Making a day trip to Neu Schwanstein castle has been on my travel bucket list for as long as I can remember.
This is one of the most visited castles in the World with a footfall of over 6000 visitors on some days! And rightly so.....
Neu Schwanstein is the inspiration behind the famous Castle in Disney's Sleeping Beauty. And now the same castle serves as the emblem of Disneyland amusement parks across the world.
The imposing castle with its towers and turrets reaching far into the sky, perched on a hill in the foothills of the Alps, high above the village of Hohenschwangau, evokes romanticism like no other piece of architecture ever can!
But this romanticism is laced with sadness and irony in the life of its creator, King Ludwig II of Bavaria, also known as Mad King Ludwig.
Was he really a victim of circumstances or just another spoilt royal who couldn't get enough of what he already had?
Let's find out....
About King Ludwig II
Ludwig II, the eldest son of King Maximilian II and Queen Marie of Prussia was brought up as a staunch Roman Catholic.
He believed in the ideology of a holy kingdom, that royals were ordained by God and they were born to rule.
In, 1864, he was crowned the king of Bavaria at the tender age of 18.
Barely two years into his reign, Bavaria lost miserably in the German War in 1866.
He had to relinquish the Kingdom of Bavaria to Prussia. The young king could not accept that he was no longer the sovereign but just a titular head with no ruling powers.
He withdrew himself into a world of fantasy, surrounding himself with opulent palaces, expensive works of art and elaborate horse-driven carriages in which he would venture into the mountains in traditional costumes so that he could live like a king in his make-believe utopian kingdom.
His inability to realize his duties as a king forced the government to declare him insane in 1886. The moniker Mad King got stuck with his name forever. He was sent to a manor house in Bavaria where he was found dead in mysterious circumstances the very next day.
The irony is that Ludwig II died at the young age of 41 years, after having lived in his dream castle for 172 days only!
Getting to Hohenschwangau from Munich
The castle is situated high up on a hill and the quaint village of Hohenschwangau is the starting point of the hike to the castle.
If you're travelling by train
- Take a 2-hour train journey from Munich Hauptbahnhof (Munich Main train station) directly to the town of Fuessen.
- There are connecting buses easily available every 30 minutes from Fuessen that will take you directly to Hohenschwangau.
If you're travelling by road
- Munich is known for serving as a top destination for day trips to Neu Schwanstein.
- The bus plies through the scenic countryside and takes you directly to the village of Hohenschwangau within 2 hours.
- Self-driven cars also need to follow the same route and can park their vehicles in Hohenschwangau for the hike ahead.
Once you reach Hohenschwangau
- The scenic village has a beautiful lake called Alpsee and the Castle Hohenschwangau. This was home to its famous resident King Ludwig II where he spent his childhood.
- Some day trips offer combo tickets for visiting both castles. The hike up to Neu Schwanstein involves quite a bit of walking. Take the combo ticket only if you're up to walking again around the Hohenschangau Castle.
- There is a shuttle bus ride from Hohenschwangau to Mary's Bridge. Even if you are part of a conducted tour, you will still need to buy tickets for the shuttle, one-way or return. From there, a walk of 15 minutes will take you to the entrance to the castle. I will recommend buying tickets only one-way uphill.
- It takes about 40 minutes to walk up the paved road to the castle if you decide to walk on foot. And remember, the walk is quite steep.
- Horse-drawn carriages are also available to go uphill to complete the fairytale experience. But honestly, they didn't look very inviting. And remember, you will still have to walk those last 10 to 15 minutes up to the castle.
A few things to remember for your trip to Neu Schwanstein Castle
1. Reach early
Owing to the massive surge of visitors throughout the day, entry to the castle is allowed only for conducted tours.
Each tour group has an allocated time, please ensure that you reach the premises on time allocated to you.
Late arrival means no entry. Period.
2. Must have pre-booked tickets
If you are travelling on your own, then remember to pre-book your tickets for the tour of the castle beforehand. Although there is a ticket counter in the village of Hohenschwangau, looking at the crowds, I seriously doubt that you could get same-day tickets.
If you're part of a conducted tour, then your tour manager will ensure that your group enters together and does the tour of the castle together.
