Bavarian Swabia Map

Covering the southwest of Bavaria, the land of Bavarian Swabia (German: Bayerisch-Schwaben) does a remarkable job of incorporating vacation possibilities to appeal to nearly anyone.

Museums, medieval castles and churches, rivers, lakes, mountains, ruins dating back to Roman times, nature reserves, hiking and cycling routes, a diverse range of architectural styles, and some of the best breweries in Germany, all this and more await you in Bavarian Swabia! :-)

For a relaxing retreat, think about spending some time in the area in and around the city of Neu-Ulm. The Neu-Ulm district has an indoor swimming/sauna complex with pools for both adults and kids, and the city itself has three separate parks which hosted the Regional Garden Festival for nearly six months in 2008.

One of the most appealing attractions of the Neu-Ulm district is the Bee Museum in the ancient town of Illertissen. Illertissen was first mentioned in 954 AD. Located in the Vöhlin castle on a bluff overlooking the town, the Bee Museum shares in space with the local History museum, the Castle’s Chapel, and the Baroque Hall in which public concerts are held. Another attraction is the District Model Garden at Weißenhorn, where a city gate dates back to the late 15th century.

Take in the amazing herb gardens of the Roggenburg Monastery. Peer deep into Bavarian Swabia’s past with a visit to the Kellmünz Archaeological Park, named from the Latin “Caelio Mons,” the fort where the Romans held off Alemanni tribes until the fifth century A.D.

Visit the Roman Museum in Bavarian Swabia’s city of Augsburg (after Caesar Augustus). Fast forward to the Renaissance at the Elias Holl-designed Town Hall, and see some stunning examples of the goldsmithing and silversmithing which made Augsburg a wealthy city in days gone by at the Maximilian Museum.

When you’re ready to take in Bavarian Swabia’s outdoor wonders, the huge Augsburg-Western Woods Nature Reserve stretches from Augsburg east as far as the city of Günzburg. It encompasses dozens of charming villages as well as the 12th-century Oberschönenfeld Abbey. For something completely different, head for Legoland when you get to Günzburg.

The Allgäu Alps is one of the best-known region of all Bavarian Swabia’s (and Germany’s) regions, with year-round appeal from its sun-drenched summers to its snow-covered winters. The Alps are an ever-present feature no matter where you find yourself in the Allgäu, but they are never more dominating than in the hydrotherapy health center of Oberstdorf.

Oberstdorf is home to both a ski jump stadium and Germany’s national ice skating center. One of its quirkier summertime attractions is Germany’s largest dairy farm, where you can soak in the beauty of the Fellhorn mountain while restoring your strength with fresh milk and smoked sausage.

From the heights of the Fellhorn, descend to the depths of the Breitachklamm gorge, the deepest in Europe. Or soar in the clouds over Schwansee Park when you visit Neuschwanstein Castle, the postcard perfect edifice which inspired Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle! Time your vacation for September to enjoy one of the classical concerts held in the Castle’s singer hall.

Another of Bavarian Swabia’s famous castles is the Friedberg Castle in Friedberg (Bavaria), which was originally settled in about 8,000 BC. The Friedburg Castle is a stop on one of the most popular scenic routes in Germany, the Romantic Road. Biking through this area, with its many farms and nature preserves, will expose you to the rural side of life in Bavarian Swabia!

Lastly, Bayerisch-Schwaben would not be complete without a visit to the glorious Lake Constance and the city of Lindau. Here you can experience modern sophistication, enigmatic history, and a lively culture that does not bother to pause for breath. It’s well-known (and unique) for its topography, friendly people, and pleasant climate, especially in summer.

Kilometer for kilometer, Bavarian Swabia offers vacation possibilities that please and excite everyone. :-)

The 3,360 or so people who live in the Bavarian town of Schwangau are the luckiest people on the planet. I’m sure I’ve said this before, but that was before I saw this place.

