Stage 1: Neuschwanstein Castle

On June 6, 2022, we set off towards Füssen. The goal was the ultimate tourist hotspot, the "must-see" of southern Germany: Neuschwanstein Castle!

Can you escape the overpriced entrance and parking fees? Probably not... We quickly managed to grab the last tickets of the day for an English tour (everything else was sold out, and the last tickets were only available online (€17.50 per person)). For €10, we parked at the Alpsee parking lot in Hohenschwangau and then headed up to the castle (about a 20-30 minute walk).

Neuschwanstein Castle is enchanting both inside and out, partly because the initial designs were not made by an architect, but by a stage designer. Photos are not allowed inside the castle, but let me tell you, there is hardly a bare spot on the walls. Everything is covered in paintings and art, all inspired by various works of Wagner. The favorite theme of King Ludwig II, the swan, is present in almost every room. Unfortunately, the guide lacked enthusiasm, which is understandable given the crowds that are ushered through the rooms every day. Nevertheless, it's worth a visit. It's a shame that Ludwig II never actually moved into this castle, but died under mysterious circumstances before doing so...

But where can you find the famous postcard view of Neuschwanstein Castle? The Marienbrücke is currently closed due to construction work, so we walked a bit further behind the castle into the forest to at least find the roaring waterfall. On small (unofficial) paths through mud and leaves, we still managed to find a small rocky ledge from which we could catch a beautiful view of the castle.

We spent our first night in our camper Freedolin in a parking lot northeast of Füssen, which we found through "Park4Night". We didn't sleep optimally due to continuous rain and being right next to a train line, but it was free and uncomplicated.

We are trying to escape the rain and continue south: next stop, the Dolomites!