Last Updated on September 4, 2024 by Soumya
Are you looking for the best photo spots of Neuschwanstein Castle? We have you covered.
This Neuschwanstein Castle Photo Spots Guide will tell you all about the best vantage points for viewing and photographing the castle.
We also tell you about a couple of spots from where you can get beautiful views of the Hohenschwangau Castle, the Alpsee Lake, and the surrounding landscape.
Neuschwanstein Castle’s Romanticist architecture, complete with turrets, spires, and walled courtyards, makes it a palace of dreams. The castle’s stunning location in the middle of the Bavarian Alps, often covered in a thin veil of mist and fog, further adds to its beauty.
The castle’s surreal beauty has earned it the badge of Germany’s Fairytale Castle. It is believed to have inspired Cinderella’s Castle at Disney Land! It can’t get any prettier, can it?
No doubt, Neuschwanstein Castle is what a photographer’s dreams are made of. I am an amateur, but still loved shooting Neuschwanstein Castle and its surroundings from these epic photo spots.
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Best Neuschwanstein Castle Photo Spots
Marienbrucke or Mary’s Bridge
Marienbrucke, or Mary’s Bridge, is the most iconic spot for photographing Neuschwanstein Castle.
If you’re looking for THE BEST SPOT to click pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle, head to Marienbrucke.
It is a pedestrian bridge that spans the deep Pollat Gorge and offers a stunning view of Neuschwanstein Castle, perched high on the hill. The castle is framed by rugged mountains and lush forests, which add to the photograph’s beauty.
Most pictures you have seen online while researching your Neuschwanstein Castle day trip are taken from the Marienbrucke.
📖 Read Next: How to plan an epic day trip from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle?
Marienbrucke Travel and Photography Tips
- You can hike to Marienbrucke (Google Maps) from Hohenschwangau or take the shuttle bus, which will drop you 5 minutes from the bridge.
- Marienbrucke is free to enter, and you don’t have to buy a ticket. However, you should buy a ticket only if you want to visit the castle.
- Go early in the morning or later in the day to avoid crowds. Marienbrucke is usually very crowded and has a long queue to get in. For safety reasons, they allow only 200 people on the bridge at any time.
- If you get onto the bridge and find it very crowded, go to the farthest end of it. That area is usually quieter, with fewer people, and you can get some cool pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle from there.
- From the farthest end of the bridge, you can hike up a small hill (about 10 minutes) to the Neuschwanstein View Point (Google Maps), from where you can see more gorgeous pictures of Neuschwanstein Castle.
- Marienbrucke is located atop a deep gorge, about 300 feet above sea level. If you’re afraid of heights, don’t get on it or look down.
- Marienbrucke is usually closed in winter. Even though the landscape around Neuschwanstein Castle is surreal at this time, you will not be able to get on the bridge to get pictures of it.
✦ Pro Tip: Want to get your Neuschwanstein Castle photos done by a professional photographer? Check out this excellent private photo shoot by Julio Florez to capture your best looks.
Neuschwanstein Castle Observation Deck
This is a very overlooked Neuschwanstein Castle photo spot but a really worthy one.
The observation deck at Neuschwanstein Castle is located right in front of the castle. It offers stunning views of the castle from the front, providing a unique perspective.
The observation deck also allows you to get great pictures of yourself with the castle looming behind you. You can also capture details on the castle’s facade from this angle.
From the observation deck, you can also get some gorgeous pictures of the valley that faces Neuschwanstein Castle.
✦ Pro Tip: Do you love castles and palaces? Check out this epic list of the 18 most beautiful castles to visit in Germany.
Observation Deck Travel Tips
- After finishing your tour of the Neuschwanstein Castle, exit the castle and keep walking towards the town. The observation deck will be on your right two minutes after you start walking.
- The deck is usually crowded in the middle of the day. Come early or late for an uninterrupted photo shoot with the Neuschwanstein Castle.
✦ Pro Tip: Planning to surprise your partner with a surprise Neuschwanstein Castle photo shoot? Check out this private photo session with Julio Florez, the best photographer in town.
Hohenschwangau Village
As you arrive at the Hohenschwangau Village to begin your journey towards the castle, stop for a moment and look around you.
From the main square, right where the bus drops you, you can catch stunning views of the Neuschwanstein Castle from behind the mountains.
Very often, the castle is covered in mist. Wait a few minutes until the fog starts to clear up, and you’ll see the most beautiful castle in Germany.
As you keep walking towards the castle or the shuttle bus stop, you’ll get more opportunities to photograph Neuschwanstein Castle from different angles.
Hohenschwangau Village Travel and Photography Tips
- Use the village’s architecture and sculptures to frame your shots. To add depth and context, you can include elements like the sculpture of this musician with a lyre or flowers in the foreground.
- Hohenschwangau is also home to many houses adorned with frescoes that serve as an adorable backdrop for your pictures. This painting technique is called Luftlmalerei and is found in many places in the Bavarian region.
Panoramablick Schwangau or Schwangau Panoramic View
Another popular viewpoint near the Neuschwanstein Castle is Panoramablick Schwangau or the Schwangau Panoramic Viewpoint (Google Maps).
Located between Marienbrucke and Neuschwanstein Castle, Panoramablick Schwangau offers stunning panoramic views of Hohenschwangau Castle, Alpsee Lake, and the Bavarian Alps. On the other side, there’s the castle half-covered by trees.
I loved Panoramablick Schwangau because it allows you to see another side of this pretty Bavarian town, which is not just Neuschwanstein.
The beauty of the landscape surrounding Germany’s Fairytale Castle is incredible. The mountains, lakes, forests, quaint houses, and occasional churches make Schwangau beautiful.
It makes perfect sense why King Ludwig II decided to build his castle here. He was looking for solitude and peace!
Panoramablick Schwangau Travel and Photography Tips
- Since this photo spot is easy and free to access, it is almost always crowded. But it is out in the open, so you’ll always find a place to stand and appreciate the beauty surrounding you. And, of course, get a few cool pictures.
📖 Read Next: Visiting Germany? Be sure to check out our much-loved 10-day Germany itinerary that also includes the Neuschwanstein Castle.
Photo Spots inside Neuschwanstein Castle
Taking a tour of the castle interiors is well worth the money, not just for the sumptuous Bavarian art and architecture you will discover inside but also for some unique viewpoints you’ll not find anywhere else.
The balcony behind the cafe inside Neuschwanstein Castle provides epic views of the countryside and the Alpsee Lake.
I also loved the Neuschwanstein Castle courtyard, which had a great view of Marienbrucke. We almost always forget that Marienbrucke is an engineering marvel in itself. Constructing a wooden bridge over a 300-ft deep gorge was no feat in the 19th century, and the castle courtyard allows you to see that.
✦ Pro Tip: Want to get your Neuschwanstein Castle photos done by a professional photographer? Check out this excellent private photo shoot by Julio Florez to capture your best looks.
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