An overnight trip to Füssen, Germany

Füssen is a small town in southwest Bavaria, Germany, just a few miles from the Austrian border. Its biggest claim to fame is, arguably, its proximity to Neuschwanstein Castle.

Built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, Neuschwanstein Castle is a fairy tale like castle (that actually inspired Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle!) and the subject of probably millions of photos. That’s why when my boyfriend suggested I accompany him to Munich on a business trip, I immediately decided that I wanted to travel to Füssen to see the castle for myself.

With a very brief layover in Dublin, I arrived in Munich less-than bright-eyed on Saturday morning, and almost immediately hopped on a train to Füssen. After three additional hours of train travel, I spent the rest of my evening a bit jet-lagged walking around a very quiet Füssen on Saturday night.  

In mid-November, Füssen exudes a quiet, if still slightly touristy, Bavarian charm. It reminded me of the Irish towns of Dingle or Killarney. And the benefit of traveling off-season is that there weren’t many other people around. The downside is that a lot of stores and restaurants seemed closed for the season. (But none of that matters if your goal is hiking or visiting the castle, or if you just want to ogle at beautiful mountain scenery.)

A stay in the eclectic Hotel Sonne

At the recommendation of my Lonely Planet Guide to Munich, Bavaria, and the Black Forest, I stayed the night in Hotel Sonne, a “design hotel” in central Füssen. For one night, the cost wasn’t much more expensive than staying in a hostel, included free breakfast, and most importantly for me– allowed my jetlagged self to check in earlier than 4pm.

The hotel is decorated with mannequins dressed in historical costumes (it’s less creepy than it sounds) and a mixture of artwork. It’s certainly one of the most interesting hotels I’ve ever stayed in!

The staff were very helpful and the hotel also offers free use of their Füssen Card, which will get you a free bus ride to Hohenschwangau to see the castles.

As I mentioned above, breakfast was included with the room, and consisted of freshly pressed orange juice, coffee, and tea, alongside an assortment of pastries, meat, cheese, cereal, fruit, and hot food (like scrambled eggs and waffles). 

Thinking of Traveling to Füssen directly from Munich Airport? 

Take the S-bahn (S8) to München Hbf (Central Train Station). From the Hbf, take the regional rail to Füssen , changing once at Buchloe.

The whole trip takes a little over three hours, but costs only 25 euro if you purchase a Bayern ticket, which is good for unlimited regional travel for one day. The Bayern ticket is especially useful if you’re only take a day trip!

I purchased my ticket from the Information desk at the airport, but you can also buy them online or from a red ticket machine.

stay tuned for more…

I had a lot of fun in Füssen, and took a LOT more photos of the town and surrounding aread. Interested in reading more? Check out some photos from my first night in Germany in this post, and my recap of an unforgettable visit to Neuschwanstein Castle and the surrounding area!