Our first ride of the bikes in 2024 was a brilliant day. The way from Füssen to Murnau is beautiful and lush. Starting off in Füssen you ride by the famous castles of Ludwig II and his father, Maximilian II: Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. The route out of Füssen is quickly downhill, direct from the center towards the foothills and the castle area.
We deviated from the official route to ride along a small stream, where you have perfect views of Neuschwanstein and fewer crowds. The cycleway is paved and just hugs the east shoreline of Bannwaldsee. We stopped in Buching for a chat, some water, and selfies — like one does, of course!

The ride today is mainly flat, with some rollers here and there, until the short climb up to Murnau at the end. Once leaving Trauchgau, there are no services for the next 20 km, so make sure you have water. The ride now is full nature and extremely pleasant.
We encountered many cyclists heading towards Füssen, some with tour groups. The route was crowded at times, even in the off-season, since the weather was perfect. Take note that the high season will have loads of cyclists on this route. We stopped for lunch at Gasthof zur Post Saulgrub and ate in the Biergarten. We were the only people on bikes, surprisingly. The food was great, and a stopover is recommended if you have time for lunch.
After a Rostbratwurst mit Kartoffel u. Gurkensalat with an alcohol-free Weissbier, we off again for the last few kilometers to Murnau. The ride is actually steeply downhill until the Murnauer Moos, which brings you to almost the city edge. There was one very steep descent on loose and packed gravel that had me thinking, well, don’t fall here, this would be bad!
Just before starting the climb up to Murnau, you can have a pause at Gaststätte Ähndl, which has a shady terraced Biergarten. Arriving in Murnau is nice after the climb on the neighborhood streets just off the center pedestrian area. We found our hotel straight away and after a rest, shower, and stretch, headed up the road for a walk and eventually dinner. Day One of our weekend trip was complete, and it was a perfect start to the 2024 cycling season!


