After almost two years of pandemic struggle, my first long trip outside Berlin was in one of the regions that I always like to visit in Germany: the colourful and history-rich Bavaria/Bayern. The main aim was to enjoy a full adventure day in Legoland while catching up with my travel to-do-list on the side.
My headquarters for this trip was Leipheim, where affordable stay near Legoland was secured thanks to a travel package I purchased via Limango Travel, that included accommodation and the entry price to Legoland. I didn´t know what to expect from this place, but as usual, I trusted my traveller intuition and started to explore the place.
The main impression you got out of the train is the castle. From the top of the hill, it overviews the whole area, surrounded by a defense wall. Nowadays, it is a great place to have a panoramic view over the region, but once upon a time, it served as a defense structure. The first stone of the castle was laid as far as the 11th century, but different styles were added across centuries, until the current Renaissance-style.
We arrived there during the weekend and walking the streets of Lepheim on a Sunday, which is a very quiet day normally in Bavaria, looked as we had the place to ourselves. I don´t remember to have seen any human walking, and only few cars were slowly breaking the surrounding silence.
But even without too many sightseeings to check, it was enough. The castle slopes, for instance, were offering some unexpected surprises, with statues hidden under the lush ve getation. Not hidden enough for not caughing the eye of the hungry traveller.
Walking at least twice the day around this landscape was a soothing experience, after two years of pandemic. I was really longing for the neverending horizons.
There are a lot of agricultural activities happening around, from old times. However, frequent wars and conflicts affected the region´s wellbeing. During the Napoleonic wars, for instance, famine and hardship affected Lepheim. The first good harvest afterwards, in 1818, was celebrated as Kinderfest - children´s fest, maybe in reference to the children who were no more victims of famine - and since then, the second weekend of July is an occasion for local celebrations.
As a tourist, I just enjoy the long walks and the spectacular sky. At the time, I was not too much into jogging, but I suppose someone doing it would have really appreciate the perspective as well. If you are looking for a treat, there is a bakery that can offer you some special local pastry - Bäckerei Müller.
But I am always appreciating the urban feeling, and Leipheim delighted my eyes with some colourful half-timbered houses, in the local style and colours.
Although we haven´t see any tourist around, there are some historical tours leading the visitors to different places around - and there is even an ostrich farm few kilometers away - but most off the roads lead to the castle.
Personally, I liked it more how it does look from the street, as it gives you the feeling of entering a fairy tale place, or at least a Middle Ages saga. But there are no stories of honor or love added to its, mostly stories of fight, bloodbath and conquest.
As a contemporary historian, I am looking for signs of the old times, and more than once I was pleased to notice in Leipheim old architectural remnants and company writing that were most probably from the end of the 19th century.
And there is some modern, although too dark and neo-Gothic for my taste, art structure, decorating the main square. At least, there is some freshness coming from the running fountain.
Some other places, are simply lovely, that feeling that one may only experience during the short-lived German summers. The modest reds of the roses is beautifying even the most mundane white wall. This is how I want to remember most of the places from October onwards.
As I am a Danube lover, Leipheim offered me also a pristine view of the old European river. Danube played a big role in the industrial development of the place, as situated on the way between Ulm - to be visited soon - and Augsburg. The construction of the bridge over the Danube and the highway brought Leipheim out of isolation.
While coming back and forth from my travels, I always tried to took some minutes to visit the river, feeling grateful to be here and celebrate my travels. We may be small and mortal compared to the Danube, but at least we are here to tell our travel stories. Again and again.
For more travel stories, follow my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ilanatravels
No comments:
Post a Comment