Neuschwanstein Castle is the original fairytale castle perched in a beautiful, lush setting, with an intriguing tale about its King and stunning architecture. This castle was the inspiration for Disney’s sleeping beauty castle. It is easy to understand why this is one of the most visited castles in Europe. The castle was designed for King Ludwig II of Bavaria in the 19th century, a mysterious king who lived in a bit of a fantasy world and met a tragic end. Nearby is Hohenschwangau Castle where Ludwig spent his childhood, making it a 2 for 1 attraction because you can easily combine both into a single trip.
A mysterious fairytale king
King Ludwig II has been called the “Fairytale King.” He was a big fan of Richard Wagner the music composer whose operas were filled with medieval heroes, knights, and mystical tales. Ludwig set out to build his own fantasy world. He decided to build Neuschwanstein Castle as his private sanctuary and as homage to the Wagner stories he loved so much. Construction started around 1869 and Ludwig was intimately involved in the details and spared no expense. He had the castle equipped with modern technology like running water, central heating, and a telephone system. It was a massive project. So big that when he died in 1886, it was still unfinished although he had had a chance to stay in the completed rooms. Learn more about his life and timeline. I also enjoyed this article from the Atlantic commemorating the 125th anniversary of Ludwig’s death.
A castle built for a fantasy world
Ludwig was said to have a vivid imagination, prefer solitude, and desire sovereignty already as a child. He told his governess that he wanted to remain an eternal mystery to himself and others, and he has certainly done this. A bit of an eccentric character, he hosted private performances of operas and plays beginning in 1872. He is said to have traveled at night in highly elaborate coaches and sleighs, sometimes in historic costume. And beginning in 1875, Ludwig slept during the day, and lived at night, further isolating himself from his duties and the public. He commissioned other palaces (Linderhof Palace and Herrenchiemsee Palace) and from 1885, foreign banks threatened to seize his properties. Although, I have read that he paid for the properties with his own money. The government declared him insane in 1886, and he died shortly thereafter on June 13 under mysterious circumstances in Lake Starnberg. He was found floating face down, at the age of 40 years old. A cross marks the spot at Lake Starnberg where he was believed to have been found. While his death was officially ruled a suicide, theories abound that he was assassinated. After his death, his “private sanctuary” was opened to the public just 7 weeks later. In addition to be calling the “fairytale King,” he has also been called “the mad King” and the “swan King.”
Neuschwanstein Castle
Hohenschwangau Castle
View of his childhood home
The first time I visited Fussen with its two castles, I was a child. For some reason I found it particularly interesting that Ludwig built his castle across from his childhood home, also a castle. He didn’t move far from his parents’ house. But he sure did try to out-do them. As a kid who was fascinated by castles, I left this particular castle fascinated by its story, and the story of King Ludwig II. I recall being a bit disappointed that the interior was never completed.
Hohenschwangau Castle, Ludwig’s parents place, was also a rather new pad back then. His father Maximillian II of Bavaria discovered ruins of a 12th century fortress and rebuilt it into the castle Ludwig grew up in, so it wasn’t all that old. Both castles have “schwan” in the name, which means “swan.” Swans were the historical symbol of the Schwangau knights who once ruled the area. Hohenschwangau was built to be a romantic getaway decorated with murals depicting German legends and history. The family entertained and lived the good life here on holiday. As Ludwig’s childhood summer home, it was a good place for the young lad to dream.
Experiencing it for ourselves
We recently visited the castle as part of a road-trip down the Romantic Road, beginning in Wurzburg, with stops in Rothenburg, Harburg, and Wieskirche. This was our last stop in Germany before crossing into Austria. I had been here a couple of times before, but this visit was my kids’ first. So there was a lot of excitement to see the “real Disney castle.” We could already see it in the distance as we drove here.
Parking was easy to find, as they are well prepared for many tourists. I think we paid approx. 10 EUR to park. We then walked toward the ticket office, past restaurants and shops. We had purchased the Bavarian Castle Pass, which included the visit to Neuschwanstein Castle. In fact, we purchased the pass specifically because we knew we would be visiting this one (it is one of the most expensive castles the pass includes). We showed the employee at the ticket office, and he told us the castle was sold out for the day. He said we had needed to purchase tickets online to reserve a spot. I looked online, and that day, and most of the foreseeable days, were all sold out. So I had to tuck my tail, and find a way to make the most of the visit despite the fact that we would not be able to go inside on the 30 minute tour (even though we paid for tickets). I had been looking forward to showing the kids King Ludwig II’s bed, which was intricately carved and from memory only, I had thought it took 14 years, or was it 14 people, to carve it. Oh well, I am sure we will go back there again one day, and find out.
