More than Neuschwanstein, part one – the other castles in Füssen and Hohenschwangau
Füssen and the neighbouring village of Hohenschwangau are globally associated with Germany’s most famous tourist attraction: King Ludwig’s glorious Neuschwanstein Castle, shimmering on its lofty perch far above Lake Alpsee and the nearby Forggensee. What is less well known is that Neuschwanstein is only one of a number of stunning castles in the area. Just…
Neuschwanstein Castle and the music of Richard Wagner
Most people know Neuschwanstein Castle as an inspiration for one of the 20th century’s great cultural figures: Walt Disney. Bavaria’s famous fairy tale castle is the role model for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle. To really understand Neuschwanstein, however, we need to see how it was in its turn inspired by one of the great cultural…
Hiking the Alps near Neuschwanstein Castle
A day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle combines stunning romantic architecture with a breathtaking natural location in the Bavarian Alps. The gateway to Germany’s famous Romantic Road, the region around Füssen is home to some of the most picturesque hiking trails in Bavaria. Neuschwanstein itself is merely the glittering centerpiece of an awe-inspiring alpine landscape. The…
The World of German Beer
The biggest cliche about German beer is that you can have any type of beer you like in Germany as long as it’s lager. This is far from the truth. There may not quite be the 1800 varieties of beer that there are of sausage, but there is plenty of choice when it comes to…
Neuschwanstein Castle and the Movies
In addition to featuring on countless millions of postcards and tourist photos over the years, Neuschwanstein Castle is also a star of the silver screen. Bavaria’s number one visitor attraction has both inspired and featured in cinema classics. Ludwig II’s great neo-medieval fairy tale castle has long been believed to be the real-life inspiration for…
Bavarian Beer Garden
Ask anyone in the world to close their eyes and summon an image of Germany and German culture, and many would immediately visualize a beer garden. Germany is the home of the beer garden, beer hall, beer keller, beer everything. But what many people think of as being quintessentially German is actually Bavarian. Munich is…
Neuschwanstein Castle and medieval romance – why did 19th century Germans dream of the middle ages?
Germany’s Romantic Road stretches from Füssen in the Bavarian Alps to Würzburg in the northern Bavarian wine-producing region of Franconia, and runs through some of the most beautiful towns and regions of medieval Germany. Just outside Füssen is the old royal village of Hohenschwangau, whose castle is a longtime residence of Bavarian Kings. Towering above…
German Beer: How is it made?
Germany is the world centre of brewing, Bavaria is the heartland of German brewing, and Munich is the brewing capital of Bavaria. They have been brewing excellent beer in this part of the world for centuries. How do they do it? Well, the description of an ideal environment in which a beer culture could thrive…
The Reinheitsgebot Beer Purity Law
“It is our particular wish, that from henceforth, in our towns and markets and in the countryside, no ingredients other than barley, hops and water alone shall be used for beer.” With these words, first published on St George’s Day – the traditional ending of the brewing season – in 1516, Bavaria initiated the world’s…
Germany: the home of beer
German beer has been with is ever since Germany has been here. In fact, from the perspective of the ancient Romans who first wrote about their encounters with the forest-dwellers north of the Alps, the discovery of beer came with the discovery of Germany. European beer history is German beer history. They have been engaged…