Do not miss the lavish Neuschwanstein Castle, a 19th-century Romanesque Medieval-style castle by King Ludwig II of Bavaria Germany that inspired Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle. Since Ludwig II was a huge fan of composer Richard Wagner, the castle interior pays tribute and honors Wagner’s characters in his operas. It actually had state of the art technology at the time and had central heating, toilets, and elevators.
Make sure you purchase tickets in advance to secure the time slot to enter this fantastic historical masterpiece. While it seems like a far trek to reach this castle, I hoped it would be worth the journey. I am very glad that it most certainly was.
Getting up to the castle…
We took the bus over to the castle from Fussein and walked a couple of hills that doesn’t seem very steep, but certainly took some energy and effort. We are rewarded with lovely scenery no matter where we walk.
In lieu of the walk, one can ride in a horse-drawn carriage for an additional cost but the wait for that during peak times may not be worth it to those who are able to walk and may surpass the time to walk. They say the carriage wait can be up to 1.5 hours. Even with the carriage, one would need to walk another 5-10 minutes more to reach the castle. There may be a bus that also runs for an additional price with weather permitting. Here is a map for an idea of how long it takes to get around.
When we get to the top, we wait for our tour group number to display so we know to enter the turnstile to enter the castle and begin our tour. The castle tour left me much to yearn for but I thought it was still extremely special.
Hohenschwangau Castle
Ludwig also spent his childhood in Hohenschwangau, which is nearby. We were unable to visit but there is the Königsticket (King’s ticket) option to include both castles on the same day.
The tour leads us through various rooms and stairs within the castle that display all its splendors. Unfortunately, we aren’t allowed to take photos inside the castle until we reached the kitchen area. I wish we spent more time in the castle! There are many groups they need to move through with such a high demand to see this castle during the summer. However, the weather was perfect coming here in July.
Here are some views of the Hohenschwangau Valley from the castle.
Marienbrücke Pedestrian Bridge
To admire the castle in its entirety from afar and not just up close, walk to Marienbrücke, a nearby pedestrian bridge to take a clearer photo of the entire castle. There is still a walk to get to it and suspended in the air, so it may not be easy for those who have a fear of heights, but completely worth the view.
Where to eat…
If you get hungry, there is Cafe-Bistro im Schloss Neuschwanstein, a small cafe in the castle to recharge before heading back out.
There are also restaurants outside of the castle on your way up or back down the castle.
There are some cute souvenir shops and snack stops you can visit outside.
I enjoyed a recharge with a bargain menu that includes a choice of pastry and hot cocoa in a souvenir cup for a very small price!
In conclusion…
If you like great nature strolls, castles, and fairytale-like settings, the Neuschwanstein Castle is worth trekking up here for. I appreciated King Ludwig II’s sense of romanticism and style. No wonder Disney used this castle as their inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty castle. I came back out a huge fan of Neuschwanstein and the beautiful scenery surrounding it. I would love to return to see more of it!
