Neuschwanstein Castle | Starting from Munich, step into a fairytale castle hidden in the mountains.
New Swan Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle is quite a distance from Munich, so we booked a day tour through KKday and took a sightseeing bus directly there. The advantage of a tour is that transportation is much easier; you don't have to worry about transfers and you can stop at other attractions along the way. What impressed me most about this trip wasn't just the castle itself, but its surroundings. Neuschwanstein Castle truly feels like it's hidden in the mountains, surrounded by trees, hills, and distant lake views, creating a very quiet and secluded atmosphere.
New Swan Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle is a classic attraction that many people visit when they go to Munich, but it is not actually located in the city center. Instead, it is in southern Bavaria near the Alps, so the travel time is not short. For those who do not want to spend too much time figuring out the transportation, it is easier to book a day tour. This time, we booked a day tour of Neuschwanstein Castle through KKday and took a tour bus directly.
Our day tour didn't go directly to Neuschwanstein Castle. Instead, we stopped at attractions like Upper Amherst along the way. Upper Amherst is a very distinctive town in Bavaria. If you're on a tour to Neuschwanstein Castle, these stops are like appetizers for the whole trip, slowly leading you from the city into the atmosphere of the mountains and fairytale castle.
New Swan Castle and Old Swan Castle: One is a dream, the other is a childhood memory.
Besides the most famous Neuschwanstein Castle, there is also a yellow-roofed Old Swan Castle nearby. Old Swan Castle was a place where King Ludwig II of Bavaria spent his childhood and is deeply related to his upbringing. In contrast, Neuschwanstein Castle seems to be a projection of Ludwig II's medieval, chivalric, and romantic imagination as he grew up. Neuschwanstein Castle itself is not actually an old medieval castle, but a dream castle that began to be built in the late 19th century. Its appearance is very similar to the castles in fairy tales, and it is therefore often said to be one of the sources of inspiration for Disney castles.
Photography is not allowed inside Neuschwanstein Castle, so if you want to see the interior, you have to go in and visit it yourself. What makes Neuschwanstein Castle so special is that it's not like a typical city palace; it's surrounded by mountains and forests, giving you a feeling of being far removed from the real world. Neuschwanstein Castle is beautiful, but the surrounding scenery is also a big plus. From the viewing point, you can see vast forests, cliffs, lakes, and distant plains, creating a very expansive view.
From the parking lot to Neuschwanstein Castle, bus or horse-drawn carriage?
From the tour bus stop to Neuschwanstein Castle, you need to walk a bit further up. You can usually choose to walk, take a bus, or take a horse-drawn carriage. The horse-drawn carriage sounds like something out of a fairy tale and fits the castle theme perfectly, but there are actually fewer carriages available, so the queue can be quite long. Also, the smell around the carriages can be quite strong, which might be uncomfortable if you're sensitive to odors. Personally, I recommend taking the bus; it's faster and more efficient, and less likely to delay your journey.