Ermahgerd, the Alps!

schwangau neuschwanstein castle

I’m not new to mountain ranges; I grew up in the Appalachian area and spent many a summer in the Great Smoky Mountains. So, I thought I had an idea of what I was getting into when I headed to the Alps. Only, when I actually saw the Alps, I realized how different they were than everything I’d previously associated to the word “mountain”.

The Alps are majestic. They are picturesque. They are awe-inspiring. They are every trite adjective in your vocabulary. My first encounter with them was en route from Frankfurt to Schwangau to see the Neuschwanstein Castle.  Along the way, I passed through small mountain town after small mountain town, surrounded by steep cliffs and beautiful lakes. Rooftops were covered in fresh, undisturbed blankets of crisp white snow. I could already hear in my mind the crunch sound my shoes would make as I walked through it.

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german alps

When I finally arrived in Schwangau, it was absolute perfection. It was exactly what I’d hoped for and expected of a small German town found in the Alps, complete with not one, but two castles!

Schwangau felt a bit touristy, as expected, but it still boasted a lot of charm. Shops and restaurants line the main street and are definitely worth a stop. In the shops, you can get everything from postcards and magnets to beer steins and typical German Alpine clothing. After a bit of souvenir shopping for friends and family, I stopped in for lunch at Hotel Alpenstuben. After spending several hours in the cold and snow, the goulash definitely hit the spot (and came highly recommended by the staff).

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Anyway, on to the castles, right? As I said, Schwangau has two castles: Hohenschwangau Castle and Neuschwanstein Castle. Hohenschwangau (meaning high swan county palace) is the lesser known of the two–it once served as the seat of the local government and now serves as a summer residence for the successors of the last prince of Bavaria.

schwangau Hohenschwangau castle

Neuschwanstein (meaning new swanstone) is one of the most popular castles in the world. You may recognize it from Sleeping Beauty and/or Cinderella, as the castles in both of those movies were modeled after this gorgeous German castle.

Both of these castles are open for viewing for a small fee, but really, the outside is what you come to see, right? Especially for the Neuschwanstein Castle. You can take a 30-minute hike up to see it, or you can take a bus or horse carriage. Additionally, there are plenty of views of it from the main town area as well as from the roads out of there. It really does look like it came straight out of a fairytale, especially nestled in all of those trees with a picturesque backdrop of snowy mountains and low-hanging fog.

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Schwangau is definitely worth a visit. It’s pretty easily accessible from both Munich and Salzburg. Nearby is a town called Füssen, which I wish I’d had time to explore because it looked unbelievably adorable. So, I urge you to make enough time to explore the surrounding areas as well.

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Author: Megan

Megan is an ordinary girl who outgrew her small town and decided to try the world on for size. She's on a mission to travel, photograph, and write about the world.

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  • Gorgeous. I can’t imagine living in that town and always having such incredible castles just out the back door. I’ve always been so jealous of Europeans because of that.

    • I know! I feel the same way about it. And then I think about how some universities in the UK are housed in old castles. Can you even imagine?! I’d feel like I was living in a Harry Potter book.

  • Your blog is fantastic! So inspiring! I’m also in my early 20’s, and I’m only just getting into travelling. My vision of a perfect European trip is ruined by fears of getting around, language issues, not knowing where to stay or what to bring, but your blog literally covers all of that. I’m so, so happy I found this :D !!