In high school, I got to visit Germany on a summer class trip. It was an amazing experience my parents provided me with, and I was one of the lucky few who got to go. It was a whirlwind tour and I honestly cannot recall every single thing we saw, but it all made a lasting impression.
I told my wife about my travels there and Juhi very much wanted to go as well. This, fortunately, lined up with my research into Western European folklore, as Germany was ground zero for some of the most beloved fairytales and legends of the Western world.
From Colmar, we were already on the border of Germany and thought it would prove a cinch to hop over and see the Black Forest. Maybe it would have been easier if we went first to Freiburg. Instead, I wanted to see Triburg, in the very heart of the forest.
And we had some minor mishaps getting there. Our train out of Colmar was so late that the train onward from Strasbourg to Germany. In a desperate rush, we ran through the train station, luggage in tow, hoping to catch our connection. So intent was our rush, in fact, my young daughter tripped and cracked her head upon the pavement. In the end, she was bleeding and in pain, and we still didn’t catch the train.
So we were outside on the platform, in the freezing wind, our daughter crying. And we find out the next connection we can make required a two hour wait, following which we’d have even more waits at other connections.
Triburg
Nevertheless, we did eventually make it to Triburg. We stayed in a hotel above the town, and from our balcony we had a beautiful view of the whole city, made even nicer as it started snowing shortly after we arrived.
By the way, the hotel had its own mascot. But I’m not allowed to talk about him.
Despite the area being famed for unpredictable weather, the next day we found plenty dry and made the climb up to the beautiful Triburg Falls, an absolute highlight of my second visit to Germany. We also stopped by the Black Forest Museum.
Freiburg
Having seen everything in Triburg on our first day, we decided to use the next for a day trip to Freiburg, mainly on the recommendation of my proofreader. We actually loved the city, with its beautiful Munster, and the picturesque Castle Mountain. I highly recommend climbing up the mountain were you can take in the view of the whole city.
Stuttgart
From Triburg we travelled to the capital of Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart. We had only a single night there, which proved enough to head out to see the famous squares and (the outside) of the New Palace. It was a pleasant spot to sit and take a rest on the greens for a bit.
Füssen
After Stuttgart, we moved on to Bavaria; specifically to Füssen, the closest major stopover for visiting Neuschwanstein Castle. I had visited the castle on my first trip to Germany and had always described it to my wife as the ultimate fairytale construction, making it another must-see. Besides, it’s stunning and I wanted the refresher. Unfortunately, no one told us you really need to book tickets months in advance. We spent our first night there frantic on realizing tickets were sold out, and only through luck and Juhi’s extreme diligence did we manage to snag some tickets for the next day.
Ludwig II drew huge inspiration from myths and folklore (a kindred spirit, at least in that regard), so large areas the castle act as homages to his favorites, from Sigurd to Tannhäuser. You cannot take pictures inside, a rule which serves to reinforce the mystique. Another place you really have to see in person to appreciate.
Munich
From Füssen we headed on to Munich for a couple nights. My biggest intent was to show the family the famous Marienplatz and Glockenspiel.
Of course, we also had to see the Hofbräuhaus München. It wasn’t a place we would hang out (holy wow is it noisy and not an introvert-designed spot), but it was cool to see the live band and feel the energy of the crowd.
Then there was the Asamkirche. This one has absolutely amazing architectural details from top to bottom. Everything from the rafters to the crypt is intricately designed, speaking to the genius of the architects.