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A Bavarian Wander

Southern Germany’s lakes, castles & mountains
Easy walking | Use buses, boats, and cable cars to get up high.
Lake swimming | Wild swimming opportunities in Germany’s warmest lakes.
Royal castles | Visit world-famous Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.
Füssen | Explore its pretty medieval centre, complete with inviting cafés.
An exceptional stay | At Biohotel Eggensberger, a certified organic hotel.
What is included
  • 7 nights
  • 3 dinners
    7 breakfasts
  • route notes
  • GPS navigation
  • guest card giving free travel on local buses
  • A Bavarian Wander
    Southern Germany’s lakes, castles & mountains
  • Schwansee lake
  • Your hotel setting
  • The old town of Füssen
  • Easy walking at your own pace
  • Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle
  • A local beer
  • Sunset views from the hotel terrace
  • Lunch with a view at the top of the Tegelbergbahn’
  • A tree-top walk
  • Discover historic Füssen on our town trail
What is included
  • 7 nights
  • 3 dinners
    7 breakfasts
  • route notes
  • GPS navigation
  • guest card giving free travel on local buses

Holiday information

An easy walking holiday in Bavaria

Enjoy a range of self-guided, easy walking from an exceptional family-run hotel with panoramic views over Lake Hopfen to the peaks of the Bavarian Alps, taking advantage of the Füssen guest card, which gives free bus travel, to extend your exploration of this diverse region.
A backdrop of peaks makes a striking contrast to the lush, gently rolling pasture and forest of southern Germany’s foothills where the walking is easy-going but spectacular. The rich history of Füssen – for centuries a centre of violin-making and home to two monasteries – and the nearby royal castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, complement the refreshing lakes where you can paddle or swim on warmer days. It’s the perfect walking holiday recipe, even before you experience shady beer gardens, Kaffee und Kuchen, and open-air lakeside dining.

You can enjoy much of this on foot from your hotel door, via well-marked easy paths, and use local buses (included), boats and cable cars to extend the walking and to reach some of the most panoramic spots. Breaks in the day can be as simple as local beer and sausages at a lakeside Hütte or when the mercury rises plan your walking to take in shady forests leading to idyllic swimming spots. Many villages you stroll through have a chapel or church to explore – often ornate Baroque affairs – and the town of Füssen, which marks the end of the Romantische Strasse (‘Romantic Road’), has a handsome historic centre in which to lose yourself.


Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
There’s no fixed itinerary, so take your pick of our suggested walking routes as the mood takes you.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 3 3 7 12 17 19 21 21 18 15 9 4
    mm 115 124 154 152 195 204 207 203 167 122 125 130
  • An introduction
    The village of Hopfen am See, on the northern shore of Lake Hopfen, is a hub of forest and meadow walking paths which connect lakes, historic villages and dairy farms. Paths are well maintained and signed, and most have all-weather gravel surfaces, making for easy-going walking, with generally gentle gradients.

    A short bus ride takes you to the very edge of the mountains and the historic town of Füssen, from where more walks begin, with several options heading into the mountains towards the spectacularly positioned royal castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.

    The included Füssen guest card gives you free bus and train travel, plus discounts on boats, cable cars and local attractions. We suggest three circular walks from your hotel and five linear walks using a bus or boat, as well as a tour of historic Füssen. There are also two mountain walks accessed by cable car and chairlift for expansive views north over plains and forest.

    Wherever you turn, there is no shortage of lakeside huts and mountain restaurants serving traditional fare.

    Please note that there is only water in the Forggensee between 1 June and 15 October, so boat rides and swimming are not possible outside these dates.
  • Choice of routes: 7.5km to 9.5km

    Hopfensee Circuit: 7.5km, 2.5hrs; ascent/descent 85m
    This simple circuit of the Hopfensee (‘See’, pronounced ‘zay’, is German for lake) is a great introduction to the region and to summer walking Bavarian-style, with frequent opportunities to swim and to take refreshments by the lake. The wilder southern side has a habitat of reeds and waterways – home to many bird species – while to the west are lovely meadows which lead you back to the riviera-style lakefront of Hopfen am See.
     