Chances are you’ve seen Schwangau before, and not even realized it. You know all those pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenwchwangau Castle? Yup, in Schwangau. I don’t care how much Füssen takes credit. ;-)

King Ludwig II’s grand masterpiece that is Schloss Neuschwanstein is one of the most famous castles in the world. Some say he was “mad,” I think he was a creative genius. How else could you create a castle this opulent?

His father, King Maximillian, bought the ruins of the original Schloss Hohenschwangau then turned it into one the loveliest castles around. Ludwig spent summers here as a child — and I can’t think of a more beautiful place to grow up.

I guess these two kings who built such stunning castles here makes Schwangau the right place to have the Museum of Bavarian Kings.

What else can you find in Schwangau? Oh, the Forggensee for starters, where you can fish, surf, or sail all you like.

Off the banks of this Alpine lake is the Parish Church of Sts. Mary & Floria, as well as a bunch of hiking & walking trails.

If you’re traveling along the scenic Via Claudia Augusta route, you’re only one town over — so I would try to get over here if I were you. No trying necessary if you’re on the Romantic Road as you’re coming right through.

Winter’s just a good time as any to come to Schwangau. A whole bunch of winter sports lovers flock here to do everything from cross-country skiing, to downhill skiing, and everything in between. You can even walk across the Forggensee this time of year.

And every season is just right to enjoy all the comforts and services of the Königliche Kristall-Therme (Royal Crystal Thermal Spring). What’s a health resort town without a spa?

Do you see why I say the people who live in Schwangau are the luckiest around? And even if you’re not lucky enough to live here, hopefully you’ll be lucky enough to visit and stay a while! :-)

Kiel Bay Map

Along the shores of Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark, in the southwestern Baltic Sea and connected to the Bay of Mecklenburg, is the Kiel Bay (or Bay of Kiel). With Kieler Bucht as its German name, this is a really active bay, as this is where you’ll find the Kiel Canal — the busiest artificial waterway in the world.

There are some 40,000 commercial vessels that make their way into the Kiel Bay this way, and that’s not even including all the recreational boats that have decided to make the trip from the North Sea. The cool part? The ferry service across is free.

At the southern tip of the Kiel Bay is the city of Kiel, home to the Kiel Week. This is a week-long event where millions of people converge on the city for all sorts of sailing, music, and eating. In addition to that, the city of Kiel was once home to Germany’s Imperial Navy; and hosted a number of sailing events for the both the 1936 and 1972 Olympic Games.

The southern tip of the Kiel Bay is where you’ll find the Kiel Fjord, and at 17km long afforded the city some protection against the Vikings. Though I’m pretty sure they made their way in through what’s now called the Little Belt (but that’s on the Jutland Peninsula and a Danish island. The Great Belt is another way in, this time through the North.

Kiel Fjord is small compared to the the Flensburg Fjord at 50km long. But, the former will lead you right to Eckernförde Bay.

There’s a town by the same name on this small bay in a bay. And I really think you’ll love walking along its cobblestoned streets passing the small cottages. At Eckernförde‘s Altstadt, the Alte Rathaus houses a local history museum, and you should stop at the Baroque Church of St. Nicholas before sailing off into the wild blue yonder.

I really like the Wildlife Film Festival in September, and the Beach Fest in July (sometimes August) that’s a family friendly event. Fehmarn is another island that everyone can enjoy with its sandy beaches, and will take you to a sub-bay known as Hohwachter Bay.

Kiel Bay is more than a body of water. It’ll lead you to all sorts of fun towns, places unknown out in the Baltic Sea, and even give you a history lesson.

Cheese lovers of the world, I gotta tell ya, the Schleswig-Holstein Cheese Route is for you. Whether your favorite is Quark, Muenster, Feta, or something in between, you’ll love the freshest of them all along this 500km (311mi) circular route through Schleswig-Holstein.

It’s not so much the towns and cities along the way, but the farms that produce these soft & hard cheeses with either goat or cow’s milk.

