Culture

Today, German beer festivals are celebrated throughout the world, but the most famous of all of them will forever be in Munich. The great capital of southern Germany, is renowned for its centuries-old brewing traditions and vibrant beer culture. The great symbol of this is the world-famous Oktoberfest, held annually in Munich. Known locally as…

You may have seen the George Clooney movie, or read the (much better) book that inspired it. If so, you’ll have some idea about the role Neuschwanstein Castle plays in the story of World War II and the “Monuments Men.” During the war, the Nazis looted occupied Europe of countless artistic treasure representing centuries of…

No visit to Germany is complete without a visit to a Schloss – a word that covers everything from imposing medieval castles to glittering 17th century baroque palaces. Neuschwanstein Castle is the most celebrated of all of them, but here we give some alernative recommendations for the best that can easily be visited from Munich….

Füssen and the neighbouring village of Hohenschwangau are globally associated with Germany’s most famous tourist attraction: King Ludwig’s glorious Neuschwanstein Castle, shimmering on its lofty perch far above Lake Alpsee and the nearby Forggensee. What is less well known is that Neuschwanstein is only one of a number of stunning castles in the area. Just…

Most people know Neuschwanstein Castle as an inspiration for one of the 20th century’s great cultural figures: Walt Disney. Bavaria’s famous fairy tale castle is the role model for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle. To really understand Neuschwanstein, however, we need to see how it was in its turn inspired by one of the great cultural…

A day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle combines stunning romantic architecture with a breathtaking natural location in the Bavarian Alps. The gateway to Germany’s famous Romantic Road, the region around Füssen is home to some of the most picturesque hiking trails in Bavaria. Neuschwanstein itself is merely the glittering centerpiece of an awe-inspiring alpine landscape. The…

The biggest cliche about German beer is that you can have any type of beer you like in Germany as long as it’s lager. This is far from the truth. There may not quite be the 1800 varieties of beer that there are of sausage, but there is plenty of choice when it comes to…

In addition to featuring on countless millions of postcards and tourist photos over the years, Neuschwanstein Castle is also a star of the silver screen. Bavaria’s number one visitor attraction has both inspired and featured in cinema classics. Ludwig II’s great neo-medieval fairy tale castle has long been believed to be the real-life inspiration for…

Ask anyone in the world to close their eyes and summon an image of Germany and German culture, and many would immediately visualize a beer garden. Germany is the home of the beer garden, beer hall, beer keller, beer everything. But what many people think of as being quintessentially German is actually Bavarian. Munich is…

Germany’s Romantic Road stretches from Füssen in the Bavarian Alps to Würzburg in the northern Bavarian wine-producing region of Franconia, and runs through some of the most beautiful towns and regions of medieval Germany. Just outside Füssen is the old royal village of Hohenschwangau, whose castle is a longtime residence of Bavarian Kings. Towering above…