Hohenschwangau Castle, where Ludwig II of Bavaria spent his childhood. The castle is still privately owned by the Wittelsbach family. A footpath leads from parking lot 4 to the castle, alternatively you can travel by carriage for a fee. Ticket either online or at the ticket center - near parking lot 4 There is no restaurant on site!

Opposite Neuschwanstein, they share the same parking lots and the same accessibility problems. It takes about 25 minutes to walk. The visits are “guided” and start at the appointed time, no tolerance. The castle is more classic than its neighbor, the rooms are smaller with more sober decoration but everything is of certain interest. The visit lasts approximately 40 minutes, photos are prohibited.

Stay over the night before and take the first tour in the AM. Make sure you have your tour tickets well in advance online. Don't bother coming if you cannot walk up three flights of stairs. That said, the tour is around 45 minutes and really interesting with paintings and ivory carvings. The history of the castle dating from the 12th century is pretty amazing.

First things first: It really is madness how many tourists are around the royal castles. So it pays to be early and take an early lead right away.  We booked a family tour at the castle in the early afternoon (none was offered earlier)  and spent the time before on the Alpsee. While bathing in the warm Alpsee, time flew by. It is recommended The tour weeks or even months in. Book in advance. It's worth it. The tour was child-friendly and also the hour flew by. Our girls (3 & 6 years) were delighted. We went up on foot in the best weather and down by carriage in rain for a total of 9eur.  Neuschwanstein Castle is also worth seeing! 

Less famous than Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau was built by Ludwig's father, and is located at a lower altitude, 20-30 minutes walk from the other castle. The visit lasts just over half an hour. Unfortunately I had to join a visit in German and I could only guess vaguely what the Guide told. Visit no less interesting, although objectively the castle is not as beautiful as the first. The two castles can be visited on the same day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, leaving a couple of hours between the two visits to eat something and move calmly. Recommendation to book tickets online.

The castle is beautiful, the view of the lake or the castle of Neuschwanstein is superb. The small outdoor park of the castle is accessible free of charge, as is the shop. The interior can only be visited in guided tours with audio-guides available in several languages. But be careful, the tour is timed and monitored by a Guide that activates the Audio Guide for each room. As soon as the text is finished the group should proceed to the next room. There is therefore no way to wander as it pleases in the castle which can therefore be visited in 50 minutes top-chrono! In addition, photos are prohibited indoors. We do not have time to observe all the objects and decorations of each room. WARNING, the same day many slots are full, it is better to book on the Internet several days or weeks in advance to have the day and time of your choice! The different car parks in the city are expensive at 12 euros per day!

If you are going to Neuschwanstein Castle, you should absolutely visit Hohenschwangau! Of the three castles; Neuschwanstein, Hohenschwangau, and Linderhof, this one has the best tour and feels the most like a castle on the inside. The guide here was the most personable of all the tour guides, and the tour most engaging and interesting. Additionally, because the royal family lived in the castle, there is more to learn and enjoy about the royal family, history of the area, and the things in the castle, which made it feel more real. I definitely recommend you buy your tickets online ahead of time if you aren’t part of an organized bus-type tour. There are also limited guided tours with a guide, and the rest are audio tours, another reason to book ahead. The guided tour is the way to go, if it is available. The walk up the hill takes about 10min. There are a few overlooks you can stop at and see Neuschwanstein or the lake if you want a little break on the way up. You only need to arrive at the top 5-10min before your tour time because everything is automated and you can only get through the turnstile at your designated time. There is a small cafe and W/C in the waiting area of the courtyard, which is well shaded by trees, but seating is limited. The town is little more than gift shops and a few restaurants, so you don’t need a lot of time in the town. It is easy to combine this castle with Neuschwanstein if you book ahead of time and plan to arrive early. We did 9:55am Neuschwanstein and 1:40pm Hohenschwangau with the guided English tours, and the timing was perfect for photos, a little souvenir shopping, and lunch between. There is also a beautiful lake you can walk to for some scenic views and photos. Parking Lot P4 is by the busses to Neuschwanstein and the walk to Hohenschwangau. All parking costs 12€ at the time of this review.

Interesting tour of the castle of Ludwig II's parents. Beautiful murals with old German themes designed by Moritz von Schwindt. The area is terribly touristy, partly because of the nearby Neuschwannstein.

A castle on this site existed as early as the 12th century, it was built by the knights of Schwangau. Over time, it collapsed and by the beginning of the 19th it had become a ruin. The Bavarian King Maximillian 2 (1811-1864) built a medieval-style castle in 1832-1837. His son, King Ludwig 2 (1845-1886), grew up here.

The former knight's castle Schwanstein was rebuilt under Maximilian II in the Neo-Gothic style, under the name Hohenschwangau Castle. You can easily reach the castle on foot via the stairs (about 10 min. Footpath) Entrance is only possible with a guided tour, which also makes perfect sense. You will be guided through the premises and learn interesting facts about the castle and its inhabitants. Super interesting guided tour that also leaves room for questions. Top!!!