We made our airline reservations in August or September for mid-July and there seemed to be several choices availible. So it definitely isn't as tight as with Italy. I guess Italy is just a much more popular destination - it seems like a full 30% of posts on this board are about Italy, anyway - LOL.

My wife and I are going to Munich this year for Oktoberfest! We plan on heading to visit the castles and from the posts it sounds like Hohenschwangau will be the best fit for us. However, we plan on taking the train from Frankfurt and we don't plan on renting a car in the area around the castles. I assume based on my limited knowledge of Germany that the public transportation is sufficient to haul us and our luggage relatively close to wherever we stay and subsequently out of Fussen to Munich. Can anyone please advise? Additionally, I was looking at Albrecht or Alpenstuben; any suggestion as to which is better?

Vielen Dank

The train to Fussen is easy and there is a bus from the station in Fussen to Hohenschwangau. Fussen to Munich is also an easy route.

By the way - for our trip last summer, we ended up staying across the border in Reutte Austria rather than Fussen or Hohenschwangau. I loved the hotel where we stayed, but if I were to go again, I think I would stay in Hohenschwangau. It was a magical place with views of the castles and a very pretty lake. I would have liked to be able to be there in the evening after the day trippers had gone.

We had intended to stay in both but after staying in Hohenschwangau for one night, we cancelled Fussen and stayed longer in H. Teeny place but the views were stupendous! Fussen is still worth a trip as it is a lovely town but I would definitely say that H is cuter!

check out
www.bensbauernhof.com
lots of places in both towns reviewed

We stayed at the Albrecht 5 years ago, and it was great. However, some people posted negative reviews sometime after that and it appeared the owner might have been experiencing some difficulties. If those reviews were flukes or the difficulties were worked out, then the Albrecht is great for location, comfort (it does have some nice size rooms with private baths), and views.

I would recommend a car for the area. You can get around by public transportation if need be, but a car is so much quicker and can get you places that are difficult to reach otherwise.

We enjoyed a very nice dinner at Alpenhotel Meier--on the road between Schwangau and Hohenschwangau. Very good Bavarian meals in a nice setting. It could be walked to from either town, but a car or cab would be better.

I have been to the area twice so far (2004 and 2005) and will still go again - and my chosen place will be The Hotel Garni Hartung - at http://www.hartung-hotel.com/
This lies in a small, cosy village named Hopfen am See, which is only 5 km north of Füssen, and has a great placement near a lake with excellent views of the nearby mountains (Tegelberg, Säuling etc) as well as castle Neuschwanstein in the distance.

I have written an extensive travelogue from my 2004 trip (and am working on my 2005 trip) as well as others on my homepage, found at:
http://www.terjenet.com - pictures galore as well

For a family with middle school kids - we are debating to stay in Schwangau on a farm - can we get around to castles, luge, gondola, lake area, Tegelberg area w/o car. We could rent bikes? or hike? or is it too far? We aren't renting a car during our trip to Bavaria - planning to take trains so kids can experience that part of Europe.

We stayed in Schwangau and I think it would be perfect with middle school children. Our hotel had bicycles at no charge. We rode to the castles and Tegelberg. We also rode around the lake. There is also a place in the area with pools and hot springs. You would be able to ride to that as well. We stayed at the Hotel Rubezahl. It's very close to the things I mentioned, but I don't think Schwangau is a very big place.

We saw a lot of people out on bikes and it looked really fun. The area is a relatively flat valley stuck between the mountains, so bike riding is a great idea.

<explorefamily> There are some very nice farms within easy walking or biking distance of the castles. Public transportation is not a problem in this area. There are buses departing Füssen Bahnhof to the Royal Castles area fairly frequently depending on the day of the week and time. Here are a few farms near the castles -

http://www.bensbauernhof.com/hansler...aubrunnen.html
http://www.bensbauernhof.com/landhannes.html
http://www.bensbauernhof.com/gaestehauslutzbrunnen.html

Thank you for the suggested farms. I was looking at the landhannes one today but will check out the others as well. My daughter would LOVE that! Our first trip to Europe so many uncertainties still.

Please do not miss out on the luge ride by the Tegelberg Gondola. Buy two tickets each right off, because you'll definitely want to ride again. I'm not a big ride person, but this one was so much fun.

we went on the luge thing twice too. It was great.

Wasn't it? I'd love to spend a week in that area. I have a sister living in Munich right now and another is going to visit. I have to make sure she gets down there for more than a day trip.