Photo Essay: Amazing Fairy-Tale German Castles

The German Castles of Ludwig II

A crazy and way underdeveloped plan to go to Germany turned out to be an unforgettable adventure. Our travel itinerary was for seven days and we had one day reserved for checking out three famous German castles. More specifically: 

The three Ludwig Castles – Linderhof, Hohenschwangau, and Neuschwanstein.

Honestly, it’s a bit hard for me now to look at the photos of these wonderful miracles of architecture, wondering whether I’ll have the chance to visit them again. Nevertheless, I am more than eager to share my experience with you and possibly motivate you to place these castles on the top of your bucket list.

Our Accommodation Stay in Germany: Kellermans Apartment in Memmingen

Our Upcoming Stay in Germany: Drexler’s Park Hotel in Memmingen

The Trip

Before our trip to Germany, I decided to reserve the tickets online for the Hohenschwangau and the Neuschwanstein castles to be on the safe side. With all different online reviews about the castles, I didn’t want to risk getting there and not being able to get tickets.

After receiving the confirmation, the guided tour hours were emailed. The Hohenschwangau tour was first at 13:55 PM followed two hours later by the Neuschwanstein. Keep in mind that the tickets must be picked up at least an hour before the first tour or the reservation is voided!

In Germany, we were staying at the Kellermans Apartment in Memmingen and we decided to drive first to Linderhof and then go back to the Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein castles. It was hard deciding how to schedule the tours to each castle and the drive between the locations, but in the end, it worked out better than anyone expected.

Anyway, let’s not bother you anymore with the little details and take you to a real fairytale adventure.

Believe me, these photos will make you want to book a flight right away!

Linderhof Castle

Built by King Ludwig II, Linderhof Castle (external link) is more of a palace than a castle. Nonetheless, it has a lot to offer to the curious eyes of visitors. After a short walk from the parking, you get to a marvelous building.

Honestly, I just stood there for a couple of minutes and enjoyed the view, the grand fountain in front of the palace, the statues… everything.

You can walk around the gardens for free and take photos; entering the museum inside the palace requires buying a ticket and a guided tour time. Unfortunately, we didn’t have the time for that tour and I can’t say if it’s worth it or not. 

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Hohenschwangau Castle

This German castle is the childhood palace of Ludwig II. It was built by his father; nevertheless, it is considered one of Bavaria’s three gems that anyone interested in architecture, history, culture and even Disney simply must visit. It is in the same spot (kind of) with Neuschwanstein Castle and it is often the first stop that is always overlooked because of the latter’s magnificence. However, the Hohenschwangau Castle is quite unique and charming that I never regretted visiting it.

I would like to advise anyone going there to reserve tickets online (external link) because it saved us lots of time waiting in long lines. The visitors can park the car for 6 EUR, pick their reserved tickets in no time at a separate desk and then even enjoy a cup of coffee and a piece of delicious cake at one of the restaurants.

We were also very lucky with the cool tour guide, who was pretty entertaining and informative. If you spent the money to come here, then you should spend some more to visit both Hohenschwangau Castle and Neuschwanstein Castle.

Neuschwanstein Castle

Out of the all three castles we visited, the German castle Neuschwanstein was my personal favorite. I mean, I do have a 1500-piece puzzle framed in the bedroom of it and it did manage to catch Disney’s attention. Thus, it really shouldn’t be a surprise that I found Neuschwanstein to be one of the best views in my entire life.

We paid for a carriage to take us up to the castle instead of walking uphill for 45 minutes. Also, there is a bus. So, no need to worry if you don’t have the physical condition or the wish to hike to the glorious Neuschwanstein.

As a useful piece of advice to my readers, I would recommend a walk to Marien Brucke (Marry’s Bridge); this place offers possibly the best view of the castle and it is, of course, the best spot for taking photos (selfies). Also, it is smart to have practical clothes like sneakers or comfortable winter shoes if you’re visiting when the weather is bad.

As mentioned before, reserve your tickets online for the Neuschwanstein castle tour to save yourself time and headache.

Concluding Thoughts

Well, my dear, that was all I have to share from my Ludwig Castles adventure; oh, who am I trying to fool, I could write a hundred more posts and probably still have a word or two to add. However, I believe that words cannot do these magnificent buildings justice and so I will just leave you to daydream about the moment you will get to see them yourselves.