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Some places exude charm, and the Bavarian region has it in spades. Aside from the amusement at seeing genuine lederhosen-clad farmers hefting pitchforks or steins, we were continually fascinated at the likeness the small town of Füssen had with a variety of fairytale settings. Let me paint you a word picture...
The landscape as you glide in to town is nothing short of remarkable. Bavaria is characterised by endless plains and bright green pastures dotted with farmhouses and the occasional stand of trees. It's farmland. The few low rolling hills and fresh streams are the only punctuation marks on the patchwork quilt of fields. Then - seemingly out of nowhere - the Alps appear. Rising steep and uncharacteristically dramatic out of this pancake-flat landscape, these peaks signal the upcoming German-Austrian border. Nestled in the obtuse angle created by plain and mountain, Füssen sits waiting.
The town itself is a stereotype come to life. Picture a walled old town where the peaked rooves are a terracotta red and the façades are painted with a palette of pastels. Light greens stand alongside pinks, yellows, blues, and oranges. Nearly every home has the distinctive dark-brown balcony topped with a riot of pot plants in bloom, while each storefront displays a decorative wrought-iron sign depicting their trade and calligraphic name. On the off chance a surface stood unadorned, artists have been employed to depict various biblical events on the blank canvas. A baby blue - almost teal - river runs slowly through the middle of it all. Standing proudly on the small hill at the edge of town is Schloss Füssen (a.k.a. Füssen Castle).
If ever art imitated life; the world of Shrek is an exact replica of Schloss Füssen. The building itself is quite plain in design; uninterrupted white walls are decorated by cartoon-style brick cornering. Unadorned windows are painted with extravagant frames, cornices and sills, and more of the murals and calligraphy decorate otherwise plain sections of wall. Most memorably for us, a large a capella group of burly Bavarian men were performing in the courtyard when we happened upon the square. They sang in a combination of German and English and they were - every one of them - cheerful.
To further add to the folkloric charm of the place, a short stroll in any direction will lead you to more scenes plucked straight out of a fairytale. Children and dogs happily play at the edge of a number of large lakes in the area. Hiking through dense forest will give you occasional glimpses of wildlife. Birds chirp in the trees, squirrels scamper about busily and swans preen at the edges of the lakes. Perched on the edge of a pass leading up and over the Alps are two castles: Schloss Neuschwanstein and Schloss Hohenschwangau. The former is the original inspiration for the Disney castle, while the latter wouldn't look out of place as a fortress in Game of Thrones. Elegant lofty spires put you in mind of Rapunzel - the princess in need; while nearby crenellated ramparts top sturdy, practical battlements. The Beauty and the Beast. They couldn't look more different, but somehow they both reinforce the fairytale theme in their own way.
Akin to places like Ronda, it's the kind of town that invites slow strolls through the cobblestone streets and admiration of the charming setting.
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