3. Lisbon

We spent 3 days in Lisbon to explore the charming capital city. Cobbled streets, hilly roads and tiles on buildings are some of the unique features of Lisbon. Located on Tagus river, the city has a bit of every thing- be it historic attractions, cultural activities and amazing food. Ideally, I would recommend spending 4 days in Lisbon if you also want to visit Sintra.

A) Praça do Comércio

This is one of the largest public squares in Lisbon with a beautiful location on the waterfront facing the Tagus river. This is where originally the Royal Palace of Ribeira was located until it got destroyed by the earthquake of 1755. In the middle of the square, you will see the statue of King José I who was the King of Portugal from 1750 till 1777.

C) Neuschwanstein Castle

The most famous castle of Germany also popularly known as the ‘Disney Castle’ needs no introduction. Neuschwanstein Castle was built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. The construction started in 1869 and unfortunately King Ludwig II died in 1886 under mysterious conditions before the castle’s completion. After his death, the castle was opened to serve as a museum and has now become one of the most popular tourist destinations in Germany.

The architectural style of Neuschwanstein Castle is based on Romanesque, Gothic and Byzantine styles and the castle's interior is adorned by beautiful frescoes and murals inspired by German mythology.

If you are travelling by car, four parking sites are available near the Neuschwanstein Castle. The closest site is P4. For there, you can board shuttle buses to go to Marienbrücke.

D) Hohenschwangau Castle

Located very close to Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau Castle was the summer residence of the Bavarian royal family where King Ludwig II spent his childhood summer days. This castle was acquired by his father in 1832 when it was in ruins and he finally rebuilt it as per the original design.

Note that there are no shuttle buses to Hohenschwangau but the elevation is not as high as Neuschwanstein. It is quite easily walkable or else you can take a carriage ride up to the castle.

E) Alpsee

Alpsee is a beautiful lake near Füssen and very close to the Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles. This crystal clear lake is a serene spot to spend some peaceful time or enjoy a lovely boat ride.

3. Useful Tips

• Weather: Check the weather before going to Neuschwanstein Castle since a sunny day guarantees the best views from Marienbrücke.

• Castle tickets: Remember to purchase castle tickets in advance especially if you are travelling during holiday season since tickets are sold out very fast. 

• Base location: Pick a suitable base from where you can travel to different places around Füssen. Most people chose to stay in Füssen if they are travelling by bus or train. If you are travelling by car, do consider choosing Hopfensee. It is a beautiful location close to Füssen, but not very crowded.

4. Goodbye

Finally, it’s a wrap on this blogpost. Hope my post will be useful to plan your upcoming trip to Füssen. Incase you plan to spend some more days in Bavaria, then you can combine a trip to Garmisch Partenkirchen with Füssen. You can check more information about Garmisch Partenkirchen in my blog Bavarian Holidays: Garmisch Partenkirchen. 

Until then Auf Wiedersehen and see you soon!