No trip to Germany is complete without a stop at Alpsee Lake. In the district of Ostallgau in Bavaria, it is about four kilometers(2.5 miles)from the village of Fussen, which is about five kilometers (three miles)from the Austria border. The Alpsee is one of the most visited areas of Germany.

The lake has a shoreline of just under five kilometers (just over three miles) and a depth of 62 meters (203.4 feet). It has been described as having the most clear and calm emerald green waters ever seen. Wild swans inhabit the lake further enhancing the wonderful experience for visitors.

Guests can rent boats or paddle boats to go out on the water, or go hiking along one of the many trails in the area. There is a circular path along the shore and the “Furstenstrasse”, the Princes’ Road, winds from Hohenschwangau to the historic Alpine village of Pinswang. In the winter, visitors can ice skate, play ice-hockey or curling.

The Alpsee Lake is on the route of the Romantic Road, a name given to the route in the 1950’s by travel agents. The Romantic Road goes between Wuzburg and Frussen and is considered by many to be the quintessential of German scenery and culture. There are numerous hotels and inns along the route and one elegant hotel right at the lake.

What makes this such an attractive area for visitors is not just the landscape of the magnificent Alps of Bavaria; but its proximity to two of the most well known castles in Germany; the Neuschwanstein and the Hohenschwangau. Nestled between cliffs and woods behind Hohenschwangau, Lake Alpsee visitors are bewitched by the glorious Neuschwantstein and Hoehnschwangau castles, the homes of Ludwig II of Bavaria.

Lake Alpsee offers a quiet, elegant place for visitors to experience the culture and gorgeous scenery of the Bavaria Alps and the people who inhabit the area. Reservations to visit the Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau are recommended to avoid waits that can be hours long.