Europe

Best Christmas Markets in Budapest

Visiting Christmas markets are one of my favourite winter activities in Budapest. The Christmas markets in Budapest are really amazing and they are often voted as one of the best Christmas markets in Europe. I love strolling around the cute wooden chalets with a mulled wine in my hand, watching the sparkling Christmas lights and admiring the festive decoration. Are you ready to explore the best Christmas markets in Budapest with me? Read along to find the best locations in the city together with recommendations about what to eat and drink!

Best Christmas Markets in Budapest

If you are visiting Budapest during November and December then checking out the Christmas markets is a must do on your itinerary! You can find many Christmas markets across Budapest but the most famous ones are located in the city centre. They are actually really close to each other so you can easily walk from one spot to another.

1. Vörösmarty Square

The biggest Christmas market in Budapest always takes place in Vörösmarty square. During this period the square turns into a festive market place where you can buy some unique gifts for your loved ones and try the best of the Hungarian cuisine.

In addition to the cute wooden stalls you will also find a huge Christmas tree and two outdoor stages in the square where you can enjoy several different performances during your visit.

The Vörösmarty square is in the heart of the city so it’s very easy to get there. It’s located in the end of Váci street and the Metro Line 1 also stops here.

Location: 1051 Budapest, Vörösmarty tér

Date: from 08 November 2019 to 1 January 2020

Opening times: 10.00-21.00 from Sunday to Thursday, 10.00-22.00 on Friday and Saturday (the merchant stalls are closing one hour earlier)

Opening times during Christmas and New Year’s Eve: 10.00-15.00 on 24 December, 10.00-18.00 on 25-26 December, 10.00-04.00 on 31 December

2. St. Stephen's Basilica

Although the Christmas market in front of the St. Stephen’s Basilica is a lot smaller than the one on the Vörösmarty Square it is still the most popular Christmas market in Budapest.

You will also find small wooden stalls there selling a selection of craftworks and typical Hungarian food. But what makes this Christmas market really unique is the ice skating ring in the middle with a 12 metre high Christmas tree right in front of the Basilica.

And if it weren’t enough, there is a custom-designed light show projected on the Basilica in every half hour between 16.30-22.00. Currently this is the largest 3D Christmas Projection in Europe so it’s time to put it on your bucket list if you haven’t already!

You can also go up to the panorama viewpoint in the Basilica from where you will get a unique view over the Christmas market and the whole city. The ticket costs 1,000 Ft (around 3€) and it is open between 10.00 and 16.30. The best time to go is 30-60 minutes before sunset time because this way you can see the view in daylight, at sunset and in the night too.

Location: 1051 Budapest, Szent István tér

Date: from 22 November 2019 to 1 January 2020

Opening times: 10.00-20.00 from Monday to Thursday, 10.00-22.00 from Friday to Sunday

Opening times during Christmas and New Year’s Eve: 10.00-14.00 on 24 December, 10.00-18.00 on 25-26 December, 10.00-03.00 on 31 December

3. Deák Ferenc Street - Fashion Street

If you are looking for the best Christmas lights in the city you have to visit the Deák Ferenc street aka Fashion street! The street is packed with famous designer shops and it’s beautifully decorated during the festive season. You can also find a few stalls here but it’s more about the Christmas lights than the food or craftworks.

Location: 1052 Budapest, Deák Ferenc street

Date: from 13 November 2019 to 1 January 2020

What to eat & drink in the Christmas Markets in Budapest

The typical Hungarian cuisine is very heavy in general and the Christmas meals are no different. They are really delicious though so try to taste as many as you can! It’s better to go to the Christmas markets with an empty stomach so you can try various meals.

Lángos

Lángos is a typical Hungarian street food. It’s really popular in the Christmas markets but it can be found around the city any time of the year. A classic lángos is served with sour cream, garlic butter and shredded cheese but there are several other toppings that you can try like onions, sausages or bacon.

Mulled wine (Forralt bor)

Have you ever been to a Christmas market without trying the mulled wine? Hungary is really famous for its wines so drinking a cup of mulled wine is a must on the Christmas markets! If you don’t drink alcohol you can try the hot spicy apple juice or the hot chocolate instead.

Goulash (Gulyás)

The goulash soup is probably one of the most well-known Hungarian meal. This traditional soup is made of tender beef, onions, potatoes, carrots and a lots of paprika. It is a very hearty meal, usually served with white bread.

Stuffed cabbage (Töltött káposzta)

Stuffed cabbage is a traditional Christmas meal in Hungary. The stuffed cabbage is made of cooked cabbage leaves wrapped around ground beef and rice and layered in a baking dish on top of home-made tomato sauce. It’s typically served with sour cream and white bread.

Pálinka

Pálinka is a traditional Hungarian alcoholic drink. From 2002 you can only call a drink pálinka if it’s made of a fruit spirits and it was distilled, matured and bottled in Hungary. The minimum alcohol content is 37.5% but it can go up to 86%. It’s a really strong drink and it will definitely burn your throat so take it easy! The most popular flavours are apricot, pear and plum.

Roasted chestnuts (Sült gesztenye)

You will find many stalls selling roasted chestnuts in the Budapest Christmas markets. It’s a very popular autumn and winter street food not only in Budapest, but across East Asia, Europe and the US as well.

Grilled sausage (Grill kolbász és hurka)

There are basically three type of sausages in Hungary: the ‘kolbász’ is seasoned with paprika, the ‘májas hurka’ is made from pork liver and the ‘véres hurka’ made from pork blood. They are usually served with mustard or horse radish and white bread.

Strudel (Rétes)

Strudel is a layered pastry housing a super sweet filling like curd, sour cherry, apple or poppy seed. It is a typical dessert on the Christmas table in Hungary, my grandmother always makes it for Christmas in a chocolate and walnut flavour. They are my favourites! I recommend tasting as many flavours as you can because they are all delicious!

Chimney cake (Kürtőskalács)

Many people associate chimney cakes with Prague however it originates from Hungary. Chimney cakes are made from a sweet dough that is rolled in granulated sugar, wrapped around a cone and roasted over charcoal. During the baking process the sugar caramelises and becomes a crispy crust.

The surface of the chimney cakes can be topped with several ingredients such as walnuts, coconuts, cinnamon or chocolate. Nowadays the ice cream filled chimney cakes are becoming more and more popular so you can also find them in the Christmas markets.

Flódni

Flódni is a traditional Hungarian Jewish cake with five layers of dough and four different fillings: plum jam, walnut, apple and poppy seed. It’s like all the different flavours of strudel combined. Super delicious!

Best Christmas Markets in Budapest

I’ve been living in Budapest for more than 5 years now and I still can never get enough of the Christmas markets! Budapest is really amazing during winter and visiting the Christmas markets will make your stay even more magical!

If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment below or send me an email, I always love helping you out! Is visiting Budapest on your bucket list or have you already been there? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo, Kriszti

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Best Places to Watch the Sunset in Santorini

Sunsets in Santorini are truly magical. The view is always incredible from the west side of the island and the colors are just out of this world! One of the best things to do in Santorini is definitely sunset watching. That’s why I collected all the best places where you can watch an incredible sunset in Santorini!

If you wanna know more about Santorini including how to get there, when is the best time to go, where to stay and what to do, check out my Santorini Travel Guide! It is jam-packed with useful information about the island and it’s especially helpful if you are a first-timer!

Disclosure: *This post contains a few affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my link!*

Best places to watch the sunset in Oia

Oia is the most popular place when it comes to sunset watching in Santorini. If you are looking for that postcard perfect view you definitely need to go there. Unfortunately since it is the most popular place it’s always crowded like crazy. I will share the most famous spot but I will also tell you about my favourite secret viewpoint where you can have an amazing sunset view without all the people, so keep reading!

