The Allgäu today is a region primarily known for two things: Neuschwanstein and Milk. The region offers much more than this, however. From the splendor of its old Imperial Cities to the dramatic landscapes of the Alpine Foothills, its worth your time to explore.
The Allgäu is a region along the Iller River leading into the Alps. Its perhaps best described as Alpine Swabia. As with Oberschwaben the region was fractured into small polities until the the Vienna Congress partitioned the region into Württemberg and Bavaria in 1815. The enduring legacy of the Holy Roman Empire is notable throughout the region though. Monuments of civic pride exist in most of the region’s towns, many of which were independent city-states, and many others merely autonomous from an absent lord. Resplendent churches and monasteries dot the landscape, reminding the people that church once harnessed secular power as well as spiritual forces.
The region is also quite famous for its rolling Alpine landscapes, reminiscent of the image Switzerland and Austria share in popular culture. The pastoral architecture that accompanies this landscape makes the region fairly distinctive in postcards.
Whether you are hiking up the mountains to get that perfect picture of Neuschwanstein, or exploring the island city of Lindau, there is something for everyone here.
