Neuschwanstein Castle

drive there from where?

or put another way, how far?

If you grew up with that picture in your mind, maybe.

We have a rental car driving down from Munich to Fussen; on to Zugspitze and back to Munich same day! Google maps say it's a 5 hour drive + stops...
J

Google maps say it's a 5 hour drive + stops.

Sounds about right for the entire trip. Munich to Hohenschwangau (village outside Füssen where the castle actually are) should be about 2 hours assuming no traffic. It might be best to get the Zugspitze earlier because the view from the mountain is often obscured by clouds later in the day.

It doesn't sound like you have time to go inside, regardless.

If you are passing Ettel, stop in.

I agree with Lee, mountain first.

Never thought of the mountain first, good suggestion. We did have Ettel on our itinerary! So you would recommend not touring the castle; just driving by and see the Castle from distance?
We will be in that area mid-October; are the Mountain roads ok at that time.
J

Jean,

It was one of the places that I definitely wanted to see - it was on my "must see" list and I found it disappointing. Maybe if I hadn't been so excited to see it and had managed my expectations, it wouldn't have been such a let down. However, the English tour is rushed AND jam-packed. I felt like I wasn't given the opportunity to really get to look at anything, not that there is a ton to see.

I was on a tour and they had only scheduled Neuschwanstein, but I've heard that it makes it more worthwhile if you also do Hohenschwangau. We didn't have to wait in line because our tour guide took care of tickets, but I've heard that you really want to order them ahead of time so you don't have to stand in line and risk them selling out. However, that means that you HAVE to get there at least an hour before the tour to pick them up, so make allowances for traffic. I'm not sure when you're going, but there were several traffic backups when we went in late-June/early-July, both due to construction and accidents.

Honestly, I enjoyed touring the Munich Residenz a lot more. It was more of what I was expecting from Neuschwanstein and the Treasury (we bought the combo ticket) was also interesting. We spent 2 hours there and could have spent a lot more.

I will say that the scenery around Neuschwanstein is breathtaking, so maybe you'd want to see that, hike up to (or take the shuttle bus up to) St. Mary's Bridge and then tour Hohenschwangau. I'm not sorry that we went because I would have felt like I missed something if we hadn't, but I wouldn't go again. And I'm not sure that it would have been worth the long drive to and from Munich.

After we left Neuschwanstein, we made an unscheduled stop to walk across the Austrian border on a suspended treetop bridge. It costs 4 Euros, but was actually super cool. http://www.baumkronenweg.eu/

Where have you been reading that the castle tour is "not worth it"? The majority of the current ratings on Trip Advisor are mostly in the "Excellent" range. While it's not actually a "medieval castle", the history is interesting. The interior is quite lavish and impressive and it provides an interesting look into the somewhat strange life of King Ludwig.

We f my daughter and I ) enjoyed the tour inside the castle . I thought it was worth it , but it's all personal taste .

I've been to Neuschwanstein many times--we used to go every year on school field trips. It's kind of underwhelming. There are castles and mansions with more to see and more history. I wouldn't spend a whole day traveling there when you could be doing other things with that time. If you've seen it on a postcard... you've pretty much seen it.

We drove there after Zugspitze...wait for the tickets was over an hour long line. So book ahead of you want to see inside. We could have gotten a tour at 5p.m. We arrived about noon and opted not to hang around for hours. The crowds were crazy...we took bus to top and walked down to castle to see it up close.

I don't think it was worth the time, it the views from up,there were beautiful, there are many other castles to see with less people.

Just my 2 cents

FYI, the tour inside Neuschwanstein (I've done it three times) is only 20-30 minutes, and you have to go with a guide. Someone correct me if that's changed. So, I'm one of those that thinks its not worth it.

I'm definitely in the "not worth it to tour inside" group.

I enjoyed the inside tour. It is quick, and lots of steps, but I thought it was interesting to see, especially a room with a big chandelier that is shaped like a crown. But just goes to show to each her own! I enjoyed it more than the Residenz in Munich. That one was good for a room or two, but then it got to be too much of the same for me. But anyway, it doesn't sound like you really have time for the inside tour.

Stan - it definitely hasn't changed! It's short, very rushed, and they pack you in like sardines. The best part was the view from the balcony after the tour, imo.

Since it's a fake castle(not one built for medieval defense), I would not have gone there if my daughter hadn't wanted to go. I don't think the inside tour is worth the 300 steps, unless you're a fan of Wagner. What I did like about her choice to see this castle was our 2 night stay in Fussen-picturesque, nice to walk around, interesting museum.

I am also in the "just tour the outside" group. I did the inside tour many years ago. I was not impressed. This year, we just walked the grounds and Mary's bridge.

This wasn't on my radar, but it was the "top attraction" for a day in Fussen on the RS tour, so I went. On a scale of 1-10, I'd rate it around 5. 19th century interiors don't do it for me. I believe the best view is from Mary's Bridge, which is either closed for repairs or packed with tourists. You don't "just drive there." You'll have to drive to the parking lot, then walk to the bus stop and wait in line for a bus. Or the steepish walk up. I'm not sure, but it's possible that you have to drive through the sight (filled with shops, tourists and horse-drawn wagons) to get to/from the parking lot.