All you need to know about visiting Neuschwanstein castle in Germany

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Neuschwanstein castle is one of the most picturesque and beautiful castles in the world. It is located near Munich in Germany and close enough to a charming Freiburg (3-4 hours drive away).

Visiting this castle has been on my travel dream list for a long time. The first time I heard of it (oh man! how do you pronounce it again?!)  and saw a photo, I knew that one day I had to go there. That day came a while ago during cold autumn days. Being in the Netherlands that day, we packed ourselves in the car and equipped with good moods, plenty of not-so-healthy road-trip snacks and full of excitement, drove towards Bavaria to see if the castle was as beautiful as storytellers declare.

Do you know this feeling of a slight disappointment when you travel to see something that is supposed to be cool, amazing, beautiful, spectacular and when you finally get there you see a few stones or something that you can barely call ” worth the hassle “? Well, I must disappoint you here, that feeling won’t be present.  If you wonder what’s the all fuss about, I’ll tell you! It will make you speechless.

The castle itself is amazing, but also the surroundings make it even more spectacular. No wonder Walt Disney was inspired by it and if you were an admirer of Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, you’ll be able to see striking similarities between Neuschwanstein and the castles of the princesses.

Maybe you are thinking I am being over-enthusiastic about this place, but I really liked it! I am already thinking of going there again someday. I’ve heard that it’s as beautiful in winter as in summer.

    Favourite travel resources:

• Booking.com for searching best prices on accommodation.
• Discover Cars is a great website as they search both local and international car hire services, so you can choose the best deal for yourself. Make sure though, that the company has a good reputation and reviews.
• Get Your Guide is my place to go for searching and booking tours and excursions, especially when I travel solo.
• World Nomads travel insurance. I like them because they have quite extensive coverage of different activities.
• Jack’s Flight Club is a service that can save you hundreds of dollars on flights, it works especially well in Europe.
• Trivago where you can search and save on hotels.
• Go City is a perfect site for booking bucket list experiences and attractions all in one to avoid paying for multiple tickets. Easy and saves money.
• Skyscanner is a perfect website for searching flight routes and comparing prices.

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How to get to Neuschwanstein castle

By car

Depending on the type of your trip, you might want to rent a car for the easy way to explore the area. Bavaria has so many stunning places to see and you might even want to cross to Switzerland or even closer- Austria.

The roads in Germany are excellent, so driving is easy.

I recommend using Discover Cars for car rental as they compare local and international companies, so you can choose the best option for you. 

How to get to the castle without the car

There are numerous tour options (groups and private) leaving from Munich to Neuschwanstein and other castles. Just imagine this magical day full of fairy tale castles!

For searching and booking tours I usually choose Get Your Guide (the most booking-friendly) and Viator.

What to know before going to Neuschwanstein castle

If you decide to go there, I’d like to give you some advice. Reserve plenty of time for that as it is quite a walk to get to the castle and cars are not allowed. Well, maybe the walk is not that long, but I am sure you will be stopping often to admire the scenery.

To visit the castle inside you will need a guided tour. You can take the horsecart ride, but at times there is a huge line. Because the castles are visited by millions of tourists every year, I think it is better to book the tickets online earlier and consider skip the line option (I usually choose this for popular places and this castle is one of them).

Also, it is worth getting entrances for both castles for less money. Hohenschwangau seems not to be that popular, but it’s as impressive as Neuschwanstein.

BOOK YOUR NEUSCHWANSTEIN TICKET HERE

When you walk the path leading to Neuschwanstein, you can see the other castle- Hohenschwangau, which was used by King Ludwig II’s parents. I must say here that the landscape together with the castle wowed me even more than Neuschwanstein. Just look at the scenery! Doesn’t it make you feel like you are being in some fairy tale?  I especially love those hills covered with trees and the Alps in the background.

See also:

19 most beautiful castles in Europe you must visit

13 best countries for first female solo travel

A guide to Gdansk for first-time travellers.

I have a confession to make: 5 reasons why Sicily disappointed me.

What else to see in the area

After visiting the castle we started searching for a coffee place (what a surprise!) in the nearby Füssen. The weather wasn’t very welcoming, but the colours of this little town brightened up our mission.

Curiosities about Neuschwanstein castle

• The castle was built in the 19th century by a reclusive king Ludvig II of Bavaria with an intention of this being a refuge place. He build it with his own money and after his death the castle got opened to the public. Ludvig only slept in the castle 11 nights before his death. The story of the king and his life is quite ineresting and worth a read.
• A meteorite that fell in 2002 near the town of Hohenshwangau was named “Neuschwanstein” after the castle.
• The name “Neuschwanstein” literally means “New Swan Stone”. Primarily the castle was called “New Hohenschwangau Castle” but was changed to Neuschwanstein after the king’s death.

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