5 Reasons You Should Visit Neuschwanstein Castle

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Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most visited tourist attractions in not only Germany but Europe withe approximately 1.3 million visitors per year! With that many people visiting the castle each year, it must be pretty spectacular, eh.

But if the number of tourists who visit each year isn’t enough to convince you to visit Neuschwanstein Castle when you’re in Germany, then keep on reading. This post will give you 5 reasons why you shouldn’t miss out on seeing this castle.

1. It is the Perfect Day Trip from Munich

Neuschwanstein Castle is less than 3 hours away from Munich. This makes it the perfect day trip from Munich! The trip from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle is super quick and easy. It is perfect for anybody with any amount of travel experience.

Getting from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle

Most people taking a day trip from Munich jump on the 9:52am train to Füssen. Taking this train allows you to save money by using the Bayern ticket. A Bayern ticket allows you to use intercity trains and buses in Germany an unlimited number of times during a specified period of time.

The Bayern ticket is valid from 9am to 3am on weekdays and from 12:01am to 3am the next day on weekends. The cost of the ticket is only €25, so it is worth it to wait until the 9:52am train to take advantage of the deal!

Once you get off the train at Füssen, you take a short bus ride (bus 78) to Neuschwanstein Castle.

It is also worth stopping to see Alpsee Lake. It is just a few kilometres away from F and is one of the most beautiful lakes in Germany.

Neuschwanstein Castle Munich Germany Solo Travel

Why You Should Take a Day Trip

I always think that it is important to take day trips when travelling. This is especially true when you’re staying in a major city like Munich.

Taking a day trip allows you to see something other than the metropolis that you’re staying in and see more of the country. There is always a big difference between large urban areas and less urban and more rural areas.

While in this instance you are taking a day trip to a major tourist attraction, you are still seeing a different part of the country and learning more about it. The tour at Neuschwanstein Castle is full of history, and I guarantee you will leave with new knowledge you didn’t previously have.

Plus who doesn’t like taking a day away from the city and breathing in some fresh mountain air?

2. Neuschwanstein Castle was the Inspiration for Sleeping Beauty’s Castle

This fact may not be a huge selling point to people who aren’t huge Disney nerds, but it is still really cool. Neuschwanstein Castle was the inspiration behind the Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. You know, the iconic structure at the end of Main Street.

Neuschwanstein Castle is a bucket list item for many Disney enthusiasts. It is really special for Disney nerds like me to be able to visit a place that inspired Disneyland (much like visiting Tivoli in Denmark is a bucket list item for many Disney nerds).

It is fun to analyze Neuschwanstein Castle and try to see the similarities between it and Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. You also can’t help but imagine Walt standing and looking over the castle and being inspired. It really creates a moment of fantasy and wonder for Disney nerds.

It may not make sense to non-Disney people, but it really is a selling point to us! Neuschwanstein Castle should really market their produce more heavily in the Disney community.

3. You Get to Learn All About Mad King Ludwig

Ludwig II of Bavaria is one of the most eccentric figures in German history. He succeeded to the throne at just 18 years of age and ruled for 22 years before his death in 1886.

Ludwig II of Bavaria is the man responsible for Neuschwanstein Castle, and you will learn all about him while on your tour of the interior of the castle. His castles were extremely extravagant and expensive. While he paid for his building projects with his own money, the Bavaria people were suffering and did not appreciate that their King was spending his money on castles rather than helping him.

The extravagance of Neuschwanstein Castle and Ludwig II’s other castles were used as a way to declare him insane. This declaration has come under criticism, and people no longer actually believe he was mad.

On the tour you will hear about his mysterious death. I won’t ruin that story for you, but it is a good one!

Neuschwanstein Castle

4. You Get to See the Stunning Interior of Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle has one of the most stunning interiors of any castle I’ve ever been to. Only 14 of the rooms were completed before Ludwig II of Bavaria’s death, but the ones that were completed are immaculate.

All of the rooms are over-the-top and took years to complete. The fact that it took multiple years to complete each year is one of the reasons the construction was so expensive and time consuming. Every detail in the rooms are chosen for a reason to enhance the room.

Ludwig II spared no expense when constructing Neuschwanstein Castle, and you can see the wealth and extravagance dripping from each room when you’re touring the castle.

You’re not allowed to take photos of the interior of the castle unfortunately. That would definitely slow down the tours! You are able to purchase prints of the interior or a little book that has various pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle along with pictures of the interior.

The exterior of Neuschwanstein Castle is breathtaking, but it is nothing compared to how incredible the interior is.

Taking the tour of the interior is essential for anybody visiting Neuschwanstein Castle .

5. It Has a Nazi Connection

This may not be a selling point to a lot of people, but for people who come to Germany to learn about World War II and pay their respects to the people who suffered during that period of history, the fact that Neuschwanstein Castle has a connection to the Nazis is a selling point.

Neuschwanstein Castle is in an isolated location, which made it an ideal place for the Nazis to hide. The castle was chosen as the headquarters for Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg (a German art-looting organization during WWII).

Neuschwanstein Castle was used to store stolen artwork throughout the Nazi’s reign. Most of the artwork stored in Neuschwanstein Castle was stolen from nearby France, and this is what led to US troops storming the castle to retrieve the stolen artwork.

US troops stormed the castle in 1945 and discovered index cards listing of 21,000 items the Nazi’s were storing in the castle. The items were not only pieces of art but also included jewelry and furniture.

The US was tasked in restoring and refurbishing the items they recovered from the castle, and in 1951 the items were repatriated in Germany.

Many pieces of stolen art are still thought to be missing, and people are still searching for them.

That’s a pretty cool connection! While the tour doesn’t go into too much detail about the Nazi connection, it is something to keep in the back of your mind when you visit Neuschwanstein Castle .

Castle Neuschwanstein

Conclusion

How could you not want to visit Neuschwanstein Castle after reading that list?!

The castle has a unique and long history and is an important part of German history. I love when a tourist attraction is both beautiful and has an interesting history I can learn about. Neuschwanstein Castle is the best of both world!

It is honestly the most beautiful castle I’ve ever visited. When you pair that with all the other weird and surprising facts about it, Neuschwanstein Castle should be on the top of your to-do list when you’re in Germany!

5 Reasons You Should Visit Neuschwanstein Castle

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