When I signed up to go to Germany, I imagined getting a quick glimpse of the countryside through the train window, with most time spent in the big cities sightseeing. I am currently on the UA faculty led Honors in Germany program, and we got the chance to leave Munich for the day to visit Neuschwanstein Castle near the border of Austria. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.
We took a tour into the small town surrounding the castle, driving in on a bus through the picturesque countryside with surrounding, snow covered alps. We first went on a bike tour of the surrounding area, biking through fields of daffodils, around swan lake, and through the small village of about ten thousand residents. It was very cold, but very worth it. We then dined at a traditional German restaurant overlooking the alps while we ate. I ordered the Beef Goulash and an Apple Strudel as pictured below.
The main exhibition was the castle. Neuschwanstein Castle was built in the eighteen hundreds by the Bavarian royal, Ludwig II. It was a costly and showy endeavour. One of my favorite facts about it is that the castle is the model for the Disney castle. It matches the fairytale definition of a castle which was amazing to see in person. We elected to hike the mountain (a very strenuous trip) with stopping points along the way for pictures with a view. We had the chance to explore the outside and the courtyard, taking in all of the sights.
If and when you study abroad, I definitely recommend seizing every opportunity to go to new places outside of where you are studying. You never know what you might see!

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