The article critiques Neuschwanstein Castle, calling it Germany's most overrated castle despite its beauty. It highlights issues such as large guided tour groups, restrictions on photography, and the castle's unfinished state, along with its modern amenities that detract from its historical appeal. The author recommends visiting other castles for a more enriching experience and advises planning ahead to navigate the crowded tourist conditions.

1. Neuschwanstein: The Most Overrated Castle in Germany
monkeysandmountains.com /neuschwanstein-castle-germany
Saying that Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany’s most f amous castle and one of the most popular
in all of Europe is a bold statement, that will probably get me into trouble, but it’s true.
Regular readers will know that 99% of what I write is positive, but I also feel an obligation to be honest and not shy away
from sharing what I don’t like from time to time. This post is also void of the usual wow photos of the castle that you’re
used to seeing. They were all taken before I got into photography and represent a more realistic view of the castle.
The “fairy tale” castle which inspired the Disney castle is visited every year by 1.4 million visitors. In the summer it can
receive up to 6,000 visitors a day. The irony being that the castle was not designed for royal representation, but was to
be Kind Ludwig II’s retreat – his place to escape to the poetic world of the Middle Ages.
I t ot ally get why people want t o visit Neuschwanst ein Cast le. I insisted on visiting it on my very first trip to
Germany, despite J.P. (my now German husband) insisting that there were much more worthwhile castles to visit. I didn’t
care, I hadn’t heard of them and wanted to visit the fairy tale castle built by the craz y king.

2. So here is why I think Neuschwanstein is Germany’s most overrated castle:
Ent rance is by guided t our only. I don’t find that a problem in itself, but groups can be up to 60 people in siz e (way
to big for my tastes). Furthermore the tour only lasts about 30 minutes. I literally felt like I was being rushed through
each room, with only perfunctory information. There was no time for story telling, done on other castle tours, like
Ludwigsburg, my favorite castle tour in Germany and it’s the stories that really bring a castle to life. Photos aren’t
allowed inside, hence why only outside photos are featured in this post.
Most of t he cast le isn’t f inished. Only a third of the castle was finished before King Ludwig’s II untimely death a the
age of 41 in Lake Starnberg. (See Solving Mysteries in the Starnberger See to see if you can figure out whether his
death was accidental or murder). If memory serves correct, we only visited 5 rooms on our tour.
Too crowded/requires advance planning. I like to be more spontaneous in my travels, but you can’t just show up
during the summer and expect to get entrance to Neuschwanstein. Chances are it will be sold out unless you’ve bought
a ticket in advance. When you’ve bought your ticket you will be given your tour time. It’s imperative that you make it on
time, or you may be out of luck. From Munich it’s ~ a 2 hour train journey, then a 10 minute bus ride, then a 30 minute
walk up the hill to the castle. You’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to get there, but if you arrive really early, you’ll
find yourself waiting. There’s not much to do at the castle entrance itself. I was there in October and hadn’t bought my
ticket in advance. I learned my lesson of the importance of advanced tickets as I waited outside in the freez ing cold for
45 minutes.
Lit t le Hist ory. Neuschwanstein Castle may look old, but it’s quite young as far as castles go. It was built
between 1869 and 1886 and opened to the public weeks after King Ludwig II’s death. It never served as a refuge for
Catholics during the 30 Year War like Hohenz ollern Castle did. Nor was it burned by the French once, let alone twice as
Heidelberg Castle was.
Too modern. I like my castles old and void of all modern amenities. Neuschwanstein Castle was built for comfort with
central hitting, running water, toilets, telephones, electric bell system to summon servants and even a food elevator!
None of which belong in a castle in my humble opinion.
If you really want to see a King Ludwig II

3. If you really want to see a King Ludwig II
Castle, then I would
recommend Herrenchiemsee Palace on
Lake Chiemsee. It was inspired by the
Palace of Versailles. It’s by far the most
elaborate palace I’ve ever visited and
makes for a nice day outing. You get there
by taking a boat ride to get to
Herrenchiemsee Island, where the palace is
located. It’s also very touristy, but definitely
worth checking out. Check back soon for a
post with more information.
Despit e everyt hing I’ve said, I know
t hat you will st ill probably want t o visit
Neuschwanst ein Cast le. No of f ence
t aken, I get it . The castle is beautiful from
the outside with dramatic mountains serving
as the backdrop. Travel t ip: Visit the castle
from the outside (the best views are from
further away) and then do a hike. If you
decide to do the castle tour try to go offseason, buy your tickets in advance and
keep your expectations in check.
Me p o s i n g i n fr o n t o f Ne u s ch wa n s te i n . Ti p th e b e s t p h o to s o f th e ca s tl e a r e ta ke n
s o m e d i s ta n ce fr o m th e ca s tl e , n o t a th e ca s tl e i ts e l f.

4. Here’s What You’ll Need to Know Bef ore You Go to Neuschwanstein Castle:
Entrance is by guided tour only.
Buy your ticket in advance at: http://www.hohenschwangau.de.
Entrance costs €12 per adult.
Neuschwanstein Castle receives up to 6000 visitors a day, so avoid going on weekends or in the summer if
possible.
It’s a 30 minute uphill walk to the castle so wear comfortable walking shoes. Alternatively you can go by horse
and buggy at a cost of €5 person or by shuttle bus (which doesn’t run in snowy conditions e) €1.90 person.
Check out the official site for Neuschwanstein Castle for further info.
If you have decided to take my advice and visit another castle instead, then be sure to check out My Favorite
Castles in Southern Germany.
I also highly recommend The Munich Residenz (the royal residence in Munich) which doesn’t look like much as
far as palaces go from the outside, but is quite impressive inside.

5. About Laurel
Laurel Robbins is a free- spirited adventurer, award- winning travel blogger at Monkeys and Mountains
Adventure Travel Blog. Many hats, one travel obsessed Canadian in Germany.