    Faulensee: 7.5km, 3hrs; ascent/descent 270m
    The walk begins with an easy ascent to the castle ruins above the Hopfensee and a chance to identify some of the peaks in the exceptional Alpine panorama to the south, from a viewpoint by the old walls. The route continues through shady forest, emerging to cross meadows to the Faulensee, a small lake with an Alpine feel and a swimming spot near the Faulensee Hütte – a café popular with walkers and cyclists. From here you descend gently through forest and fields back to Hopfensee.
     
    Eschacher ‘Panoramic Circuit’: 9.5km, 3.5hrs; ascent/descent 120m
    The landscape between the Hopfensee and the Allgäu region’s largest lake, the Forggensee, is one of rolling farmland, criss-crossed by walking paths. After reaching the Forggensee (where you could detour to its swimming beach), you rise steadily to the literal panoramic highlight of the walk, a hilltop above a pretty church. Continuing across farmland, you head next to a village with a tiny chapel and exceptional 18th-century farmhouse, from where you return to your hotel via the eastern shore of the Hopfensee.
     
    Cheese & Beer Route: 7.5km, 3hrs; ascent 95m/descent 110m
    This promising-sounding route doesn’t disappoint, visiting a dairy where you can sample and buy renowned cheeses, before moving on to a brewery and pub-restaurant in the picturesque village of Speiden. Next door are a church and chapel, both exceptional examples of the Baroque architecture of the region. Even without these distractions, the walk is a lovely one, leaving the western shores of the Hopfensee to cross lush, rolling grassland and pockets of woodland to reach the village of Eisenberg, from where you return by bus.
    Hopfensee Circuit
    Faulensee Hütte
    Hopfensee circuit: 7.5km
    Faulensee circuit: 7.5km
    Eschacher ‘Panoramic Circuit’: 9.5km
    Cheese and Beer Route: 7.5km
  • Choice of routes: 5km to 6.5km
    The following routes all start from Füssen, which is a short bus ride from Hopfen am See.
     
    Forggensee’s Eastern Shore: 6.5km, 2.5hrs; ascent 65m/descent 30m
    From Füssen you catch a boat to Brunnen on the east bank of the Forggensee (1 Jun to 15 Oct). The walk south to Füssen, almost entirely along lake shore, passes a village whose 14th-century church conceals a spectacular interior, then turns away from the lake to follow a river right into the heart of Füssen. Time it so that you can have lunch in one of Füssen’s excellent restaurants or beer gardens, then explore the town in the afternoon.
     
    Lech Waterfall and Treetop Canopy Walk: 6.5km, 2.5hrs; ascent/descent 225m
    A short riverside walk from Füssen’s centre brings you to the famous Lechfall where a pedestrian bridge crosses the dramatic, craggy gorge above the waterfall, presided over by a nearby bust of King Maximilian ll, carved into the cliff high above the river. Continuing upriver, the path winds through a riverside Walderlebniszentrum (‘forest experience’), and along a 500-metre-long elevated wooden walkway, for unique treetop views. Leaving the riverside, the route rises into the hills to traverse pretty woodland before descending back to Füssen. 
     
    Three Castles Way & Schwansee: 5km, 2hrs; ascent 200m/descent 190m
    Rising directly from the edge of Füssen, home to the first of the castles linked by this walk, the Drei Schlösser Weg follows the stations of the cross to the substantial hill-top shrine of Kalvarienberg. The route then descends a winding forest path to the Schwansee. You can circumnavigate this pretty lake or simply follow its stunning southern shore to reach Hohenschwangau Castle and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings, and nearby Neuschwanstein Castle. Frequent buses return from Hohenschwangau to Füssen. 
     
    Alpsee circuit: 6km, 2.5hrs; ascent/descent 105m
    To the west of Hohenschwangau, a circuit of the tranquil Alpsee offers wonderful views of the castle and mountains beyond, and has plenty of picnic spots. This walk can be enjoyed on its own or while visiting the castles and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings.
     
    Catch the boat to Brunnen
    Schwansee
    Forggensee’s Eastern Shore: 6.5km
    Lech Waterfall and Treetop Canopy Walk: 6.5km
    Three Castles Way and Schwansee: 5km
    Alpsee circuit: 6km
  • Choice of routes: 1km to 3km

    The ‘King’s Way’ Panoramic Walk: 1km, 0.5hrs; ascent/descent 80m
    The cable car to the Tegelberg transports you almost one vertical kilometre above Füssen, affording views as it goes of Neuschwanstein castle silhouetted against mountains and the Alpsee. At the top there is a mountain path – the King’s Way – that you can choose to follow if you are feeling adventurous (it involves some of the steepest walking of the holiday), though it’s really the views from the top cable car station, where there is a Hütte with a panoramic terrace, that visitors come for.
     
