Upon arrival to Germany, we immediately made a 4 hour drive from Frankfurt Airport down to Füssen. It’s located on the southern border, on the northern edge of the Alps.
It was a bit tiring, especially as I had almost no sleep on the plane, and instead felt super groggy from sleeping pills that didn’t end up working. I guess anxiety/excitement kept me up? But, that meant a great night of sleep when we did get there!
We stayed at Hotel Hirsch, which I would definitely recommend, and when I eventually go back, I will definitely stay there again. It felt like a hotel out of an old-style movie, which dramatic architectural details, and unique decor. Our room was upgraded upon arrival, which meant D’Arcy got to sleep in a nook in the wall. She said it was a little chilly, but I think she liked it otherwise. Breakfast was a buffet of fruit, eggs, and German style everything else, meats, cheeses, and bread. It was my favorite breakfast of all of them because the apples were so delicious.
The theme of delicious food was carried over to dinner, and I ended up ordering the gnocci both nights we were there. The first night (pictured above), it was amazing, with a delicious white sauce, strips of cheese, and cherry tomatoes sprinkled through. Oddly though, on the second night, it had no cheese strips, tomatoes, and was in a brown sauce, so I suppose a different chief was working that night.
The hotel is conveniently located right next to the walking area of town. Entering through an alley, there’s walking streets full of shops. Cafes spilled into the streets, and people were everywhere, going about their day, walking their dog, meeting up with friends.
The streets eventually lead back to a castle, Hohes Schloss, that overlooks the town. Unfortunately, it was already closed when we reached it, but I loved that I could walk right up to it. The Schloss was started in 1291 by the Bavarian Duke Ledwig, and it is known mostly for the illusionist architectural paintings. I couldn’t even tell until I was close that the moldings around the doors and windows are just paintings. Pretty neat!
Beyond the fortress was the city park, containing an old ruin, a fantastic view, and the favorite spot of dog walkers. It’s incredible to me that this ancient site is used for some normal purposes now, and just incorporated into the modern life of the citizens.
The water in the river was such a beautiful blue. I wanted to take a closer look at it when it wasn’t dusk, but we didn’t have time to walk down there again. This whole area was beautiful and makes me want to spend more time in the Bavarian region, and the Alps in general. It feels like a literal fairy tale here.