Tucked into the Bavarian Alps right on the Austrian border, Füssen is the gateway to Germany’s most photographed building: Neuschwanstein Castle. The town itself is a well-preserved medieval centre worth an afternoon on its own, but almost everyone arrives with the fairy-tale castle in mind.
Why visit Füssen
King Ludwig II’s 19th-century fantasy castle, Neuschwanstein, rises out of the forested hills above the neighbouring village of Hohenschwangau and was the direct inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle. Füssen itself has a walkable old town with a Baroque monastery, a hilltop castle of its own (Hohes Schloss), and the turquoise Lech river running through it, backed by genuine Alpine peaks rather than postcard backdrops.
Getting to Füssen by train
Füssen sits at the end of a regional line from Munich, roughly two hours away, making it an easy connection once you’re in Bavaria. Most visitors treat it as a day trip from Munich or a stop on a longer Alpine route toward Austria and Switzerland.
Top things to do in Füssen
- Tour Neuschwanstein Castle – book your entry slot in advance, especially in summer
- Cross Marienbrücke (Mary’s Bridge) for the classic postcard view of the castle over the gorge
- Visit Hohenschwangau Castle, King Ludwig II’s childhood home, on the opposite hill
- Walk the old town and climb to the Hohes Schloss for views over the Lech river
- Swim or walk the shoreline at the nearby Alpsee and Forggensee lakes in summer