Hmm, variety. How could there not be, with more than 140 different types made in the north of Germany alone. Only a small fraction of the thousands made around the world. But, I’m not thinking about them right now.

Start of the Schleswig-Holstein Cheese Route

The Schleswig-Holstein Cheese Route is a circular route, so any starting point will do, right?

Let’s start our eating extravaganza in Dollerup-Streichmühle, which is a few kilometers east of Flensburg, at the family-owned Hofladen Mangelsen. Their farm shop is open six days a week, overflowing with cheeses (of course), jams, and cakes.

After you’re well-fed, visit the Flensburg Fjord, or any one of the Flensburg’s 13 museums, its theater, or churches.

I know this is a cheese route, but there’s a Fruit Museum in the town of Sörup. One farm not to miss is the Jahnkes Ziegenkäse, which offers farm tours three days a week (Tues, Fri, and Sat) and has their own shop. If you’re not able to visit (like if your tied up fishing or visiting the medieval church) you can always order their cheeses online.

Hof Ahmen in Kappeln (Kopperby-Heide) is all about the sheep’s milk. Take a farm tour (May – October) to learn more about them, or just browse their shop. Just thinking about Kappeln’s Harbor Festival is enough to make you want to visit, but the charming lighthouse, Harbor Museum, and windmills will make you stay.

On it goes to Owschlag. After a day swimming in the Owschalger See, you’ll need to refuel. Grab yourself some goodies at the Milchschafhof Solterbeck. Oops, their shop is only open Saturdays from 8am – 1pm, but if you call ahead they’ll open their shop for you. Make them feel more special by telling them where you came from, just for them. :-)

For a hundred years they’ve been making cheeses (even spicy kinds) and jams at the Käsehof Biss in Desau, a town on an old stagecoach route.

History and good food. Two of my favorite things. ;-)

Is it possible to be jealous of 250,000 people? Yes, if they are the quarter of a million people who live in Lübeck. Pay a visit to the Hansfelder Hof (Sereetzer Weg 1). Their farm shop (housed in old barracks and bomb shelter) has all sorts of cheeses including garlic, caraway, and carrot flavors.

Your choice if you want to go there first or see the city’s medieval Altstadt (an UNESCO site), the Jewish cemetery, theaters, museums, and Cathedral.

There might not be too many farms in or around Ratzeburg (called Ratzborg in Low German), but the island city has a nature area (kind of like a farm, right? OK, that’s stretching it a bit), a cathedral, a medieval market, festivals, and boat races.

Although not really part of the Schleswig-Holstein Cheese Route, but a supporting member of it, Hamburg is our next stop — and the birthplace of the Hanseatic League. One of its biggest events is the Hamburg Harley Days bringing thousands of motorcycling (and cheese eating) enthusiasts.

On it goes to Rellingen, where the first stop should be the Hof Kruse (Kirchenstieg 1). Try the goat milk yogurt from the farm shop. They’ve been at it for 5 generations — plenty of time to perfect their goodies.

Between Rellingen and Elmshorn is Inga’s Obstpark (Fruit Park, open Spring to Autumn) in Tornesch (Kanaldamm 33), and it’s all organic. Not bad for 2 Euro.

In the town of Horst the Hof Dannwisch is where they’ve been farming for eight centuries. They’ve got it all: chickens, pigs, and of course cows whose milk goes on to make their farm shop’s cheeses.

Not able to make it to Meierhof Möllgaad’s shop in Hohenlockstedt on a Tuesday, Friday, or Saturday? No problem, call ’em — they even offer seminars on cheese making.

It’s back to interesting flavored cheeses (cumin, pepper, etc) at the Feinkäserei Salzbüttel (in Sarzbüttel), whose cheese shop’s open Monday through Saturday.

The farm shop at the Friesische Schafskäseri Volquardsen in Tetenbüll is open six days a week too, but they also got an animal petting area and offer tours twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays at 3pm.

