travelthunder.com

The castles of Louis II of Bavaria
The four castles of Louis II of Bavaria are all on the Route of German Alps. Three of them are located near Oberammergau, a Bavarian village which is quite adorable. Hohenschwangau is the castle where the “mad king” spent his childhood. It is a blend of Tudor, Gothic and medieval styles. You can visit a dozen rooms and see the frescoes recounting episodes of German mythology and the imagination of the little Louis. Enjoy the lighting of the castle at night. On the mountain opposite, is the Neuschwanstein Castle, perched on a rocky outcrop and lost amidst the trees with the snowy peaks of the Alps. Straight out of a fairy tale, it inspired Walt Disney to draw that of Sleeping Beauty. We have an excellent view of both castles, from the deck of Marienbrfcke or through the cable (Tegelbergbahn). Lost in the middle of the forest to the Austrian border, Linderhof Castle is the smallest of the four but also the most authentic. The vast park is home to the grotto of Venus (the largest artificial cave in Europe), the Moorish Kiosk and refuge of Hunding. Herrenchiemsee, the fourth castle - located 90 km from Munich - is a replica of the Palace of Versailles.

The road castles
There are more than 70 castles on the route linking from Mannheim to Prague. It leads through the beautiful landscape of the Neckar valley, the provinces of Hohenlohe, Frankenhahe or Franconian Switzerland. It goes through the sites of Heidelberg, Rothenburg ob der Taug, Nurmeberg, Bayreuth or Bamberg. Apart from these castles, this road is marked by numerous traces of the past: medieval cities, religious buildings from all eras and other cultural sites.

Castle Nymphenburg
Place of birth of Louis II (cousin of Empress Elisabeth of Austria), this castle with styles of both baroque and rococo, built outside Munich (today near the city center) was the summer residence of the kings of Bavaria. The interior (purple dyes, paints and gold at the entrance and tapestries featuring scenes from mythology …) the “Gallery of beauty” of Ludwig II with its women portraits of the Court Versailles, the red cabinets and the immense park with its small pavilions make this castle a major attraction. At the rear of the building, the gardens and the woods lined nearby. They have since remained in that state. There is a small hunting lodge, with the rococo style, architectural style that characterizes much of Bavaria. The stables now hosting a museum of carriages including those belonged to Louis II.

Castle Possenhofen
Possenhofen, the castle where the Empress of Austria (Sissi) spent her young years in Bavaria, is located in the heart of the woods in the area of Lake Starnberg. With his erect turret slots, its facades and dapper green paint, the castle presents an original architecture. Sold at the end of the last century by the state of Bavaria to a businessman, not less than twelve owners have divided apartments. It is clear that the authorities had underestimated the tourism potential of this monument, which is visible to visitors from outside. However, the site offers a beautiful things in the small garden (where the throne statue of the empress lies), at the foot of the lake until the Imperial Hotel in Feldafing. We can go along the lake (25 km in length) about a hundred meters by narrow roads. At the back of the court, you can visit the stables of the time, with the old tile walls and green yarn. The boxes have been transformed into a gym to match the “sport personality” of the monarch. Do not miss the imperial suite, located on the floor of the hotel. Complete the visit by the historic station, which connects the hotel to the castle. It houses the museum Antiquariat Heinemann, a private collection comprising many objects (in addition to pictures, postcards, authentic documents …) that belonged to the empress and her family.

The Bauhaus
One of the most artistic marks of Germany is the Bauhaus, a school of architecture and applied arts. Created in 1919 in Weimar, it has an immense influence on modern architecture and graphic arts. This school was founded on the needs of society with no distinction between fine arts and handicraft production. The Bauhaus style was characterized mainly by the absence of ornaments. Many painters like Kandinsky and Klee, taught in this school. When the Nazis closed the school in 1933, many of its members emigrated to the USA, where the values and principles of the Bauhaus dominated art and architecture for decades. Be sure to see the excellent museum devoted to this movement in Berlin.

Germany Artists
Many German artists have joined the Arts of Old Continent each year. Germany commemorates these artists by organizing exhibitions, performances, lectures and routes in cities where they are illustrated. Thus, the year 2000 celebrated the 250 anniversary of the passing of Bach, with several events planned in Thuringia, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.

The cultural tourist routes
You can follow one of the many existing tourist routes, such as Goethe Road (which connects Classic Route in Thuringia - one of cultural and intellectuals centers in the country), Route Baroque Upper Swabia, a route of fairy tales, devoted to the life of Grimm brothers.

Berlin
Berlin is a symbol. There are more than the museum wall and a piece of the Wall in the Bernauer Strasse to recall the history of this city tormented by historical events. Here cohabit all architectural styles: classical, rococo, Renaissance or Reichstag, and each district has its own face. The cultural life is particularly busy: to taste the real life of Berlin, it will not fail to go take a drink in one of many bars.

Hamburg
Hamburg is the second largest city. The port, built on the banks of the Elbe, has many facets: the banks of the Aussenalster, lined with beautiful homes, cafes, terraces Grossneumarkt, the fish market, crazy nights Reeperbahn, musicians streets and the central station.

