NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE

Neuschwanstein Castle is one of three palaces built by King Ludwig II, though he never lived to see the castle completed. A mere seven weeks after the king’s passing in 1886, the castle was opened to the public and the king’s vision never fully came to fruition. In fact, many unfinished areas of the castle remain preserved, and you will walk past a lot of these rooms during your castle tour.

I wonder how King Ludwig II – a shy recluse who built this castle to withdraw from public life – would feel today knowing that Neuschwanstein is one of the most popular castles in Europe? Would he be comfortable knowing that 1.4 million people enter his home every year? If this information also makes you uncomfortable, I would opt for the first scheduled tour of the day, as well as a ticket purchased in advance! Even though there is no “bad” time to visit Neuschwanstein Castle, I would avoid the summer months, as there are around 6,000 visitors a day. Also, the exterior shots you might see of the castle are often taken on a bridge nearby called the Marienbrücke (Mary’s Bridge) that is typically blocked off during the winter months. While seeing the castle covered in snow is incredibly picturesque, you do risk not being able to access the same viewpoints that you can visit during warmer months. We went to the castle in autumn, which is the time I would recommend!

 Before your scheduled tour time, I would go to the Marienbrücke first thing in the morning to take your pictures of the castle from a great viewpoint. Even in autumn on a week day at 10am, the bridge was PACKED with people, and it was difficult to move. The bridge will only become more crowded as the day goes on, so check that off your list first!

the view from Marienbrücke

Then make your way into the castle for a fairly quick 30-minute guided tour (this is the only way to see the interior of Neuschwanstein). Though you are not permitted to take photos once inside the castle, you will be enchanted to see Ludwig’s love of Germanic legends come to life on the walls. Moreover, he was dubbed the “Fairy Tale King” for his childhood obsession with these stories. Life comes full circle, as Walt Disney and his wife visited Neuschwanstein Castle, and it is said that the exterior is the real-life inspiration for a certain famous Disney princess castle. You can also see artwork inside that is the inspiration for the backdrop of Bambi.

If you get hungry, there is a little café inside the castle (as well as a souvenir shop and restrooms). After the tour, you can hike along the trails surrounding the castle, or perhaps finding your way back down the mountain is enough of a workout! The area is pretty touristy, but we found Hotel Villa Ludwig to be perfectly situated and away from crowds. Our hotel balcony provided gorgeous views of the castle, and we were able to walk 25 minutes from the hotel uphill to do our guided tour, as opposed to waiting for a horse-drawn carriage to take us up the mountain (which can take a long time, as many people go for this option!)

view from a hike near the castle

We hope you enjoy your visit to Neuschwanstein Castle!