Our final destination was one of my favourites from my entire time in Europe. We made our way from Berlin to Munich, or München (which I now know how to pronounce after taking a few German lessons).

On one of the days in Munich, we met with Ron who was on his exchange programme there, and journeyed to a very enchanting and somewhat surreal castle – Schloß Neuschwanstein.

The castle is one of the world’s most famous castles, and definitely the most beautiful one I have seen. It is known as the Sleeping Beauty Castle, as Walt Disney’s inspiration came from this very castle. Most recently, it was featured in The Monuments Men – which is a movie I very much enjoyed. Must be George Clooney.

We took the train from Munich’s train station early that morning to Füssen, which is the closest bahnhof (train station) to visit the castle.

Füssen train station

From the train station, it is a pretty long and arduous hike up to Marienbrücke, the bridge where you get simply the best view of Neuschwanstein Castle. I would highly recommend wearing good, sturdy shoes. When we were there, it had been snowing a couple of days before, and the path was icy and slippery, even with my Timberlands. It wasn’t a stroll in the park. Even though it was very cold initially (I had on 4 layers in total), about midway through, I had to remove my coat because I was perspiring! How uncommon for winter.

Schloß Hohenschwangau

On the way up, you will come across another castle – Schloß Hohenschwangau. I find it quite sad that most people simply disregard this castle for the more famous Neuschwanstein Castle.The way up…

After a tough uphill climb, we finally made it to Marienbrücke. I couldn’t stop smiling.Marienbrücke

The view that greeted us was one of the most amazing ever – a magical castle perched precariously on a hill.Schloß Neuschwanstein

I was very much in love with the exterior. A pale grey/cream limestone façade; it towered even from a distance, completely overwhelming, yet simultaneously, complementing its surrounding.

Do look down the opposite side when on you’re on Marienbrücke; another beautiful sight awaits.

On the way down, you can once again catch a glimpse of Schloß Hohenschwangau amidst its surroundings. The beautiful snow-capped mountains seem to fade into the horizon. It was really serene.I wonder how my face got so chubby…

When we got close to the castle, I felt tiny. It’s a different feeling standing beneath, as opposed to looking at it from the bridge. It is so well preserved (or restored) that it really does look like part of Disneyland. This is definitely a good day trip I would recommend to anyone visiting Munich. The little girl/little boy in you will be very happy.