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Sunset spot nr. 1 - Oia Castle

I’ve already told you that Oia is the most popular place for sunset watching and Oia Castle is the most famous sunset spot in town. Based on that I think you can imagine how crowded this place gets around sunset… Now multiply it with three! It is really that crazy!

I would say that you should go early but based on what I saw early won’t help you either. Unless you plan to come like 3-4 hours earlier, go to the castle, secure you spot and not move until the sunset is over. Oh, and expect to share the experience with at least 300 other people. Seriously.

I tried to make my way up there around sunset but is was just impossible to find a spot. Don’t expect a normal castle at this place, unfortunately it was destroyed in an earthquake. Only a part of the old watchtower survived so there is no castle in reality, just the ruins of the castle. I don’t have any sunset pictures from here but you can see the view in the below photos during daytime.

Yes I know, the view is really beautiful but I think it just doesn’t worth it. Especially since I know another spot where the view is the same and you can have it all to yourself! Let’s continue with that.

Sunset spot nr. 2 - My favorite spot, the Byzantine Castle Ruins

Now that you know how crowded Oia Castle gets around sunset, let me show you another way to experience the sunset in a much calmer place. Most people go to the top of the castle where the old watchtower stood once. Instead of going up, start going down!

If you start to walk from the city center in the direction of the castle you will end up at this spot that you can see on the below photo. If you wanna go up to the castle you should continue to the left side but instead of doing that, continue right!

You have to take a few turns on the road and you will pass by this cute orange building called Kastro Oia Houses. (It’s an amazing instagrammable spot, just FYI!)

Soon you will see the old castle walls in the hillside. This is your spot! You can easily climb up there and you will only have to share this place with a handful of people.

We were sitting on that road you can see in the left side of the photo. Since there were almost no other tourists we could take so many amazing photos! If you walk all the way to the door in the end of that road you will find a small cave so you can create a perfect frame for your photos. Let me show you the view you get from this spot!

In my opinion this is definitely the best place to watch the sunset in Santorini! Do you agree with me?

Sunset spot nr. 3 - Go on a sunset cruise

Boat tours are one of the most popular things to do in Santorini as they offer an incredible view of the caldera and the surrounding towns. There are tons of different options to choose from, you can’t go wrong with any of them.

The sunset tours are one of the most expensive tours, they usually start from 100-150€. Since we had only one night in Oia we didn’t go for a cruise but I’ve heard many positive reviews. If you are staying there for more than one night and you have the budget, definitely go for it!

Best places to watch the sunset in Fira

Fira is the capital city of Santorini and it offers a wide selection of hotels. Chances are pretty high that you will stay there at least for a few nights. Fira isn’t known for its sunsets but trust me you can witness some pretty amazing sunsets there too! And it’s less crowded than Oia so that’s definitely a plus point.

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Sunset spot nr. 1 - Franco's Bar

We arrived to Fira in the afternoon and I was searching for a place to have a coffee with a nice view. That’s how we ended up in Franco’s Bar. The bar was practically empty and there were no other people around us on the terrace. As the view was just perfect we decided to stay here for a sunset. What a great decision we made!

The only downside of the bar is that it’s quite pricy. Coffees, beers, ciders and wines cost around 6-10€ while cocktails are between 15-20€. I know it’s a lot but I think it’s totally worth watching the sunset from there even with prices that high. This is definitely not the place to get drunk but buying one beer wouldn’t break the bank. And it’s so worth it for the view!

But let the pictures talk instead of me! So this was the view in the afternoon before the sunset.

And when the sun slowly started to set it gave the whole city a warm golden glow. The view was absolutely fantastic! The staff at the bar changed the music to a beautiful classic song which made the experience even more memorable. Half an hour later the whole city was lit up and the sky turned into a soft purple color. What a magical night it was!

The view from the bar during golden hour and blue hour. I still can’t get over how beautiful it was!

Sunset spot nr. 2 - Along the wall

If you wanna experience the same view for totally free – you can do it as well! You can simply stop anywhere along the low walls in Fira (even around Franco’s Bar) and you will get the exact same view.

The downside is that the walls will be crowded so try to be there as early as you can to secure a good spot for yourself! You won’t be able to get good photos of yourself due to the crowds and the lack of space but if your goal is just only sunset watching you will still get a memorable experience from there as well.

Best place to watch the sunset in Akrotiri

Akrotiri lies in the south-west corner of Santorini. Since it is quite far from the main touristy area it’s not so popular amongst visitors and only a handful of people go there. The Akrotiri peninsula is famous for the ruins from the Minoan period so if you’re a fan of archeological sites I can totally recommend checking it out!

What got me really excited is that I accidentally found out that there is a lighthouse in the south-west edge of the island. I don’t know why but I’m obsessed with lighthouses! So I instantly knew I had to go there.

While the view is pretty epic I only recommend going there if you have your own car and you already seen the sunsets in Oia and Fira. It takes like a 50 minute drive from Oia or a 25 minute drive from Fira to get there. You can park your car along the road close to the lighthouse and since it’s not so popular it’s easy to find a parking spot.

Most people who go there walk all the way to the lighthouse but there is a hill behind the lighthouse where you can easily climb up (there are even stairs in the hillside). I think the view from the hill is far more better because this way you can have a view of the lighthouse and the sunset as well! You can find some little caves in the hillside that make a perfect framing for the photos but the smell is really awful inside so I only recommend going there if you are truly passionate about photography!

Oh and one more thing: Santorini was really windy almost all the time while we were there in mid-September but this place was the windiest of all! Since you are practically on top of a hill in the edge of the island it’s only natural. I’m only saying this to be prepared for some serious gust of wind!

Best sunset spots in Santorini - Summary

Since we had only three nights in Santorini we could only watch three sunsets. All of them were really different but they had one thing in common: every one of them was so magical! The sunsets in Santorini are really out of this world.

Hope you guys liked this post about the best places to watch the sunset in Santorini and you will be able to witness some pretty epic sunsets as well while visiting Santorini!

If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment below or send me an email, I always love helping you out! Do you know some other great sunset spots in Santorini? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo, Kriszti

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The Ultimate Santorini Travel Guide for First-Timers

I’ve been dreaming of visiting Santorini like forever. This island is hands down the most famous one of the Greek islands, and for a good reason! Seeing the white washed cliff-side towns, the deep blue roofs and the endless views of the shimmering sea with my own eyes was an incredible experience. Are you dreaming of visiting Santorini too? If yes, I have some good news for you! In this Santorini travel guide I collected all the information you need to know before visiting this magical island. It’s especially useful for first-timers!

Disclosure: *This post contains a few affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my link!*

The Ultimate Santorini Travel Guide for First-timers

Location & History

Santorini (officially known as Thira) is part of the Cycladic island group on the Aegean Sea, located roughly halfway between Athens and Crete. In the Ancient times the island was called Stongili (which means round in Greek) due to its round shape.

Around 1,500 BC the island suffered a huge volcanic explosion, probably one of the largest explosions on Earth in the last few thousand years. As a consequence, the center of the island sank and the rest of the island got heavily damaged.

What remains today of Santorini is a crescent-shaped island with a huge caldera (a crater created by the volcanic eruption) on its western side. The caldera is surrounded by the steep cliffs of Santorini and the island of Thirassia.

There are two islands in the middle, the smaller one is the remains of the old volcano (Palea Cameni) and the bigger one is a new volcano (Nea Cameni). Although the new volcano is still active, but right now there is no risk of eruption.

