Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [297]
In January 1886, several ministers and relatives arranged a hasty psychiatric test that diagnosed Ludwig as mentally unfit to rule (this was made easier by the fact that his brother had been declared insane years earlier). That June he was removed to Schloss Berg on Lake Starnberg. A few days later the dejected bachelor and his doctor took a Sunday evening lakeside walk and were found several hours later, drowned in just a few feet of water.
No-one knows with certainty what happened that night. There was no eyewitness nor any proper criminal investigation. The circumstantial evidence was conflicting and incomplete. Reports and documents were tampered with, destroyed or lost. Conspiracy theories abound. That summer the authorities opened Neuschwanstein to the public to help pay off Ludwig’s huge debts. King Ludwig II was dead, but the myth was just being born.
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Michelangelo ( 924 924; Lechhalde 1; mains €7-15) This sophisticated Italian job at the rear of the Rathaus is run by a real Italian chef who plates up some deliciously simple fare, including 38 different pizzas. The tables in the old monastery gardens afford beautiful views high above the river.
Franziskaner Stüberl ( 371 24; Kemptener Strasse 1; mains €10-15) This quaint restaurant specialises in Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle) and Schnitzel, prepared in more varieties than you can shake a haunch at. Non-carnivores go for the excellent Kässpätzle (rolled cheese noodles) and the huge salads.
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Getting There & Away
If you want to ‘do’ the castles on a day trip from Munich you’ll need to start early. The first train leaves Munich at 4.57am (€22.20, 2½ hours; change in Kaufbeuren), reaching Füssen at 7.24am.
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Getting Around
RVO buses 78 and 73 serve the castles from Füssen Bahnhof (€3.50 return), stopping also at the Tegelbergbahn valley station. Taxis to the castles are about €10.
With the Alps on one side and the lake-filled plains on the other, the area around Füssen is a cyclist’s paradise. You can hire two-wheelers at the Radsport Zacherl (3292; Kemptenerstrasse 19; per day €8).
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AROUND FÜSSEN
Known as ‘Wies’ for short, the Wieskirche ( 8862-932 930; www.wieskirche.de; Steingaden) is one of Bavaria’s best-known baroque churches and a Unesco-listed heritage site. About a million visitors a year flock to see its pride and joy, the monumental work of the legendary artist-brothers, Dominikus and Johann Baptist Zimmermann.
In 1730, a farmer in Steingaden, about 30km northeast of Füssen, witnessed the miracle of his Christ statue shedding tears. So many pilgrims poured into the town that the local abbot commissioned a new church to house the weepy work. Inside, gleaming white pillars are topped by gold capital stones and swirling decorations; the pastel ceiling fresco celebrates Christ’s resurrection. Not even the constant deluge of visitors can detract from these charms.
From Füssen regional RVO bus 73 makes the journey up to six times daily. The Europabus also makes a brief stop at the Wieskirche. By car, take the B17 northeast and turn right (east) at Steingaden.
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BAVARIAN ALPS
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Stretching west from Germany’s remote southeastern corner to the Allgäu region near Lake Constance, the Bavarian Alps (Bayerische Alpen) form a stunningly beautiful natural divide along the Austrian border. Ranges further south may be higher, but these mountains shoot up from the foothills so abruptly that the impact is all the more dramatic.
The region is dotted with quaint frescoed villages, spas and health retreats, and possibilities for skiing, snowboarding, hiking, canoeing and paragliding – much of it year-round. The ski season lasts from about late December until April, while summer activities stretch from late May to November.
One of the largest resorts in the area is Garmisch-Partenkirchen, one of Munich’s favourite getaway spots. Other superb bases are Berchtesgaden,