Neuschwantein, the German fairy tale castle with the surrounding mountains does not disappoint. For just a weekend or for a holidays, the area has a lot to offer. Discover Neuchwanstein and other activities around such as Marienbrucke, Pollat Gorge and Tegelbergbahn. Plus at the end I give you some advice on how to get there.
Admire Neuschwanstein castle
Neuschwanstein is the fairy tale castle we all dream of. It stands on top of the hill which enables us to admire it from different perspectives. I spent a lot of time trying tpTo get up the hill where the castle stands you can either take a bus, or a carriage or simply walk. Be aware it is quite steep. At the top you can walk around the castle.
Then you can go to the bridge Marienbrucke to see the whole castle. It still goes up hill but not as much. I even continued on the other side of the bridge to get a different perspective. I recommend it especially if you want to avoid the crowds…
Do not miss my post about the best spots to photograph Neuschwanstein.
Visit Neuschwanstein Castle
Personally I decided not to visit this castle. I did extensive research and talked to german colleagues and the conclusion was that you have to queue a lot (or book in advance) and that the inside is actually not that interesting compared to other castles in the area.
HIKE ALONG POLLAT GORGE
A highlight of my time there was the Pollat gorge. I came from the cable car so I hiked it on my way up. But if you are tired I recommend taking the bus uphill to the castle and Marienbrucke, and on the way back to turn and walk down along the gorge. There were several areas that caught my eye but I was not really able to capture it. Do no miss it!
CLIMB WITH TERGELBERGBAHN CABLE CAR
2km from the castle there is a cable car called Tegelbergbahn. I recommend a climb with it. It takes you up on tegleberg where you can start vairous hikes. I went there in May and it was still in the snow. The ride itself is quite enjoyable as you can see both castles: Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau with the background of the mountains.
MORE THINGS TO DO
- As you can see on my pictures the area also has several lakes and plenty of mountains. So you can hike or enjoy a boat ride in summer
- Everybody goes to Neuschwanstein but tyhere is another castle next t it Hohenschwangau if you have more time to spend.
How to get to Neuschwanstein
After spending some times visiting some of the best sights in Munich, Neuschwanstein should be your next stop. It is definitively one of the best day tours from Munich.
From Munich, you can take the train to Fussen and the bus 78 (right outside of the train station) and stop either at the bottom of the hill where the castle stands or at the Tegelbergbahn.
Taxi Neuschwanstein to Fussen train station :10€ flat
Is Neuschwanstein on your ‘to visit’ list?
Beautiful castle indeed! I’m also very fond of castles, especially the ones in the midst of mountains.
And I am very fond of mountains, especially the ones with castles in the middle 🙂
Hi Claire,
We will be travelling to Bavaria next year and your articles are ideal traveler’s guides, with practical information on where, what and when to photograph scenic sites. So glad I found this information and thanks so much for posting
Very very nice~ Thank you so much! Do you know the name of the lake in the last picture? Thanks in advance
Hi Pooja,
The lake in the last picture is Forggensee.
Dear Claire,
I like your article and photos.
What time of day is it best to photograph Neuschwanstein while riding on the Tegelbergbahn cable car?
Is it better in the morning or late afternoon?
What direction does the front of Neuschwanstein face?
Danke,
Frank
Hi Frank
The cable car is North East from the Castle, so a little better in the morning.
Every single faces of the castle are interesting.
The orange face, is towards the East (and slightly North)
The wider view is from Marienbrücke, South of the Castle.
Thank you for the information.
We hope to visit it this summer..
How far is the trail from the top of the cable car to where you can see the castle.
I did not hike at the top of the cable car. I took the photo of the castle that is in the cable car section of this article from the cabin during the cable car ride.