Day 23: Hohenschwagnau and Neuschwanstein Castles, and The Luge at Tegelbergen

 Day 23 - Hohenschwagnau and Neuschwanstein Castles, and The Luge at Tegelbergen

We chose to come to Fussen, Germany on our way to Salzburg, specifically to visit two famed castles in the region, Hohenschwagnau and Neuschwanstein.  The boys are not enthused about visiting castles, churches, or monuments of any kind, and given that we’d spent the prior day cooped up in a car, the day started out pretty rough.  In order to make things fun, I’ve tried to engage them in scavenger hunts, like we did in Barcelona for Parc Guell. Unfortunately, I came unprepared for this day, and they came pretty tired out and disengaged.  Aaron and I still enjoyed the history while doing some extra parenting. 

We first took a bus up to Schwagnau from Fussen to make our 9:50 tour time at Hohenschwagnau.  Commonly underestimated in comparison to Neuschwanstein, I truly enjoyed this castle more than any I’ve visited.  It was most interesting to see the intersectionality of European cultures and traditions, and references to things we’ve seen prior on this trip.  For instance, the Queen’s bedroom was designed in traditional Moorish style, after she visited Turkey.  We visited the Alhambra, the largest Moorish palace, while in Granada, and this bedroom reminded us of that visit.  Additionally, while in Geneva we paid a visit to the reformation wall.  We later learned that Martin Luther is said to have found refuge here at Hohenschwagnau in 1518 after he was sentenced, and knights hid him in this castle. Inside the castle, along with hundreds of other stunning paintings on the walls, there is a painting depicting Martin Luther coming into the castle with the knight. 

We learned that King Ludwig, who grew up here and then built Neuschwanstein for himself, loved swans. An enormous chandelier made of solid silver swans was given to him as a birthday present, as was a large golden goblet.  With Coltons’ birthday coming up soon, I told him this year we’re going to get him a goblet just like King Ludwig’s. He thought that would be a pretty terrible gift!

After this tour finished, we stopped for a sausage and fries at a street vendor, and then hiked thirty minutes up the hill to Neuschwanstein.  Dying for entertainment, we engaged the boys in a series of riddles I’d found online, and this kept them happier and more cooperative for the rest of the day!  

Neuschwanstein’s best view is seen while standing on Mary’s Bridge. Unfortunately, it was under construction during our visit, so we made do with a look from the entrance walkway.  The castle itself is enormous, and our tour guide did a great job engaging the boys in the mystery of King Ludwig’s death, found in a lake along with his psychiatrist at the age of 35. While Aaron thought both castles were equally engaging, I felt this castle didn’t hold a candle to the detail and splendor of Hohenschwangau, and I find it interesting it is more often considered for a stop when visiting this region simply because of the exterior design. 

We finished up with the castles and surprised the boys with a visit to the Tegelbergen Luge.  Built on the side of the Bavarian Alps, the boys took three rides downhill, and count it their ultimate highlight of our trip so far. (There’s always something new making this list!). There was also a great park there, with a fun zipline they road over and over again. Our hope is to visit another luge while we're in Austria, as this was such a hit and kept them wildly entertained.

We returned back to Fussen to visit the shops in the village, and freshened up for dinner.  We then headed to Kyodai, a local Vietnamese-owned restaurant recommended to us by Peter. The service was patient and kind, and the food was spectacular!  So unexpected while in Germany, we had sushi, prawns with mango curry, prawn summer rolls, and edamame. The boys each ordered homemade lemonades, and Aaron and I enjoyed a nice cocktail, having savored mostly beer and wine thus far on our trip.  Much to our surprise, our food in Germany has been a highlight, and given that we don’t have a proper kitchen in which to cook, it comes as a welcome respite for me after cooking all of our dinners in Switzerland.