| If you are looking for a romantic and luxurious | | | | castles, the mountain huts or the deer feeding area in |
| Christmas holiday, I will share a well-kept secret with | | | | the woods. Wrapped up in warm blankets you'll enjoy |
| you: Go to Schwangau and see the Neuschwanstein | | | | the clean fresh air and the breath-taking panoramic |
| Castle village at the border of Germany and Austria. | | | | views of snow covered mountains and white valleys. |
| Having lived in Dubai during the boom years, and | | | | One of my personal favourites is seeing the wild deer |
| seeing new buildings emerge like mushrooms, I | | | | being fed so close to you that you can nearly touch |
| cannot believe how unspoiled the Neuschwanstein | | | | them. To avoid them rushing away, you'll hardly dare |
| Castle area is. Despite more than 1 million tourists | | | | to breathe trying to stay silent as you see the |
| visiting Neuschwanstein every year (and 3 more | | | | majestic male deer slowly approaching the rest of |
| castles in a 3 mile radius), there are no high-risers, no | | | | the herd: a magic encounter with the wild ! |
| ugly modern buildings (a tribute to a great local | | | | 6. Dramatic New Year's Eve Fireworks Wherever |
| government who puts tradition over financial gains). | | | | You Look |
| Instead you will feel as if time has stood still: old | | | | In Germany New Year's Eve is always celebrated |
| farms and mountain chalet style houses abound and | | | | with fireworks wherever you look. Everyone in this |
| you still see farmers on their bicycles leading their | | | | country can buy and launch their own and most |
| small herds along the road to the pasture - a | | | | families do. Why not try it yourself while you are |
| marvelous heart-warming sight in a first world | | | | here? Imagine watching the fireworks over one of |
| country. So here are my top 10 reasons for spending | | | | the castles holding your loved one(s) and making a |
| your winter and Christmas Holiday in Schwangau and | | | | wish for the new year ahead. It makes for an |
| the Neuschwanstein Castle area. | | | | unforgettable moment. After midnight many families |
| 1. Magic Neuschwanstein Castle & The King | | | | engage in a tradition called "Bleigießen" (lead |
| Ludwig Story | | | | pouring) to predict everyone's good fortune for the |
| Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most famous | | | | new year. Little pieces of lead are melted in little pans |
| and arguably the most beautiful castle in the world. It | | | | over the flame of a candle. Once the lead is liquid you |
| attracts more than 1 million visitors per year from all | | | | pour it into a bowl of cold water where it instantly |
| over the world and even inspired Walt Disney to | | | | forms a shape. Everyone then has fun interpreting |
| come up with the Magic Kingdom/ Cinderella castle. | | | | the meaning of this shape to predict the pourer's |
| Through Hollywood The Magic Kingdom and Cinderella | | | | fortune for the coming year. You can buy the full |
| Castle, however, might be even better known than | | | | "lead pouring" kit at supermarkets in Germany. Good |
| the stunning original in the Alpine mountains of | | | | luck J ! |
| Bavaria. Neuschwanstein Castle was built by King | | | | 7. Delicious Local Food Specialities |
| Ludwig II in Bavaria. His mysterious death in a nearby | | | | The local food is delicious and you will find plenty of |
| lake remains the substance for rumours to this day. | | | | restaurants to choose from. Pork dishes like |
| 2. Great Skiing and Winter Sport Opportunities | | | | "Schweinshaxe" (pork knuckle) are frequent but |
| (downhill, nordic, ice skating) | | | | game and fish are also local specialities as is the |
| Within a 5-30 minutes drive you will have no less than | | | | famous "Apfelstrudel" with vanilla sauce or ice cream. |
| 5 ski resorts and 140km of slopes for downhill skiing | | | | A local speciality is the "Brotzeit" which are big |
| snowboarding / ski touring at your disposal. There | | | | platters with cold cut meat and cheese served with |
| are slopes for all abilities and ski schools as well as ski | | | | fresh German bread, freshly baked "Brezen" (big soft |
| snowboard rental opportunities in almost every | | | | pretzels) and bread rolls. Finally, there is variety of |
| resort. Almost all resorts provide a snow-garantuee | | | | local beers to try and why not visit the local brewery |
| providing additional powder snow should the weather | | | | or the cheesemaker for a guided tour on how those |
| not comply. With mountain huts scattered all over | | | | delicacies are created? |
