historic highway
Romantic Road (Romantische Straße)
A 460-kilometer route through Bavaria from Würzburg to Füssen passing medieval towns, castles, and Neuschwanstein.
2 km · about 5 min drive
EuropeGermanyBavaria
Schwangau
Bavaria, Germany · Europe
About Schwangau
Schwangau works well as a base: 15 minutes from Musau, 22km from Eibsee.
Schwangau is in Bavaria, Germany, with about 3,500 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Musau, about 7 km away.
Schwangau (German pronunciation: [ˈʃvaːnɡaʊ]) is a municipality in the district of Ostallgäu in Bavaria, Germany. The village lies 4 km from the larger town of Füssen and just 1.5 km from Hohenschwangau, a collection of tourist-oriented facilities adjacent to the major tourist attractions of Neuschwanstein Castle andRead more
Hohenschwangau Castle.
Schwangau has no railway station, but is served by buses connecting to Füssen, Hohenschwangau, and other nearby Alpine towns. It is the next-to-last town on the Romantic Road tourist route that terminates in Füssen.
A castrum Swangowe is attested in 1090. It was situated on the site of Neuschwanstein Castle and was owned by the Elder House of Welf. After the death of Welf VI in 1191, it fell to the Staufer dynasty, and in 1268 to the empire. The coat of arms of the municipality is based on the one shown in the Codex Manesse as that of Hiltbolt von Schwangau (d. 1256).
Where to Stay in Schwangau
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Schwangau.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Schwangau.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Schwangau?
Within an hour or so of Schwangau: Romantic Road (Romantische Straße) (2 km), Neuschwanstein Castle (2 km), Hohenschwangau Castle (2 km), Marienbrucke Viewpoint (Neuschwanstein) (3 km).
Are there any good drives near Schwangau?
The nearest famous roads are Romantic Road (Romantische Straße), Fern Pass and Oberjoch Jochstrasse.
Where is Schwangau?
Schwangau is in Bavaria, Germany, about 7 km from Musau.
Road trip
Drive to Schwangau
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Schwangau. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 3,505
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Germany
- Region
- Bavaria
- Timezone
- Europe/Berlin
- Coordinates
- 47.5772, 10.7342
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Germany
ADAC roadside assistance: +49 89 22 22 22. No general speed limit on some autobahn sections but advisory 130 km/h.
Full driving guide for GermanyTags
Worth the detour from Schwangau
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Neuschwanstein Castle
Fairy-tale 19th-century Romanesque Revival castle built for King Ludwig II in the Bavarian Alps.
2 km · about 5 min drive
castle
Hohenschwangau Castle
The yellow neo-Gothic castle where Ludwig II grew up, facing Neuschwanstein across the Alpine lakes of the Allgäu.
2 km · about 5 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Marienbrucke Viewpoint (Neuschwanstein)
A bridge spanning a gorge with the classic fairy-tale view of Neuschwanstein Castle perched on its crag above the Bavarian forests.
3 km · about 5 min drive
castle
Linderhof Palace
The smallest of Ludwig II's three palaces, set in ornate gardens inspired by Versailles in the Graswang Valley.
17 km · about 20 min drive
cathedral
Wieskirche
A UNESCO rococo pilgrimage church standing alone in Alpine meadows, an explosion of white-and-gold baroque interior.
17 km · about 20 min drive
natural wonder
Eibsee
A crystal-clear emerald lake at the foot of the Zugspitze, often called Germany's most beautiful lake with its tiny forested islands.
22 km · about 25 min drive
landmark
Oberammergau
A picturesque Bavarian village famous for its Passion Play performed every ten years and its traditional Lüftlmalerei painted houses.
25 km · about 30 min drive
Driving roads near Schwangau
8 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 60km.
- Right hereRomantic Road (Romantische Straße)A 460-kilometer route through Bavaria from Würzburg to Füssen passing medieval towns, castles, and Neuschwanstein.
- Right hereMarienbrucke Viewpoint (Neuschwanstein)A bridge spanning a gorge with the classic fairy-tale view of Neuschwanstein Castle perched on its crag above the Bavarian forests.
- 25 kmFern PassA 1,212 m Tyrolean pass on an ancient Roman route (Via Claudia Augusta) between Reutte and Imst, sweeping past the turquoise Blindsee and Fernsteinsee lakes beneath the Zugspitze massif.
- 26 kmZugspitzeAt 2,962 metres, the highest peak in Germany offers panoramic views across four countries from its summit platform.
- 26 kmOberjoch JochstrasseThe most bend-rich road in Germany: the B308 Jochstrasse coils through over 100 curves as it climbs from Bad Hindelang to the mountain village of Oberjoch at 1,178 m in the Allgaeu.
- 28 kmGarmisch-PartenkirchenA renowned winter sports and mountaineering hub at the foot of the Zugspitze, Germany's highest peak.
Driving in Germany
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.78/litre
- Motorway tolls
- None
When to drive here
April to October
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Schwangau.
Plan a trip around Schwangau
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Schwangau.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.