Santorini is quite a small island, the area is only 76km². The length of the island is 16 km and the width varies between 1 and 5 km. It takes roughly 45 minutes to drive from one end of Santorini to the other.

Population & Turism

Santorini is home to roughly 15,500 people. In contrast to this, the island received over 2 million tourist in 2018. Shocking, right?

And this number does not even include the cruise passengers who are only coming to the island during the day. Santorini is a really popular cruise destination, which means in peak season the number of cruise visitors can be as high as 15,000 per day.

In addition to the 2 million regular tourists. Crazy.

Currency

Greece is a member of the European Union and they are using Euro (€) as their official currency. Credit cards are widely accepted across the country and there are many ATMs where you can withdraw cash. It’s always good to have some cash with you as the smaller bazaars usually don’t accept credit cards.

Visa

Many visitors can enter Greece up to 90 days as a tourist without having to apply for a visa. If you are traveling from another European country, from the USA, Canada, Australia, or Japan, you don’t need a visa for entering Greece. For a detailed list of visa requirements for each countries, visit the website of the Hellenic Republic – Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

How to get to Santorini

By plane

The easiest way of visiting Santorini is by plane. Santorini has only one airport, Thira Airport (JTR), located on the east side of the island. The airport is close to Kamari village and it is roughly 6km from Fira. It’s a small airport with no special facilities or airline lounges, therefore sleeping at the airport is not allowed.

Getting to Santorini from Europe is quite easy, as in the summer period there are numerous direct flights from many European cities like London, Vienna, Paris or Amsterdam. The island can be reached all-year round with direct flight from Athens.

If you wanna visit Santorini from the USA, Canada, Australia or other non-European countries, you must get a connecting flight to Athens or another European city that operates a direct flight to Santorini.

By ferry

The other option for getting to Santorini is via ferry. The ferry routes are very well established therefore getting to Santorini via ferry is very easy.

There are daily ferries from Athens, Naxos and Paros to Santorini all year round. It takes like 5-7 hours to reach Santorini from Athens, a one-way standard ticket costs between 33-70€. Since Paros and Naxos are closer, you only need like 2-3 hours to reach Santorini, a one-way standard ticket costs between 23-45€.

From mid-March until the end of September you can catch direct ferries from Mykonos, Ios, Milos, Folegandros and Crete as well.

I recommend using Ferryhopper to check the ferry routes, durations and prices. Usually there are more ferry operator companies on the same route with various prices and duration. As a rule of thumb, longer duration means lower price.

You can purchase different ticket categories on a ferry like deck-lounge, standard seats, business, cabin or VIP. It kinda works like economy or business class on an airplane. The same rules apply here as well: if you pay more, you can have a higher comfort level.

We traveled from Mykonos to Santorini and vice versa with the cheapest ticket option and it was really good. So if you don’t have any special needs, there’s really no need to pay more for tickets.

Where to stay in Santorini

One of the most important topic that a Santorini travel guide has to cover is the question of where to stay. Basically we can divide Santorini into 2 main parts, each of them have their pros and cons.

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Caldera towns

The most popular side of Santorini is the western side. This is where you can have amazing views of the caldera and the volcano, not to mention the breathtaking sunset views! All of the luxury hotels are located along the caldera along with great restaurants and clubs.

The best caldera towns are Oia, Fira, Firostefani and Imerovigli. If you are a first-timer on Santorini, I would recommend to stay in one of these four towns!

I think you can guess what the downside is: the price. This part of Santorini is really expensive. There is literally no limit when it comes to luxury hotels along the caldera, so if you wanna have a splurge during your holiday, you will definitely find it here!

Of course you can stay on the western side of Santorini on a budget too, if you are willing to let go of the views from your room and your private pool. For instance we stayed in Oia at Marcos Rooms for like 100€ per night. It was far away from fancy and I’m glad we only stayed there for one night, but it was right in the middle of the city and that was exactly what we needed.

Beach towns

If you are looking to save some money, one of the beach towns can be a good choice for you. The beaches are located on the eastern side of the island, the best ones are Kamari, Perissa and Perivolos in the southern edge.

The hotels around the beaches are usually way more cheaper than the ones along the caldera. You can find some good restaurant and bars around too, but they are not so luxurious as the ones on the western side.

You will not see the sunset from this side of the island but in exchange you can watch the sunrise which is really beautiful too! Plus you will always get a sea view and you can go out and have a dip in the sea anytime.

Best time to visit Santorini

High season

High season in Santorini runs from late June to early September. As you can imagine, the island is full of tourists in this season and the prices are at their peak. The weather is usually hot and sunny, which makes it perfect for relaxing at the beach. If you are more into sightseeing or hiking, if you don’t tolerate the crowds too well or you are a first-timer, I would recommend to avoid the high season.

Shoulder season

Visiting Santorini in the shoulder season, typically in May-June or September-October is a great choice. You can still easily reach the island as the direct flights and ferries are still in operation. All of the hotels and restaurants are open, the prices are better, and there are less tourists on the island. Please note that in May and October the sea can be too cold for swimming, so if you want a beach weather, try to aim for June or September.

Low season

Originally all the hotels and restaurants were closed between November and April on Santorini. However as the island got more and more popular over the years, more hotels and restaurants are staying open during winter. While visiting in this period can be great budget-wise, be prepared for challenges. First of all, you can’t reach Santorini directly, only through Athens. Second, the weather is not so good either: the average temperature is around 10-15 degrees with grey skies and many rainy days.

How much time do you need to spend in Santorini

While you can get a glimpse of Santorini in only one day, I don’t recommend this unless you are coming from a cruise. Getting in and out of Santorini can be time consuming so you will not have enough time to enjoy the breathtaking views during the day.

Allow yourself at least 2-3 full days on the island! There is so much things to do and see, so you will definitely need this time to properly explore the island.

If you prefer a more relaxed itinerary with lots of beach-time and shopping, you can easily spend 5-7 days on the island. However if you have 6 or more days, I would recommend to combine your trip with visiting another island instead of staying in Santorini for a week.

I personally did the same and we decided to visit both Mykonos and Santorini during our one week Greece trip. I wouldn’t have it any other way, it was perfect!

Getting around Santorini

Public transport

The cheapest way of getting around Santorini is to use the local buses. Fira is the main hub of the bus system and you can get a direct bus to almost every part of the island. However if you are stying outside of Fira, that means first you have to take a bus to Fira, and only then to your final destination.

Buses are operated by KTEL and they run regularly every day. Prices vary based on the routes, but usually a one-way ticket cost between 1.80-2.50€. You can check the timetable and the prices on the official website.

I’ve read many complaints about the buses in Santorini, but I personally never tried them, so I can’t share my personal experiences. That being said, try not to rely on public buses if you have an important appointment, like catching your flight or your ferry.

Car rental

Having a rental car can make your life so much easier on Santorini! If you are planning to explore the island this is definitely the best way to do it. However if you wanna spend most of the time around your hotel, you are better of with the occasional bus or taxi rides.

I recommend checking RentalCars for the various car rental options in Santorini. Usually the car rentals start from 35€ per day, excluding fuel. There are many pick-up and drop-off locations across Santorini like in Santorini Airport, Santorini Port, Fira or Perissa. I would suggest renting a car at Santorini Airport as it has like 10 different companies and it is very easy to reach from everywhere.

As we arrived via ferry from Mykonos, we decided to rent a car at the Santorini Port. AutoUnion is the only company that operates there, so we booked a car for 3 days that cost us 99€. We drove across the island in these 3 days many times and we ended up paying 33€ for fuel, so the whole renting process was 132€ for us for 3 days. I think it was totally worth it!

