Neuschwanstein Castle

A short hour’s drive from Munich sits the world renowned 19th century Bavarian castle that inspired the image of Walt Disney’s Cinderella’s castle.

Neuschwanstein Castle was commissioned by Ludwig II, King of Bavaria in 1869 and was meant to serve as his escape. Similar to many of the castles built in the 19th century, this one is more reminiscent of the Middle Ages than the late 1860s.  The king had many passions which come to life in the castle including his love of swans and Richard Wagner’s works.

It is recommended to buy tickets for the 30 minute castle tours in advance as they tend to sell out especially during peak seasons. This afternoon, after picking up our pre-ordered tickets we walked 20 minutes up the steep mile long path winding through the woods. If walking isn’t your speed they also have horse drawn carriages which can bring people up to the castle gate for a small price. Today that wasn’t an option for us as the carriage wait was over an hour! The panoramic views helped distract us from the steep incline and sweat dripping down our backs. Once arriving at the top we had a few minutes to spare before our 3:25pm tour began.

The 30 minute tour took us through a dozen different rooms designed by King Ludwig II ranging from his extravagant bedroom which included wood carvings so intricate that they took over 4 years to complete! Unfortunately no pictures were allowed on the tour, even without flash.

The views from the castle were incredible, especially over the lake.

 

If you’re visiting Munich or the nearby area, this should definitely be on your list of sites to see. The entire visit only takes an hour so it doesn’t have to be an all day affair but allows for beautiful views and a glimpse into Ludwig II’s crazy mind.

Now we’re off to enjoy an evening tour of Munich’s famous beer halls!

Your turn: We were joking that there seem to be many ads these days for abandoned castles and chalets. If you could have a castle in any country which one would you choose?