Bavaria – or Bayern, to give it its local name – is the largest of the German states. The landscape is of classical German stock: snowy Alpine mountains stretch to the soft blue skies above, their sides snaked with gurgling streams and rushing rivers that weave between velvet-green forests.
Bayern was home of Ludwig II, who was King of the area in the mid-1800s. He is famous for his commission of castle after castle, all of which were beautifully extravagant. In fact, one of them, Neuschwanstein Castle, inspired the design of the castle in Disney’s Sleeping Beauty.
In Bavaria is the Black Forest, home of the gateaux of the same name and legend and myth galore. It is called ‘black’ due to the heavy canopy of evergreen trees that stops sunlight from getting through. Despite this in many places there are fields and farmland, often with picture-perfect dairy cows wandering by, bells around their neck clinking with every movement.
In the Black Forest are several towns that are well worth visiting. Baden-Baden is a spa town that is both famed and fashionable, and has been both for years – with visitors as varied as the Vanderbilts to Brahms and Queen Victoria to Berlioz. The sophisticated bathing town has lasted through the ages as a place to relax in the water or throw money away in the casinos.
In wintertime the Black Forest is perfect for a skiing holiday – enjoy the snow and cold weather in a comfortable ski resort. During the summertime there are activities upon activities for visitors to the area to experience – hiking, sightseeing, and touring the countryside. The only limit is how much time you have to spend in this beautiful and enticing area.