxsteg past Lechfall south of the old town of Füssen, where the river broke its way out of the mountains, past the Schwansee, which offers a great view of the royal castles when the visibility was clear, and finally past the 62-meter-deep Alpsee that inspires with different colors depending on the sky.

In addition to the royal castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, one can also discover one of the oldest Allgäu castles in Germany, the highest castle ruin on the Falkenstein, where Ludwig II originally wanted to build another castle.

Certified route network

Füssen is the hub for some of the most beautiful long-distance hiking trails and long-distance cycle routes in the süddeutschen Space, so to speak, on the favorite paths of the Bavarian kings: the European long-distance hiking trail E 4, the hiking and cycling path Romantic Road, the Via Claudia Augusta cycling route, the Via Alpina purple route, the Lake Constance-Königssee cycling path and the Maximiliansweg lead through the city , since 2013 also the Allgäu cycle tour and from July 2014 two routes of the new long-distance network of hiking trilogy Allgäu.

In addition to the ADFC-certified castle park tour in the Allgäu, the castle and palace tour, which starts in Füssen, is also recommended for cyclists. In addition to the König-Ludwig-Weg, the Lechweg also ends in Füssen, which was the first long-distance hiking trail to be awarded the European hiking seal of approval "Leading Quality Trails – Best of Europe” was awarded.

Active in summer and winter

The region offers more than ten lakes. The tour ships on the Forggensee (shipping season: June 01.06st - mid-October) and the waterfront at Hopfensee are box seats for the Alpine panorama. In summer there are numerous bathing bays and water sports, but I was particularly impressed by the winter landscape with the snow-capped mountain peaks in the south and the gentle hills and wide, flat snow areas in the foothills of the Alps.

Because Füssen offers a good offer for cross-country skiers and snowshoe hikers if the snow conditions are suitable. Ski tourers will find attractive summit destinations in the Ammergau Alps and the winter sun-drenched Hopfensee is a hot spot for ice sports enthusiasts.

Healthy sleep with a scientific foundation

But Füssen is also a Kneipp spa and, in addition to many other options for health-conscious guests, offers the Kneipp-based prevention program “Healthy sleep through inner Order’, which has meanwhile also been recognized as an eligible compact cure. Around 100 subjects tested the new preventive program as part of a study by the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (LMU) already tested. The study results show that it causes significant improvements in sleep quality, well-being and chronic stress. Almost half of the participants still felt a noticeable improvement six months after completing the program.

The therapy focuses on the "internal order" propagated by Sebastian Kneipp. Because the Allgäu naturopathy pioneer was not just the “water doctor” who prescribed cold showers and baths for his patients. Above all, he wanted to bring them closer to a healthy lifestyle that they could live with in the Everyday life can Balance between their own resources and external requirements.

Sleep better with certified sleep hosts

In addition, 14 hotels, guesthouses and holiday apartment providers have been certified at various levels as specialized "sleep hosts", which offer their guests the opportunities for a good night's sleep. Of these, I looked at the Vitalhotel Wiedemann, the Biohotel Eggensberger, the Kurhotel Filser and the Wellnesshotel Sommer. The first three also offer spa treatments to their guests and have been certified as sleeping hosts at the highest quality level because they also offer their guests the opportunity for a healthy sleep. Depending on the quality level, all sleep hosts offer specially equipped guest rooms, whereby under certain circumstances only some of the rooms meet the corresponding criteria, as well as many services that are intended to ensure a restful sleep.

The new sleeping guide with information and tips is available in every room, there are pillow bars, sleeping teas and Measures to reduce electrosmog. In addition, each company has at least one trained sleep guide as the central contact for everyone Ask and concerns about the topic. If a guest needs medical assistance such as sleep screening or an appointment in the sleep laboratory, the sleep guide will provide that Contact to the specialists and clinics.

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