Neuschwanstein - don't bother?
 

There seems to be a concensus on this board that Neuschwanstein Castle is not a very interesting sight. Is Hohenschwangau more interesting as it was lived in? Or should we skip both and just tour Lindenhof? We will have already seen Burg Eltz. Any comments? Does this mean we should not bother with this area at all? We had planned to travel here as a day trip from Munich.

I just visited Neuschwanstein a few weeks ago, along with Hohenschwangau. They are at the same location and share a ticket office. I definitely thought it was worthwhile. Neuschwanstein is surreally beautiful. We did it as day trip from Munich.

Neuschwanstein to me is one of the most incredible things i've ever seen in Europe - just don't go expecting you classic old castle - it's Ersatz and offers a delightful absurdity at every turn. Hohenschwangau is an authentically old castle but also was spice up by Mad King Ludwig.
Read a bit about the 'Mad' king before going as this adds to the lure.
Thus though Neuschwanstein is no Burg Eltz, it's something Eltz to marvel at - you have thousands of old castles in Europe but only a few as delightfully bizarre and as interesting sight as Neuschwanstein!

Yes einah235 has it right the castles are also in a serenely gorgeous location, nestled in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps and just above a big lake - so even if you don't go into the castles it's still well worth going to.

Go! I loved visiting Neuschwanstein. It's a lovely area.

Monica ((F))

Thanks einah and PalQ. Your comments are very reassuring and I look forward to seeing the castles now but first I'll read up on Ludwig!

Who has said it is a concensus?

Neuschwantstein is worth the visit. The outside is more interesting than the inside (my humble opinion) Try to get to the Marionbrucke Bridge location near the castle entrance (Mary's Bridge) for an even better view of the castle. Did the Movie "Vertico" scare you?

I have seen it in many seasons and the winter to me was the most magical!

John

I agree- do your research on Ludwig. It will make it so much more interesting. Neuschwanstein was something I had wanted to vist for quite some time. In fact, I'm going to go for a second time with my mom this summer. It is very touristy, for sure, but well worth it IMO. Plus, I think you'd be sad if you went to the area and didn't get your picture of the beautiful castle!

The inside is is also interesting, particularly to Wagner fans.

The outside of the castle, and its mountain setting, are more spectacular than the inside, which was never finished.

The heavy doors are beautifully carved, and some of the furnishings are lavish.

Bear in mind that the tours are on a tight schedule by language. If you are limited to English, you will need to make sure you know the time and the assembly point of the tour.

When we went through about half the group was non native English speakers, but they took the first tour available in a language they understood.

When we toured the Festspielhaus in Salzburg what started out as a bi lingual tour (German and English) soon turned to a mono lingual tour - in English. The German speakers told the guide there was no need to repeat anything in German! My wife and I were the only native English speakers on the tour, assuming that what we speak in the US of A is English.

Loved Neuschwanstein Castle. The only concensus I've seen is if you had to chose between this castle and Linderhof, chose Linderhof. Otherwise, go see Neuschwanstein.

I agree that the views and ((p)) from the bridge are wonderful. If you take the bus up, the bridge is right up the path where you are let off. ((b))

I loved all 3 of Mad Ludwig's Castles and would not have missed any of them. My visit to Neuschanstein was terrific, except for the fact that I persuaded my very prim and proper (and cheap!) 75 year old mother to take the horse cart up to the top vice walking. Little did I know that I had chosen the cart being pulled by Ed the Farting Horse. ALL the way up -- Clop, clop, FART, clop, clop, clop, FART...
Sigh.

LOL! Thanks everyone!

Along with Linderhof in terms of interior decoration, the most elaborate of all <b>four</b> of the Ludwig buildings is the palace at Herrenchiemsee which is the largest of the four (over 200 rooms). The interior is literally a miniature Versailles and much more richly decorated than any of the buildings.

It is unfortunate that many people here have never bothered to visit it and, in fact, don't even know about it.

On Saturday evenings in the summer, the palace on Herrenchiemsee is lit only with candles (as Versailles) and there is a lovely chamber music program....
I was fortunate enough to attend this twice...great experience..we took this as a bus tour from Berchtesgaden..it was great fun and we didn't have to worry about driving..

Two years ago I took my wife on a tour of Bavaria; countless cathedrals, castles, chateaus, etc. On the final day, we went to Neuschwanstein &amp; Hohewschwangau, for as I told my wife, &quot;Even tho what we've seen elsewhere is better, people will expect you to have seen these two, since that's THE castle 95% of the people on guided tours see. Without having seen them, you'll forever after think you missed out&quot;. So we did, and she afterward strongly agreed with my assessment. So think of that aspect of your decision.

By all means read up about 'Mad' Ludwig and how he came to build his castles - a fascinating story with Wagner even i guess coming to advise and amuse him in the castles. A totally bizarre story with a tragic ending where Ludwig mysteriously ends up drowning in a lake near Munich - Neuschwanstein, Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee were intricately planned by Ludwig as Ersatz old castles - Herrenchiemsee has been called the German Versailles because, set on an island in a lake, in many ways it's a copy of the French Versailles, which so entralled King Ludwig and fed his sense of grandeur. Anyway the three foremost Ludwig creations can be one of Europe's most enthralling sights, but only if you research and read up on the truly fascinating life of 'Mad' King Ludwig!

Although inside the castle isn't too exciting, it is really a breath-taking view to go behind the castle on the suspension bridge. You have a great photo op of the castle, and the waterfall way down below. In Fussen on New Year's day (right at dusk) they have a torchlit scuba parade. Hundreds of hearty souls float down the river with torches chanting and carrying on. It's quite the spectical.

Both Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau are worth your time, and would be a wonderful day trip from Munich. When I was in Germany about six weeks ago, my friend who lives in Berlin, made sure that I got to see both castles. He even rented a car just to drive me there! I have never been to Lidenhof, so I can't comment.

Loved it- been twice. Also go to Linderhof, BUT the BEST part of Linderhof is the GROTTO- it is A HUGE man made cave with a lake complete with a boat that Ludwig used to ride around on. Herrenchiemsee Palace is the BEST Ludwig castle though. It is even BETTER than Versailles- and I have been to Versailles in Paris twice.