Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most popular attractions in Europe. Every year, around 1.4 million people visit the castle. Nicknamed the “fairytale castle”, it’s said that Walt Disney got his inspiration for Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in Disneyland after visiting Neuschwanstein.
Located in Schwangau, Germany, about 2 hours from Munich in the Bavarian Alps, Neuschwanstein is a popular day trip destination from the city. To get to the castle, we booked a tour through Viator. We paid around 60€ per person for the tour, which was basically a round trip bus ride with a tour guide that gave us some facts about Munich, the castle, and the towns we passed through. This didn’t include the admission to actually enter the castle, which cost and additional 20€. We bought timed entry tickets on our bus ride to the castle. The tour guide was lovely and did a great job, but if you’re on a budget, there are definitely cheaper ways to get here. We liked the tour because it was hassle free. We didn’t have to worry about driving, navigating a new place, or finding parking.
Once we got to Schwangau, we had some time to grab a bite to eat and walk around the town before heading up to the castle for our tour. The castle is at the top of a fairly steep mountain and the bus dropped us off at the bottom, so we had to walk 20 minutes to the top. Mark and I walk pretty much every day, so this wasn’t a big deal for us, but it was a struggle for my Mom, who has some problems with her knee. We went slowly and she did great, though. They offer a horse drawn carriage to take you up to the top if you prefer to not walk for 8€.
Once inside the castle, you aren’t allowed to take photos but trust me when I say it was beautiful inside! The castle was a dream project of Bavarian King Ludwig II and took decades to build. King Ludwig II only lived in the castle for 172 days though, having died mysteriously after its completion. A few weeks after his death, the family opened the castle to the public for tours and no one has lived in it since.
After our tour, we walked down the mountain and had a few hours to spend in the town. It had snowed the day before, so it looked especially beautiful. It was exactly what I imagined a Bavarian town to look like.
You can also tour Hohenschwangau Castle, King Ludwig’s childhood home.
We really enjoyed visiting Neuschwanstein Castle and seeing this beautiful town. Having come from Munich, a busy city, it was a nice contrast. Our tour guide was great and made the process so easy. If you have the chance to visit, do it! You won’t regret it.