    Buchenberg Alpine plateau: 3km, 1.5hrs; ascent/descent 115m
    One of the most relaxed excursions of the holiday is by bus and a chairlift which makes easy work of the climb to the summit of the Buchenberg – a hill rather than a mountain. A circular path navigates the Ebene (‘levels’), an undulating Alpine forest and meadow plateau, with views north across the lakes and plains, giving just enough exercise to justify some refreshments by the lift top before descending to the valley floor by chairlift.
    Tegelberg cable car
  • Historic Füssen & King Ludwig II’s Castles

    Füssen town tour
    The old town of Füssen packs an extraordinary amount into a small, mostly pedestrianised space. Two monasteries, churches, a castle and the town’s museum (with the story of the town’s violin-making past) can be visited, with stops along the way in some of the numerous beer gardens, cafés and restaurants.
     
    Neuschwanstein & Hohenschwangau Castles
    These two royal castles define the region for many visitors. They can be visited as part of the ‘Three Castles Way’ walk or as an excursion in their own right. Neuschwanstein is the best known of the two, built by ‘mad’ King Ludwig. Though never finished inside, it inspired Disney’s castle and indeed looks like something from a fairy tale. Both castles can be visited on a timed tour, booked in advance, while a more leisurely visit of the nearby Museum of the Bavarian Kings can easily be added, for greater insight into the fascinating history of the region.
    Füssen
    Neuschwanstein Castle

Accommodation

We have found a high-quality hotel where you can relax in comfort after a day of exploring.

Please note: most beds in German hotels are normally one large base with two mattresses/duvets. We refer to these as 'Austrian Twins' and they are locally regarded to serve requests for both double and twin-bedded rooms. Separate twin beds or traditional double beds with one large mattress are rare and cannot be guaranteed.

In some places, we work with more than one hotel, as/if shown below. All are hand-picked by us and, unless there is a price implication (in which case we will contact you to discuss your options), we will tell you which one we have booked for you on your booking confirmation.

Biohotel Eggensberger

Bedrooms

Biohotel Eggensberger, Bavaria

Biohotel Eggensberger: A Pioneer of Sustainable Hospitality
A third-generation, family-run hotel with over 50 years of heritage, its way of life shaping a truly restorative Alpine stay.
For a stay that feels genuinely special, Biohotel Eggensberger is a rare find – a third-generation, family-run hotel where over 50 years of care and evolution are felt in every detail. Founded in 1976 and still shaped by the Eggensberger family today, the hotel pairs heartfelt hospitality with ongoing efforts to reduce environmental impact through certified organic food, regional sourcing, renewable energy use, and responsible energy management. The result is a stay which feels both meaningful and deeply restorative.

Johanna & Andreas Eggensberger.

 

View image gallery
Read our Q&A with Johanna Eggensberger
 

Options to extend your stay

Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 7 nights: 01 May 2026 - 15 September 2026 & 01 May 2027 - 31 October 2027

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price *
    1 - 30 Jun 2026 From £1698
    1 - 31 Jul 2026 From £1628
    1 - 31 Aug 2026 From £1618
    1 - 8 Sep 2026 From £1698
    1 - 31 May 2027 From £1667
    1 - 30 Jun 2027 From £1768

    * Final price is subject to change due to the customisable nature of our holidays and is dependent on accommodation availability for the dates selected. We will contact you to confirm the final price. Single supplements are applicable on many of our holidays. Please contact us for full details.

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Included travel: free use of public transport (buses & trains only) with the Füssen card.

