Neuschwanstein Castle

It was an early start for a long trip to Ludwig II's fairytale castle, Neuschwanstein. Neuschwanstein translates as "new swan stone" and incorporates the heraldic swan symbol throughout its design. I had visited the castle in 2011, but I find Ludwig's story quite interesting, so a repeat visit was welcomed. 

Ludwig was born at Nymphemburg Palace in Munich to Maximillian II. As a future king, he was raised with duty in mind, and as such, his parents were formal and cold toward his younger brother and him. Ludwig was a sensitive soul, and he craved love and affection. He loved art and fell in love with Wagner's operas at the age of 15. Ludwig inherited the crown at the age of 18, and as king, he sought to build large fantasy palaces in the romanticized medieval style. Neuschwanstein required years to build, and Ludwig died under mysterious circumstances at the age of 40 prior to finishing the interior spaces. Only about 1/3 of the rooms are utilized. 

My group opted to take the horse drawn carriages up most of the steep climb, but even with that help, there was a lot of uphill climbing left. A castle must be on top of a hill, after all! The views from the top, and in particular from Marienbrücke, or Queen Mary's Bridge, are worth the effort.

From Neuschwanstein we continued on to Munich. We had sausage, potatoes, and sauerkraut at a local beer hall before heading to our hotel for the next two days. Once settled, a group of us went to Hofbrauhaus for liters of beer and pretzels that are bigger than my head. It was a boisterous Saturday night and so much fun!