One practical tip: If you are planning to rent a car at the ferry port as well, leave yourself enough time for the drop off prodecure! There is only one narrow, zigzag road that leads you down to the port. Given that the port is little and there is not too many place for cars, the road usually gets very busy. That means most probably you will be stuck in traffic. It’s only a 3.5 km long road, but it can take up like 30-45 minutes just to get down to the port. So definitely plan some extra time for that!

ATV rental

I know renting an ATV or motorbike in Santorini is really cool, but I would strongly advise against it. It can be very dangerous and if you don’t have any experience you can easily hurt yourself.

Renting an ATV roughly cost the same as renting a car. It is fine for a shorter ride but if you are planning to drive all the way down to the other side of the island it’s not so comfortable. In a car you usually have an air-co while if you are sitting in an ATV you are exposed to the sun all the time. Plus it’s far more dangerous than having a car. Do I need to say anything else?

Best things to do in Santorini

In this Santorini travel guide I won’t get much into details about the best things to do in Santorini. I will do this in another post soon, I promise! But until then here comes a rough overview about the best things to do in Santorini.

Watch the sunset

Sunsets in Santorini are totally out of this world! If you are in Santorini, try to watch as much sunsets as possible! Luckily you have many great viewpoints along the caldera. Oia is the most famous place for sunset watching, but Fira, Imerovigli and Akrotiri have some amazing viewpoints as well. For a more detailed guide check out my post about the best places to watch the sunset in Santorini!

Go on a boat tour

Take a self-guided photography tour

Santorini is really picture perfect. That means you have so many great photo opportunities across the island! The blue rooftops mixed with the white walls and the pink flowers are really like a dream.

Many companies offer photography tours, with ridiculously high prices. Trust me, you don’t need them! You can easily find the best photo spots with a great guide, and that’s what I’m here for! Yes, you guessed it right: my next post about the most instagrammable places in Santorini are already in progress! I will link it here once it’s ready.

Hike from Fira to Oia

If you are into hiking, you will love this! Oia is located roughly 10 km from Fira and you can hike from one town to another. It is completely free and the views along the road are incredible. The hike can take like 2-3 hours, or even more, depending on how many times you stop for photos.

Try the local cuisine

Greek food is simply amazing so trying the local cuisine in Santorini is really a must! You can find many authentic restaurants across the island. Definitely try the gyros, souvlaki, tzatziki, greek salad and baklava!

Santorini Travel Guide - Summary

So these are all the important things you need to know for planning your dream holiday in Santorini. Hope you guys liked them and this Santorini travel guide will help you to make the most of your visit at this postcard perfect place!

If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment below or send me an email, I always love helping you out! Have you already visited Santorini? Leave your comments and tips below!

xoxo, Kriszti

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How to Get to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich

Are you planning to visit Neuschwanstein Castle soon? Let’s start with the first point: how to get there! The castle is really close to Munich and to the Austrian border so luckily you have many options to choose from. The easiest way to reach this fairytale place is from Munich, so I put together a list about all the possible ways to get to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich. Read along to find out which option is the best for you!

If you are looking for a super detailed travel guide about when to visit, where to stay and what to expect, check out my Ultimate Guide to Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle! Looking for the best places to photograph Neuschwanstein Castle? Don’t worry, I got you covered too! Check out the Best Photoraphy Spots at Neuschwanstein Castle along with a detailed description about how to find them!

How to get to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich

Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the world’s most famous castles and definitely the most visited touristic spot in Germany. It is located near a little town called Hohenschwangau in South-Germany, close to the Austrian border. The castle itself is nested in the foot of the Bavarian Alps so a drop-dead gorgeous view is guaranteed!

Unfortunately there are no direct flights to the area. If you plan to arrive by plane you need to fly either to Munich (Germany) or Innsbruck (Austria). Innsbruck is actually closer to Neuschwanstein Castle than Munich, although there is no public transportation available, your only option is to rent a car. However if you are planning to visit from Munich, you have all sort of options to choose from. Let’s see them one by one!

Option 1. : Rent a car

Drive from Munich to Hohenschwangau

If you decide to fly to Munich the easiest option is to rent a car at the airport. Car rentals typically start from 45€ per day excluding fuel. Prices may vary based on your own requirements and the rental period. I recommend using Rentalcars to check the most recent options and offers.

You need to drive approximately 165km (around 2 hours, depending on traffic) to reach Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich Airport. There are no mountain roads or anything like that involved so it’s a fairly easy drive. You just need to start following the highway and then you have 3 routes to choose from: you can either take road nr. 2, road nr. 17 or road nr.12. I suggest checking out the recommended route by Google Maps before starting your trip and choose the one that has the less traffic.

We also chose the rental car option and we took road nr. 17. Everything went smoothly and we had zero problems with the rental process or the driving itself. Even if you are not a very experienced driver it’s still worth checking out this option! Having a rental car is such a big advantage! You are absolutely free to go whenever you want to plus you can easily visit the nearby places too.

Park your car at Hohenschwangau

The roads to the Neuschwanstein Castle are closed for public traffic so you need to park your car in Hohenschwangau. There are 4 different parking lots in Hohenschwangau, you can see them in the below map. You can’t park directly in front of the ticket center, P3 and P4 parking lots are the closest ones to park nearby. In P1, P2 and P3 you need to pay 7€ for a daily parking ticket. You also need to pay 7€ in P4 but the parking ticket will be only valid for 6 hours.

Getting up to the Neuschwanstein Castle from Hohenschwangau

After you parked your car you can either go to the ticket office to pick up your tickets (if you wanna visit the inside of the castle) or you can just head up straight to the Neuschwanstein Castle. For that you need to find the path that leads up to the castle (the red trail on the above map). It takes around 30-40 minutes to reach the Neuschwanstein Castle from Hohenschwangau on foot. You need to walk up on a steep uphill road for like 1.5 km so be prepared with comfy shoes!

If you don’t wanna walk that much, you can also take a shuttle bus which departs from the Hohenschwangau Palace. The bus can’t go directly to the castle so it will drop you off around the Marienbrücke (Mary’s Bridge) from where you still need to walk 10-15 minutes downhill. Prices for the shuttle: 2.5€ for the uphill trip and 1.5€ for the downhill trip, or 3€ for a return trip.

You can also choose to go up with a horse-drawn carriage. It won’t take you to the castle either, you need to walk 5-10 minutes uphill from the ending point of the ride. Tickets can be bought at the horse carriage driver, the uphill ride cost 7€ and the downhill ride is 3.5€.

As I don’t wanna support this kind of animal tourism I would politely ask you not to use this service! Walking up there is not that bad and the views you get along the way will definitely make you up for your burning thighs. If you can’t walk for some reasons it’s still cheaper (and a lot more ethical) to take the shuttle bus. So please choose wisely!

Option 2. : Public transportation

Take the train to Füssen from Munich

Public transportation is also an option, but there is no direct connection between Munich and the Neuschwanstein Castle. First you need to take a train to Füssen from Munich. The trains depart from Munich Hauptbahnhof, usually from platforms 27-35 at the far north end of the station. The trainride takes around 2 hours, you can check the Deutsche Bahn website for the latest timetable.

Trains depart in every hour, however direct trains only run in every 2 hours. If you are checking the timetable online make sure to pay attention to the “Changes” column! If it says 0, it means the train runs directly to Füssen. But it if says 1 or more, then you need to change trains during your journey, usually at Buchloe or Kaufbeuren. The transfer is easy, however you will have only 8-10 minutes to do it.

