Located on the border with Austria, the town of Füssen appears to visitors as an orderly, clean, and colorful center. Its historic center, the nearby Neuschwanstein Castle, and the Bavarian Alps make this place a lively center highly appreciated by tourists who come here to visit the manor designed and built by King Ludwig II. But Füssen is not just this; the southern German town offers numerous interesting places to discover and see. The typical colorful Bavarian buildings from the 15th and 16th centuries blend and harmonize with the pre-Alpine landscape that surrounds it, making it one of the most popular destinations for tourists from around the world. Füssen, the highest city in Bavaria at 808 meters, is loved for its panoramic views, its history, its art, and of course also for its proximity to Ludwig II’s castles, a favorite destination for travelers along the Romantic Road. The main attractions of Füssen: Fussen Castle Reichenstrasse Bavarian State Gallery Former Benedictine Monastery of St. Mang City Museum Clock Tower Hohenschwangau Castle Neuschwanstein Castle What to see in Fussen Fussen Old Town The visit to Füssen must start from the small and orderly historic center (old town), more precisely from Reichenstrasse, the central street that follows the course of the ancient Roman road Claudia Augusta. The pedestrian street, lined with winding medieval alleys, is dotted with commercial activities, cafes, and restaurants and represents the beating heart of the Bavarian town. Strolling through its streets, you can enjoy all the charm of this enchanted town and stop for a break in typical Bavarian shops, inns, and characteristic beer gardens, where you can taste a variety of local beers. Outdoor tables, joy, and the colors of the city accompany the steps of visitors through narrow streets, squares, baroque churches, and fountains (such as the one dedicated to the patron saint St. Mang). Not to be missed is a walk along the beautiful riverside that allows you to admire the landscape overlooking the Lech River with reflections of the surrounding panorama. But let’s see in more detail what to see in Fussen’s Old Town. The Hohes Schloss (High Castle) characterizes the town of Füssen with its towered white walls and red roofs. Its grandeur and its location in the highest part of the town make it visible, outlining the skyline of the Bavarian town. Once the summer residence of the prince-bishops of Augsburg, it now represents one of the most beautiful and best-preserved constructions of late German Gothic period. Its construction was started by the Bavarian duke Louis the Severe in 1291 but the nobleman had miscalculated as he did not have the permissions to build it. For this reason, the works were abruptly interrupted on the order of the bishop of Augsburg who took it away from the duke’s properties and acquired it in 1322, using its interior spaces not only as a summer residence but also as administrative offices. Between 1489 and 1504, Bishop Frederick II of Zollern enlarged the structure, building a moat on the western side and fortifying the castle with tall towers and defensive walkways. The Hohes Schloss (Fussen Castle) consists of a courtyard with frescoed buildings featuring beautiful and particular illusionistic compositions. The use of trompe-l’œil deceives visitors’ eyes with fake frames and erkers (balconies with external windows) painted so well that they seem real. Inside the castle, in the northern wing, is housed the interesting Bavarian State Gallery (Staatsgalerie und Städtische Gemäldegalerie) which offers an excellent overview of late Gothic art from the fifteenth century and Renaissance in the Allgäu region and Bavarian Swabia. From the museum, you can climb up to the walkway that leads directly to the Clock Tower from which you can enjoy a wonderful panorama of Füssen’s Old Town and the surrounding area. But the highlight is undoubtedly represented by the Knights’ Hall (Rittersaal) with its coffered ceiling made up of octagonal and square figures alternating. Naturally, a visit to the former Benedictine monastery of St. Mang is a must, located near the castle and now housing both the City Hall and the City Museum. Founded in the ninth century, like St. Mang’s adjacent basilica, it was later transformed into one of the Baroque examples of Bavarian architecture. A visit to the City Museum (Museum der Stadt) is interesting as it houses a collection of violins and lutes produced in Füssen and opens up to baroque environments within the monastic complex. You can visit the library, the refectory, the wonderful Imperial Hall with its stuccoes, and St. Anne’s Chapel where you can admire the famous Dance of Death cycle, created by Jakob Hiebeler in 1602 when the plague had decimated much of the population. It is a memento mori in which Death attracts rich and poor people, nobles and commoners who cannot escape from this fatal dance. Sagt ja, sagt nein. Getanzt muess sein warns the inscription… whether you say yes or no, the dance must go on. Explore Fussen and its surroundings Hohenschwangau Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle DISCOVER MORE A bit of history about Fussen… Füssen was originally a Roman castrum, a military camp set up to guard and control the ancient Via Claudia Augusta, the road built by General Drusus that reached from Italy to Augsburg (Augusta). Exploiting its position as a mandatory stop for those traveling between Italy and Germany, its center developed so much that during the Middle Ages, the Bavarian town became a well-known monastic center thanks to the foundation in the ninth century of the Benedictine abbey of St. Mang Magnus), built on the cell where the monk Magnus settled a century before. Missionary activity and then mercantile activity made Füssen a lively town that became a fortified center starting from 1291 when a fortress was built around it that still surrounds it today and characterizes its appearance. Its fortunate position between the Lech River and the Bavarian Alps made Füssen a lively mercantile town mainly dedicated to lute and violin production. And it was precisely music that revived Füssen in the nineteenth century when this town became Ludwig II of Bavaria’s center of thoughts. The king who lived not far from here, in Hohenschwangau Castle, decided to build a second manor in honor of composer Richard Wagner whose works he appreciated. Thus Neuschwanstein Castle was born, known worldwide as an enchanted fortress that revitalized this Lower Bavarian town, giving it a new nature and form. Where to Stay in Fussen Füssen offers various accommodation options suitable for all budgets. Whether for travelers with greater financial availability or for those with less money in their wallets, there are different structures in town to choose from. Prices obviously vary depending on location and services offered by each hotel. You can choose from more affordable options such as House L.A. and Dreimäderlhaus Rieden to hotels like Schlosskrone, Hirsche, Geiger, and Sonne which require 150 euros per night for a double room. A good alternative to hotels, especially for large families and groups of friends, could be renting an apartment with a kitchen and living area available. City Ferienwohnung Fussen and Ferienwohnung Mentes, for example, have multiple bedrooms that can accommodate many people while Lucky Home Ludwig Apartment offers accommodation for a couple who wants an intimate space while maintaining their independence. Another budget-friendly solution is hostels like Blue Berghostel Fussen or Jugendherberge Fussen. Where to Eat in Fussen Eating also plays its role and after a tiring day spent wandering around it’s time to eat something. You can choose between Italian cuisine, German cuisine, and international cuisine. Restaurants like Michelangelo, Il Pescatore, and La Perla offer Italian dishes based on both meat and fish, not forgetting pizza and vegetarian cuisine. If you want to try local cuisine, you can book a table at Madame Pluesch, Hirsch or Zum Hechten which offer soups, gnocchi, bratwursts, wild boar dishes. A good way to enter into German culinary reality is by eating Bavarian cuisine. Of course, beer is indispensable which is an excellent companion for meals.