A Roadtrip to Allgäu – the Most Beautiful Part of Germany
Last June, when my mom came to visit us in Germany, we took her on a weekend getaway to my most favorite part of Germany – Bavaria. I cannot recommend this place enough. We are talking sprawling green hills so lush they don’t look real, alpine roses cascading from flower boxes, little lakeside restaurants overlooking crystalline water with waitresses wearing dirndls, fairy tale castles and more beer gardens then you can count.

We decided to visit Allgäu, because good friends of ours had visited and loved the region. It was a perfect road trip from our town in southern Germany, Esslingen. The easy drive took us about two hours and the area is so gorgeous and full of old fashioned Bavarian charm. Basically, we spent the entire trip gasping at the views, leaping out of the car for photo ops, taking strolls and spending languorous afternoons at cafes in the sunshine.

Day 1: We drove to the picaresque town of Oberstdorf, and stopped at the ridiculously beautiful alpine Schwand Hotel for panoramic views of the surrounding mountains covered in pines, a drink and ice cream!




From there, we hiked to the Freibergsee Lake about a mile away, and had to stop again when we came upon the alpine lakeside restaurant, for a bite and to take in the idyllic views. The waitresses wear drndyls and the place is full of German merrymakers making the most of their summer holidays. I couldn’t get over how lovely and pristine this place was.


We ordered the most delicious salad (I’m not sure if I have mentioned this before, but southern Germany is NOT known for its tasty salads or veggie meals of any kind really. Honestly, they are non existent, so this was a real win).

Day 2: Visit Cinderella’s Castle: AKA Neuschwanstein Castle
Built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria in 1886, this castle is said to be the inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty’s castle, and is a total fairy tale come to life. We got our tickets, took a shuttle bus and then walked about ten minutes up to the castle. You can tour the inside if you like, but I think the exterior is the most exciting and the best views are from the hanging bridge, over the valley. The castle, the town, the sweeping views – it is all a Bavarian dream.



After visiting the Castle, we strolled around Lake Alpsee, and marveled at the clear azure waters and wildflowers. We also enjoyed a beer and sausage in one of the several cafes in the sunshine 🙂 Well, Brad and mom did. I had a Prosecco, per the usual. I just can’t get on board with beer, guys.

Where to stay: We stayed at an adorable AirBnB cottage in the town of Sonthofen, complete with flower boxes, views of the village and a Cuckoo Clock! It actually scared us all to death in the middle of the night, as it was totally LOUD. The room was spacious, comfy and exactly what we were looking for. We even saw a gentleman in town driving his tractor in lederhosen! Siiigh, I love Bavaria 🙂

Where to eat: We found a very yummy little Greek restaurant in town that we really enjoyed. Staff was super friendly. We also liked cafe Bene Kaffee & Laden for frühstück – German breakfast comprised of various cheeses, breads and spreads – butter, jams, etc.
More photos of the fam in Bavaria 😀
Final thoughts: Bavaria is my most favorite part of Germany, and I think the next time we return to Germany, we will visit again coupled with a hiking trip in Switzerland. I first became intrigued with the area, when a friend visited for a wedding and sent me photos. It looked like she had taken photos in front of a green screen – the rolling hills were so impossibly lush and picturesque. She drank hugos, ate Bavarian goodies and I knew I had to visit immediately. It absolutely did not disappoint!