HAVE GERMAN WILL TRAVEL Fest im August

"Bei uns ist immer was los!" KONIG-LUDWIG-FEUER evening of 24 August (his birthday is 25 August) Kiinig-Ludwig-Feuer in the Alps Nature Park Every year in the Ammergau Alps Nature Park, the birth of 's fairy tale king is celebrated over a two-day period with the K Ludwig-Feue1~ or King Ludwig bonfires.

DATE 2020: 24TH AUGUST Eve ry year in the Arnmergau Alps Nature Park, the birth of Bavaria s iairy tale king is celebrated over a two-day period with the Konig- Ludwig-Feuer. o Ludwig bonfires. On the eve of his birthday, 24 August, crowns and wreaths are set alight on the peaks. The bonfires are organised by the ··Feuerma, or fire-makers. This select group of local men go up the mountains to build, and later light, the bonfires. The bonfires are evidence of the close conn of this region with its fairy tale king. Once the fires are lit, the fire -makers come back down from the various peaks, with musical accompaniment. a n meet back in the village.

The centre of is the best pl.;c:e for visitors to marve l al the Konig-Ludwig-Feuer celebrations. On the fol lowing day, s pecial guided and readings are held in Linderhof ';astle

Ariy •sitars wishing to take par I 1n 01•, of the rn, ny free tours through the splenrt,d gardens and elsewhere should nU'!mber to brinn their tor:hE' Planning Pointers:

• The Konig-Ludwig-Feuer, or Ludwigsfeuer for short, is held in Oberarnmergau annually on 24 August, the eve of King Ludwig's birthday. For details about the upcoming fiery event, refer to the Ammergau Alps website. I've heard that many visitors to Munich embark on organized tours for the spectacle - perhaps even staying overnight in Oberammergau. I haven't personally done so since my parents live in Oberammergau. • To make the trip independently via the German rail or by bus, consider getting the Bayern or Regio Ticket (website in German, but you can use Google Translate). These special tickets start at €20/25 for one passenger, and cost €6 for each additional passenger. You can use them to travel via bus and train throughout much of the region, making them a better deal if you want to make a few stops in a day. You can purchase tickets online, via a ticket machine, or in person. • Interested in learning more about Bavaria's beloved King Ludwig? Download the free app 'Ludwig II - Walking in the Footsteps of a Fairytale King' from the iTunes store. • Are you looking for a guesthouse or hotel in Oberarnmergau? Before my parents moved there, Shawn and I spent two nights at the Gastehaus Hildegard (affiliate link). We thought the beds were comfortable, the owners were helpful and kind, and the breakfast was tasty. The guest house is centrally located in the town too, and it's not far from the Tiroler Gasse bus stop. The train station is also only about 1 km away. • The following page indexes all my posts from . including visits to King Ludwig's and Schloss Linderhof.