Germany & Austria Part 2 = Linderhof, Neuschwanstein, Füßen and the Wieskirche

by Teri E. Popp, Tastemaker in Residence

On our second day, we opted to tour in, and around, Linderhof, Neuschwanstein, Füßen and the Wieskirche. Our hosts, Doug and Laurie, planned a day that offered something for everyone when touring the Bavarian countryside.

Linderhof Palace, built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, was the smallest, and his only completed, castle. Fashioned after a small scale Versailles, with many elements from the mid-18th Century Rococo period, the rooms are opulently decorated with gold, lapis lazuli, and ivory, amongst other precious stones and metals.

From Linderhof, we drove past Ludwig’s famous, uncompleted Schloss Neuschwanstein (English translation: New Swanstone Castle). A 19th Century Romanesque Revival style castle, it is believed to be the inspiration for Walt Disney’s princess castles. While we did not tour the interior as we had done so on previous occasions, I heartily recommend visiting both Neuschwanstein Castle, and the neo-Gothic Schloss Hohenschwangau located nearby.

Located near Neuschwanstein, the lovely town of Füßen (also known as Fussen) offers tourists a place to eat, shop and relax. Located on the Lech River, tiny shops offer a large assortment of lederhosen, dirndls and accessories, while the restaurants entice with a nice selection of traditional Tyrollean and Bavarian cuisine.

We finished our day of touring with a stop at Wieskirche, the Rococo styled Pilgrimage Church of Wies. According to legend, in 1738 tears were seen streaming from a statue called the Scourged Savior. This tiny chapel is, in a word, breathtaking!