Fairytale castle in Germany - Neuschwanstein in Bavaria

Fairytale castle in Germany - Neuschwanstein in Germany is located in south-west Bavaria on the border with Austria. Disney modelled Sleeping Beauty's castle on the real beautiful Neuschwanstein castle built by King Ludwig II in the 19th century. Located in the region of Hohenschwangau in the Füssen Alps is this fairytale castle in Germany, or knight's castle if you will. Join us at the 'Bavarian King Castle'.

Neuschwanstein

We had no idea that the castle was such a popular attraction, with only 1.3 million visitors each year, haha. Despite it being November, there were plenty of tourists (mostly Asians!) there. To see the inside of the castle, you have to buy a ticket for a guided tour (12 euros/person) and we got a ticket for the 15:30 tour.

Getting to the fairytale castle

The castle is on a hill and to get there from the car park you can walk on a winding road (40 min walk uphill), ride a horse and carriage or take a bus (we took the bus).

Guided tour of Neuschwanstein

The visit was extremely well organised and the ticket was valid for entry only for exactly five minutes. Our group (all 15:30 ticket holders) were then given headphones with guidance in any language while following a physical guide from room to room. The 15:35 group then followed with their guide... More on prices, opening hours and info below.

The fairytale castle in Germany

Was it worth making the visit inside the castle then? Yes! It was actually amazing to see the inside of the castle. Carvings and paintings cover every millimetre of the walls and ceilings, and the chandeliers with candelabras were the most powerful we have ever seen.

Neuschwanstein i Bayern — Photo: Pixabay

Louis II, the fairytale king

King Louis II was a child of Romanticism and wanted to build a medieval castle - but much bigger and fancier than was possible in the Middle Ages and with modern features such as central heating, running water and an electric ring system for the servants.

Neuschwanstein i Tyskland — King Louis's crypt

Richard Wagner

Louis was inspired by old Nordic and German fairy tales and by the composer Richard Wagner, and this is evident as you walk through the castle. Almost every room is decorated with themes such as Tristan and Isolde or Eddan from Wagner's operas.

See more in the fairytale castle

We highly recommend a visit if you're ever in the area! This is a once-in-a-lifetime "wow" experience to see this magnificent fairytale castle in Germany for real.

Hohenschangau in Füssen

Let's take it from the top! Louis II was born the son of Crown Prince Maximillan II of Bavaria (later King) and Maria of Prussia. He grew up in the beige-yellow 'little' castle of Hohenschwangau, formerly known as Schwanstein Castle, meaning swan stone or swan castle.

Louis II - the mad king or the saga king

Growing up in a mental fairytale world, Louis II was fascinated by the age of chivalry as a young man, and from an early age he fell in love with Wagner and his stories with music. His father King Maximillan II passed away suddenly, and he became King Louis II at the age of 18 in 1864.

Louis II, 1845-1886, was 41 years old.

Castles will be built here, and lots of them! A fairytale castle (Märchenschloss) will be built and I have money, King Louis probably thought. His little castle that he grew up in was called Schwanstein and the new one would of course be called Neuswanstein, the New Swan Castle, and it would be much bigger.

Entrén till sagoslottet i neuschwanstein — The entrance to the fairytale castle in Germany. Neuschwanstein.

New Neuschwanstein

On the grounds and on the hill was the dilapidated castle of Schwangau, which was to be removed and the new fairytale castle built there. Located on a hill in southern Bavaria, the site took a lot of time to clear while he was king. He got his inspiration for the new castle from the Wartburg Castle in Eisenach.

Eduard Von Riedel

The architect Eduard von Riedel (1813-1885) had built Hohenschwangau Castle (1836) and all the beautiful fountains of Schlessheim Palace. Eduard was commissioned to build Neuschwanstein and was fully occupied with the castle between 1869-1874.

