The Three Locks Round

In the walking paradise Füssen there are numerous attractive routes and tours that allow the enjoyment of dreamlike nature impressions and lead to attractive sights in the region. Such a hiking tour is also about 14,6 Kilometer-long “Three Castles Round”, which, as the name suggests, runs along the three well-known castles in and around Füssen.

In the “Three Castles Round”, which is relatively easy to manage for hikers with a bit of condition, a wonderful view of the picture book landscape around Füssen and numerous sightseeing highlights on the roadside. The highlights of this route are the unforgettable panoramic view from the Füssener Kalvarienberg on the Allgäuer Königswinkel with its castles, mountains and lakes, the view of the imposing Lechfall from the König-Max-Steg as well as the visit of the Königsschlosss and the Hohe Schloss. The “Three Castles Round” has a length of approximately 14,6 Kilometers and you should plan enough time for them, since in between the sightseeing is also on the program.

Start and finish point of the charming “Three Castles Round” is the Tourist Information in Füssen. To the right of the traffic lights you have the opportunity to cross the Augsburger Straße in order to reach the Hotel Sonne in the Reichenstraße a little later. After walking past the city fountain, you stay left and go down the Lechhalde. Via the Theresien Bridge and the Tyrolean road you come to the church “Zu unser Liebe Frau”, where the ascent to the Calvary begins. On the ascent to the Füssener Kalvarienberg, which combines art, nature and religion in a special way, a fourteen station chapels on the roadside await. King Ludwig II, who Neuschwanstein Castle had been built, walked this way up the mountain very often in the past. On the top of the mountain there is an observation platform from which you can enjoy unforgettable views of the Allgäuer Königswinkel with its castles, mountains and lakes. On the descent from Kalvarienberg, follow the signs “Three Schlossweg” to reach the picturesque Schwansee. This beautiful body of water in the municipality of Schwangau once belonged, together with the surrounding Schwanseepark, to Hohenschwangau Castle. Today, the Schwansee is a popular excursion destination for nature lovers, recreation seekers and on warm summer days for bathers. The East End of the Sees leads the Fischersteig uphill and you walk to the left around the Berzenkopf, towards Hohenschwangau Castle. Now, of course, you have the opportunity to visit this romantic residential palace, in the King Ludwig II. Much of his childhood and youth spent visiting. Such a, only guided possible visit takes about 30 Minutes.

Directly opposite Hohenschwangau Castle stands the magnificent Neuschwanstein Castle, King Ludwig II. in 19. This is a world-famous attraction that attracts well over one million people every year. The so-called fairytale castle can also be visited on a guided tour of about half an hour. Tickets for the castles are available at the Hohenschwangau Ticket Center. In the direction of "Youth", a path leads along the Neuschwanstein Castle to the Marienbrücke, which offers an unforgettable view of the magnificent building, which reminds of an imposing castle from the Middle Ages from the outside. Then it goes back to the viewpoint “Jugend” and then you hike first to the right and then to the left over a gravel path to Hohenschwangau to the beautiful Alpine Sea. Here on the shore of this water body, which was once the favourite bathing lake of King Ludwig II, stands since 2011 The Museum of Bavarian Kings. This modern museum provides interesting background information about the Bavarian rulers and their castles in an entertaining and interactive way. On the Fürstenstraße it goes back until you turn east towards Fischersteig and Alpenrosenweg. Across the Alpine Rosenweg, which was formerly built on behalf of Maximilian II and from which you can enjoy fantastic views, you now walk to the Lechfall in Füssen. Here you can expect an impressive natural spectacle, in which the roaring water masses plunge into the depths to flow into the Lech gorge. The best view of this spectacle is from König-Max-Steg, which leads over the waterfall. Then walk across the Ländeweg towards the Füssen district of Bad Faulenbach. At the “Faulenbachgässchen” you stop to the right to hike towards the city center and shortly afterwards you take the path up to the Stadtpark Baumgarten. This idyllic park is an oasis of tranquility and it is located in the immediate vicinity of the High Castle, the last major attraction of this hike. The Gothic High Castle is considered one of the best preserved medieval castles in Bavaria and it already impresses from the outside with its magnificent illusion paintings on the facades. In addition to interesting interiors In the Hohe Schloss you can also find the branch gallery of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and the Städtische Galerie. Through a gate in the wall of the castle you get back to the Reichenstraße and finally back to the Tourist Information Füssen.

The “Three Castles Round” offers the opportunity to enjoy fantastic views and nature impressions on an unforgettable hike as well as to get to know the most important sights in and around Füssen.