Füssen is the Allgäu town at the end of the railway line, and for most visitors it is the practical door to Neuschwanstein. It is also well worth time in its own right. The old town centres on the Reichenstrasse, a pedestrian street of painted house fronts, shops and cafes, which climbs gently toward the Lech river. Above the water stand two landmarks: the Hohes Schloss, a late Gothic former summer residence of the prince-bishops of Augsburg now housing gallery collections and known for its illusion paintings in the courtyard, and the Baroque Kloster St. Mang, a former Benedictine monastery with roots in the eighth century that now holds the town museum and the parish church. A short walk takes you to the Franziskanerplatz and the Quaglio viewpoint over the rooftops, and to the river, where the Lech runs through a small gorge below the town. Füssen sits where the Romantic Road, the Via Claudia Augusta and the German Alpine Road meet, and it has more than two thousand years of history. Wandering the old town costs nothing, and a free audio tour is available through the tourist office.
Use Füssen as the place where a castle day starts and ends. Trains from Munich and Augsburg arrive at the station on the edge of the old town, and from there local buses take about ten minutes to Hohenschwangau, so you can see the castles without a car. In the evening, when the day-trip coaches have left, the old town is quiet and pleasant, and the cafes and inns of the Reichenstrasse and Brotmarkt make a good dinner stop.
Things to do in an easy half day: walk the Reichenstrasse to the river, visit the courtyard of the Hohes Schloss and the town museum in the monastery if you want some history, and stand at the Quaglio view for the rooftops with the mountains behind. The Lech weir and the footbridge are good for photographs, and winter brings snow to the roofs and an unhurried atmosphere. Check the tourist office events page for the Christmas season markets and winter events, because dates change each year.
Base or day visit? Füssen suits travellers who want several nights in the area because it has the widest choice of hotels and restaurants and easy links to Hohenschwangau, Linderhof, the Wieskirche and the Tegelberg. Many guided tours from Munich stop here for lunch. If you are driving, parking is available near the edge of the old town, and everything of interest is within a ten minute walk.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided walk through the pedestrian old town, past the Reichenstrasse, the Hohes Schloss and Kloster St. Mang, down to the Lech river.
Best time
Late afternoon after the castles, when the day trippers have gone and the lights come on.
How long
Two to four hours with lunch, longer with a museum visit.
Tips
Take the train and local bus to the castles, use the free audio tour from the tourist office, and check the events page for winter markets.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Anyone staying near the castles who wants a pleasant Alpine town for walking, lunch and dinner.
- Families
- Flat, car-light streets and plenty of cafes make it easy with children.
- Couples
- Dinner in an old inn and a river walk at dusk.
- Pair with
- Hohenschwangau Castle, Neuschwanstein and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings.
- Time needed
- A half day.
Good questions
Is Füssen worth a visit apart from the castles?+
Yes. The old town has a late Gothic castle, a Baroque monastery, a river gorge and a good choice of restaurants. It is free to walk around.
How far is Füssen from Neuschwanstein?+
Roughly four kilometres to the castle ticket centre in Hohenschwangau, about ten minutes by local bus or taxi.
Can I reach Füssen by train from Munich?+
Yes. Regional trains run from Munich to Füssen in about two hours, and the station is at the edge of the old town.
What are the main sights?+
The Reichenstrasse, the Hohes Schloss, Kloster St. Mang with the town museum, and the river viewpoints.
Is there an audio tour?+
Yes, a free audio city tour is offered through the Füssen tourist office, covering the main sights.