George von Dollmann

The court architect George von Dollmann (1830-1895) took over the construction entirely in 1874, following the illness of Eduard von Riedel. George was involved in the baroque Linderhof Palace (1874-1879) and Herrenchiemsee Palace (1873-1878), which were intended to imitate and compete with Versailles, but like Neuschwanstein were never fully completed.

Christian Jank

To realise King Louis II's plans, stage painter Christian Jank, who had previously been involved with Wagner's landscape painting from the opera Lohengrin, was brought in.

SagoNeuschwanstein Castle 1869-1886

By 1869, everything was cleared and the first foundation stones were in place. The first thing they built was the entrance building and Louis II moved in while the fairytale castle continued to be built. In 1880, 11 years later, the roof was put on and now construction continued both inside and to finish the castle outside.

Moving into Neuschwanstein

In 1884 the King moved into the castle and into the 14 rooms that were ready and as he wanted them. Sagoslottet has 360 rooms, 346 of which were never finished and are still unfinished today.

Fairy tale castle in Germany without a princess

The uniqueness of the castle is that it has running water, district heating and a telephone connection to the "small" castle. The kitchen was only in use for two years. We only got to see two floors on the castle tour. The Knight's Castle did not get a princess because, as the story goes, Louis II was not interested in that gender. He did not want to show the castle to anyone because then it would rather be demolished, Louis thought.

Death of the Fairy King

The Fairy King, or Moon King as he was also known, was arrested in 1886 on grounds that no one knows today, but the high rulers had had enough of a king who barely went out and only built castles for the nation's money. He was taken to a castle and found drowned two days later in Lake Starnberg. Seven weeks later, the fairytale castle in Germany, Neuschwanstein, was opened to the public.

sagoslottet i Neuschwanstein i Tyskland — Neuschwanstein Castle, the fairytale king's castle in Germany

Marienbrucke

Before reaching Neuschwanstein, you can head higher up the mountains of the Bavarian Alps, and you'll come to the stunning Marienbrucke bridge built early on by Ludwig II's father Maximilian. It crosses a ravine between two mountains, providing a magical view of the castle with its battlements and towers.

View of the Alpsee and a fantastic landscape

Pöllat waterfall

The deep gorge Pöllat (Pöllatschlucht) with its waterfall and Marienbrücke above is the icing on the cake. Louis II loved this waterfall as a child.

Source: Marienbrucke, Mariusz Kucharczyk - Flickr.com

Museum of the Bavarian Kings

The museum is located in the centre of Hohenschangau at Alpseestraße 27 in the castle grounds. Here you can follow 700 years of the Wittelsbach dynasty from Bavaria with everything from princes, princesses, kings, queens and rulers. Here you have everything about the "Kings of Kings" King Maximillan II and King Louis II.

The gold that disappeared?

At the end of the Second World War, the German Reichsbank stored lots of gold here in Neuschwanstein. It was moved to a secret location according to some rumours and others say that it was sunk in panic in Lake Alat as you can see in the picture below. The castle also held jewellery, paintings and anything else the Germans could get their hands on, and then it disappeared.

Linderhof Palace

Ludde II was not content with building one fantastic fairytale castle but built two more. The Linderhof Royal Palace was built between 1874 and 1879.

Herrenchiemsee Palace

During the time of Louis II, Herrenchiemsee Castle was also built in 1878-1885, which is also a fantastic castle.

Alpine lake Eibsee

Eibsee is an alpine lake near the Garmisch district and not far from Neuschwanstein. This lake is said to be one of the most beautiful in Germany. Drive via the B179 which takes 1 h 5 min and is 63.1 km long.

See more in Germany

The Bavarian Alps have so much to offer and if you have the time, don't miss out on visiting Eagle's Nest (Kehlsteinhaus). If you like castles, you can also check out 10 magical castles in Germany that you don't want to miss.

Hitlers örnnästet — The Eagle's Nest is worth a visit!

