Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the worlds most famous, beautiful and visited destinations in Europe. It is located in Bavaria, Germany. Neuschwanstein Castle is popular because of its fairytale look and dangerous location in the Alps, on the top of a hill. This unbelievable castle inspired Walt Disney to create the Magic Kingdom but travelers from all over the world – travel just to see this wonder. I visited Neuschwanstein Castle 10 years ago, but this year (2019) I had a chance to visit it again… but unfortunately, the reality of visiting Neuschwanstein Castle has changed.

1. YOU ARE ARRIVING IN TOTAL CHAOS

So, as we (me and my family) were traveling in Bavaria with a car, we decided that after a 10 year break we want to visit Neuschwanstein Castle again. It’s a Sunday, the weather is good and we are ready to conquer new peaks! Beginning sounds good but unfortunately, with arriving we are meeting only chaos. Cars are standing on the streets because they don’t understand what to do, people are crossing streets and standing on them without caring about cars. First parking place what we saw was full. To the second parking place, we couldn’t get because some tourists with their cars blocked part of the street. Ok, nothing to do, let’s see what will come next. And there it is – third parking place. Big territory with a 15 – 25 free parking, but no one is letting you inside. Why? It wasn’t said. We just needed to accept it. So, we are slowly driving further and lucky we – there comes fourth parking place. They have left something free and they are letting us in! Just getting there (300 meters from third parking place) took for us about 20 minutes. But you have no other choice!

2. YOU WILL STAND EVERYWHERE AND GET NOWHERE

After a few hour drives and park place searching, we were finally outside in this good weather full with good hopes. But it’s not so simple, as it was 10 years ago. After a long way, some of us wanted to toilet. And its totally acceptable but people line waiting to WC was not acceptable. Totally not! I don’t know how long it took time to get there inside but we decided to search for something else. And even more, WC was not free of charge. Its really sad and I don’t know what are doing there families with small children, pregnant women, older people and people with some health problems.

Yes, we found a toilet and free of charge but it was some restaurant toilet. It was outside of the restaurant, but only for their guests. So we felt like sneaking in where that wasn’t allowed. And it was not a very nice feeling. But it’s better than waiting in that terrible line.

But that was not everything… I really wanted to see Neuschwanstein Castle from inside. So we found a place where to buy tickets and again.. I was just standing and staring to that line of people. And I said to myself: ’’What a wonderful day for a walk outside’’! I will not spend even an hour or two to stand in this line when there are so many things to see in Bavaria! I will not spend time standing here even next time I will visit Neuschwanstein Castle again after 10 years! And you know, later I understand, that it was my best decision!

3. BEAUTY AND THE CRUELTY

Getting up to the Neuschwanstein Castle takes about 30 till 40 minute walk. It can be a little bit hard because you are going to the hilltop, but it’s worth a view! It’s a very beautiful road through the forest and with a view of the Bavarian landscape. Beauty that you can’t catch somewhere else. There are some viewing points where you can relax a little and go till the Neuschwanstein Castle. And everything totally free and without waiting in lines!

A lot of people are using a horse carriage ride to get up to Neuschwanstein Castle. It costs only about 4 EUR, but its very cruelty. The horses are dragging carriage full of tourists (till 10 persons) all day long, every single day. The horses looked tired and like using their last energy. The tongue was hanging out.. They weren’t happy about this ‘’job’’. But calculating horse carriage ride incomes, we understand that they can earn a lot of money! Unfortunately, horses get nothing, only obligation to pull tourists uphills. It’s cruelty! It’s not romantic, cool or sweet. Please, use your feet or take the shuttle bus up to the Neuschwanstein Castle! Be a human!

Getting to the Neuschwanstein Castle by feet feels like an achievement and you get proud of yourself! At the place, you are having an amazing viewing platform and chance to go inside in castles internal courtyard. There are stairs from where you can see courtyard from the up and internal facade of the castle. It’s a beautiful place, where you can shoot amazing photos. A lot of people are just sitting on the stairs and having a relax after that long walk. But the courtyard is full of people. It’s even hard to get through them. Do you remember that line of people who were waiting to buy an entrance ticket for Neuschwanstein Castle? Now they are standing a looong time to get inside the castle! They are waiting for their turn because the entrance is limited. But there are too many people. Sometimes it can take even 1 – 2 hours of waiting. And together with ticket buying, it is already 2 – 4 hours of waiting!

It’s funny, that King Ludwig II had built this beautiful castle to hide from public life and to live in his fairytale, but now people are like crazy visiting this place and making it the most visited castle in the world! Ironically, isn’t it?

4. TOO FAMOUS, TOO DANGEROUS

Too often, too big popularity can be very dangerous. And it’s also a story about the Neuschwanstein Castle. Last, but the best (most beautiful) viewing point is Queen Mary’s bridge (Marienbrücke). The bridge is located about 15 minutes walk from the castle, between two mountains. And the view is directly on the Neuschwanstein Castle and Bavarian landscape! Oh, believe me, you want to see it! Its something unforgettable!

Unfortunately, there is again a line of people before the bridge, but this time we were patient. The line was going fast and we were waiting only about 30 minutes to get to the bridge. But there was a new surprise already awaiting! It was a big screen controlling how many people may still get on the bridge because the maximum capacity is 400 people!!! You seriously? 400 people on a small bridge? Maybe it’s a strong bridge but it’s still a bridge between two mountains and these thoughts made us feel uncomfortable. We get on the bridge to take some photos but very quickly we got off. Even more uncomfortable made me feel some stranger who decided to jump on this bridge and prove the capacity of it. We all felt that bridges wooden floor is moving a little bit. That made this beautiful view of the Neuschwanstein Castle not so beautiful.

SUMMARY

I remember that 10 years ago there weren’t a lot of things that are today – full parking places, lines of people everywhere, animal cruelty and capacity control. I remember the Neuschwanstein Castle as a quiet and beautiful place where to take a walk. Ok, it’s also today a beautiful place but not any more quite!

I am recommending the Neuschwanstein Castle to all people who I know and who are reading this! It’s a very beautiful and unforgettable place where you always want to come back! There is something magical in this place, especially when you are studying information about King Ludwig II who built this place.

If you truly want to visit the Neuschwanstein Castle, try to come here early, early in the morning, when all tourists are still sleeping or late in the evening when families with children are too tired. Try to visit this place in weekday, not at the weekend. Try to come here not in summer, when it is the main tourism season. Maybe in winter? Before visiting Neuschwanstein Castle think about those things and try to make your visit unforgettable! I hope, you will make it!

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