Munich
Munich, the capital of Bavaria, is a city of green spaces and the Oktoberfest. To see the Old and excellent art gallery, the Old City, Castle Nymphenburg and the English Garden, attended by all the youth in Munich. The garden is located along the Isar River in the city nicknamed “isar green” for its color. The Schwabing district of artists and students is also to see, especially near the small arc of triumph, the Academy of Fine Arts, built in the late nineteenth century. Picasso had recommended the establishment with his contemporaries. In this area “bohemian”, visitors can stop in its trendy cafes, in addition to its restaurants, inns and famous breweries Munich (whose name is strictly controlled in the territory). The painted facades of buildings Munich alternate between pink (including the Place Maximilien) and ochre (the church Théatins). There are also many red-brick buildings. The construction of the pavilion roof and the tower 290 meters high during the Olympic Games in 1972 became the symbol of the modern city. The Olympic Games have led the growing emergence of towers in the city (while high constructions were banned before the games). In the alternative transportation (rather expensive), the bike is the preferred means of transport when the sunny days arrive.

Frankfurt
Frankfurt has the look of a modern city because it was destroyed during the war. In contrast to other German cities, it has not been rebuilt identically. Carrefour air importantly, it may be the pretext for a short stopover for shopping or to visit one of its museums dedicated to modern art or architecture.

Cologne
Cologne was destroyed during the war but has managed to establish itself as one of the most beautiful cities along the Rhine. Visit the famous cathedral and museums Wallraf-Richartz and Ludwig harbouring one of the largest art galleries in Germany.

Dresden
Dresden is the third largest city in the former GDR. Rasée in 1945, the capital of Saxony was rebuilt almost the same. Its historic centre, its famous opera, museums (among the richest of Germany), its traditional markets are a provincial cities most visited. The area around the city is magnificent.

The North Sea
With its 300 km of coastline is dotted with islands that are home to colonies of seals. The National Park of Schleswig-Holstein includes archipelago of and a large number of islands of Friesland in the north. On Sylt, the largest of these islands, lies a vast sandy beach backed by small cliffs roses. The island of Helgoland boasts beautiful red sandstone cliffs. It houses an aquarium and a bird observatory. The East Friesland 7 includes islands with beautiful sandy beaches and dunes.

The Baltic coast
Along the Baltic coast lie successive many resorts, all lined with white sand beaches. Rostock is the largest coastal city. Features Gothic churches and monasteries, towers and fortifications, rustic houses and red brick warehouses in the centre of this ancient university town with 800 years of history. Further east lies the small medieval town of Stralsund, situated on a peninsula. The dam reaches Rügen, the largest island of Germany whose west coasts are cut with numerous small creeks. To the east, lie the famous chalk cliffs and beautiful sea resorts as Binz. Usedom, the second largest island includes wetlands, inland lakes, forests, dunes and sandy beaches forming a very varied landscape. The stations Heringsdorf and Ahlbeck are among the most beautiful of the island.

Almost all regions of Germany have magnificent landscapes with many lakes and valleys, small villages and castles.

The Baden-Wuerttemberg
The region of Baden-Wuerttemberg, in South-West Germany, offers some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country. In the beautiful Neckar Valley, there is a succession sites of interest such as the cities of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Bad Wimpfen or Castle Hirschhorn which offers a splendid view of the intricacies and the wooded valley of the Neckar. Between the heights of the forest Swabia and the valley of the Tauber, is the rural Hohenlohe.

The Black Forest
The Black Forest is one of the most beautiful forests in the country. To the north, take Route to Baden coming through vineyards, orchards and towns. Discover the vast coniferous forests, take the Route to Crêtes, connecting Baden-Baden in Freudenstadt. The valley of the Kinzig, with its thick forests, is one of the most beautiful sites of the Black Forest - with foot or ATV. The tributaries of the Kinzig offers many idyllic valleys with great streams. It reveals old water mills and farms. Visit eco-museum of the Black Forest in the valley of the Gutach. With its snow-capped mountains and its large fir forests interspersed with green valleys where filled with old farms, gorges and streams, Upper Black Forest offers a vast landscape. The area is dotted with famous sports venues (skiing and hiking) as in the Feldberg, the highest peak in the region. In the south, see the valley of the Wutach nature park, with its gorges, its imposing rock walls and its rich fauna and flora.

Lake Constance
Lake Constance is close with the cities of Lindau and Meersburg, and the Mainau Island has a huge floral park.

German Alps
Route German Alps which extends to Berchtesgaden in the Alps along the Allgau, known for ski resorts, and the Bavarian Alps. The region presents a significant number of landscapes with beautiful lakes, valleys, snow-capped peaks, palaces and traditional houses covered with flowers.

The National Park of the Bavarian Forest
To the north of the Danube Valley, we can make a trip of 200 km with marked trails National Park in Bavaria where certain species of rare animals (lynx, bison, wolves, bears and otters) have been reintroduced.

The Saar
To the west, the landscape of Saarland are symbolized by the intricacies of the Saar in the park Saar-Hunsrfck.