Füssen



Füssen in Allgäu is an enchanting town in the south of Bavaria, Germany known for the Hohes Schloss and its Basilica and former Benedictine monastery of St Mang. The world famous Neuschwanstein Castle is situated a few kilometres to the east. Some visitors come to tour the castles and leave immediately afterwards leaving the beautiful little town unexplored. This is a great pity as there is much to see in Füssen and the surrounding area if you know what you are looking for! There are magnificent lakes with beautiful views and the "Kalvarienberg" which has the "Stations of the Cross" on it.

By train
From Munich, direct trains leave about every two hours and take two hours. There are more frequent connections if you are prepared to change trains somewhere along the way.

From Innsbruck, head to Vils in Tirol (a small town 7 km from Füssen), Ulrichsbrücke-Füssen (the stop before Vils) or Reutte in Tirol. Bus 74 runs from Reutte to Füssen via all these stations. Bus 71 runs from Vils directly to the castles. Innsbruck to Füssen takes about 3 hours.

By car
Füssen is on the end of the Romantic Road, coming from Augsburg as Bundesstraße 17 (B 17). From Munich take the Autobahn A 96, leave at Landsberg Ost and follow the B 17. If you come from the north via Autobahn A7, take the last exit before the Austrain border.

By bus
Maybe the cheapest way to get there: Many bus tours are operated to Füssen from most parts of southern Bavaria, often including a visit of the fairy-tale castle Neuschwanstein. Watch for tours at Munich main station (Hauptbahnhof).

Get around
Füssen is small enough that a car is not really needed. There is a bus to the castles and the trains to Munich and Augsburg and the old town is easy enough to access by foot. You can walk to Neuschwanstein and Hochschwangau castles via some marked roads; travel times posted on the signboards are comfortable over-estimates.

There are some great areas nearby, like some of the lesser-known castles, which would be easier to reach with your own car. It is possible to rent a car in Füssen.

Another alternative is to rent a mountain bike. There are numerous shops, one even right at the train station. Füssen has invested a lot into developing a network of bike routes and paths to make biking easier.

In the town
Füssen has a compact but well-preserved pedestrianized Old Town (Altstadt) that's well worth a wander. The skyline is dominated by the Hohes Schloss (High Castle), the former summer residence of the prince-bishops of Augsburg.


 * The State Gallery in the Hohes Schloss (Staatsgalerie und Städtische Gemäldegalerie im Hohen Schloss)
 * The Füssen Heritage Museum (Museum der Stadt Füssen)
 * The Füssen Heritage Museum (Museum der Stadt Füssen)

Outside



 * Schwangau

Do

 * Visit Castles
 * Visit the Stadtpfarrkirche und former Abbey of St. Mang. The church (the Abbey was founded over 1100 years ago) is known for its very beautiful choir and orchestra Sunday Masses and historic organs
 * Swim in the public lakes: Alpsee, Obersee, Mittlerersee, Alatsee
 * Mountain biking
 * Sauna
 * Sail on the Forgensee
 * Attend The Füssen Festspielhaus to watch a show.
 * Watch ice hockey at the ice hockey arena
 * Dance

Buy

 * There are a lot of souvenir shops around castle Neuschwanstein.
 * There are a lot of souvenir shops around castle Neuschwanstein.

Sleep

 * Another option is to drive about 10 minutes via the Schnellstraße or hike about 1-hour along the beautiful wooded "fairy tale" trails that connect Füssen with the nearby Austrian village of Pinswang. There you will find several inns and private homes with guestrooms for travelers.
 * Another option is to drive about 10 minutes via the Schnellstraße or hike about 1-hour along the beautiful wooded "fairy tale" trails that connect Füssen with the nearby Austrian village of Pinswang. There you will find several inns and private homes with guestrooms for travelers.
 * Another option is to drive about 10 minutes via the Schnellstraße or hike about 1-hour along the beautiful wooded "fairy tale" trails that connect Füssen with the nearby Austrian village of Pinswang. There you will find several inns and private homes with guestrooms for travelers.
 * Another option is to drive about 10 minutes via the Schnellstraße or hike about 1-hour along the beautiful wooded "fairy tale" trails that connect Füssen with the nearby Austrian village of Pinswang. There you will find several inns and private homes with guestrooms for travelers.
 * Another option is to drive about 10 minutes via the Schnellstraße or hike about 1-hour along the beautiful wooded "fairy tale" trails that connect Füssen with the nearby Austrian village of Pinswang. There you will find several inns and private homes with guestrooms for travelers.
 * Another option is to drive about 10 minutes via the Schnellstraße or hike about 1-hour along the beautiful wooded "fairy tale" trails that connect Füssen with the nearby Austrian village of Pinswang. There you will find several inns and private homes with guestrooms for travelers.
 * Another option is to drive about 10 minutes via the Schnellstraße or hike about 1-hour along the beautiful wooded "fairy tale" trails that connect Füssen with the nearby Austrian village of Pinswang. There you will find several inns and private homes with guestrooms for travelers.
 * Another option is to drive about 10 minutes via the Schnellstraße or hike about 1-hour along the beautiful wooded "fairy tale" trails that connect Füssen with the nearby Austrian village of Pinswang. There you will find several inns and private homes with guestrooms for travelers.
 * Another option is to drive about 10 minutes via the Schnellstraße or hike about 1-hour along the beautiful wooded "fairy tale" trails that connect Füssen with the nearby Austrian village of Pinswang. There you will find several inns and private homes with guestrooms for travelers.

Go next

 * Ehrenberg Castle: Across the border in Tirol, Austria, near the city of Reutte. Is being restored. Just over 20 minutes by car.
 * Nearby Austrian villages of Vils, Pflach, Pinswang and the capital of the Austrian Ausserfern District, Reutte.
 * Garmisch-Partenkirchen, next to the highest mountain of Germany, the Zugspitze.
 * Oberammergau, famous for its Passion Play that's been performed every 10 years since the 17th century and the murals on the façades of many buildings, is 1 hour 38 minutes to the east by train and about a 45-minute drive.
 * Munich, a large, cosmopolitan city with a beautiful Old City and many great attractions. Munich Central Station is a bit over 2 hours away and the drive is about 1 hour 45 minutes to the east-north-east.