Imagine seeing the castle of your dreams rising out of the clouds with every tower just as you imagined it. This castle is that castle. For years, this has been on my list of places to visit. I would LOVE to visit this castle during the winter when it is covered with snow, but spring in Germany is equally beautiful. What made me want to see this castle? Well, it is because of images like these:
If you are visiting Munich, I recommend setting aside a day to visit this castle! If you aren’t driving the country, then taking a tour is the next best thing. You can sit back, relax and let someone else do the driving. We chose a tour through my favorite, Viator . This tour also included a stop at Linderhof. Linderhof Palace is the smallest of the three palaces built by King Ludwig II of Bavaria. This is the only palace completed during Ludwig’s life. We were able to tour the inside of this palace which was ornately designed and very beautiful.
Be prepared when you get to Neuschwanstein. It is going to be VERY crowded and planning is key. If you are going any time besides the summer, bring or wear waterproof clothing and shoes. I learned this the hard way and wore canvas shoes which soaked through pretty quickly. There is a lot of walking on this tour so also be prepared with some good walking shoes. I recommend the converse rubber shoes. These are newer to the Converse line and are like rubber boots, but you still get some comfy shoes out of it.
Something that I didn’t know is that Neuschwanstein is located at the top of a pretty large hill. No cars are allowed up this hill. Your tour guide will let you know when your tour is and when you need to start making your way up the hill. I recommend immediately making your way up the hill and stopping to eat at the restaurant half way up the hill. You can get some pretty good, basic German food (and dry off) before finishing your trek up the hill. Don’t worry! If you have a hard time walking or making it up the hill there is a shuttle for a few dollars that will take you up and down the hill.
Like most historical sites in Europe, there is no photography allowed inside to help preserve the castle. There will always be that temptation to sneak some photos. We spent some time before going in the castle taking exterior photos. Up close the castle just feels so unreal. Since it has been on my must see list for the last few years, I felt like I was having an out of body experience. The tour is a pretty standard tour where you follow the leader through the castle. The tour guide was great and super informative about the space.
A few facts about Neuschwanstein (English: “New Swanstone Castle”) Castle:
- This is a 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace
- The castle was intended to be a home for Ludwig II but he died in 1886
- The castle has been open to the public since shortly after his death
- About 61 million people have visited since it opened.
- Does the castle look familiar? Many say this castle was the inspiration for the Disneyland Sleeping Beauty castle
Be sure to save some time before or after the tour to go to the overlook point to snap some photos of the castle. This point is probably where you have seen a lot of photos taken from. It is an amazing bridge that provides a great view of the surrounding area and the castle. Weather permitting, this overlook and one even further will be open for you to explore.
Overall, I would definitely recommend the trip with Viator! The ride was smooth, the tour guides were all great.
Have you visited Neuschwanstein? What tips do you have?
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