Josh Aftel '20: Stop Visiting Neuschwanstein, Go Somewhere Else

The deep relationship between Bavaria and the United States is found in the extent to which Bavarian culture permeates American stereotypes about Germany, the number of American tourists visiting Bavaria, and the history of American military operations in the Freistaat. Bavaria is by far the most visited Bundesland, but most of its tourism is focused on overcrowded sites like Rothenburg or Neuschwanstein. Over-tourism in these areas leads to the perpetuation of misconceptions about the region and the country as a whole, due to the Disney-ification of the most visited places (in the case of Neuschwanstein literally), and can diminish from enjoyment of the region as a result of normal tourist problems like waiting in line, experiencing tourist scams, or contributing to the destruction of local communities by raising the price of food, lodging, and transit due to extreme demand. Getting out of these places can really help to enhance a trip to Bavaria, while in most cases cutting costs. There are several approaches to achieving this goal for various levels of German skill, financing, and in-region connection.

The easiest approach, for basic German speakers, those traveling on a budget, and/or without local connections, is to visit medium sized cities like Ingolstadt, Passau, and Regensburg, whose cores are better preserved than Munich or Nuremberg, and still have excellent transit connections and English-speaking populations.

The next step would be to tour smaller cities/large towns, where hostels and intercity trains may be lacking, but large cultural events and historically interesting sights are still plentiful. Finding local festivals, visiting local breweries, and touring the ruined seats of feudal power are all unique and immersive ways to spend time in this mode. The most immersive strategy relies to some extent on local connections and a rental car, but allows the most “authentic” experience of Bavaria, where every part of the environment seems truly lived in, rather than set aside as some domain of tourists. Finding many small things to see, like monasteries, ruins, breweries, or lakeside restaurants, as well as going on hikes through Bavaria’s stunning natural landscapes, like the Fränkischer Jura, Bayerischer Wald, or the Bayerische Alpen, are excellent methods of getting to see the region that may be hard to do on public transit alone. While major cities still have plenty to offer, there are ethical, economic, and philosophical questions to consider in spending limited time abroad in such expensive, globalized locations, rather than spreading the impact of tourism over a larger area.



A typical view in small town Bavaria.
Credit: Josh Aftel