On our travels, we always experience great moments and discover unique places. And we had such a moment again during our tour through Germany. For the first time, we were able to see the beautiful Neuschwanstein Castle in Hohenschwangau. We only knew this castle from the internet or from some pretty pictures. So, our joy was all the greater that we could finally see this impressive building in person and in color.
- Bolle’s First Time in the Alps
- The fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle
- View from the Marienbrücke
- Germany has beautiful corners
- Off to the Tegelberg
Bolle’s First Time in the Alps
We set off by car to Füssen. I (Bolle) had never traveled further south in Germany than I did at this time. However, I experienced a few more “firsts” that day. It was the first time in my life that I was in the Alps and the first time I was at Neuschwanstein Castle. So, this day could only be a good one.
We turned right and drove along the road. The Alpine mountain range was already visible next to us, and on the other side of the road, a small church in the middle of this idyllic landscape. Everything was ablaze with lush greenery. The weather was also on our side that day: a blue, cloudless sky, sunshine, and almost no wind – perfect conditions, right?
“Stop! Stop!” I grabbed my camera and ran across the street. Among all the trees at the foot of the mountains, I spotted the dreamy castle. Here, perched on the jagged rocks, it lingers in a picturesque mountain setting. We were definitely not far away anymore!
It was an incredibly beautiful sight – everything seemed so peaceful and loving. I wondered what it was like there back then? Who lived there, and above all, how? Questions upon questions ran through my head as I clicked the shutter. To be honest, I hadn’t really delved into the history of this castle beforehand. But I wanted to catch up on that and much more today.
I walked back to the car and we continued on. The navigation system showed us a large parking lot, which we headed straight for. We had to pay €6 for parking. Afterwards, we walked to the ticket center to get some information. At first, we knew absolutely nothing about this stunningly beautiful region.
The Fairytale Castle of Neuschwanstein
Here we not only learned how to get to the castle but also received some background information about Neuschwanstein Castle. King Ludwig II had this magnificent building built in 1869, entirely in the style of old German knights’ castles. He wanted to retreat from public life here, as he was a rather shy person.
The castle was only opened to the public seven weeks after his death in 1886. Today, Neuschwanstein Castle is an absolute crowd-puller and one of the most famous tourist attractions in all of Germany (almost 1.5 million tourists visit annually). Sad that it took me 28 years to visit this highlight, isn’t it?
There are several routes to the castle from the parking lot and visitor center. We naturally opted for the footpath, as the walk up promised magnificent views. If you don’t feel like walking, you can also take a horse-drawn carriage to the castle (€6 uphill, €3 downhill). Shuttle buses run year-round to the Jugend viewing point, from where it’s about a 500-meter walk to the castle entrance (upward journey: €1.80 / downward journey: €1).
From the ticket center, we hiked almost 40 minutes to the castle, with some fairly steep inclines. The walk seemed a bit long, but we were in the mood. The hike, and above all, the desire to enjoy nature. We slowly approached the castle; from a distance, we could already see some of the numerous towers, gables, balconies, battlements, and sculptures.
View from the Marienbrücke
Since we still had a long hike ahead of us, we walked right past the castle and continued toward the viewpoint. When you’re standing directly in front of such a mighty structure, it’s hard to take it all in. So, we needed a nice viewpoint. About 15 minutes from the castle is the Marienbrücke. This bridge runs over the impressive Pöllatschlucht Gorge and was named after Queen Marie.
We weren’t quite there yet when more and more people were already coming towards us. So we must have been on the right path. There were already several crowds milling around the castle, but luckily we skipped the castle tour (by the way: €13 entrance fee per person).
We approached the bridge and slowly we both became nervous. We generally don’t have a problem with heights or deep ravines. However, the sight of so many people made us feel uneasy. The fact that there was a sign indicating the bridge’s load limit didn’t interest anyone there.
But of course, we also wanted to catch a glimpse, so we walked very slowly and carefully across the bridge. Below us was a deep ravine, surrounded by mountains, rocks, and forest. Breathtakingly beautiful! I held on to the railing, feeling quite unsteady on my feet.
But just a few steps further, and I saw the mighty castle! I’ll probably never forget this moment! For someone else, it might just be an insignificant castle, but for me, it is a beautiful, unique castle. What I had only known from pictures for years suddenly appeared right before my eyes.
Germany has beautiful corners
We couldn’t stand it on the bridge for long and crossed over to the other side. Here we discovered a hiking trail. “Do you want to walk a little further?” Of course we did! And so we both continued on our own. It feels like 95% of visitors only go as far as the Marienbrücke, take a photo, and then head back. Good for us! We only encountered a handful of other people on our way, many of whom were probably just returning from the Tegelberg (a 4-hour hike).
Luckily, we decided to take this short detour. One amazing view followed another. We didn’t know where to look first. We hadn’t experienced so much nature in a long time. “Germany really has incredibly beautiful places!” And that’s exactly how it is. Our homeland has a lot to offer; you just have to take a look.
At times, we felt like we were in Thailand or Vietnam. The Alpsee, with its lush green hills, looked somehow tropical. The water shimmered in stunning shades of blue, and the mighty mountain range in the background enchanted this already magical view. From a distance, we also spotted Hohenschwangau Castle, located on a hill behind the ticket center and the parking lot.
We continued a little further and by chance discovered a deserted, idyllic viewpoint. From here, we had Neuschwanstein Castle all to ourselves. Not a soul in sight—just Marco and me.
We took an enormous amount of time for this one moment, sat down, and drank a sip of water. Then I pulled some cookies and bananas out of our backpack, and voilà—we had the most wonderful and coolest picnic of our lives!
Off to Tegelberg
After what felt like an eternity, we moved on. We wanted more! And so, completely spontaneously, we decided to hike to Tegelberg. The hike took four hours, during which we gained almost 900 meters in altitude. We can hardly put into words what we experienced there. It was probably one of the most beautiful hikes we’ve ever done. We don’t want to reveal any more at this point; the article will follow soon…
Important information about Neuschwanstein Castle
- Tour of Neuschwanstein: €13 adults, children under 18 free
- Tour of Hohenschwangau: €13 adults, children under 18 free
- Central parking lot: €6 per day for cars (from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.)
- Ticket center: Winter 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. / Summer 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- More information: Homepage of Hohenschwangau
- Accommodation: Hotel Fantasia*, Bavaria City Hostel*, Maurushaus*