Use the Bavaria regional day ticket

A normal return ticket starts from 50€, you will find the latest prices on the Deutsche Bahn website. However instead of buying a regular ticket you can purchase a Bavaria regional day ticket which can save you a ton of money! The ticket cost 25€ for 1 person and it is valid for all kind of public transportation for one day within the Bavaria region. You can travel with it up to 5 people and you only have to pay 7€ addition per person. That means if you are a group of 5 you have to pay 53€ in total – that is 10.6€ per person!

If you are travelling with children it can be a great option for you as well. Children up to 5 years can always travel for free plus 2 adults can bring any of their own children/grandchildren (age 6-14) for free. For example if you are a family of 5 (with children up to 14 years old) you can purchase the Bavaria ticket for 32€ for the whole family!

The only thing you need to pay attention to is that the Bavaria ticket has a time restriction on weekdays. The ticket is valid only from 9am on the weekdays (Monday to Friday) until 3am the next day. That means during weekdays you can only use trains which depart after 9am! Weekends and holidays have no time restriction, you can use the ticket from midnight until 3am next day.

Getting to Hohenschwangau from Füssen

After your train arrived to the Füssen train station, you need to continue your journey towards Hohenschwangau, where the Neuschwanstein Castle is located. Füssen is only 4 km from Hohenschwangau so walking can be also an option, it would take around 1 hour to reach Hohenschwangau from the train station.

You can also take a public bus from Füssen train station to Hohenschwangau. You have to catch bus nr. 73 (direction: Halblech) or nr. 78 (direction: Shwangau) and exit at Hohenschwangau – Alpseestraße. The buses run regularly and they are usually timed to depart shortly after the trains arrive. Return tickets cost 4.2€ and you can buy your tickets from the bus driver. If you have a Bavaria day ticket you don’t need to purchase another ticket!

Getting up to the Neuschwanstein Castle from Hohenschwangau

After you arrived to Hohenschwangau by bus you can either go to the ticket office to pick up your tickets (if you wanna visit the inside of the castle) or you can just head up straight to the Neuschwanstein Castle. I already described in the end of the Rental car option how to get up to Neuschwanstein Castle from Hohenschwangau, please refer back to that section for a detailed guide!

Option 3. : Book a tour

If you are not comfortable with driving but still want a direct connection between Munich and the Neuschwanstein Castle, you can take an organized day tour. They typically cost around 50-70€, you can find many options on TripAdvisor.

One of the best rated tour is the day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle & Linderhof Castle from Munich. The tickets start from 64$ (57€) and as the name suggests it includes the visit of both Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Castles. Tickets for the castle tours are not included in the price, you need to purchase them separately from the tour guide.

The tour starts at 8.30am and it will finish at 7pm. It will be a long day for sure but you definitely need this time to properly explore the sights. I didn’t try this tour personally but the customer ratings are amazing so it’s definitely worth to check out!

Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich - Summary

I hope you enjoyed this detailed guide about how to reach Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich and it will help you big time with your planning! If you have any more questions regarding this topic feel free to leave a comment below or send me an email. I always love helping you out!

Have you already visited Neuschwanstein Castle? How did you like it? I would love to know about your experiences! Don’t be shy, add your comments and other tips below!

xoxo, Kriszti

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Best Photography Spots at Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle is a true bucket list destination! This castle is one of the most famous ones in Europe and it is the most visited destination in Germany. Although it looks gorgeous from every angle but due to the tourist crowds it’s not always easy to take some amazing photos. If you wanna find the best photography spots at Neuschwanstein Castle, including some secret ones, keep on reading!

If you are visiting this fairytale castle for the first time I suggest checking out my Ultimate guide to Neuschwanstein Castle! In this travel guide you can find many useful information about when to visit, where to stay and what to expect. Planning to visit Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich? Check out my step-by-step travel guide about how to get to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich!

Disclosure: *This post contains a few affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my link!*

Photography spot 1. : From Marienbrücke

Let’s start with the most famous one: the Marienbrücke (also referred as Mary’s Bridge in English). If you are looking for that iconic castle view you’ve probably seen a thousand times on postcards, this is it!

It’s a great place if you wanna photograph the castle itself, but if you wanna be on the picture as well it will be quite a challenge. The bridge is not so wide so it’s kinda impossible to have a full body picture and top of that it’s usually really crowded. Although if you go early or you are patient enough you can still shoot some great portraits on the bridge.

There are multiple options to reach the Marienbrücke from the Ticket center. Let’s see one by one!

By foot (official way)

Your first option is to go by foot, you can see the official map below that marks the hiking trails. Actually there are more paths in reality, but if you wanna follow the official way you need to find the red path. Start following the pathway until you reach the castle. Then you need to go further up on the purple trail and at the end you will reach the bridge with the iconic view.

Now this is a really long way, it can take up an entire hour to get there, depending on your fitness level. But the good news is that you can make some shortcuts! You have two options for this, and none of them are marked on the map.

By foot (with shortcuts)

Your first option is to start the trail behind the parking lots (which are on the left side of the Alpseestraße, see the above map). There is concrete stairway, start following that and you will soon find yourself on the red trail (somewhere around the brown point marked on the map). From there you need to follow the red trail, and then the purple trail, like I mentioned above.

The second option is to take a shortcut right after the start of the red trail. Start following the trail and then a few minutes later you will see a path on the right side that goes into the forest with the sign Marienbrücke on it. If you follow that path it will take you directly to the bridge and you don’t need to walk all the way to the castle and then back to the bridge. Don’t worry, the path is clearly marked and it is not in worse condition than the official one.

Keep in mind that no matter which option you choose, you have to walk on a steep uphill road to reach both the castle and the bridge. It’s not a hard hike, but it will be a workout for sure. Be prepared with some comfy shoes and lots of water!

By bus

Cars and bicycles are not allowed on the road to the castle, however you can take a shuttle bus which departs from the Hohenschwangau Palace. The bus can’t go directly to the castle so it will drop you off around the Marienbrücke (which is perfect for you if you wanna head there anyway). Prices for the shuttle: 2.5€ for the uphill trip and 1.5€ for the downhill trip or 3€ for a return trip.

By horse carriage

You can also choose to go up with a horse-drawn carriage. It won’t take you up so high though, they will drop you off at the brown point marked on the map. You still need to walk 5-10 minutes uphill from the ending point of the ride to reach the castle, and then another 10-15 minutes to the Marienbrücke. Tickets can be bought at the horse carriage driver, the uphill ride cost 7€ and the downhill ride is 3.5€.

Photography spot 2. : On the way to the Marienbrücke

If you choose the long official path (or the shortcut with the stairway) it will take you right in front of the Neuschwanstein Castle. While you can’t shoot pictures of yourself with the castle here (except selfies), you can shoot some pretty good up-close photos of the castle itself. Just keep your eyes open and don’t forget to stop for a while to admire the remarkable details on the castle!

Photography spot 3. : After the Marienbrücke

Most of the people visiting Neuschwanstein Castle only hike up to Marienbrücke, take some pictures there and then turn back. Don’t be like them!

The hiking trail goes further up to the hill and if you continue your hike you can find some amazing photography spots along the road! The bright side is that since most people stop at the Marienbrücke, you won’t really see many people on the road. That means you don’t need to worry about photobombers and you can enjoy the views without the crowds.

Bad news is that the roads are not in the best conditions. While the trails that go up to the Neuschwanstein Castle and the Marienbrücke are very well-built, after you pass by the bridge you have to continue on a dirt paved road. It can be a bit challenging (especially after rain) so make sure you have the right shoes with you and watch your steps!

