It's fairly hard to imagine that an extremely wealthy and influential family decided to dedicate a…read morecluster of housing, meant to mimic a small city, to those living in poverty in early 16th century Europe. Well, the Fugger family did just that and its 'experiment' in social housing has lasted for almost five hundred years. Visitors are able to view a 'model dwelling' decorated as it would have been during the genesis of this project. In an adjacent room a film (auf Deutsch) about the Fugger family and how it came to create the Fuggerei runs on a loop. Pamphlets at the entrance are offered in a multiplicity of languages (including Chinese and Japanese), so non-German speakers are also able to gain a solid understanding of what's what. The on-site WW II bunker is quite worth a visit. One sees how the Fuggerei was severely damaged during the war and how quickly and determinedly those in charge decided to rebuild. While I very much enjoyed visiting the Fuggerei, I was constantly aware of walking around a complex in which people live. One is cautioned to be respectful and to not 'take pictures'. It's hard not to look at the facades of all the buildings when one walks by them. Well, it's hard for me, at least. Being a fan of architecture, I walked the streets of Augsburg en route to the Fuggerei pretty much doing the same thing. I happened to walk past a small boy kicking a soccer ball around, presumably, the front of his Fugger flat. He scowled at me when I passed him. That's when I decided it was time for me to go. There is information regarding who is eligible to live at the Fuggerei (adherents to the Catholic faith) and how much one pays (0,88 euro annually & three prayers daily, apparently). What I wasn't able to find out was how one is picked to live on premises. Not that I'd qualify...

This is a must-see for any visitor to Augsburg. I learned so much about Augsburger history, German…read morehistory, European history, social history...HISTORY. The story of the Fuggerei - a "social settlement" started during the late Middle Ages/early Renaissance by Jakob Fugger to help the poor and disenfranchised get their feet back under them and become self-sufficient citizens during a time where social Darwinism and caste-like class stratification were ravaging Europe - is one that will touch your heart and provide leagues of depth to your big picture understanding of life. It doesn't take long to come here, but the impact will stay with you for life. Added benefit: Almost everything that's written down is also translated into English.

Ok it's not the office that is getting the 5 stars but the Rathaus itself. Beautiful building with…read morefabulous architecture and paintings on the outside. Ulm is well worth a visit as it had gorgeous medieval buildings and streets and houses. Amazing :-)

Architecture is superb and in great condition since their maintenance is top notch in these…read morecountries to preserve their history. Every inch of the castle is detailed and colorful. A children's movie was also being filmed here in 2011. They provide audio in English for the tours as well.

Oh my god. This place is STUNNING. We went on a Friday afternoon, the sun was shining, the birds…read morewere chirping and the water was an incredible neon blue. I've never seen anything like it... Ethereal and mysterious and peaceful. The area was crowded, but not enormously so. We walked around the water for a bit, then grabbed a lite lunch at the little cafe on the water (not great, but what tourist restaurant is?). There are tons of little hikes in the area, but we just walked along the Blau river away from the town and discovered this super quiet walk through the forest. Such a magical day. If you're in the area, Blautopf is a must-do.

My 1,000th review is dedicated to Marienbrucke (Mary's bridge). This is a bridge built about 300…read morefeet above the Pollet Gorge and provides that jaw dropping view of Neuschwanstein Castle, the inspiration behind Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty castle. Getting to the bridge is about a 1 hour hike up an inclined road from the visitor center, or you could do what I did and take a shuttle bus from the visitor center (10 minute ride for €3,50 = $3.85 USD). The bus leaves every 20 to 25 minutes, starting at 8am and they take cash only. From the bridge it's only about a 10 minute walk down to the castle. Only 200 people are allowed on the bridge at any given time, and there is a counter at the start of the bridge keeping track. I've heard lines can get pretty lengthy during the day. If you walk further along the 115 foot long bridge it's less crowded and you have unobstructed views of the castle. Overall, I can say that the view from here was the highlight of my summer trip to Germany and Italy. If you are visiting Munich or anywhere in the southern Bavarian Alps, you have to see Neuschwanstein Castle. The views are breathtaking.

Do you want that iconic beautiful view of Neuschwanstein Castle? If so, then Marienbrücke (Mary's…read moreBridge) is your answer. The bridge is narrow and gets jammed packed with tourists hoping to get the same photo you're trying to snap. Walk further down the bridge, where it's less congested. If you visit during fall/winter, note that the bridge might be closed due to ice/snow. As for how to get there, it's worth spending €3 for a roundtrip ride on the bus that takes you up from the foot of the mountain.

