Happy Highlights Daily Herald: Neuschwanstein Castle

This is our first castle tour here in Germany. I'm a bit ashamed to admit it. There are a gazillion castles here. We could probably see a castle a weekend for the next two years and still not see them all.

The Neuschwanstein castle is THE castle. Everyone must see this castle because 1) it is beautiful, 2) sits on top of a mountain with a beautiful view and, 3) is the castle (I've heard anyway) that Walt Disney fashioned his castle at Disneyland to look like (you can be the judge of that).

This was the second day of our last hurrah summer vacation. We left our little hotel and drove for about one and a half hours through amazing (!) Bavarian landscapes - the trip was worth it just for that alone!

When we got there, it rained...rained...rained....(gasp). There were tons of tourists (just like us :o) and, well, we weren't able to get tickets to enter the Neuschwanstein castle so we got tickets to see another castle in the vicinity - the Hohenschwangau (this is the father's castle). We did walk around the outside grounds of the Neuschwanstein castle (the son's castle). It looks like we will need to go back. It will be good to go back with friends or family willing to come visit (hint, hint).

Here are a few pictures to share with you:

Many miles of these giant trees.

beep, beep.....uh....car?

beep, beep green convertible!

beep, beep....horse :o)

Here we are making the ascent to the Neuschwanstein castle (by the way, schwan means swan and the swan is the symbol of the two castles) We can barely see the Hohenschwangau castle in the background. We have tickets to go inside that one.

There it is closer up. What a beautiful landscape!

Here is King Ludwig II's famous castle.

This is the way in, but, of course, we'll go another time.

This is the view from the entryway of the castle. There is a waterfall out there, too.

"Welcome home, dear, a man's house is his castle."

The castle from another angle. We must be off now to our tour of the Hohenschwangau castle. If we are late, they won't let us in (awww).

As you would expect...a knight in shining armor to greet us.

beautiful graphics

Princess Emily

love the gardens outside the castle

We recommend taking the horse and carriage. It's less crowded and (we found out) a few cents cheaper than the bus AND it's more fun, but, maybe slower.