Neuschwanstein Review

Overall 4.33 of 5 view all 3 reviews

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kellyrome3
Cicero, NY

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Fairy Tale Castle in Bavaria

love to travel

Pros

hiking, Hohenschwangau tour is excellent, beautiful castle, fabulous setting

Cons

crowded, Neuschwanstein tour is lame, super touristy

FEB

2008

I have been to Neuschwanstein two times now, and it really is a beautiful castle. You really feel like you are seeing something out of a fairy tale!

The castle is in Bavaria and about 2 hours south of Munich. It is actually very close to the border of Austria. The castle was built by crazy King Ludwig, and he really had a grand vision. Unfortunately, the king went broke and died, and the castle was never finished.

If you decide to visit Neuschwanstein, I would recommend making a reservation (it can be done online). The crowds can get crazy, and if you don't make a reservation, you need to get there VERY early to get in. There are actually two castles there: Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein. I recommend doing both. Hohenschwangau will be first, and the tour is excellent. It gives a great history of the royal family and how they lived.

They always schedule a break between tours so you can shop in the ultra touristy shops (I skipped that and just walked around the hiking trails). Eventually, you have to go up to get to the Neuschwanstein castle (it is on top of a hill). Walk up if you are able because it is pretty. If not, you can take a horse drawn carriage or a bus.

The Neuschwanstein castle is impressive from the outside, but the tour of the inside is not as impressive. The parts that are decorated are very grand, but it is unfinished. Be prepared to be hearded like cattle through the tour. Make sure you get in front because it is impossible to hear with the huge group sizes if you are in the back. It is interesting to see, but you won't be impressed by the tour itself.

After your tour, walk up to Marienbrucke, a bridge over a waterfall (also has nice castle views). If you are a hiker, bring your equipment because there are some challenging hikes with rewarding views of the castles, lakes, and the nearby Alps.

If you are into the Ludwig castles, Linderhof and Chiemsee are two other choices that are worthwhile!