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Top 5 attractions in the Allgäu
Lakes, mountains, and abundance of fresh air. This is what awaits you in the Allgäu. Also called the pearl of Southern Germany, the Allgäu offers breath-taking landscapes with unique sights and attractions. The Allgäu covers a large area on the Southern part of Germany near the border of Austria.
Whether you prefer hiking along rivers or treading up mountains, the Allgäu has everything. From hiking and biking tours, for varied fitness and skill levels, to walking in the country side. This beautiful scenery attracts tourists from all over the world every year. In Winter, the snow-covered landscape gives skiers access to a variety of well-prepared slopes ( also read our article. “Winter holiday in the Allgäu”)while in Summer, hikers can enjoy incredible views of the Alps and the Grosser Alpsee the largest lake in the Allgäu region.
Visit the countryside of Altusried
Altusried, my home town, is a small village in the Allgäu with a population of about 6000 people. I have been living here for the last 25 years. When I moved here in 1998, I fell in love with the mountains, dramatic landscapes, and open spaces. Because I live on the outskirts of Altusried, I am greeted by lush green meadows with grazing cows each day. I enjoy taking a stroll in this beautiful countryside and feel privileged to share some of my hometown suggestions with you.
The Bavarian culture and traditions
Bavaria is the South-east quarter of Germany. Interestingly, it is the Germany’s biggest state. Bavarians have traditionally been proud of their culture, language, cuisine and festivals (I will dedicate a blog sometime in the future to explain the Bavarians and our culture). We have several interesting rituals, traditions, and festivals in the Allgäu. Amongst other things, we enjoy expressing and celebrating our culture.
An example of a ritual that happens each year towards the end of September is the ‘Viehscheid’. It refers to the celebration of bringing the cows down from the Alpine Summer pastures, up in the mountains, to their Winter sheds below in the towns (I will tell you more about this unique ritual and others such as the October fest in a blog to follow).
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Here are my favourite attractions in the Allgäu
1. The Neuschwanstein Castle
The Neuschwanstein fairy-tale castle, built for the Bavarian King Ludwig II (1845-1886), attracts 1.5 million tourists all over the world annually.
Closeby is Hohenschwangau Castle and Linderhof Castle. It is often said that Hohenschwangau Castle is created with a magic wand. This majestic castle is perched on top of a hill in lush green valleys overlooking the Alpsee.
2. Visit the historical town of Kempten
Kempten is the largest city in the Allgäu and has an impressive history as a Roman city, a royal abbey and an imperial city. If you enjoy history, this is the city for you. It features great historical buildings such as the Basilica of St Lorenz, the town hall of Kempten, and the Residence built in the mid-17th century.
Kempten Residence offers daily guided tours for 3.50 Euro or R60 per person.
For more information about Kempten read our article “Best Things to do in Kempten”.
In Kempten there are also many traditional German shops where you can buy your first Dirndl (a cultural Bavarian dress). In 2015, Bernie bought her first one at Almwelt for our visit to the October fest. You don’t want to visit the festival without one!
3. Explore the more than 8000 years old Breitachklamm canyon
The gorge, better known as Breitachklamm Canyon, is formed over thousands of years ago through rushing water over the rocks. The canyon is up to 150 meters deep at some areas making it the deepest rock gorge in Central Europe. In winter the canyon turns into a magical ice landscape.
In winter the canyon turns into a magical ice landscape which totally transforms the landscape.
4. Hike the Oberstdorf mountains
Oberstdorf is a romantic village and the most southern community of Germany. It is the ideal starting point for hikes.
In Winter it provides skiers with several very well-prepared slopes. For example, on a clear day, you can see almost 400 misty mountain peaks from here.
Nebelhorn is Germany’s highest mountain at 2,224 meters. In Winter or Summer you have a magnificent view over the entire Allgäu region.
5. Stroll through Füssen
Füssen most known for its violin manufacturing and the Neuschwanstein Castle.
It is situated one kilometer from the Austrian border.
You will enjoy strolling through this romantic old town with its many traditional shops and cafes.
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Stay well! and remember…get lost in the right direction
Petra and Bernie
