Today’s adventures involved a visit to both Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein, and we ended our day relaxing in the Kristall Thermal Pools in the nearby town of Schwangau. All three things defy description, so I will be brief and share some of the highlights in pictures.
The tour of Hohenschwangau was first on the agenda, and it is a relatively short walk from our hotel to the castle. It’s a little uphill, but not too strenuous. Unfortunately, the tour did not allow pictures, but it was a highly informative and interesting tour with a focus on the architecture, artifacts, and people that make this place one of a kind. Here are pictures from the exterior which is worth seeing even if you don’t take the tour.
To get to our next destination, Neuschwanstein, we paid for the shuttle bus to take us up the hill. We walked back down. I recommend this option unless you’re in reasonably good condition. Ludwig II was of particular focus as he is the king who was responsible for the construction of the castle 150 years ago. He died young (age 41) under mysterious circumstances before he could complete this castle. He had a reputation of being a little eccentric if not a little crazy and has earned nicknames like “the Mad King”, “the Fairytale King”, and “the Swan King.” Schwan means swan in German. Neuschwanstein was basically built to be his playground. He loved myths and legends and had murals of his favorites all over the walls. Many of the rooms were designed for him to play the central role in the stories that interested him the most. Here are some of the pictures from the exterior which, despite my best efforts, do not capture the beauty of this amazing place.
Our final destination was the Kristall Thermal Spa in Schwangau. It was a beautiful day today, so we decided to walk the thirty minutes it took to get there from our hotel. The walk, as is the norm around here, was filled with one majestic view after another.
The statue above was near the entrance to the thermal baths. The whole experience was extremely relaxing as we climbed into several pools of various temperatures and salt levels. The high salt-level pools allowed you to float without any effort, and it was an awesome way to alleviate the muscle fatigue from all the walking we’ve been doing. The views surrounding the pools were also amazing. It was an awesome way to end a fabulous day.
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