The King's Castles: Neuschwanstein & Hohenschwangau
Nothing is quite the exclamation point on a trip to Bavaria than a visit to the “King’s Castles”. Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, located in Füssen, Germany, were once occupied by King Ludwig II, a much-loved young Bavarian king. It is worth visiting both King Ludwig’s boyhood home, Hohenschwangau, as well as his dream castle, Neuschwanstein. In this guide we share how to have a great visit to the castles, planning information, and tips.
About Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein is one of the most recognizable castles in the world, famously noted as the inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella castle. Rising up out of the Bavarian countryside, the impressive fortress sits on a rocky outcrop among forests, lakes, and gorges, creating a scene straight out of a fairytale. That’s because King Ludwig II was just a young boy when he dreamt of this castle, one that looked to be a majestic medieval masterpiece in the land he so loved. A young Ludwig would look out of his window from nearby Hohenschwangau Castle and dream of building his perfect castle just a short distance away. Later, once construction had begun, he had a telescope set up from his bedroom where he could watch the progress of Neuschwanstain being built. His castle was finally complete in 1869.
Sadly, Ludwig only lived in the castle for 172 days. Both he and his doctor were found dead in a lake. To this day, no one knows exactly what happened. Was it murder or suicide? There are theories pointing to both, although the final answer remains a mystery.
The name, Neuschwanstein, is translated to mean “new swan stone”, due to the prevalence of swans in the area during Ludwig’s time.
The majestic Neuschwanstein Castle
About Hohenschwangau Castle
The much smaller boyhood castle home of King Ludwig, Hohenschwangau, is just a short distance away from Neuschwanstein.
Originally called Schwangau Castle, it is believed to have been built in the 12th century and fell into disrepair in the mid-1500s once the Schwangau aristocracy died out. It was purchased, repaired, and renamed Hohenschwangau, which roughly translates to “high swan land.” It wasn’t inhabited again until King Maximillian II of Bavaria discovered the ruins in the early 1800s, falling in love with both the castle and the area. He built on to the ruins creating the castle, Hohenschwangau, that we still see today.
The historical Hohenschwangau Castle
King Ludwig II, was he actually “mad”?
King Ludwig II is often referred to as “Mad King Ludwig” due to being declared mentally insane. However, was this true? He was a gentle and quiet man, a man reluctant to become king. Known to be good-looking and actually very loved by the people of Bavaria, he had more of an affinity for the arts than for public affairs. Over the years, he became a bit of a recluse, passing time with his interests of art and music rather than his public duties. Frustrated cabinet members had him declared insane so that his younger brother, Otto, could take over in the hopes that things would finally get done. This proved to be even worse as Otto actually had diagnosed mental health issues and was less capable than Ludwig had been.
Ludwig died at age 40. Both Ludwig’s body and his doctor’s body were found in a lake following a walk after dinner. There are a few theories, some insist murder and others suicide. The cause of his death still remains a great mystery to this day. Ludwig left us with one of the most famous castles in the world and Neuschwanstein continues to inspire generations with its fantastical beauty.
Visiting the Castles
TICKET INFO
Tickets can be purchased on the website to tour either Neuschwanstein or Hohenschwangau castles or both. If you choose to visit both castles, pick your first castle tour time and then your next castle time with autopopulate to give you enough time in between. My suggestion is a minimum of 2.5 hours in between.
Click here to purchase tickets: https://www.neuschwanstein.de
How to Get There and Where to Park
The King’s castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau are located in the town of Füssen in Bavaria, southern Germany. We stayed in the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, about one hour away by car. It is also possible to visit from Munich, the largest city in Bavaria, as many people visit the castles as a day trip. However, it is a long day. On a typical bus tour expect transit times of about four hours round-trip. Instead, we suggest staying in Garmisch-Partenkirchen like we did, which is not only closer for a visit to the castles but also makes a great base when visiting the many sites in Bavaria.
Parking Information
Once you arrive on Parkstrasse, you will see parking lots to the left. The parkplatz (parking lots) are marked as P1, P2, P3, and P4. Continue driving past P1, P2, and P3. You may feel tempted to park right away, but continue on to P4. P4 is on the right hand side right after a souvenir booth. Parking at P4 will save you a lot of walking as it is the closest parking lot to visiting the castles. Parking is free.
Getting to the castles
To get to Neuschwanstein you have three options:
- Shuttle bus. In 2024 we paid €3,50/person round-trip and we felt the money was well worth it! The hill to get up to Neuschwanstein is steep with many switchbacks. The shuttle bus departs from the P4 parking lot and takes you up to the pathway to Neuschwanstein. From here it is an easy 10 minute walk to the castle or a 2 minute walk to Marienbrucke. Note that the shuttle bus back down picks up from this same spot.
- Hike. You can hike the road up to the castle if you enjoy uphill hikes with switchbacks! If you opt for this, give yourself a minimum of one hour to do so before your castle tour time.