Disclaimer: You may notice on my pictures that I was wearing a ballerina. The simple reason for that is that I didn’t expect road conditions like this. While it’s totally doable in ballerinas and sandals too, I wouldn’t recommend it, as hiking on the dirt paved road can be really tricky.. Safety first, guys!

As you can see on the below map there is a long zig-zag road after crossing the Marienbrücke. We only went up to the second blue dot but you can continue hiking up further if you’d like.

First photography spot after the Marienbrücke

The two blue dots on the above map mark the two best photography spots we found along the way. You can see the first one in the below photo, it’s only a short hike from the Marienbrücke. The photo spot is surrounded with a big fence so it’s totally safe. You can see the whole area from up here together with the Neuschwanstein Castle. The view is absolutely breathtaking!

I think the pictures look really amazing with the fence too, but if you have a little bit of Photoshop skills you can easily remove the fence from your photos, like I did in the below shot. Swipe to see the original one!

Best Photography Spots at Neuschwanstein Castle

Side note: To be honest it’s not my best work as I’m not nearly a pro in Photoshop. I clearly have a lot to learn, that’s why I decided to join Skillshare! Skillshare is an amazing platform where you can find more than 25,000 courses about basically anything: photography, editing, illustration, business, technology, etc.. If you use my invite link you can get 2 months for free to try out the platform! There is really no commitment, if you don’t like it, you can cancel it anytime. Check it out, and thank me later! – Side note off.

Photography spot 4. : Hiking further up

While the previous photography spot was really amazing, we decided to go further up on the hill. The only reason we continued hiking up was that I was looking for THE BEST photography spot at Neuschwanstein Castle. I’ve seen it all over Instagram so I knew it existed. But of course no one shared the exact location so I was committed on finding it on my own.

Let me tell you in advance: hiking further up is not the solution. A little offroading is, but more about it later!

As you can see on the map above, we made it up to the second blue dot. Hiking up was a little challenging (especially in a ballerina, haha) but I didn’t regret it for a second! Let me show you why!

So this is the view you get from up there. It’s just simply fascinating. You can see the Neuschwanstein Castle (and the Hohenschwangau Castle as well) and the complete surrounding area with the lakes, mountains, fields.. No pictures do justice how amazing this view is in real life. I was in awe.

You will easily recognize this spot because there is a cut down log with a little cross on top of it. If you turn left and wander a bit down from the road you will find a good photography spot where you can get some nice pictures of yourself. The view is not so clear as there are many trees blocking the view, but I think it’s still pretty amazing.

Photography spot 5. : Best Photography Spot at Neuschwanstein Castle

Okay, so let’s get to the best part! I already told you that I was looking for the best photography spot at Neuschwanstein Castle while hiking up from Marienbrücke. I soon realized that it can’t be that way, because the view was completely different. The castle was already too far away and that was not what I saw on the photos.

So we turned back. I was kinda disappointed because it was getting late and we were really tired from all the hiking. Plus I still didn’t have any clue where to find my spot. I was on my phone constantly, crazily scrolling through every blog post and articles I could find on Neuschwanstein Castle and staring at the Instagram pictures I saved.

Based on the photos I managed to figure out that it can’t be higher than Marienbrücke. That’s a start. Finally one of the blog posts mentioned the viewpoint, but it only said it’s somewhere off the road. All right, challenge accepted!

How to find the best photography spot at Neuschwanstein Castle

We started to descend on the road that goes from Marienbrücke to the Neuschwanstein Castle (the purple one on the official map). I knew I had to venture off the road somewhere but there was a wooden fence with barbed-wire on top all along the road. You couldn’t really go through it unless you hurt yourself so this was not an option.

Suddenly when we went past the first big curve on the map I spotted a place where the fence was broken. Jackpot! We could slip underneath easily, turned left to the pathway and started to follow that.

After like 1-2 minute walk there is a curve in the pathway that goes down on the hillside. If you continue on that road you will reach a waterfall, but this is not what we are looking for. Instead of going down the road, you have to climb up on the hill! I marked the directions with the blue arrows in the below pictures.

Don’t worry, the road starts bad but it gets better, promise! Only the first small climb is challenging, after that you need to turn left and soon you will find an old pathway. I guess it was part of the official hiking trails once but it’s totally abandoned now. The important thing is that it’s very easy to follow and it will lead you right up to the best photography spot.

Basically you just need to follow this path and soon you will see the Neuschwanstein Castle peeking through the trees. All you need to do is go in the direction of the castle and you will reach the best photography spot in a few minutes.

The best photography spot at Neuschwanstein Castle

And voilá, this is the spot! So gorgeous, right? It’s the perfect place for photography. The view of the Neuschwanstein Castle is completely clear and you can see the whole are in the background as well. It looks simply fascinating! Plus there is a huge wide space where you can stand or sit on the roots. And the best thing is that you can have this spot all to yourself! It was totally worth all the trouble, am I right?

While it is a completely safe place, please note that basically this spot is located on the edge of a cliff and there is a sheer drop right below you. As I mentioned before, there is a wide area there so if you are not comfortable with heights you can just easily step back a little. Sitting on the edge is not dangerous either, but please be careful!

I loved this spot so much that I convinced my boyfriend to come back the next day for sunset. The soft colors were amazing! This time I wore my Converse so it was a lot easier, haha! We discovered that there is another way to reach this spot.

You need to walk all the way to Marienbrücke but instead of crossing the bridge, turn left and climb up on the hillside! This way is a lot harder because you need to slip through the barbed-wire fence and the way up is much steeper too. I would still recommend you to do the other way I described first, but it’s really up to you.

Photography spot 6. : From the valley

This last photography spot is very different from the other ones, because it’s in the valley! If you are coming from the direction of Schwangau, there is a road named Schloßstraße that leads you to Hohenschwangau (where the Neuschwanstein Castle is located). There is a huge open grass field along the road where you can make some amazing photos!

During our visit we stayed in Hotel Weinbauer in Schwangau which was located right in the beginning of Schloßstraße, close to the fields. We could even see the Neuschwanstein Castle from our window! How cool is that? We visited in the middle of May so the fields were full with dandelions, it was so gorgeous!

The Neuschwanstein Castle is visible from every angle, so you can’t go wrong with that! Although it’s very far away, but you can always walk closer on the fields or use a good telephoto lens to make it bigger in the photos. We didn’t do any of that so the castle is quite small on my photos, but I still love the outcome!

Best photography spots at Neuschwanstein Castle - Summary

So these are all the best photography spots we discovered around the Neuschwanstein Castle. Hope you guys liked them and this guide will help you to make the most of your visit at this fairytale place!

If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment below or send me an email, I always love helping you out! Have you already visited Neuschwanstein Castle? Leave your comments and tips below!

xoxo, Kriszti

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The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle

My Mom always tells me the story that all the nurses called me Sleeping Beauty when I was born because I almost slept through the entire day. (Guilty as charged, I still love sleeping!) Being a princess is every little girl’s dream: wearing beautiful dresses, finding your Prince Charming and living happily ever after in a fairytale castle. I was always obsessed with castles and visiting Neuschwanstein Castle was on my bucketlist for so long!

Therefore when I heard I have to travel to Bavaria, South-Germany for work I immediately know: my time has finally come! Seeing the castle with my own eyes was a dream come true. If you also dream about visiting this real-life fairytale castle, you’ve come to the right place! In this travel guide I will share everything you need to know before visiting Neuschwanstein Castle.

Disclosure: *This post contains a few affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through my link!*

History of Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle was build on the request of King Ludwig II who was the king of Bavaria from 1864 until his death at 1886. He spent his entire childhood in the Hohenschwangau castle (which was rebuilt by his father) and he was always obsessed with fairytales. Therefore the people of Bavaria often called him as Swan King, Fairytale King or even Mad King.