It’s a small intimate farm at the Ostenfelder Meierei in Ostenfeld (Husum). They’ve got plenty of organic cheeses on display at their farm shop.

You might not think that the Rohmilchkäserei Backensholz in Oster-Ohrstedt is a small farm, they got more than 200 cows and four times as many sheep. Whatever the number, their cheeses at their shop are quite scrumptious.

Stock up on the goodies, our last stop is the island of Föhr, considered part of the North Frisian Islands with ferry service to the mainland and to Sylt. Enjoy the churches, art, music, windmills, and Harbor Seals — plus, being on the Wadden Sea there’s mudflat hiking to do.

Wow, that works up an appetite… Guess you gotta head back towards Flensburg and start the Schleswig-Holstein Cheese Route all over again. ;-)

Schleswig-Holstein Cheese Route Web Site

Fore more information (in German though), here’s the official Web site of the Schleswig-Holstein Cheese Route.

The town of Boxberg (Baden) started out simple enough, just your average Merovingian town of the 7th century. What it has become is a little town with twelve districts and around 7,000 people, not all that far from Tauberbischofsheim (around 16km north).

No self respecting town this old in Germany would be without its precious castle. Albeit a ruined one in this case.

Burg Boxberg’s ruins that you see before you had been built in 1430, but an older one stood here from the 11th century. Yes, that means it was built in the 1000’s, making it a thousand years old.

Burg Boxberg was destroyed in 1523, but you can still see part of its tower and the entrance to its cellar. Hey, it ain’t a palace, but castle ruins are particularly romantic — if you look at them in the right frame of mind, that is. ;-)

And of course, no self respecting medieval town is going to be without a church (or two, maybe three). In the village of Unterschüpf there’s a wonderful church from the 13th century with amazing 15th century frescoes.

In Oberschüpf, the fortress church has been here since the 12th century; and the St. John Lutheran Church in Wölchingen was built in 1220.

What’s the big deal about seeing these old churches? Well, religion was so vital to daily life — and people put their heart & soul into decorating them — making them smashing works of art.

As great as the churches are, you don’t want to be stuck indoors the whole time you’re here. How ’bout a Vineyard Tour to liven things up? All those wine growing grapes sure are pretty.

Oh, I know, go to the Waldseilgarten — a rope climbing obstacle course.

Too much work? I understand, so I’ll tell you to go to the Alte Rathaus (Old Town Hall, built 1610) instead. It might have once been the center of Boxberg’s town business, but it is now a Local History Museum with all kinds of weapons and art exhibits.

Boxberg in Baden might’ve started simple enough, but from the looks of it — it’s always been fabulous.

In the massive Swabian Alb, next to Lichtenstein, is the town of Sonnenbühl, a place where all you’re going to do is be outside.

Or, in a cave.

Yes, a cave. Sonnenbühl is close to what’s called the Bärenhöhle, or Bear Cave. This natural formation was created around five million years ago, but not discovered until 1949. You can walk about 271 meters inside, where you can see the old bones of bears (and once a hangout for cave lions).

Here you can also see moss growing on the stalactites — which grows because of the artificial light. To counteract this unnatural phenomenon you can’t use any flash photography, and the lights are only switched on for guided tours.

The other must-see in Sonnenbühl is the Mist Cave, or Nebelhöhle. This cave creates its own fog — created when cold air outside meets with the warmer air inside. The temperature inside the cave varies very little — roughly 8-10 degrees Celsius at all times.

Every year on Whit Monday the cave is decorated entirely with candles, but you an see the sawed off stalactites (people cut these ancient rock formations to make things like jewelry boxes) just about any time.

Be aware, there are 141 steps along the 450 meters that visitors can see of the Mist Cave. So, please use caution.

