I will be traveling to the Bavaria in late June 2016. We are starting in fussen to see the castle and tour the town, we wanted to stay in Unterpinswang. Then we want to travel to Garmisch-Partenkirchen we think, then on to Innsbruck and the dolomites in Italy.
We wanted to see if there are any must see on the route from fussen to the dolomites. We read ricks guide book. just want to make sure we are not driving by something good.
thanks for the help. and advice,
I spent a week in Garmisch-Partenkirchen last summer and loved it. It is a great stop with lots to do.
just want to make sure we are not driving by something good. Because Rick Steves' books barely even touch the surface and contain some strange recommendations (Reutte? Really?), just keep your eyes open and go for what interests you.
You can visit Neuschwanstein from Garmisch just as easily as from Füssen. I'd rather stay there.
What is the attraction of Unterpinswang? I can think of more attractive places to stay around there. Pfronten is on the same rail route between Kempten, Germany, and Garmisch-Partenkirchen as Reute, and, IMO, and I've been in both Pfronten and Reutte, Pfronten is a much nicer place to stay. There are buses from both Reutte and Pfronten to Füssen, but I think there are a few more per day from Pfronten.
To see a list of accommodations in Pfronten, accomodations independent of booking website fees, go to the town website (click on "Liste").
I've twice spent a night (at least) in Pfronten, and both places were very nice, but I will particularly recommend this place, Gasthof Aggenstein. It's within walking distance of the Pfronten-Steinach Bahnhof, and only a block from the bus line that runs through Pfronten. If you don't want to be dependent on a car, this is a place to stay.
"You can visit Neuschwanstein from Garmisch just as easily as from Füssen." ????
Not hardly. From Füssen, it's less than a 10 minute bus ride (hourly) to the castles. The best way to the castles from Garmisch is a two hour direct bus ride via Oberammergau.
From Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Innsbruck, you will go through Mittenwald and Seefeld, Austria. Be sure to spend some time there.
Agree, Neuschwanstein is less than 10 minutes drive from Fuessen, but nearly a 1:30 drive from Garmisch. We stayed twice, 5 nights total, in Fuessen at the Hotel zum Hechten.
If your reading RS book and are inclined to stay or visit Reutte, skip it. We visited twice and don't get his recommendation at all. After leaving Fuessen, the Zugspitze is easy and relatively quick to visit. This is in Ehrwald, Austria.
Then continue on and go via the Fern Pass to the Innsbruck area and across the Europa Bridge and the Brenner Pass into Italy and the Dolomites.
Reifenstein castle/castel Tasso, just outside Sterzing/Vipiteno in Italy, and highly recommended by RS, may be worth visitng. We tried twice, but you MUST have 4 people, otherwise the woman that lives there will not give the tour. We were there twice with 3 people hoping to find a fourth there. Even pleading that I'd pay for the 4th person (that wasn't there) and showing her that my wife had walked up to the entrance (steep walk) with a broken foot did nothing. She said no four people, no tour. We wouldn't back, but it did look very interesting and very authentic, even the grounds.
Once you near Innsbruck the scenery is outstanding. Heading into Italy also. Once you get off the A22 and head towards the Val Gardena and get your first close glimpses of the Dolomite peaks...
You'll never forget that moment. Well I haven't :)
By the way, RS barely scratches the surface of the Dolomites. His recommendation of basing in Castelrotto must be because he never ventured anywhere else in the region. Castelrotto isn't even in the Dolomites, but on the outskirts.
Paul
Thanks for the info. It helps. I like RS books. But the dolomite and Bavaria section seems to be missing out door stuff I would like to see.
Some of the best hiking in the region is in the mountains above Garmisch, but there's also some pretty good trails above Füssen and Schwangau (the sub-village of Füssen that contains the castles).
And yes, the Rick Steves books... outdoor enthusiasts, to put it mildly, are not his primary demographic.
