Schloss Neuchwanstein

Probably the top tourist attraction in Germany, and maybe even in all of Europe, is Schloss Neuchwanstein, which is the castle that Walt Disney based Sleeping Beauty's castle in Disneyland on.  In order to enter the castle, you'll need to purchase a timed ticket.  Be aware that the time stamped on the ticket is the time you'll enter and you don't want to be late.  Otherwise, you will not be allowed in under any circumstances.  Also, it can get VERY crowded here so we recommend pre-purchasing your reservation online or getting to the ticket center in Hohenschwangau first thing in the morning.

To get to the castle, you'll need to either take a long 30-40 minute steep uphill walk from the main part of town, take a bus, or take a horse-drawn carriage ride.  We recommend taking the bus for 3 Euros/person.  Where the bus drops you off, also make sure to take a walk to the nearby bridge for an amazing view of the castle.  From there, head to the castle for your tour.  Keep in mind only about 1/3 of the castle's insides were ever completed, so you can't go everywhere in the castle during your tour.  However, the tour is impressive and highly recommended.

In addition, afterwards, near the back of the castle, there is a path down to a waterfall that is gorgeous.  There are numerous stairs to go down (and come back up), so please keep in mind you should be physically fit to experience this portion.