Neuschwanstein Castle, the world-famous "fairytale castle" of the Bavarian King Ludwig II was built between 1869 and 1886 in neo-Romanesque style and in imitation of a medieval German knight's castle. The interior rooms are ornately decorated with scenes depicting the medieval world of saga and legend.

The landscape of Bavaria unfolds as fairytales do, over towering mountains and emerald green lakes; through twisting paths under heavily treed forests; within medieval castles where horse-drawn carriages carried kings and queens and the echo of hooves resonates still. Amidst the camaraderie of family and friends, the story continues, over a hearty meal and a stein of beer, 'round well-worn tables at much loved beer halls and beer gardens.

Listen to a soaring Wagner opera or the rousing oom-pa-pa of a local band; sample white sausage (eaten only before noon) or linger over afternoon kaffee und kuchen; breathe clean alpine air and the welcoming scent of freshly baked bread, and you'll begin to experience the magic of Bavaria.

Start your journey in Munich, the capital city of Bavaria, before traveling south to the mountains. Whether dressed in the traditional lederhosen and dirndl or contemporary fashions, locals wear a welcoming smile, and will be happy to tell of the region's storied past and share their love for all things Bavarian.

If you do nothing else in Munich, walk the streets of the old city, some of it actually rather new but built to look as it did before WWII. It was by a narrow majority vote that the damaged parts of the city were rebuilt with a nod to the past rather than as a modern metropolis. One walk through the Marienplatz with its musical Glockenspiel and you'll be glad the city is as it once was. Stroll down Maximilianstrasse past the windows of exclusive shops, and through a gracefully landscaped Englischer Garten.

The Castle Garden of Nymphenburg Palace was greatly enlarged in the eighteenth century and was laid out in the French style (using Versailles as a model) by from 1715 onward. In the nineteenth century, the garden was remodeled according to the tenets of English landscaping while retaining the main elements of the Baroque garden.

Nymphenburg Palace also has its garden, and tells of one monarchy that lasted through most of Bavaria's history. Of the 32 Bavarian palaces and royal residences and 13 castles and fortresses, several belong to the illustrious King Ludwig II who was born at this palace in 1845.

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