Anyways, accepting defeat, we headed up to the castle to see it up close. It is truly beautiful, and it is really the exterior in my opinion, that makes it such a sight. The weather was great for photos and we spent time walking around it to get the best views. While we didn’t end up getting the full experience on this trip, I learned an important lesson about the Bavarian Castle Pass, and we still enjoyed our visit. There are a lot of sights in the region that I want to visit, so we will just have to include this castle again, in that future trip. In the meantime, I will check out the official Video and Picture Gallery online.
We took advantage of the various viewpoints. Plan to spend some time exploring the trails around the castle to find the best views.
Transportation to and from the castle
The ride to and from the castle was unusually exciting. We took the bus up, and all but two of us took a horse-drawn carriage down. Now you wouldn’t think a bus ride could be exhilarating. And I can’t promise that it is every time. But, when we rode, the bus was packed out and we were some of the last people allowed on. This means we stood at the very spacious front of the bus, smack up against the front windows, offering panoramic views. And our bus driver enjoyed the ride up. He climbed right up that mountain, swinging around those corners, like it was no one else’s business. It was the best carnival ride I have been on in a long time. I just hung on tightly, looked at my kids, and laughed the whole way up. I have no idea whether that was the norm, but considering how talented one had to be to drive up a little windy road like that in a big ol’ bus, I would expect he has had lots of practice. So hopefully you get the full experience for your minimal bus fare too. Unless you don’t want it (be sure to grab a seat then, and it’s probably less exciting in the back).
On the way back down, some of our girls were begging to ride the carriage. My son and I volunteered to walk down, since we couldn’t all fit. We beat the carriage by a long shot. I am not sure what took them so long, or if it was normal. Clearly, it goes a lot slower than the bus. The walk up or down takes an estimated 35-40 minutes from the village/parking, although there might be some shortcuts. This map is a helpful resource. And if you decide to walk only one of the directions, clearly downhill is going to be much easier for most!
Touring the castle interior
To tour the interior of Neuschwanstein (and Hohenschwangau), you need to purchase tickets in advance for a fixed admission time. The interiors can only be visited as part of a guided tour, offered in English and German (other languages by audioguide). The duration of the tours are approx. 30 minutes for Neuschwanstein and approx. 45 minutes for Hohenschwangau. You can also combine your visits to the castle with the Museum of the Bavarian Kings, which does not require a fixed admission time. If visiting both castles, plan approx. 2 1/2 hours between the two castles to allow enough time for the visit and to travel between them.
I highly recommend you purchase your tickets online in advance. While there is a ticket office on-site that is easy to locate, tickets are likely to sell out. Also, it is very important to know that if you are visiting multiple castles in Bavaria and have purchased the Bavarian Castle Pass, you still need to purchase online tickets for Neuschwanstein. There is an option to select tickets that are “free” for BSV cardholders and children. You MUST purchase these tickets to reserve a spot. Otherwise, you may arrive at the ticket office or Neuschwanstein Castle with your Bavarian Castle Pass but be denied entry. When purchasing the “free” tickets, be advised that you will pay a small booking fee for each ticket (currently 2.50 EUR). Also, the Bavarian Castle Pass does not include your visit to Hohenschwangau. You can purchase all your tickets on the same website. Check current admission prices and opening hours to plan a visit.
Visiting with children
Be sure to check out the Neuschwanstein children’s page, and the Hohenschwangau children’s page, for more helpful tips and tricks, and fun activities for kids, before visiting the castles. Morning visits are highly recommended for families with children. The Hohenschwangau children’s page also lists the addresses for the four municipal parks in Schwangau, should the family simply need a break and someplace for the kids to run free.
Relax a bit, if you have the time
The Alpsee, one of the cleanest lakes in Bavaria, is a beautiful setting for a hike. There is an easy 5,2 km hiking trail that takes approx. 1 1/2 hours offering a circular trail with fantastic views of the lake and the two castles. You will come across a lakeside resort with a kiosk offering drinks and snacks (and a terrace). Here you will find inexpensive swimming and sunbathing options at the foot of the castles, to help you relax. Or if swimming is not your thing, you can rent a rowboat or pedal boat from the Alpsee boat-house for as little as 15 EUR for 30 minutes. Check out this article from Ostrich Trails for detailed information about the Alpsee Hike.
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