I had been to Munich once before; however, it was Oktoberfest and very little sightseeing was done. A great experience in itself but it is amazing how much one misses when they are only in town for the beer drinking festivities. That is not to say that there was not a fair about of beer drinking done and beer halls visited this time around, but there is so much in and around the city as well. A much prettier city that Berlin, the Bavarian capital has a very German feel to it, not to mention the food and beer were far superior to the capital. Visiting the original Haufbrauhaus House coupled with some walking tours took care of the city sights, but there were also two very interesting day trips that are a must do when visiting Munich not for a beer drinking festival.
Neuschwanstein Castle was the brainchild of Ludwig II, one of Germany’s late 19th century monarchs, and the true inspiration of Walt Disney’s Cinderella castle. Nestled in the base of the German Alps, the palace is just as amazing as one might imagine. An easy two hours train ride south of Munich in Fussen, the castle is filled with history, mystery and technological advancements unheard of for its time. The snow blanketing the area added to the allure of the location but the castle is surely a must visit for anyone in the south of Germany at any time of the year.
The last full day that I had in Munich I decided to take a day trip that would be a little more somber. Through my immersion in detailed German history that started in Berlin, I learned that Dachau was Hitler’s first concentration camp and located just outside of Munich. Within a month of power, the Nazi party set fire to their own capital (the Reichstag, mentioned below), blamed the Communist Party and used the fear to suspend rights and imprison Hitler’s adversaries. We all know what followed.It is truly horrible what these places were. Obvious statement, I know, but there is only so much that words in textbooks can do. Nothing quite suffices to express the true horrors that occurred under Hitler’s regime. The memorial is humbling, doing an incredible job to not only honor and remember the victims but to also remind the public how evil man can be. Walking through the gas chambers was a chilling experience, a feeling that words cannot truly justify and an sensation I have never quite had before in my life.
After 10+ days on the road, I was very ready to return to Madrid with a much lighter bank account. Germany is not the most popular location for American tourists when heading to Europe, with the romantic allure of France and Italy stealing the thunder from the Rhineland; however, I would highly recommend it to any European travelers, and I have only been in two cities!
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