Neuschwanstein Sleeping Beauty Castle in Germany
First the Wikipedia explanation:
Neuschwanstein Castle is a nineteenth-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangaunear Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as an homage to Richard Wagner. Ludwig paid for the palace out of his personal fortune and by means of extensive borrowing, rather than Bavarian public funds.
The palace was intended as a personal refuge for the reclusive king, but it was opened to the paying public immediately after his death in 1886. Since then more than 61 million people have visited Neuschwanstein Castle. More than 1.3 million people visit annually, with as many as 6,000 per day in the summer. The palace has appeared prominently in several movies and was the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle and later, similar structures.
Of course it was much more than just any old castle, It is a breathtaking statue situated top a mountainside on the border of Germany and Austria (actually had to drive through Austria to get there) and makes for an impressive day trip. We hopped in a car with friends and drove the 3 hour drive south to see the castles (there is also another castle within walking distance called Hohenschwangau).
TIPS for a castle trip:
- Buy your tickets at least 24 hours in advance and reserve a time! We arrived around 12pm and had to wait for the tour leaving at 2, so if you hate waiting as much as I do, that is a great option!
- Wear sneakers! There is ALOT of walking and climbing and hiking, so make sure you are prepared! (Maybe extra deodorant too!)
- Bring a camera. I know I really don’t have to say this but I will anyways. The castles are so majestic, you will want prints of your own, although the posters and postcards were very cheap! (You cannot take photos inside the castle which sucks but a tour guide said it perfectly “What are you going to do with those photos anyways? They will just sit on your computer or phone and take up space”. Little does she know I am a crazy scrapbooker.)
- Bring snacks and lots of water. Because of all of the walking and hiking you will need it, and if you are tight on funds, buying 3€ water bottles won’t help.
- If you are not tight on money, take the horse drawn carriage to the castle. It will save you time, leg pains, and blisters.
- If you can, make a weekend out of it. There is so much more to see in the surrounding areas that we didn’t get a chance to see because the sun was going down. Check out Hell’s Valley, Hike the tallest mountain in Germany, grab something to eat in Austria, and be a tourist!
More than anything, have fun and enjoy every second!
Me!