There’s something about a castle that I’ve always admired. Maybe it’s the history, the story behind the castle. Or maybe it’s just the hope many little girls have of being a princess. No, I’m still not bitter, Prince Harry.

Neuschwanstein Castle has been on my list for a few years now, mostly because it serves as the inspiration for the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland in Los Angeles. (The castle at EuroDisney is slighty different.) But once you hear some more history about the castle, it makes it even more fascinating.

Mad King Ludwig

Back in the 19^thcentury, Bavaria had a king named King Ludwig II. He was always being prepped to take over the throne, so he had a very sheltered and lonely life. Partially due to this, although I think there are many things in his life that made him the way he was, he decided to build fantastical castles all over Bavaria. Some people even called him “The Fairy Tale King”.

There were four castles planned out. Three were under construction and one was planned and prepped, but construction hadn’t started. Then, in 1886, Ludwig II mysteriously died. The cause of death was listed as drowning by suicide, but it happened on a walk he took with his psychiatrist who also died. Very suspicious.

After his death, construction on the castles stopped. The fourth castle was never built. Six weeks after his death, his castles were opened to the public to see. Nowadays, it’s one of the most visited destinations in Europe (an estimated 6 MILLION visitors a year), and it truly is fascinating.

Ludwig was besties with Richard Wagner. Neuschwanstein is a big tribute to Wagner and many of his operas are painted out on the wall. One room is made up of scenes from Tristan und Isolde (or Tristan and Isolde), which was an opera composed by Wagner. There is also a rather grand room that has scenes from Parsifal. Ludwig was fascinated by the legends of King Arthur and found himself relating very much to the characters.

Seeing the Castle

To visit the castle, you must have a pass for a tour. There are no free visits allowed; you MUST go on a guided tour. I reserved my tickets three weeks in advanced, although you can do it up to two or three days before. If you don’t reserve a ticket, you’ll be waiting in a VERY long line. I got there at about 12:45 PM and there weren’t any more entrance tickets available until 6 PM. Also, tickets must be picked up 90 minutes in advanced. It’s best not to reserve a ticket until after 2 PM so you have enough time to get there and be relaxed.

Tours happen every five minutes and they won’t let you enter until your entrance time. It’s a strictly regimented 5 minute gap between tours. No photography is allowed, and backpacks must be worn on the front. The tour only lasts about 30 minutes, if that. If you don’t have a ticket, you can still visit the outside and admire the scenery around the castle. It really is amazing. Since it was late March, there was still a lot of snow on the mountains.

My favorite room was what was supposed to be the throne room. The throne was never built and placed in the room, but there were plans made for one. The room was built in the Byzantine style. Ludwig was a very religious man himself, and this was an ode to Christianity. On the walls are six sanctified kings: Kasimir of Poland, Stephen of Hungary, Henry II of Germany, Louis IX of France, Ferdinand of Spain, and Edward the Confessor of England. The chandelier in the center of the room is also in the shape of a Byzantine crown.

How do I get there?

Neuschwanstein is in Bavaria, but it is close to the border with Austria, near Innsbruck. From Munich, trains leave from the main train station: Munich Hauptbahnof. First, buy a Bayern ticket. It allows travel all over Bavaria on trains, buses, and metros for the day. For one person, it costs €25; two people €31, etc. It maxes out at €49 for five people. That’s a great deal.

I had read from other sites that the train leaves at 9:55. I looked at the schedule on the board and was freaking out because I couldn’t find it. The destination is Füssen, so be sure to look in the destination column! My train was packed, so get there early enough to grab a seat.

The train takes about two hours. The scenery throughout the train ride is absolutely gorgeous. There are high mountains with lots of snow and pretty villages. Once you get to Füssen, head straight to the buses. Bus 78 will take you straight to the ticket office. The Bavaria ticket covers the bus trip.

Going Up?

Once you get to the ticket office, you’ll need to get in the line for reservations, or if not, waiting in the very long line. I’d advise bringing your own lunch and drinks because I paid almost as much for a snack as I did to get into the castle!

After you’ve received your tickets, there are three ways up to the castle: walking, bus, or horse carriage. Walking takes about 30 minutes. I was in a hurry, so I walked really fast and got up there in 20 minutes. There are buses (not covered by the Bavaria card; €3 round trip) that take you near the top, and then you just have to walk about 5-10 minutes around to the castle. Another option is horse carriage, which looks super fun!

There’s also a bridge that allows for the best shot of the castle. I’m not exaggerating when I say I waited for a half an hour just for a minute or two on the bridge. The line was even longer when I left. I was so tired after that I took the bus back down for €1.50.

Going Home

You go back just the way you came. You take the bus back down to the train station and take the train back to Munich. I was lucky and barely made it on the train back. Trains leave every half hour or so, so you’ll never have to wait too long!

Neuschwanstein is definitely a fairy tale. Most of the castle is inaccessible to tourists because it was never fully completed. If time allows, check out the Hohenschwangau Castle near the ticket center. Ludwig II lived there when he was a child. Take in the sights and enjoy being a prince(ss) for a day.