Once he became king he decided to build himself a true fairytale castle. The construction of Neuschwanstein Castle began at 1868 and it was originally designed to have more than 200 rooms. Unfortunately the construction of the castle was never finished.

King Ludwig was found dead a few weeks after he moved in to his new castle in 1886. By this time only 15 of the room were finished and the funds of the project has been immediately cut. His death remained a mystery until this day – many people think he committed suicide and others think it was murder. Guess we will never know the truth.

Two months after his death Neuschwanstein Castle was opened up to the public and it quickly became one of the world’s most famous castles. It is still the most visited touristic spot in Germany, the castle receives approximately 1.3 million visitors every year.

The fairytale design and the breathtaking surroundings inspired many talented artists, including Walt Disney. Both Cinderella’s castle in the 1950 movie and the Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland were modelled after Neuschwanstein Castle. After seeing some pictures of this beautiful castle you can’t blame him for that, can you?

Best time to visit Neuschwanstein Castle

Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle will be an experience of a lifetime, no matter when you visit. I’ve seen many different photos of this fairytale castle and it looks gorgeous in every season!

Late spring and summer are a great time for visiting if you wanna see the castle with a lush green backdrop. Spring can be a bit rainy but it’s less crowded than the summer months. As I’ve said before, Neuschwanstein castle is the most visited spot in Germany and summer is the absolute peak season in tourism.

Autumn is one of the best times for visiting Neuschwanstein castle. The surrounding area looks breathtaking in autumn colors! September and October are one of the driest months and the temperature is still mild. As the summer crowds are already gone, autumn months also tend to be more quiet.

I know Neuschwanstein Castle looks incredible when it’s covered with bright white snow but visiting in winter can be really tricky. First of all, the temperature is really cold, it gets below freezing from late November to mid-April. Most of the hiking trails are closed due to the snow and ice and since the castle sits on top of a hill it’s not so easy to reach either. However if you are mostly interested in seeing the interior of Neuschwanstein Castle, winter can be still a great time for visiting without the crowds.

How to get to Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle is located near a little town called Hohenschwangau in the Bavaria region (South-Germany), close to the Austrian border. The castle itself is nested in the foot of the Bavarian Alps so a drop-dead gorgeous view is guaranteed!

Getting to Hohenschwangau

Unfortunately there are no direct flights to the area. If you plan to arrive by plane you need to fly to Munich (Germany) or Innsbruck (Austria).

The easiest way to reach Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich is by driving. You can rent a car at the Munich Airport and you need to drive 150 km which takes around 1h 45min. If you are not comfortable with driving then public transportation and organized tours are also available. For more information check out my detailed guide about how to get to Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich!

Innsbruck is actually closer to Neuschwanstein Castle than Munich. Although there is no public transportation available so your only option is to rent a car. You have to drive 115 km (1h 35min) to reach Neuschwanstein Castle from Innsbruck. Keep in mind that you need to cross the Austrian-German border during your trip! Therefore you need to notify your rental company in advance that you will leave the country.

Getting up to the Neuschwanstein Castle

After you arrived to Hohenschwangau you need to find the path that leads up to Neuschwanstein Castle. Actually there are more starting points, you can see the official map right below. It takes around 30-40 minutes to reach the castle from Hohenschwangau on foot. You need to walk up on a steep uphill road for like 1.5 km so be prepared with comfy shoes!

Cars and bicycles are not allowed on the road to the castle, however you can take a shuttle bus which departs from the Hohenschwangau Palace. The bus can’t go directly to the castle so it will drop you off around the Marienbrücke (Mary’s Bridge) from where you still need to walk 10-15 minutes downhill. Prices for the shuttle: 2.5€ for the uphill trip and 1.5€ for the downhill trip, or 3€ for a return trip.

As I don’t support this kind of animal tourism I would politely ask you not to use this service! Walking up there is not that bad and the views you get along the way will definitely make you up for your burning thighs. If you can’t walk for some reasons it’s still cheaper (and a lot more ethical) to take the shuttle bus. So please choose wisely!

Where to stay around Neuschwanstein Castle

You can easily visit Neuschwanstein Castle in a daytrip from either Munich or Innsbruck. However if you wanna spend more time in the area (which I highly recommend!) it’s best to stay around the castle for 1 or 2 nights.

Booking.com

Hohenschwangau

If you wish to stay as close to Neuschwanstein Castle as possible then Hohenschwangau is your best option. No matter which accommodation you choose, you can reach the path that leads up to the castle within a few minutes.

Although you don’t get many options to choose from, there are only 6-7 hotels in Hohenschwangau in total. They all have great ratings on booking.com though so there is no bad choice here. The 2 and 3 star hotels range between 90-120€ per night. If you prefer something fancier you can check out Hotel Villa Ludwig. This is the only 4 star hotel in Hohenschwangau and the rooms start from 179€ per night.

Schwangau

The second closest town to Neuschwanstein Castle is Schwangau. The distance between the two is 2.5 km so even if you don’t have a car you can easily walk or bike. You can find more options here but don’t expect hundreds of hotels. There are like 15 different hotels in total and all of them has great ratings according to booking.com.

Prices are similar to Hohenschwangau, most of the hotels range between 90-120€ per night. Casa Patrizia is the only cheaper option with 70€ per night. It has a 9.1 rating so it’s definitely a great choice for budget travelers!

If you are looking for the absolute best hotel in the area you have to check out Hotel Das Rübezahl! This beautiful 4 star hotel offers breathtaking views on both Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle. However you need to pay big bucks for that privilege as the rooms range between 250-525€ per night.

Since it was kind of an unplanned trip for us we decided to stay on the budget-friendly side this time. We chose to stay at Hotel Weinbauer for 110€ per night including breakfast. Our room was spacious with a comfy bed and we could also saw the Neuschwanstein Castle from our window so it was a perfect choice for us.

Füssen

Füssen is the third option to stay close to Neuschwanstein Castle. The distance is 5 km so technically you can still walk but having a car or a bike is much better. You can also call a taxi if you don’t have your own car and it will take you to Hohenschwangau within a few minutes.

There are much more hotels to choose from and the prices are a bit lower compared to Hohenschwangau and Schwangau. You can find many options with great ratings between 60-90€ per night so if you travel on a budget Füssen is a great choice for you.

3 star hotels typically range between 80-120€ per night and you can find 4 star hotels between 120-150€ per night. For luxury travelers I can recommend Hotel Sommer Wellness & Spa. This 4 star spa hotel lies on the shores of Forggensee Lake with amazing views of the surrounding area. The price of the rooms range between 200-290€ including breakfast.

Tickets for visiting Neuschwanstein Castle

Visiting the hiking trails and the surrounding area of Neuschwanstein Castle is completely free. However if you wish to see the castle from inside you will need to buy an entrance ticket for that.

Neuschwanstein Castle can only be visited within a guided tour that lasts for like 35 minutes. The adult tickets cost 13€ and you will receive them with a fixed entrance time. Make sure to allow yourself enough time to get up to the castle otherwise your ticket will lose its validity and it can’t be refunded.

The tickets can be only bought at the Ticketcenter in Hohenschwangau. Yes, that means that you can’t buy them at the entrance of the castle! So don’t try to show up without a ticket because you won’t be allowed to enter the castle at all. And since you need to walk around 30-40 minutes from the Ticketcenter to the castle on an uphill road, it can be a really unpleasant surprise if you are not prepared for it.

