Neuschwanstein Castle Tours

Photo provided by ©Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung - www.neuschwanstein.de


Almost impossibly picturesque, Ludwig II’s masterpiece of turrets and white walls is perched like a fairy tale above an Alpine valley.

Neuschwanstein Castle seems to exemplify the aesthetics of the European Middle Ages, which is always surprising given that the castle was built in the 19th century. The crown jewel of “Mad King” Ludwig II’s architectural exuberance, it is a masterpiece of Historicist Architecture, and is today one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations. Brave the crowds to visit Neuschwanstein Castle, a truly unique building.

Climb the hill from the village of Hohenschwangau. Before entering, continue on to the Marienbrücke, the bridge that provides classic photo opportunities and views of the castle. It emerges almost like magic from the mountaintop on which it stands.

Join a tour of the building, which Ludwig was never able to see completed. Notice the homages to Richard Wagner. An exuberant blend of Byzantine, Gothic and Moorish architecture decorates each room, especially the throne room.

Imagine the work that went into the carving of Ludwig’s bed by 14 carvers working over four years. Leave breathless with awe, astounded one more time by the Alpine views just beyond the castle’s walls.

Neuschwanstein Castle is located just outside the small village of Hohenschwangau on the border between Germany and Austria. Drive from Munich in about 2 hours or from Innsbruck, Austria, in 1.5 hours. From Hohenschwangau, walk uphill for 40 minutes to reach the castle. Bus shuttles and horse-drawn carriages are offered for a fee.

Access to the castle is only available on the tour, which is 30 minutes long. Purchase tickets from the ticket desk in Hohenschwangau, though it is possible to reserve a visit time in advance online. Not reserving in advance may result in a wait of several hours.

The ticket office is open daily from early morning to early evening, with shorter hours in winter. The castle is open daily year round, during regular business hours.

Plan a trip to see Neuschwanstein Castle

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Reviews of Neuschwanstein Castle

4.7
Top Destination
5 - Excellent
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" "5 - Excellent 75.57251908396947%
4 - Good
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" "4 - Good 20.229007633587788%
3 - Okay
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" "3 - Okay 3.053435114503817%
2 - Disappointing
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" "2 - Disappointing 1.1450381679389312%
1 - Terrible
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3/5 - Okay

MMM

Beautiful castle but the way you get put in a large group and shuffled around, not cool. You only see the inside of a little bit of one part of the castle.

4/5 - Good

Jeff

Crowded and a challenging walk up to the castle.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Reserve a time for entry even if you are buying tickets there. Reserve online months in advance to get a day and time that works for you.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Don’t miss

4/5 - Good

Verified traveler

Reservations a must. Go early. Gets really grounded and touristy fast.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

We took the horse carriage up the hill. However, there is still an additional walk for approximately 15 minutes uphill to the castle entrance. Once on the tour, there are about 250 steps to climb inside the castle. Very difficult for the elderly or handicapped. But this is a Must See while visiting Germany.

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Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.