My only request on our trip to Germany was to visit Neuschwanstein Castle. I’ve seen pictures of it for years and knew that I absolutely wanted to go. My dreams came true, and it was the highlight of my trip. The location, the architecture, and the castle interior were amazing. I’ve been to Versailles, and I have to say that Neuschwanstein Castle surpassed Versailles in terms of opulence and overall wow factor to me.
Neuschwanstein Castle isn’t really located near any other main German cities, so it may involve a day trip out there. Be sure to reserve tickets (which cost 13 Euro for adults) ahead of time. You’ll need to select the preferred language of your tour, and certain language tours may be sold out if you try to get same day tickets. I would also recommend visiting Hohenschwangau Castle, which sits right next to Neuschwanstein.
Getting there
Neuschwantstein also sits at the top of a very steep hill. You can walk, take a horse-drawn carriage, or ride the bus up to the castle. Since we were traveling with our not-quite-two-year-old nephew, we opted for the 3 euro round-trip bus fare. The bus drops you off at the top of the main hill. From there, you can walk over to the Marienbrucke, the bridge with stunning views of the castle (the photo below was taken from the bridge), or head up to the castle itself (about another 10 minute walk).
Tour info
Guided tours start every five minutes. Your tour is assigned a number and a time, and you queue at the gates to scan your ticket for entry. You can’t bring in large bags, and photography is not allowed inside. Neuschwantstein is very straight forward in posting that it is not the most disability friendly. You have to climb a lot of spiral staircases, and the staff can only accommodate one wheelchair or walker per hour in their elevator. Once inside, you meet up with a guide who takes you on a narrated tour through the castle. They do provide headsets, so you can listen in while exploring each area on the tour.
The interior of Neuschwanstein is stunning. I have never seen a building where every square inch of interior space was decorated. The floors, the ceilings, the walls. All of it decorated. The detail of the decoration was also unmatched. Ludwig II, the king who commissioned the castle, even had a cave built inside for him. A cave. Inside a castle. Sadly, Ludwig II was deposed and mysteriously died before Neuschwanstein Castle was completely finished. The tour features only a handful of the finished rooms. I have to say that I wanted more after the tour ended. I’m really curious about the condition of the rooms in progress when construction stopped, and I wish that we could have seen more of the castle on the tour. Overall, I loved Neuschwanstein and would recommend that anyone visiting Bavaria may the trip to see it.
Our trip to Germany and the Czech Republic: Munich & Nuremberg Christmas Markets | Where we ate: restaurants in Bavaria | Exploring Amberg, Germany | Where we ate: restaurants in Prague | Prague in one day | Karlovy Vary | My packing list for Europe in winter