However you can reserve the tickets in advance and if you plan to visit in high season I really recommend to do so! You can reserve the tickets up to 2 days before visiting and you can collect them on the day of your visit. Keep in mind that you can’t print them at home so you must collect them at the Ticketcenter!

Best things to do around Neuschwanstein Castle

Marienbrücke (Mary's Bridge)

As I said before, walking up to the castle takes like 30-40 minutes from the town of Hohenschwangau. But the hiking trails don’t stop at the castle, you can venture further up on the hill to find some unique viewpoints of the castle. If you are looking for that iconic castle view, you have to visit Marienbrücke for that. But there are many other, not-so-known viewpoints around the castle. If you are curious about them, check out the list I’ve put together of the best photography spots at Neuschwanstein Castle!

Hohenschwangau Castle

Remember the stories about the childhood home of King Ludwig II? If you are already in the area it’s worth checking out the Hohenschwangau Castle as well! The adult tickets cost 13€ and the same conditions apply to them as for the tickets to Neuschwanstein Castle. If you plan to visit both castles you can purchase a combine ticket as well which is a bit cheaper than buying them individually.

Linderhof Palace

Bavaria is full of fairytale castles and palaces and Linderhof Palace is also one of the most famous places in the area. It is located 60 km from Neuschwanstein Castle so you can easily reach it within an hour by car. The visit of the palace is only possible with a guided tour, the adult ticket costs 8.5€.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

All the alpine towns in the Bavaria region have their own charm but Garmisch-Partenkirchen was one of my favourites! The town lies near the Zugspitze and the breaktaking views combined with the cute cobblestoned streets make this town a must-visit place on your Bavaria trip. It takes around 35 minutes to reach from the Linderhof Palace or a little more than an hour if you start from Hohenschwangau.

Zugspitze

With its 2,962m height Zugspitze is the highest peak in Germany. It lies south of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Austrian-German border runs through its western summit. You can take a cable car or a cogwheel train to go up to the top, although be prepared for the prices – the tickets cost 58€ per person!

Eibsee

Eibsee is one of the most beautiful lakes in the whole Bavaria region! It lies in the foot of the Zugspitze so the scenery is just simply breathtaking. Eibsee is a true paradise for nature lovers – you can walk around the lake, hire a boat or just simply admire the stunning landscape.

Guide to Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle - Summary

Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle was really a dream come true. The whole Bavaria region of Germany looks like a fairytale place packed with snow-covered mountains, shimmering alpine lakes and gorgeous castles. We only had a long weekend to spend there but we could have easily stayed there for weeks.

If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment below or send me an email, I always love helping you out! Have you ever been to Bavaria or you still dreaming of visiting the beautiful area of Neuschwanstein Castle? Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo, Kriszti

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Hotel Paris Bastille Boutet – Hotel Review

As I mentioned in my Ultimate Paris Travel Guide I didn’t really know what to expect from Paris due to the many negative reviews I’ve heard about the city. But after spending there 5 incredible days I have to say that I became totally obsessed with Paris! We decided to stay at Hotel Paris Bastille Boutet which made our visit even more memorable. Keep reading to know more about this amazing hotel!

Hotel Paris Bastille Boutet - Hotel review

Hotel Paris Bastille Boutet is located in the authentic Bastille district, not far from Le Marais. Paris has many amazing districts to stay in, but Bastille is definitely one of the bests!

Bastille is located just outside of the central area, therefore prices are more affordable but you can still reach the city center within minutes. I think this is a really great choice if you don’t wanna spend a fortune on accommodation but still wanna stay close to the central area.

You can reach two different metro lines within a few minutes walk from the hotel. You can hop on metro line 8 at Faidherbe-Chaligny or you can catch the line 9 at Charonne. Both metro lines grants you direct access to the city so you can reach practically anything within a short period of time.

If you are a real foodie then Bastille is the best choice for you! The 11th district of Paris is packed with amazing restaurants and you can find everything from trendy hip cafes to expensive Michelin-star restaurants.

About Hotel Paris Bastille Boutet

The building of Hotel Paris Bastille Boutet was built in 1926 and it is rich with history. Formerly it was home to an exotic wood supplier then almost 20 years later it became a Swiss chocolate factory.

It was renovated in 2015 but the decor of the hotel remained a tribute to it’s former lives. You can find many black and white photographs of old wood-working tools on the walls and chocolate box wallpapers in the lifts.

Even the first glimpse of the hotel will take your breath away! The main entrance with its art-deco style and colorful mosaics is simply fascinating.

Right after you enter through the door you will find yourself in the lobby where the reception desks and the bar is located. The walnut wood and the warm colors instantly makes you feel yourself home!

After the check-in process the staff gave us an immediate tour of the hotel. Everyone was extremely nice to us, we never felt so welcomed at any other hotel!

The Rooms

Hotel Paris Bastille Boutet features 80 guest rooms and suites spread over 7 floors. Eight of them has a leafy terrace so if you want to have a breathtaking rooftop view over Paris I suggest choosing one of them!

You can use the lifts to go up to the rooms but if you have a little extra energy check out the stairway! I’ve never seen such an impressive stairway before! The natural light that comes from the glass roof makes it even more spectacular.

We stayed in one of the Delux Rooms on the 3rd floor. Right after we stepped into the room we found this cute hand-written message along with three little chocolates on the desk. I was completely blown away by the kindness and thoughtfulness of the staff! It’s only a small gesture but it makes such a huge difference.

The interior design of the room was breathtaking! The large windows let a great deal of natural light into the room so it was always bright. Our room had a king sized bed with comfy pillows and blankets together with free WiFi and a flat-screen TV. The room was equipped with air-conditioning and it also had a minibar, a kettle and a Nespresso machine. It really comes in handy for a coffee lover like me!

The bathroom had an elegant all-white design with mirrored doors. The steamed shower was my absolute favourite! You can find anything you possibly need inside the bathroom – towels, hair dryer, bath robes, slippers and high-end toiletries.

Service & Facilities

Hotel Paris Bastille Boutet features a relaxation area on the lower ground floor. In contrast to the warm and wooden design, this area is decorated with white and blue tiles and light tones. Inside you can find an indoor pool, a sauna, a steam room and two spa rooms.

In addition to all this, there is a small gym located on the lower ground floor as well. If you feel you had too many croissants or macarons you can take advantage of the fitness center from 7am to 10pm every day.

Culinary delights

Apart from the location and the rooms, the other important factor when choosing a hotel is the food – at least for me. Hotel Paris Bastille Boutet didn’t disappoint regarding the food selection either!

The hotel offers a buffet-stlye breakfast which is served in the breakfast room with two outdoor terraces. You can choose to eat your breakfast outside or you can stay inside the huge room – you can’t go wrong either way!

If you prefer salty breakfasts you can choose from scrambled eggs, omelettes, bacons or sausages but you can find a huge selection of cold meat products and cheese as well.

For sweet breakfasts there is no shortage of french pastries like croissants, pain au chocolate or madeleines. In addition to this, you can order some pancakes and there are plenty of yoghurt and fruits to choose from.

If you don’t want to dress up and go down for a breakfast you can order it to your room as well. You can either fill out a menu card in advance and hang out to your door the night before, or you can just call the reception in the morning after you wake up. I really wish I could have this kind of service every morning, it was incredible!

Staying at Hotel Paris Bastille Boutet

To sum it up we had an incredible stay at this hotel and I can truly recommend it to anyone visiting Paris! You can check out the latest room rates and availability at their website.

Important notice: We stayed with Hotel Paris Bastille Boutet for 4 nights in total. We received one night as a complimentary stay and we stayed another 3 nights on a special media rate. All opinions are my own, as usual.