Neuschwanstein is a beautiful caslte that is not friendly to the elderly or handicapped. My wife and I took my parents on a trip on the Romantic Road recently ending at Neuschwanstein Caslte. It is a remarkable castle that has to be seen up close to appreciate. Go to the bridge behind the castle to get the most breathtaking views. The real negative comes to getting to the castle. My parents are in OK shape, but getting up there in age. The walk to the caslte from where the bus drop off is not that bad...it is the trip back to the bus that is the killer. Also, the castle tour itself is over 300 steps. I think it is worth the walk as the views of the Bavarian Alps, castle, and the surrounding lakes are incredible, just keep the the steep inclines of the walk from the castle in mind.

Happy trails...

Definitely a fairytale castle in a magical setting. We made sure we got there very early to beat the anticipated crowds and it worked wonders towards the appreciation of the castle. We decided to walk from the carpark to the castle as they tended to pile onto the fiacres. It was a pleasant but demanding forest walk.
We were on the first tour and found the experience to be quite fulfilling. The tour gave you a good insight into King Ludwig and the opulence of the castle but steered clear of any reference to his madness or lack of popularity. The king appeared to have an affiliation with swans (Neuschwanstein = New Swan Rock)
Outside we then climbed up to Marys Bridge, a steep but essential walk to a bridge positioned over Pollats Gorge. From here you get the best overall perspective of the castle and the surrounding countryside but be prepared for a face lift as the wind howls here.
It was one of the most memorable experience of our trip.

I drove the see the Hohenschangau and Neuschwanstein castles in Southern Bavaria this December ('05). It was a 1 1/2 hour drive from Munich, a very pleasant one indeed. The road to the Castle is often snowed out, in which can you either need to take the horse carriage ( huge queues ) or walk up ... The castle itself is grand and reminds you of the Disney Castle. There is a tour of the castle rooms. Don't miss the awesome views though the windows while on the tour. On you way back stop by one of the local restaurants for some local delights before you ride back. Mind you this was the coldest weather we found in our trip of Austria and Bavaria, so keep yourself well covered.

This castle is truely a fairy tale castle. It is absolutely beautiful and it is set around a small town. If you are in Germany, most especially Garmisch or Munich then you must stop here. It does get very busy at times, mostly on the weekends. If you go try to do it during the weekdays. And plan on getting there early. When we were living in Germany we went to Neuschwanstein 3 times and all the times we have gotten there at 9:00 am and never had to wait long. And if you want to take the horse drawn wagon up to the castle then DEFINITELY get there early. That is a popular feature. If you want to eat, I would suggest you pack a lunch or drive to Fussen or some nearby city. The prices are high and the food isn't very good at the restaurants plus it is always packed inside.