I am on the My Way Alps tour beginning June 2. I want to schedule both castle tours with appropriate time in between. If it’s a nice day we hope to ride bikes from our hotel to the area. I have no knowledge of how it all works for such endeavors. I just know people do it. If you have experience with timing or biking please let me know. Thanks.
Posted by
San Diego, California
6244 posts
Hopefully the above Search of Forum posts will help you.
I am not a fan, especially N'stein, as it's the definition of tourist trap, IMHO. The other palace offers a nicer tour. Timing between the two palaces can be challenging. Tickets can be hard to get. There's lots of walking, even with the shuttle. It's a long day. However, if it's your dream, go for it, but be aware of the challenges.
I'd suggest Zugspitze instead, Germanys highest peak, from which you can see four countries, and ride the cable car and cogwheel train.
Whatever you decide, have a great trip!
Posted by
The States
92 posts
Last August, my husband and I hiked from Füssen to Hohenschwangau. We had booked the 9:55 tour in English, which was very good. I think the hike took us about an hour and a half. The path wasn't always easy to follow, and we did have to turn around at least once. I'm not sure how long it would take to cycle, but it would definitely be an uphill climb.
As for Neuschwanstein, we weren't interested in touring it because we didn't want to devote an entire day to the two castles. We did walk up to the castle. I know it's the inspiration behind the Disneyland castle, and it definitely felt like an amusement park near the gates. Also, like the Disney castles, it looked better from far away. I don't regret skipping this tour.
Posted by
11916 posts
Neuschwanstein was the worst, over touristed site I have visited in all of my world travels. Skip it!
Posted by
The Heartland USA
9248 posts
The hike up the hill to N'stein from the parking lot was twice as long as the mandatory guided tour inside.
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19407 posts
Neuschwanstein was the worst, over touristed site I have visited in
all of my world travels.
So, you have never taken a "Sound of Music" tour, right?
The hike up the hill to N'stein from the parking lot was twice as long
as the mandatory guided tour inside.
Come on! According to the Neuschwanstein.de website, the tour takes 35 min.
Twice as long is 70 minutes. The walk is 1.6km. That should take about 20 minutes. I've done it twice. I didn't time myself, but it could not have been more than 30 minutes.
Posted by
Munich
648 posts
As a Bavarian, I somehow grew up with Neuschwanstein and its history. It is the fantasy of a king that the Bavarians still worship today, whether we like it or not :-) And the joke is that Ludwig had forbidden anyone from entering the castle after his death. Well, four weeks after his death, the first visitors were allowed in. First, the Wittelsbachs and then the State of Bavaria quickly understood, and still understand today, what a money-printing machine the castle is. The palace now belongs to the 'Bavarian Palaces and Lakes Administration'. Along with a few other attractions, it certainly provides substantial funding for the maintenance of all the buildings, parks, and lakes belonging to it. For example, the English Garden in Munich, etc.
I love the castle from the outside - be it from a distance or from the Marienbrücke. But the inside isn't really my style either. It also really annoys me that you now have to go through the shop to get out. It used to be completely different. So, it's now a tourist trap in my eyes as well.
Posted by
Niagara, Ontario
1732 posts
If your tour includes a stop in Fussen then by all means visit both castles. An easy walk of about an hour to the main drag of Hohenschwangau (10-15 minutes by bike?), or catch the bus. From the main drag the incline up to Neuschwanstein is steepish: easier, I'd say, to walk up than cycle (can take a carriage or bus?).There's also a prettier, narrow path running alongside the main road up, a little harder.
Book in advance. Do Neuschwanstein first, allow an hour to get back down to Schloss Hohenschwangau without rushing, more if you want to spend time on the bridge, even more if you want to cross the bridge and hike up the mountain a bit to get a different view of Neuschwanstein. Or have lunch at the Hotel Muller in between castles.
Tourist trap? Only you can decide. I've been to Disney World and Universal and enjoyed both.