| the Alpine mountains, you will find plenty of reasons | | | | 8. Luxury & Rustic Hotels and Holiday |
| to stop for sunbathing on the terraces sipping a hot | | | | Accommodation |
| drink or enjoying a plate of rustic mountain hut food, | | | | There are lots of cosy holiday apartments and |
| like "Kässpatzen" (small local noodles tossed in | | | | luxurious hotel rooms to choose from. Lately more |
| mountain cheese) or "Kaiserschmarrn" (torn pancake | | | | and more luxury holiday apartments cater to the |
| with raisins and almonds topped with apple or cherry | | | | growing demand for a truly relaxing and luxurious |
| sauce). You can even go night-skiing right under | | | | holiday. Most architecture is kept in the typical |
| Neuschwanstein castle. Schwangau also provides 30 | | | | "Allgaeu" style, a variation of the mountain chalet |
| km of nordic skiing tracks, 2km of which are also | | | | using lots of wood on the facade and featuring |
| flood-lit at night. Finally, there are tobogganing slopes | | | | wooden balconies on several sides of the house. |
| from many mountain huts and in most ski resorts | | | | There are also many working farms which offer |
| and ice skating opportunities on one of the 6 lakes in | | | | accomodation combined with an experience of true |
| the immediate neigbhourbood. | | | | farm life. For a first world country and the village of |
| 3. Romantic German Christmas Markets | | | | the King's Castles Schwangau has an astonishing |
| German Christmas Markets ("Weihnachstmarkt") are | | | | amount of dairy farms. So get ready to hear the |
| famous for their cosy and romantic Christmas | | | | gentle ring of the cow bells wherever you stay :-) |
| atmosphere. You wouldn't want to miss them. | | | | 9.Welcoming and Friendly People Who Celebrate Their |
| Schwangau runs a culinary Christmas Market in | | | | Traditions |
| November and Füssen, the medieval | | | | From the moment we arrived in this region, people |
| cobble-stoned town 3 miles away runs a magic | | | | have been extraordinarily friendly and forthcoming. |
| Christmas Market most of December. Imagine | | | | They are helpful, authentic and genuine. Everyone |
| strolling through a maze of stalls displaying treasures | | | | takes great pride in their traditions and heritage and |
| from wood-carved figures, "nutcrackers", little | | | | all through the year there are festivals displaying local |
| pottery items to all kinds of Christmas decorations | | | | dance, music, clothing ("Lederhosen" and "Dirndl") and |
| while the air is filled with the sweet smell of mulled | | | | of course beer. Most people in Schwangau speak |
| wine and freshly baked waffles. | | | | enough English to hold a conversation and many do |
| 4. Wellness Opportunities to Relax & Treat | | | | so readily with astonishing fluency. There is also a |
| Yourself | | | | growing international community in the region and of |
| There are plenty of wellness offers in the area such | | | | course tourists from all over the world. This makes |
| as massages, sauna, light therapy etc. Of special | | | | Schwangau a true "international village". When you |
| interest are the hot pools at the royal spa thermal | | | | come drop me an email and I will help you with |
| bath ("Königliche Kristalltherme"). Connected | | | | insider knowledge about this dream location. |
| indoor and outdoor pools allow you to enjoy the | | | | 10.Great History |
| warm steaming water while raising your head in the | | | | With so much natural beauty, high Alpine mountains |
| ice-cold air - just imagine the feeling of snow flakes | | | | and crystal clear mountain lakes all in the same small |
| falling all around you melting instantly as they hit the | | | | region, it is hardly surprising that the bishops and |
| warm water. Across the fields you see the nordic | | | | German Kings built their castles here. Even the |
| skiers sliding by and against the mountain behind | | | | Romans and Celts had decided to settle here. In fact, |
| them emerges Neuschwanstein Castle. An experience | | | | the Via Claudia Augusta, one of the big Roman |
| not to be missed ! | | | | trading roads leads right through Schwangau joining |
| 5. Breath-taking Horse-sledge Rides through the | | | | the province of Germania through Austria to Rome. |
| Winter Wonderland to See Wild Deer Being Fed | | | | You can find Roman pillars and visit a whole Roman |
| You can rent your own horse-drawn sledge or join | | | | villa on your magic trip to this exceptional place. |
| one of the regularly scheduled excursions to the | | | | |