In Bavaria? Take a Ride on the Tegelberg Cable Car and Summer Luge

During a recent trip to Bavaria, Germany, we stopped in Schwangau to explore Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle. While there, we traveled down the road to Tegelberg Mountain for a cable car ride to the top of the German Alps with Tegelbergbahn.

© Mary Melnick

After a quick tour to see how the cables work, we climbed aboard one of two cabins, each designed to comfortably accommodate up to 44 people, to ascend to the scenic mountain peak. The ride took about 10 minutes and offered some of the most amazing views. During our ascent, we caught a bird’s-eye view of both Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, as well as a man-made lake; the local village; and even our hotel, Ameron Neuschwanstein Alpsee Resort and Spa.

Once we reached the top we were greeted by even better views of the surrounding area. It was so beautiful; in some of my pictures, the background even looked fake. When at the top, there is an area for travelers to sit and take in the views, a restaurant to grab a bite to eat or sip a cold one, and multiple trails to explore more of the mountain. We took one of the hiking trails around the mountain to the Austrian border and were greeted by breathtaking views of the snow-covered German and Austrian Alps. I highly recommend exploring the mountaintop while up there.

© Mary Melnick

On our descent down the mountain, we caught a glimpse of a luge ride going down the mountain and asked our tour guide if we’d be able to ride. The luge ride, similar to a mountain coaster, pulls you up the mountain on a sled-like seat and then allows you to glide down at your own pace — I chose to go as fast as possible, making it a thrilling ride. We had so much fun, we decided to go down again.

If you are looking for more of an adventure up the mountain, there are multiple hiking trails that lead to the top, you just have to find the right one for you.