Living in Bavaria = Travelling

It took almost a month in Augsburg for me to kick off my travelling vibe.

Due to Covid situation, I need to restraint myself from backpacking to neighboring countries like Switzerland or Austria (EU’s current Covid hotspots). But this won’t affect much, as Bavaria region has many awesome places to check out as well. In this article, I will show you how to organize a one-day trip to Neuschwanstein, departing from Augsburg.

What is Neuschwanstein?

First off, do you know the castle logo in Disney movies?

This logo was inspired by Neuschwanstein – the beautiful castle in Schwangau, Bavaria.

The castle was commissioned in 19th Century by King Ludwig II of Bavaria

Nowadays, Neuschwanstein is considered as one of the most beautiful castles in the world. Should you have been to Germany, this is one of the places you must visit.

Travel to Neuschwanstein from Augsburg

So, how can you get to see the place?

First off, take the regional train from Augsburg to Füssen:

It takes almost two hours, and the scenery is beautiful, with Austrian-like houses on the way

A great thing about travelling in Bavaria is that you can purchase Bayern tickets – which allow you to travel everywhere in the region, and with lower cost, if you travel in a group. Price list is as followed:

For example, if you travel in a group of five during the day, each will have to pay only €10,6

Usually, the train stops at its last station in Füssen; you can already see the Alps from a distance

Füssen is a small, beautiful town in the far Southern Germany; its main industry is tourism

From Füssen, the easiest way to get to Neuschwanstein is by taking a bus, which takes you straight to the castle. But of course, Moink20 never takes the boring route; instead, we were trekking up the mountains to see the castle.

The trekking takes 2 hours, including short breaks

On the way

On the way, you can learn about German and Bavarian history, through historical sites

In contrast with Finland, Bavaria offers a good amount of beautiful mountains to witness; in this region, many people share the passion in hiking

Near the castles lies Alpsee – a beautiful lake with beautiful green water

We stopped near a kiosk to enjoy our small break – the weather was sunny, warm – just perfect for trekking

“One beer won’t stop me from climbing mountains” – said Ricardo

The higher you go, the more magnificent things can be observed – we went up the mountains, using a route that run next to waterfalls

In parts where the stream goes calmly, visitors enjoy making rock temples for luck

There are thousands of these towers upstream

“On top” is always the best feeling – when you can see the whole Bavaria region far away

Usually, the route up to the castle is crowded with tourists. However, Covid time is always different

Between the mountains, there is a wooden bridge for tourists to witness Neuschwanstein castle – that was where I took these amazing pictures

Unfortunately, we decided to not entering the castle for these reasons:

  1. The reservation to visit inside can take up to half a year.
  2. It’s Covid time – no one wants to be in a closed space with many strangers.
  3. the castle is on renovation, so one may observe only a small part of it – not worth the time and money.

End of the trip

What to do after trekking?

Of course, filling up your tanks!

We went back to Füssen by bus, and looked for a Biergarten – Beer garden, a very German way to enjoy good food and drinks.

Bratwurst + Kartoffeln + Sauerkraut: Grilled sausages with potatoes and Sour cabbage

Pock knuckle with Knödel

After filling up with awesome German dishes, you get on the same train, and travel home. Around 9pm and you will arrive at Augsburg.

A regard for SWOP Team

If you are an exchange student in Augsburg, then you will be taken care of by SWOP team – the Student Welcome and Orientation Project of Uni. This amazing trip was successfully organized by them. Thank you 😀

We at Schwangau, Bavaria, September 2020

A credit for Hendrik – dude who took the group photo XD

Khanh Tr.