On a recent adventure to Munich, Germany, I asked many of the locals what to see and experience. While many suggested to eat and drink as much as possible, another response I often got was to visit Neuschwanstein Castle – a popular, yet must-see historic destination about two hours outside of the city. So, trusting the locals I bought a Bayern Ticket to the Castle and enjoyed a beautiful train ride passing through the Swiss Alps and other small, countryside towns.

Many of you may already be aware of this Castle and it’s claim-to-fame as being the inspiration behind Disney’s Cinderella Castle. But, the real history of the Castle dates back to 1869 when it was built for Bavarian King, Ludwig II. Shortly after he died in 1886 the castle was opened to the public and has been ever since.

 

Approaching Füssen, the last train stop of the journey, you can see the Castle in the distance. It was beyond magical seeing snow-capped mountains with a picturesque, fairytale castle perfectly situated in between. Views like these make you remember how big our world really is. After this, a 5-minute bus ride took us closer to the Castle where we could buy tickets for an interior and exterior tour. Sadly, this option was already sold out for the day, but a paved hiking trail leading up to and around the castle was the way to go in my opinion!

Once you get to the top of the trail and circle around to an overlook bridge, you really get to take in the Castle’s full effect. The views are SO dreamy and I couldn’t help but wonder how the architects and builders of 150 years ago were able to build something so magical halfway up a mountain.

If you ever get the chance to go, I highly suggest visiting this landmark for a quick day trip. The surrounding town also has plenty of shops and restaurants to dip into and it’s a refreshing break from the bigger metro areas. In the future, I would even go back for an interior tour and to see the surrounding greenery in full force/explore more of the area’s trails.