Another of Sonnenbühl’s outdoor sightseeing includes a visit to Schloss Lichtenstein. The castle isn’t the original one from around 1200, this one didn’t come along until the mid-19th century. Either way, the castles sits (or sat) atop a craggy cliff in all its grey stone glory.

As I originally mentioned, Sonnenbühl sits within the Swabian Alb. Just picture perfect when you’ve found the right hiking or cycling trail through the Nature Reserve area, or alongside farms with sheep grazing in the distance.

Golfing enthusiasts can play all they want at the 18-hole golf course (call for a tee time first, OK?). And museum lovers will appreciate a trip over to Germany’s first Ostereimuseum (Easter Egg Museum).

Snow doesn’t stop people from coming to Sonnenbühl (Schloss Lichtenstein is great all covered in snow), there are a number of cross-country skiing trails to tackle.

Don’t worry if it gets cold… you can always go over to the Mist Cave to warm up. ;-)

It’s been said that people from the town of Roßwein speak a German dialect influenced by three other distinct dialects in the region.

To the untrained ear, it probably doesn’t matter — German is German, right? It doesn’t really matter much to me if they’re speaking a language from another planet, I fell in love in here.

Not with a person. I fell in love with the Kamelie, one of Roßwein’s monuments (which translates to Camellia Japonica). It’s a winter rose garden that’s in full bloom from January to March. Flowers are such a pretty way to break up the bleakness of winter.

Funny, because white roses are my favorite — which match the color of the snow around here. ;-)

Non-winter lovers might want to save a visit for a warmer time of year. But, then you’ll miss out on the annual Craft Market held at the Old Post Office in November. And you’ll miss out on all the mulled wine and cookies served too.

More for me then… ;-)

You could always warm up at Roßwein’s Local History Museum, at the Rathaus (the building’s from 1862, but one doorway is from 1529), or at the 16th century Weavers House (housed in a former convent).

You will have to bundle up if you’re going out to see the medieval Stadtmauer (a defense wall isn’t going to be indoors), and to stroll around the Marktplatz.

There are a number of other outdoor places to see here in Roßwein, so freezing yourself out in the winter isn’t a good idea (especially if you’re from an all-year warm climate).

So, looks like summer’s the time for you to find the old Saxon Mile Marker, to pass along all the old Art Nouveau villas from the last century, and visit the Soviet Memorial Cemetery.

There’s no grand time to visit Roßwein, as you can see there’s always something to see or do (the Yiddish Music & Theater Festival, for instance) no matter what time of year it is — and no matter what dialect anyone’s speaking around ya. ;-)

In English the word “rott” may remind you on something not so desirable. In German, it’s a river — and it certainly isn’t just good, it’s great. Which is what I think of Ruhstorf an der Rott.

This Lower Bavarian town of 74 villages (yeah, 74, can you believe it?) lies along some pretty good company, found in what’s called the Niederbayerisches Bäderdreieck, or the Lower Bavarian Spa Triangle. That means you’ll find it right next door to the posh spa towns of Bad Füssing, Bad Griesbach, and Bad Birnbach.

You’ll also find it bordering Fürstenzell and Neuhaus am Inn (the last town in this part of Lower Bavaria before you find yourself in Austria).

Any other time I might not be so inclined to tell you about other places when talking about a specific town, but with all the hiking trails in Ruhstorf, you’re bound to wander off.

One marked hiking trail is the Kichenwanderweg, a route that leads you to some of the best churches in all of Ruhstorf. You’ll pass the Leonhard Chapel, Christ the King, and the Siebenschläferkirche.

The what? Siebenschläferkirche. Or Dormouse Church. The church’s legend says seven people died here in the third century for being Christian. Two centuries later their bodies were found, and they were given their lives back.

Whether the legend is true or not, the fact remains that the Sibenschläferkirche is a fantastic Baroque church, and where you’ll find Roman grave stones.

The Nicholas Church, another church along the Kirchenwanderweg, is another Baroque design. Even if you’re not into scoping out all the churches, the view of the Alps from this walking route makes it well worth it to follow.

