My 1,000th review is dedicated to Marienbrucke (Mary's bridge). This is a bridge built about 300…read morefeet above the Pollet Gorge and provides that jaw dropping view of Neuschwanstein Castle, the inspiration behind Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty castle. Getting to the bridge is about a 1 hour hike up an inclined road from the visitor center, or you could do what I did and take a shuttle bus from the visitor center (10 minute ride for €3,50 = $3.85 USD). The bus leaves every 20 to 25 minutes, starting at 8am and they take cash only. From the bridge it's only about a 10 minute walk down to the castle. Only 200 people are allowed on the bridge at any given time, and there is a counter at the start of the bridge keeping track. I've heard lines can get pretty lengthy during the day. If you walk further along the 115 foot long bridge it's less crowded and you have unobstructed views of the castle. Overall, I can say that the view from here was the highlight of my summer trip to Germany and Italy. If you are visiting Munich or anywhere in the southern Bavarian Alps, you have to see Neuschwanstein Castle. The views are breathtaking.

Do you want that iconic beautiful view of Neuschwanstein Castle? If so, then Marienbrücke (Mary's…read moreBridge) is your answer. The bridge is narrow and gets jammed packed with tourists hoping to get the same photo you're trying to snap. Walk further down the bridge, where it's less congested. If you visit during fall/winter, note that the bridge might be closed due to ice/snow. As for how to get there, it's worth spending €3 for a roundtrip ride on the bus that takes you up from the foot of the mountain.

This is a value attraction for sure. For 8 euro (plus 4 or 5 parking), you get access to castle…read moreruins, the highline bridge, a great view and some exercise in. You park in the lot and need to get a ticket from a machine (euro coins only) or you can purchase it with your access ticket at the shop - you will then need to bring it back out to your car. You then walk approx 15-20 minutes - uphill to access the castle ruins and bridge. On the other side of the bridge there are additional structures and a great viewing platform. To me this is a great deal to cover so many bases. If we lived local, I could see doing this again as it is something the whole family would enjoy. We really enjoyed this.

This put the cherry on top of a five star day. We stayed about 20 min away at Haus Ruan in Berwang…read moreand took a short trip to the castle and Bridge. The bridge was super fun and the history and castle ruins were excellent. Highly recommend. Plan to spend at least a few hours here. We did not take the cable car to the last station. At this time not sure if that would be. E essay or worth it.

It's fairly hard to imagine that an extremely wealthy and influential family decided to dedicate a…read morecluster of housing, meant to mimic a small city, to those living in poverty in early 16th century Europe. Well, the Fugger family did just that and its 'experiment' in social housing has lasted for almost five hundred years. Visitors are able to view a 'model dwelling' decorated as it would have been during the genesis of this project. In an adjacent room a film (auf Deutsch) about the Fugger family and how it came to create the Fuggerei runs on a loop. Pamphlets at the entrance are offered in a multiplicity of languages (including Chinese and Japanese), so non-German speakers are also able to gain a solid understanding of what's what. The on-site WW II bunker is quite worth a visit. One sees how the Fuggerei was severely damaged during the war and how quickly and determinedly those in charge decided to rebuild. While I very much enjoyed visiting the Fuggerei, I was constantly aware of walking around a complex in which people live. One is cautioned to be respectful and to not 'take pictures'. It's hard not to look at the facades of all the buildings when one walks by them. Well, it's hard for me, at least. Being a fan of architecture, I walked the streets of Augsburg en route to the Fuggerei pretty much doing the same thing. I happened to walk past a small boy kicking a soccer ball around, presumably, the front of his Fugger flat. He scowled at me when I passed him. That's when I decided it was time for me to go. There is information regarding who is eligible to live at the Fuggerei (adherents to the Catholic faith) and how much one pays (0,88 euro annually & three prayers daily, apparently). What I wasn't able to find out was how one is picked to live on premises. Not that I'd qualify...

This is a must-see for any visitor to Augsburg. I learned so much about Augsburger history, German…read morehistory, European history, social history...HISTORY. The story of the Fuggerei - a "social settlement" started during the late Middle Ages/early Renaissance by Jakob Fugger to help the poor and disenfranchised get their feet back under them and become self-sufficient citizens during a time where social Darwinism and caste-like class stratification were ravaging Europe - is one that will touch your heart and provide leagues of depth to your big picture understanding of life. It doesn't take long to come here, but the impact will stay with you for life. Added benefit: Almost everything that's written down is also translated into English.

My wife and I were on a five day trip to Munich and took a day trip to the castle via Radius tours…read more They were a great tour group and the bus ride was great with the freeway with no speed limits with Porsches flying by us and the countryside with lots of mustard growing. The castle is beautiful and you can go to a high bridge. The tour guide was a little robotic, but nice enough. The tour is about thirty minutes and the views are spectacular. A few castles are nearby to look at as well. Check out Mary's Bridge. It was WAY high up but with nice and high railing, I am afraid of heights but I wasn't bothered. Lots of people on it though.

I agree with most of the other 3-star reviewers on this page. This castle tour is expensive and you…read moredon't see many rooms, nor do you get to ask any questions or interact with any human docents. You're given an audio tour and waved ahead. We had fantastic weather when we were there, so no complaints there. And we were particularly careful to get there early, so as to not miss our entry time. I do get it that over-tourism is a real issue in this region, and that this particular castle is a victim of its own success, needing to shuffle tens of thousands of tourists every season. But I'd like to think there are alternative ways of educating people about the castle and its builder, dreamer, and ruler. TIP: Tour in the morning. By the time we were done and back downhill, the lines for the shuttle buses were easily 200+ people deep. TIP: DO NOT EXPECT HELPFUL SIGNAGE! We had to ask multiple people where to pick up the shuttle bus. TIP: If going straight to the castle, do not follow the shuttle bus crowds towards the bridge. Head the other way, and perhaps catch the bridge on the way back, especially if you feel like you might be rushed for your entry time. TIP: BRING CASH. The shuttle bus is NOT included in your ticket price, and is cash only. It was maybe 2 euros pp (I don't honestly remember). You CAN walk it, but we had some health issues and needed the shuttle; the incline is significant and probably would take 30+ minutes uphill? INTERESTING: this castle is about the same age as Biltmore in Asheville, NC. It's just not that old!