Was the Interior of Neufshenstein a "Wow" for you?

You might find the interior of Neuschwanstein (New Swan Stone, get it?) interesting if you were familiar with the operas of King Ludwig's idol, Richard Wagner. Rooms decorated with scenes from "Tannhaeuser" and "Lohengrin" (the Swan Knight).

I did Neuschwanstein at least 10 years ago. I was underwhelmed. If you want to know about King Ludwig and his family, the castle/palace to go to is Hohenschwangua across the street from Neuschwanstein. Neuschwanstein was barely furnished and King Ludwig never lived there. Hohenschwangua was lived in, the rooms are lavishly decorated, and a lot of information about the family and King Ludwig was provided. With what I know now, I'd recommend just enjoying the exterior of Neuschwanstein and touring Hohenschwangua.

Also, the town of Fussen is worth wandering around. I was there in the winter after a snowfall and the area was magical.

This was our most disappointing experience in Europe. Not worth your time or money.

I agree with Sam. The only reason I went was because my teen-aged daughter wanted to go.I don't think it's worth all the steps you have to climb to see it(and at the time, I was too young to have knee issues). But it did result in our staying in Fussen, which I loved and would otherwise never have seen.

Interior is not a wow. There is something about the outside that is quite compelling that makes one think this is a must see. For me it was disappointing.

I first visited the castle in 1989. I was back in 2019 on a RS tour. Ok, 30 year gap, and a lot of changes. In 1989 it was a wonderful visit. There were no crowds, we weren’t on an assembly line, no timed entries. We had a docent who didn’t recite a speech- just took us around, told us about the rooms and answered questions. We saw rooms and places that are no longer part of the current tour.

In 2019, we were in a group of at least 100 people. Rushed through and the castle just seemed sad due to over tourism. If you hang back from the group you maybe able to linger a little bit longer to take in the decor and think about Ludwig. He was a young guy who decorated it as a flamboyant young guy. The imagination and details make it fun.

It’s a cool place. Would we go back? No, but I’m glad I was able to visit it in 2 different eras. In 1989 the Berlin Wall was still in place, the Japanese were wealthy and traveling, and no cell phones.

The view from the bridge is a “wow”. The interior is not a “wow”. I was also there in 1989 and have not been back.

Wow, thank you! This is just what I was hoping to read, based on my research. I can cope with a herded tour if there is a "must see" but had been leaning towards the Hohenschwangua interior instead if the weather is poor, for the reasons you provided.
(I wonder if Ludwig had lived to old age and finished his dream decor what that would have been!) I also think the historical perspective gained as a returning traveler is really interesting!
More thanks (and please add a hope for no rain)!

I agree with Sam, in that Neuschwanstein's interior resembles nothing so much as a lavish stage setting, based on Mozart operas. It was only lived in for less than 6 months, and Ludwig didnt intend for it to be for anyone's use but himself. Hohenschwangau, OTOH has existed for a much longer period, was occupied and used as a summer and hunting retreat, and the decor reflects the ornate tastes of the early 1800s. Not sure if you'd call it rococo or baroque, but subtle it's not.

The exterior from a distance is very pretty! And I did like the swan decor tied to the opera. We also stopped with the RS GAS tour at a luge ride on rails during the same stop, and that was a fun break. I mention that because if this had been an outstanding medieval castle, or Versailles, etc. I wouldn’t be mentioning the luge. So that gives you some perspective.

People looking for a castle beautiful from out- and inside I like to recommend Schwerin Castle (Museum).

nope, not a wow. In fact a complete snooze. Unpleasant "guides" who were more like herding sheep and bellowing not to take photos, although there was nothing to take photos of, a complete waste of money and half a day for my wife and me.

I’d certainly say that Hohenschwangau was the highlight between the two castles. Following RS recommendations, I saw that 1st thing with a handful of people and a real tour guide. Very good. Neuschwenstein (sic) was definitely less than. However, I wouldn’t necessarily characterize it as a waste of time so long as you are seeing it efficiently. And efficiency is what they aim for there: timed entry, multiple queues, no photos, fast paced tour (45min is almost nothing.) Considering the bus up to the bridge and all that, it’s not that much more of an investment imo. I would still recommend doing it as part of the “castle experience.” Just don’t roll up without a plan. All told, I was done seeing both castles by lunchtime.

Been there three times (last two against my will) and 45 minutes sounds very generous compared to the time we were allowed in there. If you're really interested in one room after another of ornate, unusable, over-the-top furniture and decor, maybe it's worth it. As someone told me, the difference in age between N-stein and the Disney version was only 70 years. Yet I understand the bucket-list appeal to many people.

More so- helpful responses, thank you!

No.

The tour rushes you through the IMO unimpressive interior. I do remember being more impressed in the 80s than I was recently. Maybe that's a change to the tour or maybe I'm more jaded by other places/experiences. The exterior and the setting is impressive so if you feel like you have to go to Fussen to experience this common bucket list item, book your tour for (the superior, IMO) Hohenschwangau and take lots of pics of the Neuschwanstein from there. You can also hike up to Marienbrucke and experience those views but check for closures.

TLDR: it doesn’t hold a candle to some of the great European castles and forts. The exterior and the setting are beautiful, but you can see those from afar.

The castle I would really want to visit is Linderhof! I won't have time, though. What an enigmatic figure King Ludwig was- it's interesting that, unanimously, your helpful responders had the same impression/reaction: unfinished (well, his death and he was surely out of cash!) feeling like a Wagnerian stage set and no time to see it at your own pace.
I so appreciate your insights for planning my time! Thank you!

OP- I hope you get to linderhof someday - my German relatives always took me there growing up and I loved it (most recently there 2015 and it was still a great experience). Interior (the stories!) , gardens, esp water filled grotto..!

OP-If you are in Munich, we really enjoyed our visit to Nymphenburg.

Jules, thank you, what a great suggestion! Do you think an Uber is feasible? I land in Munich from the US and would have just that day, since the next I have a day-long tour and then onward.
I am so grateful for the expert advice on the Forum!

We took a bus to Nymphenburg from the Marienplatz, it took about a half hour. I would think it would be reasonable via Uber, but I've never used Uber in Munich.

Looks like from the airport, it would be about half an hour by car and about 1.25 hours via public transportation.

We combined the Nymphenburg and the adjacent botanical garden and had a very nice day. Used easy public transportation.

Thank you, both!
It is now on my planning doc and makes a great first day idea.

I should also add that when we went in October 2022, large swaths of the interior were blocked off by plywood for restoration work that we were told would take two years.

A definite miss.

Neufshenstein?

a bit late to the party, Lee?

"Better late than never."

Looks like from the airport, it [to Nymphenburg] would be about half
an hour by car and about 1.25 hours via public transportation.

Both Google Maps and the MVV website give the time by public transportation as 57 minutes - from the airport by S-bahn (S1) to Moosach, then bus (#51) to Nymphenburg.

Thank you, Lee! It was a great earlier suggestion and I hope to pull it off by bus, if my flight into Munich cooperates being on time!