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):

    Munich
    An an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  you may need to fly via an airport not listed here. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Munich Lufthansa 
    Birmingham - Munich (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Munich easyJet,  Eurowings,  Lufthansa 
    Edinburgh - Munich (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Munich Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    London City - Munich British Airways 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Munich easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Munich British Airways,  Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Munich easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Munich easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Munich easyJet,  Lufthansa 
    Manchester - Munich (via Frankfurt) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Munich Lufthansa 
    Newcastle - Munich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Newcastle - Munich (via Düsseldorf) Lufthansa 
    Outward route Airline
    Norwich - Munich (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  you may need to fly via an airport not listed here. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Unless otherwise stated, connecting travel by rail or bus tends to be from the city centre station, rather than from its airport, and connections between the two should be paid for locally.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Munich

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Munich airport to Füssen (3h), transfer Füssen to hotel (0h10) TBA 1600
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    transfer hotel to Füssen (0h10), rail Füssen to Munich Airport (3h) TBA 1330
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

Please note: any reference to maps in customer reviews is now out of date – we no longer provide these. For information on this, please see our FAQs page.

All 10 reviews
  • Anon
    06 September 2025

    A great choice of hotel and location. A lovely setting with the view of the lake, whatever the weather, easy walking and also a good centre for cycling. We ate at the Seehaus on one night, which we would recommend, but at the hotel the rest of the week as the food there was so good. We would also recommend a visit to Neuschwanstein castle and exploring Fussen old town. 

  • Ms L Campbell
    Balerno
    26 August 2024

    We loved our holiday - everything was excellent, from the hotels chosen to the route notes. Southern Bavaria is so pretty, perfect for walking and cycling. We hired e-bikes twice from the hotel which was fun - the area has so many well maintained cycle paths. We found the walks took less time than suggested but that just us more time to enjoy the beautiful pool and spa!

  • JH
    15 September 2023

    Highlights were the really beautiful outdoor pool, and the very good-sized and warm indoor pool.

  • Anon
    06 September 2023

    Beautiful area. So much to do. Great swimming and other well-being opportunities, as well as the walking. Food delicious. Good restaurant recommendations from Inntravel and good value too. Try Kneipp therapy if you can at the hotel - unusual for those who haven't heard of it. 

  • Mrs L Norris
    Hexham
    01 September 2023

    This was a delightful holiday. My room was spacious and had a wonderful view of the lake. The food at the hotel, especially the dinners, was exceptional with a different menu each evening. The menu together with a daily diary which included a weather forecast for the coming 4 days was on my table at breakfast. In order to minimise food waste the only options on the menu were for the main course. You chose your main course from the 2 options at breakfastime. The menu also gave suggestions for suitable wines to accompany the food. Saturday night was a gala dinner and was ccompanied by a pianist. A nice touch. When I left I was given a goody bag with 2 apples, a bottle of water and a small room spray. Another nice touch.

  • Mrs J Morris
    Aberystwyth
    17 August 2023

    The walks are great. The spa facilities are very good. Whilst the swimming pool was in a different area of the hotel this gave it the advantage of generally being fairly quiet. 

  • Ian D
    12 July 2023

    Comments on Walk 10 - The bus to Buchenberg was very busy with tourists going to the castle on route. The walk was very good at the top and we also walked down via the No.5 route on the leaflet - this was the Forest Road walk and was very easy. At the top we spent over 1 hour watching the paragliders taking off. They were almost one a minute. Really entertaining. They were landing in a field close to the bus stop at the bottom. They were collecting their parachute, refolding it and heading for the lift to go again.

  • Ms P Faber
    London
    06 July 2023

    Perfect holiday for fans of walking, wild swimming and beer! The location of the Biohotel is truly a beautiful spot and both their spa area and their imaginative twist on healthy food were a treat. I'd definitely return.

  • Anon
    28 June 2023

    The food in the hotel was excellent and far better value than anywhere else in Hopfen. If you don't want to wait for a bus back to Fussen from Neuschwanstein then it is quite easy to walk back following signposts.  Likewise the Beer and Cheese walk can be extended by following signs back to Hopfen. The signposting of walks was excellent.

  • Phil Cheshire
    25 June 2023

    Superb scenery in Bavaria and great location in Munich. The brewery on the Cheese and Beer walk doesn't open until 14:00 which was not in the walking instructions. We arrived at 12:00. Take a kettle if you want a brew in your room.

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Germany, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • The official language is German. The currency is the Euro. German time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
A Bavarian Wander
7 nights
A Bavarian Wander
7 nights
Single-centre walking, no car
Grade: Easy
Last fetch time is : 6/18/2026 7:36:05 PM

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