Facts about Neuschwanstein

Country: Germany
Language: German, some English
Currency: Euro
Price mode: A bit cheaper than Sweden
Residents: Füssen 15,500 (2017)
Time difference: None
Emergency number: 112
Religion: Christianity
El: Like Sweden
Water: Drinking beard
Tourist Office: Taket- Center Hohenschwangau Alpsee Strasse 12 876 45 Hohenschwangau.

Travelling to the fairytale castle in Germany

Flights from Arlanda to Munich and there are many flights every day. We like to use Norwegian which we think is good price and quality. The flight takes 2 h 15 min direct flight.
Rent a car from Munich airport and drive in 1 hour 50 minutes to Neuschwanstein. It is 156 kilometres and you drive via A96 and B17 to Neuschwanstein - Hohenschwangau (Füssen).
Parking: There are four parking areas. P1 is the closest and it costs 25 SEK for motorbike, 65 SEK for car and 90 SEK for motorhome. (2018)
Bus: Goes from Munich Central Station to Neuschwanstein and takes about 2 h 30 min, and costs around 100 SEK (2018).
Travelling by busYou can see both Neuschwanstein and Lindehof on the same tour with Viator. It departs from Karstadt on Bahnhofpl. 7, opposite the central station and costs around 700 SEK (2018).

Guide: opening hours

Ticket office opening hours: April - 15 October 07.30-17.00 and 16 October - March 08.30-15.00 (2018).
Summer opening hours 1 April - 15 October: 09.00-18.00 (2018)
Winter opening hours 16 October - 31 March: 10.00-16.00 (2018), Closed 24 December and 1 January (2018).

Guide: Prices and tickets

Adults: For a visit to the fairytale castle of Neuschwanstein, adults pay around 130 SEK (2018).
Children: Children under 18 enter free of charge.
King's ticket: If you want to see both Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles on the same day, you can buy a 'King's ticket' for around 240 SEK (2018).
Half-year ticket: Want to see all the beautiful castles of Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau, Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee that Ludwig II built and you have time to travel around. Buy a ticket for around 280 SEK valid for half a year (2018).

Tips on the fairytale castle in Germany

Tips: The ticket office is just a few hundred metres from the actual entrance and this is where you start. It's a 20-minute walk to the small castle of Hohenschwangau but it's not on the same route as to the Sleeping Beauty castle of Neuschwanstein. To the big castle Neuschwanstein it is a walk of about 40 min uphill with 12-19 % gradient. There is a horse and carriage or minibus to take you up, if you are short of time or have difficulty walking.
info: You are not allowed to bring carriages or large rucksacks into the castle. Photography is prohibited, as is flying drones outside and around the Sleeping Beauty Castle, and you are not allowed to cycle around the area. If you come when it is winter and slippery, you should not go out on the Marianbrücke bridge, and it will be closed.
Museum: We didn't make it but would have liked to have seen the Museum Der Bayerischen Könige (Museum of the Bavarian Kings) which is located along the beautiful alpine lake Köningssee.

Food and drink - Neuschwanstein

Café & bistroThere is a restaurant in the castle if and when you get hungry. On the second floor of Neuschwanstein Castle there is a bistro where you can buy refreshments. Here you can also watch a cool film about Lydwig II's various castles.
Neuschwanstein Castle Restaurant at Neuschwansteinstrasse 17 is outside the gates and of course there is a castle restaurant.
Cafe KainzYou can find it outside the castle grounds at car parks P2 and P3, which also have food.
Lidl at Kemptener Str. 87b in Fussen. Opening hours Mon-Sat 08.00-20.00 Sun closed. Drive via Parkstrasse and Kemptenerstrasse which takes 11 minutes and is 6 km from the castle.

Accommodation around Neuschwanstein

You can't stay at the castle no matter how much you want to, but almost.
Hotel Alpenstuben offers accommodation and a restaurant with a view of the Sleeping Beauty Castle.
Hotel garni Schlossblick is also a good option with accommodation and a restaurant.

