THE DISPUTED SERIES, DAY 13
GERMANY
Fairytale castles in the alps. I arrived late and was offered a cheap upgrade by hertz which I declined. So the fella said he would give it to me anyway… anyone say commission?!!
I HAD THE ENTIRE PLACE TO MYSELF, NOT WHAT I EXPECTED AT ALL
After a 2 hour drive in the ford Kuga I arrived into Haus Alpenrose, £50 for a single room including breakfast and one of the closest hotels to the castle and seeing as I booked it this morning I can’t really complain.
WHERE IS SCHLOSS NEUSCHWANSTEIN CASTLE?
I couldn’t believe the trust in Alpenrose though. I was arriving after checkin and leaving before checkout so I wasn’t going to see anyone from the hotel. They just told me to have the money on the table when I was leaving!
NIGHT SCAPE
Driving up to the village at night you could see the castle illuminated from a distance and it was sight to behold. I’m aware I sound like an old man but it was unbelievable and made me even more excited for tomorrow!
The following morning I was up early and made my way to the ticket desk at the bottom of the hill. The weather was smashing for this time of year and not a cloud in the sky. If you want tickets to get inside the castle you must buy them here, otherwise you can walk around outside to your hearts content.
GETTING TO THE CASTLE
The first tour is at 10am so I had 1hr 30 to kill, perfect to explore around the castle. The walk up takes around 30mins and then to the viewpoint (Marienbrucke Bridge) another 10mins. There is a bus but it doesn’t start until after 9 so no sense in waiting around for the crowds to join.
MARIENBRUCKE
The view from the bridge is phenomenal, it really is like something out of a fairlytale. This appears to be the best time to go to avoid the crowds. There was a bus load at the beginning and then once they left no one else came to the bridge for 20mins, so I pretty much had it to myself. I’ll put this down to the tour that was beginning shortly and everyone was making their way to the castle.
DRONE
Knowing it would make an epic photo and video I risked taking the drone out after seeing the various warning signs but as you can see it was worth it in the end.
INSIDE THE CASTLE
The tour is a guided (you are part of a group) audio tour and caters for almost any language. You only get to see maybe 20% of the inside but it’s still very much worth it. The extravagance of wealth was mind blowing. Unfortunately it’s forbidden to take photos of some areas inside.
After the castle I had a drive around the grounds. The castle is only a few minutes drive from the Austrian border which is literally an empty cabin and barrier, the EU is an amazing place!
It was then back to Munich to drop the car off then a very relaxing 12hrs. An overnight train to Frankfurt, a flight to Dublin (with Ryanair no less) and then a 2hr bus up to Belfast!
FINAL THOUGHTS
I’ve been to Munich before and was never totally fussed but I’d have to say it’s worth visiting just to see the castle. It’s clear to see a rental car is an easy option and gives you the added flexibility. You can also do it in a day if you prefer to get back to Munich but the area around the castle is also worth exploring, with it’s various hikes and quaint little town. You can also sign up to a tour which takes away any hassle for you in getting tickets and transport to and from Munich.
NEXT UP
My reflection post on the last 12days travel, click to read! Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
141/229
This post is part of The Disputed Series, click to explore or for episode 1 click here.
To watch the video of my trip, head to my highlights on my Instagram.
