September 11, 2024
Our adventure today was to visit the Neuschwanstein Castle which is just across the border in Germany.
Anna our guide for the day picked us up at our hotel for the two hour drive to the castle. We drove through mountains with scenic views of Austrian Alps.
Our first stop of the journey was Highline 179 which it is located near Reutte on the Bavarian-Austrian Border. We took two funiculars to get to the top of the mountain where there is a suspension footbridge extending at an altitude of 114 meters(460 ft)above the town connecting the Ehrenberg castle and ruins with Fort Claudia. The location of the bridge was chosen so that it would have a span of 403 meters (1,322 ft), officially the longest suspension footbridge in the world!! The views from on top were spectacular!!
Back in the car we headed to the Schwangau, Germany to visit the Neuschwanstein castle. As we approached the town we were stuck in a traffic jam. We assumed that there had been an accident but once we rerouted and finally parked we found that it was really cows that were the issue. The farmers were moving the cows from upper pastures to the lower pastures. A annual event for the winter, so of course they paraded them through the streets. The German version of the running of the bulls!!
The climb to the castle is very steep and over a mile hike but the views are so worth it. The castle is one of the most photographed buildings in the world, even though photography is not permitted inside the castle. Neuschwanstein Castle inspired the Sleeping Beauty Castle design in Disneyland.
Since we were a bit early for our timed entrance we stopped for hausgemachte quarkballs. They are yummy little fried balls that are similar to a donut but so fluffy. Definitely worth the calories and a great treat to revive us from all the hiking.
Neuschwanstein means “New Swan Stone”. The castle’s name derives from one of Wagner’s opera characters, the Swan Knight. The Neuschwanstein castle was built for only one person – King Ludwig II. But Ludwig slept only 11 nights in the castle. Ludwig was Richard Wagner’s patron, and Wagner’s operas inspired many castle rooms. The rooms of the castle were works of art and I wish I could have provided some pictures, but trust me it was worth the effort to tour the castle.
Our hike down was on tired legs after the hike up ascending over 200 stairs inside the castle. Anna took us on a shortcut that was clearly marked do not enter!! We manage to get back to the car without getting arrested or passing out from exhaustion!!!
We made one last view stop at Zugspize mountain in Bavaria, Germany. It was an amazing view of the mountain which is highest in Germany.
Shortly we were back at the hotel exhausted but so excited about our adventure filled day!
This was absolutely a “Best Day Ever…So Far”!!!!
Tomorrow’s adventure will be determined by the weather since the rain has caught up with us…..Drat!!!
WOW! I love seeing all of the adventures you two are on! Great photos!
Wow! That is all I can say….WOW!
What a fabulous adventure you are on thank you for sharing. I am there in spirit. This day was one of my favorite sound of music is alive through your adventure.