One of the most anticipated sights for us on this trip was Neuschwantstein Castle. The Disney castle is modeled after this and it's literally a real life fairytale. When we arrived here the first day the fog was so thick the castle was barely visible. We decided to wait and come back again the next day hoping that weather would clear and the visibility would be better. We woke up to the sound of rain hitting the rooftops. We decided to visit the castle anyways. When we finally made it up to the castle we were again devastated because Mary's Bridge was closed. King Ludwig created Mary's Bridge so he would be able to marvel at his masterpiece, this is also one of the best viewpoint for photography of the castle. We shot the castle from other angles and left semi-satisfied. The next morning we woke up to a wonderful surprise. SNOW! The snow had fallen overnight and the surrounding mountains were covered. We drove back to the castle and the what we saw can't be described. It was one of the most beautiful sights either of us had ever seen, leaving us speechless. The snow above the castle and the vibrant fall colors below were something out of a dream.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Ludwig did not live long enough to see the completion of his masterpiece. His mysterious death at the age of 40 is still unsolved.
Hohenschwangau Castle
Across the valley from Neuschwanstein Castle is King Ludwig's childhood home. Situated on the top of a hill surrounded by lakes and mountains this castle's pale yellow exterior is beautiful especially in the fall. Ludwig built his "dream castle" close by so he could easily walk to and from his home and keep a close eye on it's construction.
Linderhof Palace
These two photographs above are from (http://www.schlosslinderhof.de/englisch/palace/history.htm)
Linderhof Palace is an hour's drive away from the other two castles and is nicknamed "Mini Versailles." Ludwig modeled it after the famous Versailles Palace in France but it is tiny and only has one bedroom, for the King himself. They do not allow photography inside which we truly appreciate! This is the only one of Ludwig's three properties that he finished before his death. Along with only one bedroom he had a unique eating room, where he would sit alone and enjoy a 7-12 course meal every day. The table in his eating room was designed so it would go up and down from his chair to the kitchen downstairs. He wanted to eat like a king, but without interruption. He used this palace as his hunting lodge and it is very secluded.
Ludwig's Grotto. This man made cave was used for personal music performances.