- Horse-drawn carriage. The horse-drawn carriage ride seems like a romantic way to arrive at the castle, although it will be your slowest option. The departure point for the horse-drawn carriages is Hotel Müller on Alpseestrasse. The cost as of 2024 is €12,50/person round-trip. Note that the carriage ride stops below the castle so you will still have to walk uphill approximately 10-15 minutes to reach the entrance of Neuschwanstein Castle.
To get to Hohenschwangau it is a 10-15 minute uphill walk from the P4 parking lot.
Our Experience
Neuschwanstein
We set out from our Airbnb in Garmisch-Partenkirchen about 2.5 hours before our first tour time. This gave us plenty of time to drive there, park, and get up to Neuschwanstein, our first castle tour. We parked in the P4 parking lot, easily finding a spot. We then had a short wait for the shuttle bus and soon were on our way up to Neuschwanstein Castle.
The shuttle bus stop at the P4 parking lot
The bus chugged up the hill turning around the sharp switchbacks finally dropping us off at the intersection of paths: one path to Marienbrucke and the other the path to Neuschwanstein Castle. Marienbrucke is the bridge where you get the amazing views of Neuschwantstein Castle.
The intersection of paths: leading to Marienbrucke and Neuschwanstein
PRO TIP: Do not be tempted to head right to Marienbrucke for views of the castle. As everyone files off the bus, they all head to the bridge for their first awe-inspiring views of the castle. I promise, the views will still be there after your castle tour! The bridge can get very crowded with people shoulder to shoulder, trying to get their photos. Instead, save the bridge and views of Neuschwanstein for after your castle tour. There won’t be a mass exodus of people on the bridge at the same time, rather, people will be dispersed in the area. It seems to get the most crowded right when the bus drops off.
Crowds on Marienbrucke when the bus drops off
From the bus drop off point, continue on the paved, woodsy path to Neuschwanstein. As you get closer, Neuschwanstein Castle starts peeking through the trees!
Getting closer to Neuschwanstein!
Once you arrive, if you have a bit of time before your tour, walk around taking in views from various viewpoints. They all provide different perspectives, including the surrounding area.
Walking along the path to the entrance of Neuschwanstein
The front view of Neuschwanstein from a short path just below the castle
You can also get great views of Marienbrucke from here.
Marienbrucke spans a gorge behind Neuschwanstein Castle.
If you have tickets for the tour secured you can head right to the gate and get your tickets scanned to enter. After entering, there are restrooms directly to the right if needed. Head in to the courtyard area to wait for your time time.
Braden in the courtyard of Neuschwanstein, waiting for our castle tour
In the courtyard, you’ll see a large digital sign with tour times displayed. Your tour time will be assigned a group number so be sure to watch for it. Once your tour time is up, you scan your tickets again and walk on through the turnstile with your guide.
The tour times and assigned group numbers displayed on the signage
The tour takes you through a few areas of the interior of the castle where you can see how magnificent Neuschwanstein actually is. Ludwig was a fantastic castle designer! During the tour, we were brought to the banquet hall adorned with crown chandeliers hanging down from the massive ceilings. Colorful painted murals embellished the walls and opulent furniture punctuated the space. The most interesting area on the tour was an indoor grotto. Yep, Ludwig wanted to bring elements of the outdoors in as he was a bit of a recluse. A grotto complete with stalactites, colored lights, and a waterfall was created which overlooked the foothills of the Alps.
After the tour you are free to explore the balcony and areas down the stairs on your own. We first stopped on the balcony, taking in amazing views!
On the back balcony of Neuschwanstein, overlooking Hohenschwangau
After taking in the views on the balcony and enjoying a coffee in the cafe, I headed out of the castle, first making my way through the castle’s kitchen.
The kitchen inside Neuschwanstein
FACTS ABOUT THE TOUR:
- All in all the tour lasted 30 minutes.
- No photos allowed in tour area.
- On second level of balcony, you can step outside and get the most amazing views, photos allowed here.
- The on-site cafe serves pretzels, coffee, beer, and cake.
- You can leave the castle at your own pace and are allowed to walk through the lower levels on your own, photos are allowed here.
Marienbrucke
After touring Neuschwanstein, head back up the hill to the intersection of paths and walk the short distance to Marienbrucke. This is the spot to get the best views and you will likely be on the bridge with a lot of people! Be patient and make your way past all the people who stop as soon as they get on the bridge. I weaved my way around people and went to the far end of the bridge. Same views, less people! Try to disperse down the bridge if possible as it seems people congregate in the beginning, as soon as they get their first glimpse of Neuschwanstein.
On the bridge, you will get the most incredible views of Neuschwanstein.