My Tip -
Most conducted tours do not include entry to the castle in the package. Please check the details of your tour before making bookings. However, you can pay them and they buy tickets for you.
3. Photography is strictly prohibited inside the castle
Sad but true!
I wish I could capture the stunning interiors of the castle with my camera.
4. Each time of the year will give you a different feel of the castle
Summer is the preferred time to visit. The Alps are welcoming with their sun-kissed rolling hills and lusty waterfalls. You can have a very clear view of the castle on a clear day. But the crowds are a bane.
In winter the castle will look surreal, straight out of some fantasyland. I have not experienced it myself but can surely visualise it. Mary's Bridge would be closed.
Autumn, I think, could be the winner. The crowds would have dissipated and the autumn hues would add colour to the white facade of the castle.
5. Stop at Mary's Bridge Viewpoint
Your first point of halt in the hike to the castle is the Marienbruecke or the Mary's Bridge Viewpoint.
This is the point where the shuttle bus or the horse carriage will drop you. It's a steep climb of 15 minutes to the castle from here.
This picture was taken from the bridge...
My Tip -
The bridge is super crowded at all times. Getting a picture with the castle in the backdrop without heads popping everywhere is tough!
The annoying part is that visitors get stuck at the entrance to the bridge and start clicking pictures.
My advice to you would be to walk across the bridge to the other end. Believe me, the castle will still be there when you reach the other end!
The bridge is suspended across a gorge. if you're scared of heights, then avoid it.
Some trails lead to higher vantage points.
We did not go on the trail though, the hike to the castle looked steep enough without adding more hikes to it!
About the castle - 10 quick points
King Ludwig was a patron of the famous German composer Richard Wagner. The name Neu Schwanstein literally translating into New Swan Stone Castle is inspired from Wagner's opera The Swan Knight.
The swan is the central motif on many of the castle's artefacts.
The facade of the castle is made of limestone which needs regular upkeep because of the damage caused by harsh Bavarian weather. Even the cliffs around the castle need to be periodically secured to keep parts of the structure from sliding down the cliffs.
The castle tour lasts 40 minutes, it will take you through the exquisite rooms, there are 200 in all and 14 are open to visitors.
The highlight of the tour is the Throne Room, a stunning church-like hall with a 4-meter-high golden chandelier with unmistakable Byzantine influence. This integration of a church with a throne room reflects Ludwig's interpretation of kingship, that the king was a mediator between God and his subjects. Sadly, the throne room has no throne since Ludwig died before a throne could be placed here.
Other interesting parts of the castle are the cave-like grotto and Singer's Hall.
The castle is very well equipped for its times. There is a running hot and cold water supply, an electric bell system installed in the king's bedroom for him to summon his servants at will, a central heating system, a Western-style toilet and an efficient ventilation system. The unusual piece in his bedroom is a washstand with a water fountain made in the form of a swan.
The King's bedroom and dressing room have ornate interiors. There are rich tapestries made of silk with gold embroidery. The king was an avid reader, so his study chair occupied a place of prominence in his bedroom.
Don't miss the famous castle balcony, it offers scenic views of the Alpsee.
At the end of the tour, don't miss a short movie about the original layout of the palace that King Ludwig II wanted to build. The layout included grand porticos and courtyards overlooking the Alpine scenery that never got made.
This blog would be incomplete without mentioning our tour operator, Radius Tours, Munich, which we had booked through Viator.
Our tour guides Stevo and Charlie gave a heart-rending narration of our boy Ludwig II with just the right amount of chutzpah. They also kept us hooked to the narrative and in splits with their tongue-in-cheek humour.
By the time we arrived in Hohenschwangau, we felt as if we knew King Ludwig and all his eccentricities. This certainly added to the allure of the castle.
Before our visit to Neu Schwanstein, I had read some mixed reviews about the castle tour. A lot of visitors feel that the castle is over-hyped. I wouldn't say so.
I found the castle magnificent and absolutely worth a visit.
There is history, intrigue and romanticism with loads of stunning natural scenery all around.
I would be thrilled to hear from you should you go visit this fantasy castle!
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