Pitches and campsites to visit the fairytale castle in Germany

Youth campsite Falkencamp Schwangau at Luss 1, 87645 Schwangau and is 6 minutes from Neuschwanstein or 3 km if you follow the Colomanstrasse road.
Camping Brunnen at Seestrasse 81, 87645 Schwangau and is 10 minutes from the fairytale castle on the beautiful Forggensee lake via Schwangaver Str.
RV park Wohnmobilplatz Füssen at Abt-hafner-Strasse 9 876 29 Füssen with 120 seats and costs 15 Euro (2018), with all facilities included except electricity. Food is also available.

READ MORE: Facts about Germany - 30 things you (might) not have known

Helena

17 November 2015 9:01

Germany

freedom best, history, Motorhome holiday Germany, attraction, castle-ruin-europe, experiences in Europe

Helena

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32 Comments

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4000mil says:

Wow, how delicious!
This castle has also been on my wish list for a long time.
Have you seen this list of Germany's most beautiful castles?
http://www.touropia.com/castles-in-germany/
(of which I have been to No. 2, Hohenzollern)

17 November 2015 - 9:20

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Linnea says:

As I said, we have to go back here one day when it is not as foggy as it was when we went there 🙂 There was not a sigh to take pictures at some distance if you wanted to see more than one cloud. It was so crazy with people that we skipped going in, so we have to do that on the next visit!
Greetings Linnea

17 November 2015 - 9:43

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GlobetrotterElisa says:

I have wanted to see this castle several times. And I've actually been to the area on a road trip twice, so it's just been a case of poor planning on my part. Next time I will not let the opportunity pass me by!

17 November 2015 - 9:47

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admin says:

4000 miles, many thanks for the link! We will take a closer look at it!

Linnea, yes you have to go there again! Choose low season and come fairly early in the day! 🙂

GlobetrotterElisa, it is definitely worth visiting the castle! Make sure to arrive reasonably early in the day as it's very crowded!

17 November 2015 - 10:06

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stripped says:

WOW it has been on our wish list for many years and after reading your post and seeing the pictures, yes, the desire has not diminished. What a beautiful adventure castle 🙂

17 November 2015 - 10:25

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bosses says:

Great that you took advantage of my tip. It's a pity you didn't get to Linderhof, but as you pointed out, it's a bit far away, but the road there is magical along a long narrow lake with clear green water. The road is winding and narrow and in the summer an eldorado for motorcyclists. The road eventually ends in Garmisch Partenkirchen I have had the privilege of working in the nearby village of Pfronten and have spent several weeks in the area. Have a good trip northwards and feel free to look into the small town of Landsberg where Adolf Hitler was imprisoned for a couple of years. There is, among other things, a small church that is so full of gold paintings that there is no equal. There are also a number of cosy old-style cafés.

17 November 2015 - 10:41

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admin says:

Ontripdk, one of the coolest castles we've seen! A visit is highly recommended!

Bosse, many thanks for the tip! Unfortunately, we have already travelled a little too far for the other places you mention (sometimes we don't plan as well as we might wish, we have also had poor internet access for a few days). Sounds worth seeing otherwise, both the castle and the city! By the way, we went through Garmisch Partenkirchen...

17 November 2015 - 11:05

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Frankie & Co says:

Ohhhhhhhhh..... this would be something for me too - would be enchanted ?

17 November 2015 - 11:25

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Maggan and Ingemar says:

How nice that you got into the castle. We have visited Füssen several times, but never made it to the castle....always way too long queues 🙁.
Next time I'll probably stand up and try to get in. Thanks for the tips on the other castles, they look exciting too. Germany has lots of castles to visit if you want to.

17 November 2015 - 11:45

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solan says:

We visited the fairy tale castle x number of years ago. Joined an Italian bus group to avoid waiting...Definitely worth seeing, I think it peaks in visitor numbers year after year in Germany.

