Have you ever had one of those unexpected travel surprises?  When on a whim you decide to go check out a place and it ends up being delightfully fantastic? That is how I felt about our unplanned afternoon in Füssen, a historic town at the edge of Bavaria and the end of the Romantic Road. Settled way back in the days of the Roman rule, Füssen’s pastel-colored buildings, artful frescos, cobblestone streets, outdoor cafes and eateries, and medieval churches and castles offers enough old world charm to make any visitor fall in love with her nostalgic beauty. Located only 3.5 kilometers from Schwangau and Ludwig II’s epic castle, Neuschwanstein, Füssen is a wonderful place to visit or base your trip in Bavaria. Had we known about Füssen, we definitely would have planned on more time there.

We arrived at our hotel Landhotel Huberhof in the lush countryside outside of Schwangau mid-afternoon on a Saturday. The village was alive with Germans on holiday riding bikes, eating and drinking beer in the outdoor beer garden and taking in the fresh country air. It was a glorious Saturday afternoon in late June and we certainly didn’t want to waste it.  We had already spent the morning flying to Munich from Paris and then driving an hour and a half to reach Schwangau. It was time to get out and explore our surroundings.

After unpacking our belongings, we decided to go check out the neighboring town of Füssen. My father had passed through Füssen years ago on a driving trip through the heart of Bavaria and remembered it was a neat town. We had no expectations or pre-conceived notions about what we would find. We simply knew that the town is much bigger than tiny Schwangau and thought it would be worth a visit. Little did we know, we would discover a real treasure of a city.

The stunning countryside surrounding Schwangau.

Heading towards Füssen, we can see the magical Neuschwanstein, off in the distant foothills.