Views of Neuschwanstein from Marienbrucke
Continue on just past the bridge to the hiking path. When you reach the fork, take a sharp left and continue on uphill. The hike took me about 5-8 minutes. You will get much less crowded, higher, and equally awesome views! Note the sign below:
I found the path perfectly safe, however be sure to stay on the path as there are steep drop offs. From the top, you get distance views of Neuschwanstein with minimal crowds.
View from top of the hiking path, all the views, none of the crowds
In Between Castle Tours
Our tour of Hohenschwangau was at 12:30 p.m. When booking, the times for the Hohenschwangau tour autopopulated as I had already selected our time of 9:50 a.m. for Neuschwanstein. We had approximately 2 hours in between tours (from the end of Neuschwanstein and beginning of Hohenschwangau) and it worked out well, although I would have liked even a little more time. Once we finished our tour at Neuschwanstein, we had a cafe break, took photos on the balcony, and took in the views from Marienbrucke, including the short hike. We then had to wait for the bus back down and then walked up to Hohenschwangau. All this can take time and you don’t want to rush. Once the bus arrived, we squeezed on with many other people and headed back down to P4, which is located just below Hohengschwangau Castle.
Hohenschwangau
Once back in the P4 parking lot, we walked past the souvenir booth and up the path up to Hohenschwangau, which took us about 10 minutes.
The beginning of the path to go up to Hohenschwangau
Just like the tour at Neuschwanstein, there is a large screen with tour times and group numbers. We wandered around Hohenschwangau until it was time for our tour.
Top: Hohenschwangau, just before the tour; Bottom: Braden in the courtyard of Hohenschwangau with Neuschwanstein in the distance
Hohenschwangau is a lot smaller and less impressive than Neuschwanstein. Without golden crown chandeliers or excessive opulance, it felt like a much more comfortable home. Some neat features: the floor that the king lived on was painted blue with elaborate frescoes adorning the walls. His bedroom featured a starry sky so he could feel as though he was sleeping under the stars. It was quite magnificent! The queen’s floor was similar, although painted in pink. Interestingly, there is a secret passage connecting their bedrooms!
With touring both castles, we were able to get a good peek into King Ludgwig’s life, from his boyhood home of Hohenschwangau to his dream home of Neuschwanstein.
Other Things to Do in the Area
On site are shops and restaurants. We enjoyed beer and charcuterie in the biergarten after the castle tours. We listened to live music playing, what a festive atmosphere!
The yellow building down below is the biergarten we dined at following the castle tours
A biergarten feast!
After leaving the castles, we drove to the Tegelberg Sommer Rodelbhan.
The Tegelberg Sommer Rodelbahn is located just a short distance from the king’s castles in Schwangau. A sommer rodelbahn is a summer luge run. Sitting in a car with a hand brake, you get towed up and then slide on down the luge run! It is a lot of fun and great way to spend some time outdoors after castle tours.
Getting towed up the Sommer Rodelbahn
Cost of tickets as of 2024: €5/adult and €3,50 children.
For dinner this evening we ate at the sprawling Schloss Brauhaus, also nearby.
With live music and delicious food we said “Prost!” to a great day in Bavaria!
Visiting the King’s Castles for Free!
Did you know that you can visit the king’s castles for free? You can hike all the way to Neuschwanstein, therefore avoiding the cost of the bus, and take in the views from around it including from Marienbrucke. You can also hike a bit beyond Marienbrucke on the path that continues on from the far end of the bridge. The only thing you won’t get to do without a purchased ticket is tour the interior.
The same goes for Hohenschwangau. You can walk up the path and explore the exterior, just before the entrance for tours. You can then peruse the shops and enjoy a brew at a biergarten, continuing on to enjoy some time at Lake Alpsee, just beyond the castles.
Timeline of our Day at the Kings Castles
Here is an approximate timeline of our day:
- 7:30 a.m. – Depart Airbnb in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
- 8:30 a.m. – Arrive in Fussen, park, wait for shuttle bus
- 9:00 a.m. – Ride Shuttle bus to Neuschwanstein
- 9:15 a.m. – Get off shuttle bus, walk path, get to entrance of Neuschwanstein
- 9:30 – 9:50 a.m. – Check out various viewpoints of Neuschwanstein and then enter courtyard
- 9:50 am – Tour of interior of Neuschwanstein
- 10:20 a.m. – Tour complete, take pics from balcony
- 10:30 a.m. – Cafe break, leave castle, checking out the kitchen on the way out
- 11:00 a.m. – Walk up the path to Marienbrucke, take photos
- 11:30 a.m. – Hike path beyond Marienbrucke
- 12:00 p.m. – Catch bus back down to P4
- 12: 15 p.m. – Arrive back at P4, walk up to Hohenschwangau
- 12:25 p.m. – Arrive at Hohenschwangau, take a few photos
- 12:30 p.m. – Tour Hohenschwangau
- 1:00 p.m. – Tours complete, enjoy bier in Biergarten below the castles
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