The long-awaited visit to Neuschwanstein Castle is here! Today we took a bus around an hour and 30 minutes from Augsburg to the famous “Cinderella” castle. This castle was King Ludwig II’s private sanctuary where he would go to spend time with his friend Richard Wagner or just have some quality alone time.

We started the day walking around the touristy (but stunning) village that lies directly below the castle. We spent 30 minutes walking around a breathtaking lake that reminded me of an Apple screensaver. The water reflected the sky so clearly that I really couldn’t tell which side was the sky and which was the water! After our group walk, we all got pastries and coffee and did some souvenir shopping before hiking up to the castle.

Next, we began a 20-minute hike up a hill to get to the castle. From the base of the village, the hike looked like it would be a lot more extraneous than it was. I was expecting to walk for at least an hour but to my surprise, we were only walking to the castle for around 30 minutes. Although we weren’t hiking for too long it was really steep. I saw some people biking up the trail and I was in awe of their athleticism!

The hike was well worth the incredible view we got from a bridge in front of the castle. I was a bit nervous to step out onto the bridge as it was packed with at least 50 people. I put my fears to the side and stepped out. I have no words for the view that we experienced. Pictures don’t do it justice!

After taking in the view and taking a formal tour of the castle’s interior, we stopped by a local donut stand. They were the most incredible homemade powdered donuts I have ever tasted! We ended our day by stopping by a church and taking a look inside. The walls were garnished with so much detail and beautiful meaning.