17 November 2015 - 12:01

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Role o Carina says:

Powerful Powerful was the right word!

Take care.......

17 November 2015 - 12:20

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Comment by post author

admin says:

Frankie & Co, yes enchanting you can probably call it! 🙂

Steve, right? Otherwise you wouldn't be able to see how nice the castle is 😉.

Maggan and Ingemar, I understand that there are crazy queues during high season. The best thing is to hit the low season or get there early and pack a lot of patience 😉.

Solan, smart way to get in! 😉 There were a lot of people now too, but certainly nothing in comparison. The queue to the ticket office was only 5-10 minutes...

Rolle o Carina, mighty castle among mighty mountains! 🙂

17 November 2015 - 12:28

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Mr Steve says:

Fairytale castle is certainly an appropriate name when I see your pictures. It pays to choose not to understand signs sometimes.

17 November 2015 - 11:30

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Ama de casa says:

WOW, I just say! My first thought when I saw the castle in the picture was "fairytale castle" and then "Disney" appeared in my head. Not completely wrong thought by me for once 🙂 ðŸ™'

What a marvellous building!

I would also have taken the bus... 🙂 🙂 .

17 November 2015 - 12:42

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Helga says:

Imagine how much you got to do and see. It feels strange that you are heading home now... There is no snow in the Uppsala area anyway. Only what I have seen in Kiruna. Should possibly come some in Dalarna, the mountains and Värmland soon.

17 November 2015 - 13:16

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BP says:

That castle is world-famous and it's great that you didn't just see it from the outside. And the prohibition signs - of course you're ignorant - in such cases you're simply not a linguist, right;-)?

17 November 2015 - 13:06

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admin says:

Ama de casa, not a bad idea! 🙂 Yes, an absolutely marvellous building indeed!

BP, in this case it seemed appropriate not to understand any German at all 😉 You only get really good photos from that direction....

Helga, we have really seen a lot during this trip! Thanks for the weather report! It sounds good that there is no snow in those areas yet!

17 November 2015 - 15:45

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Bosse and Gerd says:

Nice to read that you found your way to Füssen and Neuschwanstein Castle.
We have visited this castle many times - we just can't get enough of this amazing castle...!
We certainly agree with the signatory Bosse that a visit to the village of Landsberg is time well spent as the church/monastery and its paintings are almost unparalleled in the world - take the time to go there next time you are travelling by motorhome in these parts!

17 November 2015 - 15:48

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admin says:

Bosse and Gerd, the castle is fantastic! Landsberg definitely sounds interesting, but now we have travelled too far... It will be another time!

17 November 2015 - 17:39

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Deciree says:

This place is already noted a while ago in my "upcoming trip note" 🙂 Looked great like this ... the little you get to see and take photos:)

17 November 2015 - 20:55

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Ditte says:

What a castle experience! A real fairytale castle! I had not heard of this particular castle, but there are plenty of them in southern Germany, indeed in Germany in general.
I am delighted to join you on your visit and have noted the name so I will remember it if I come to these parts.
Great pictures and I could have stayed here for a long time. But on the other hand, I realised that it was "going on".

17 November 2015 - 21:01

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Comment by post author

admin says:

Deciree, it's beautiful... even where you can't take photos! 🙂

Ditte, wow, we manage to find a place where you haven't been! It is not easy 😉 The castle is fantastic, but the visit inside is EXACTLY 35 minutes, no seconds to lose, very well organised! But outside and in the castle courtyard you can stay as long as you want 🙂.

17 November 2015 - 21:48

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Christine - 29GRADER says:

Wow, what a bloody castle! Cool! 🙂

17 November 2015 - 22:42

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Maria says:

I have also seen Neuschwanstein, really nice 🙂 Missed the other castle next door though...! However, I have visited Herrenchiemsee Palace and Linderhof 🙂 Maybe I should write a blog post about sights in Bavaria sometime soon ...

