HOHENSCHWANGAU, BAVARIA, GERMANY

Written by Valle V. Petersen - Friday, 02 December 2011 17:28

A POSTCARD FROM WONDERLAND

Whether you arrive from the south or north is unimportant, but at the bottom of the A7 motorway lies Füssen, and the two fairytale castles, Neuschwanstein built by Ludwig II, and Hohenschwangau which was rebuilt by his father, King Maximilian II. Here, you will find an adventure from a turbulent time in Europe, and a sense of romance we may well miss in our stressful world.

ROMANTICISM SPREAD

When you ride out to the two palaces, situated near the small village of Schwangau, you pass a small woodland with good and cheap hotels, which are perfect for motorbiker accommodation. You continue past the hotels, and suddenly you get a brief glimpse of both of the fairytale castles. The castles are placed perfectly in the landscape, just on the right shelf, with the Alps as a backdrop, and you suddenly feel the adventure sneaking up on you.

You quickly get through the small woodland and out to a large parking area. Your fairytale brain expects to see Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse selling parking tickets. You look around to catch sight of Cinderella come running, with one shoe, with a handsome prince running after her. "Aber nein," there is no Cinderella, or indeed, any other cartoon character here.