Have you ever looked at a castle and wondered what it looks like on the inside? Or better yet, to actually be inside one? Well, at the Neuschwanstein Castle in Schwangau, Germany you can!

Construction on the Neuschwanstein Castle began in 1869, but it was never finished because its owner, King Ludwig II, died before its completion. Nevertheless, it is still one of the most famous castles in the world.

Did you know that Disneyland’s Sleeping Beauty Castle was inspired by Neuschwanstein?

I had visited the castle with my family previously when I was in high school, but it had been a couple (or more) years so I was still very excited to see it again.

Nate and my sister-in-law though were first-time Germany tourists and it was fun to see their reactions to everything. Altogether, we traveled with 7 adults and 2 babies (6 months and 18 months) to see the wondrous castle.

Obviously there was a lot of planning that went into our mini trip due to the amount of people we were traveling with.

[To see our full Germany trip, check out my Instagram Highlights bubble titled “Germany” here.]

Here are 5 things you need to consider when visiting the Neuschwanstein Castle with kids!

#1 Staying Overnight vs Day Trip

We chose to drive up on a Sunday night and spend the night at a hotel. That way, we could leave early the next morning to go to the castle. It was only a 4 hour drive from my parents house so it worked out really well.

In addition, staying at a local hotel helps you immerse yourself in the culture more. We booked our rooms at Hotel Weinbauer, which has the best view of the castle plus very authentic bedrooms and restaurants. When we arrived Sunday night, we ate dinner at their restaurant and it had all the classic German meals. The waiter spoke English, but you still might want to brush up on your German if you want to read their menus.

In the morning, they had a European breakfast spread available with meats, cheeses, and thick hot chocolate.

Another reason we loved staying at Hotel Weinbauer was because they had a crib ready for us in our room. They were very kid-friendly and even brought over a high chair for Parker as soon as we sat down to eat breakfast.

It also allowed us to feel more relaxed because we could sleep in a little more than if we had driven in that morning.

Book your stay at Hotel Weinbauer HERE.

#2 Tour vs Just Looking

Undeniably, the best way to explore Neuschwanstein is by being inside it. And the only way to do that is to purchase a tour ticket. The castle offers tours in multiple languages so you need to be careful about which one you buy it for.

Due to its popularity, the tickets can sell out really fast so part of your planning will have to cover the time period of when you come. We came in December, which is its off-season, but it was still extremely crowded.

My mom actually woke up extra early to stand in line and get tickets for us. (You can buy them online, but it can be tricky because the website is in German and the translation isn’t always correct.) Whichever tour you purchased will start at a certain time and they won’t wait for you.

Be on time and you will be fine.

Everyone in the tour receives a handheld audio device to better hear the guide with. As you walk through each room, your tour guide will talk quietly into his microphone, but you hear it through your personal device. Also, no photography or videography is allowed inside the castle.

#3 Carriage Ride vs Walking

There are two options when visiting the Neuschwanstein Castle: walk up or take a horse-drawn carriage. You see, the castle is located on a mountain and they don’t allow cars at the top!

Although this was a last-minute decision, we took a carriage up. For starters, how many times do we have the chance to sit in a horse-drawn carriage? Secondly, it was an early morning in December – aka, it was cold. We thought that sitting in an enclosed area would keep the kids a little warmer. It does cost a little extra, but we felt it was worth it.

However, we walked back down the mountain after our tour. My brother and his wife brought a stroller along for their son to lie in and pushing it downhill was much easier. Parker either walked himself or had other family members carry him.

When deciding what to do, keep in mind that it’s not a super steep road, but it is long and curvy (about 0.9 miles). You aren’t allowed to take strollers inside the castle either, but they have places you can store them.

#4 Standard View vs Marienbrücke

Because the people in charge know how special Neuschwanstein is, they have designated several places specifically for those who want the best picture. The standard one is right below the castle. There is an opening for people to either takes pictures with the castle or, on the opposite end, with the view overlooking a cute German village.

That was the only place we took pictures because it was easier with our children.

If you are wanting an even better view though, you can hike up to Marienbrücke. Literally meaning “Queen Mary’s Bridge,” it was built in 1845 over a cliff. Typically, that’s where the more famous pictures of Neuschwanstein are taken from.

To get there, it is about a 45-minute hike on a steep, uphill road. You can also take a bus, but that would be more money and more crowded. You need to really plan ahead if you want to go to Marienbrücke though. They close it down sometimes for bad weather.

#5 Neuschwanstein vs Other Attractions

There are a ton of castles and palaces you could see in Germany and Europe. In fact, just in the area of Schwangau alone, there is the Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau Castle, and Museum of the Bavarian Kings. And that’s not including the hikes and lookout points you could visit.

In my opinion, it’s not possible to do all of that in one day, especially with kids. On our trip, we only took the tour of Neuschwanstein and then drove back to my parents house.

The tour itself takes roughly 35 minutes. Then you need to add the time it takes to arrive at the castle, waiting in line for your tour to start, walking back down, stopping for pictures, bathroom breaks, and buying souvenirs.

Of course, you can stay in the area for as long as you like. Maybe you decide to spend an extra night at the hotel just so you have more daylight to explore the other castle. Depending on how old your kids are, you may want to hike up to Marienbrücke too.

 

The Neuschwanstein Castle is famous for a reason and I truly hope that one day you too will get the chance to see it!

If you have been there, what was your favorite part? If you haven’t yet, what else do you want to know about it?

 

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