This is a value attraction for sure. For 8 euro (plus 4 or 5 parking), you get access to castle…read moreruins, the highline bridge, a great view and some exercise in. You park in the lot and need to get a ticket from a machine (euro coins only) or you can purchase it with your access ticket at the shop - you will then need to bring it back out to your car. You then walk approx 15-20 minutes - uphill to access the castle ruins and bridge. On the other side of the bridge there are additional structures and a great viewing platform. To me this is a great deal to cover so many bases. If we lived local, I could see doing this again as it is something the whole family would enjoy. We really enjoyed this.

This put the cherry on top of a five star day. We stayed about 20 min away at Haus Ruan in Berwang…read moreand took a short trip to the castle and Bridge. The bridge was super fun and the history and castle ruins were excellent. Highly recommend. Plan to spend at least a few hours here. We did not take the cable car to the last station. At this time not sure if that would be. E essay or worth it.

After a solo tour of Schloss Lichtenstein, we arrived at Burg Hohenzollern to find that they're in…read morefull Christmas Markets season. The place was crowded and lively and quite busy. You'll park in a lower parking lot adjacent to the gift shop. A shuttle van will bring you almost to the entrance of the castle. From there, it's a bit of a walk. It is barely handicapped accessible though the castle itself is not at all wheelchair friendly and many rooms require transiting a number of stairs. The current castle was built between 1846 and 1867 in a Gothic Revival style and influenced by the Châteaux of the Loire Valley. The exterior is regal, dominating the hill it resides on. Inside, each room is decorated with period furniture and artifacts that were owned by Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia. The vault in the basement contains the Crown of Wilhelm II and a uniform that belonged to King Frederick the Great. No photographs allowed in that room but the rest of the castle, absolutely. [Review 21244 overall - 248 in Germany - 209 of 2024.]

Beautiful castle! Pretty views from the top. But getting there from Stuttgart was really…read morebreathtaking as well. We took public transportation which is not recommended. It took 3 hours one way to get there by trains and bus. If you have a car it takes an hour. I would say it was worth it, but we were exhausted by the end of the day. The castle had a cafe that actually tasted pretty good.

Ulmer Münster (Ulm Minster) is a Evangelisch-Lutherische (Lutheran) church located in Ulm, State of…read moreBaden-Württemberg. It is currently the tallest church in the world and will likely remain so until Sagrada Familia in Barcelona is finally completed. The church is the fifth-tallest structure built before the 20th century, with a steeple measuring 161.5 meters (530 ft.). Ulmer Münster was begun in the Gothic architecture of the Late Middle Ages (1377) but the building was not completed until the late 19th century (1890) after a hiatus of centuries. When work ceased in 1543, all of the church except the towers and some outer decorations were complete, unlike at Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral) where less than half of the work had been done before construction halted in 1473 (started in 1248). Visitors can climb the 768 steps that lead to the top of the minster's spire. At 143 m (469 ft.) it gives a panoramic view of Ulm in Baden-Württemberg and Neu-Ulm in Bavaria, and, in clear weather, a vista of the Alps from Säntis to the Zugspitze (highest point in Germany). Though it is sometimes referred to as Ulm Cathedral because of its great size, the church is not a cathedral as it has never been the episcopal see of a bishop. Though the towers and all decorative elements are of stone masonry, attracting the attention of visitors, most of the walls, including the façades of the nave and choir, actually consist of visible brick. Therefore, the building is sometimes referred to as a brick church. As such, it lays claim to the rank of second- to fourth-largest, after San Petronio Basilica in Bologna and together with Frauenkirche in München and St. Mary's Church in Gdańsk. The tower, however, was mainly built from sandstone. The tale/legend of the Ulmer Spatz (sparrow) is an interesting story. I received a pamphlet at the Tourist Information: the inhabitants of Ulm needed a particularly large beam for the construction of Ulm Minster, but could not get it through the city gate. As they were about to tear the gate down, they noticed a sparrow carrying a straw for its nest; which turned it from crosswise to lengthwise in its beak. A realization descended on the people of Ulm. Since that epiphany, they have placed long loads along rather than across their carts and were able to enter the city without rebuilding their gate. It's a must visit when you are in Ulm. Gothic architecture is magnificent, and you'll earn bragging rights of having been to the tallest church in the world!!

What a beautiful and amazing church. The inside of the church is absolutely worth walking around…read moreand looking at. Gorgeous. Make sure you are prepared to climb 700+ stairs. Pay the €5 and climb it. The view is amazing. It is very difficult, but worth it in the end. If you find yourself in Ulm, you must visit the cathedral. You won't regret it.