17 November 2015 - 22:57

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Marina says:

So cool! It really looked like Sleeping Beauty's castle! I will definitely put this on my list of places to visit and see. Germany is actually on that list, as it has always been "the country that you have to get through as quickly as possible to move on"....

18 November 2015 - 8:35

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Anki says:

This amazing castle that I've only seen in pictures and heard about... maybe I'll get there someday, but as someone who hates crowds and queues, maybe I should keep looking at other people's pictures. Too bad about the photo ban and it seems a bit stressful with the exact times.

18 November 2015 - 9:00

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Anna in Dubai says:

wow supernice! Ludde lived there or just built it? I wonder which room was the favourite room. Certainly the one with the best view.

18 November 2015 - 10:26

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Comment by post author

admin says:

Christine, that's probably the coolest castle we've seen! 🙂

Maria, glad you've seen these other castles too! They definitely seem worth seeing too!

Marina, we have also mostly just travelled through. But there is a lot to see in Germany too!

Anki, yes it's very busy, although we thought it was running smoothly now in low season. In high season there are apparently crazy queues.

Anna in Dubai, Ludde lived here and in his other two castles, but he never got to see this castle finished. He was found drowned in a lake at the age of 40 after they arrested him. Apparently he had been spending money a bit too freely or something like that...

18 November 2015 - 13:10

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Fantasy travel says:

Oh I really have to go there!!! Such a shame that you were not allowed to take pictures, had hoped for some pictures from the inside 🙂

20 November 2015 - 12:31

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steel city anna says:

Divinely beautiful. Immediately thought of the Disney logo! Truly a fairytale castle! Jealous of you now 🙂

21 November 2015 - 15:39

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Decdia says:

Oh, I hope we get there this summer... Love castles with beautiful views!

11 February 2016 - 0:33

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Karin Andersson says:

Yes, it would be nice to get there sometime. We were on our way there a few years ago but to our disappointment, the entire castle was covered in plastic (or similar) when we drove past... Facade renovation in progress. So we skipped it.

16 March 2018 - 12:28

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Fairytale castle in Germany - Neuschwanstein in Bavaria

Neuschwanstein

Getting to the fairytale castle

Guided tour of Neuschwanstein

The fairytale castle in Germany

Louis II, the fairytale king

Richard Wagner

See more in the fairytale castle

Hohenschangau in Füssen

Louis II - the mad king or the saga king

Louis II, 1845-1886, was 41 years old.

New Neuschwanstein

Eduard Von Riedel

George von Dollmann

Christian Jank

SagoNeuschwanstein Castle 1869-1886

Moving into Neuschwanstein

Fairy tale castle in Germany without a princess

Death of the Fairy King

Marienbrucke

Pöllat waterfall

Museum of the Bavarian Kings

The gold that disappeared?

Linderhof Palace

Herrenchiemsee Palace

Alpine lake Eibsee

See more in Germany

Facts about Neuschwanstein

Travelling to the fairytale castle in Germany

Guide: opening hours

Guide: Prices and tickets

Tips on the fairytale castle in Germany

Food and drink - Neuschwanstein

Accommodation around Neuschwanstein

Pitches and campsites to visit the fairytale castle in Germany

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32 Comments

4000mil says:

Linnea says:

GlobetrotterElisa says:

admin says:

stripped says:

bosses says:

admin says:

Frankie & Co says:

Maggan and Ingemar says:

solan says:

Role o Carina says:

admin says:

Mr Steve says:

Ama de casa says:

Helga says:

BP says:

admin says:

Bosse and Gerd says:

admin says:

Deciree says:

Ditte says:

admin says:

Christine - 29GRADER says:

Maria says:

Marina says:

Anki says:

Anna in Dubai says:

admin says:

Fantasy travel says:

steel city anna says:

Decdia says:

Karin Andersson says:

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