A couple of bike trails also take you through Ruhstorf. The Roman Trail comes through from Passau to the Attersee, and the Rottal Cycle Trail is not only family friendly, but picturesque too.

All that activity can make older muscles sore, so a trip to Ruhstof’s sauna is a good idea. An afternoon at the outdoor pool is nice too, but the season ends in September. Doesn’t mean you can’t swim — the indoor pool opens up instead.

Whewww, I’m so glad that Ruhstof an der Rott doesn’t mean rotten — it means terrific in my eyes. :-)

Taxes, duties, whatever it is you want to call it, no one wants to pay them. Other than death, the only thing that’s ever a sure guarantee in life is you’re going to pay taxes. The townsfolk in the town of Reppenstedt took this thought to a whole new level.

Reppenstedt is Lüneburg‘s neighbor, a town that was big on the old salt trade routes. In order to make sure business owners (merchants, if you will) paid their duties in Lüneburg they devised a system for them not being able to circumvent the city.

It’s known as the Alte Lüneburger Landwehr, a “defense” system of moats and mounds to keep travelers on the main road to the city. The system you “see” today was put here in the 14th century, and there were even watchtowers in case you tried to sneak past.

Yikes, that’s a bit extreme. But, don’t worry about anyone demanding you pay duties or taxes as you walk along the medieval tax collector enforcement area today. ;-)

You can also walk along the famed Lüneburg Heath that surrounds Reppenstedt. The area’s pretty big, there are 35 towns & districts within the Lüneburg Heath, but you don’t have to do all of it — a little goes a long way.

Hey, you never know, you might get lucky and find traces of Bronze Age Man. A lance was found at a prehistoric grave from around 5,000 years ago — so who can tell what anyone might find.

The oldest house in Reppenstedt is nowhere near that old. The Hof Lübbers wasn’t built until 1710. But, still historical nonetheless.

Reppenstedt has seen its fair share of ups & downs. At the end of World War II the town only had 75 people living here.

That number has jumped to around 7,000 today — and you’ll see just about all of them during the annual Krimifest (Thriller Festival, whoohoooo) at the end of October, and at the obligatory Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market) at the end of November.

Just don’t think you’re going to get away without paying any taxes. Look at the extremes the townsfolk went to beforehand. ;-)

Today I find myself wandering around Saxony, just to the southwest of Chemnitz in the town of Neukirchen (Erzgebirge).

It won’t take you too long to see everything here, but there are small guesthouses and a number of private rooms for rent in case you want to stay and chill out for the night.

Not one to let moss grow under my feet, I’m heading straight for the Wasserschloss Klaffenbach, a Water Castle that’s also a hotel. This entire castle complex is more than just a 16th century Renaissance style castle that’s been converted to receive overnight guests. It sits right near a golf course, in case you like the links; and it has a bunch of craft studios — like a Silversmith and where you can learn the art of candle making.

From here you can take the castle’s hiking trails out along Neukirchen’s countryside. One walking route is the Eisenweg, or Iron Trail — where you can educate yourself on the area’s mining history.

While you’re out & about, you’ll also see a Memorial Plaque (at Markersdorfer Straße) for seven resistance fighters, and there’s another one (this time in the village of Adorf) for eight people who perished here on a Death March during World War II.

The last memorial you should see is the Blood Cross, in memory of a Miller who was murdered here in the 15th century. In all fairness, I should tell you this isn’t the original cross — that one has been “missing” since the early 20th century.

That was just a nice way of saying that it was stolen. Poor guy, first he’s a homicide victim — then he’s a victim of theft.

As shocking as that sounds, Neukirchen is a safe town — where you can enjoy carriage rides, or rent a bike to take along the many biking paths. The latter isn’t recommended when come winter, but you got three seasons outta the year to choose from.

Forget the biking… I’ll thake that cold winter night in a castle any day. ;-)