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Important information

The visit of Neuschwanstein Castle is only possible with a guided tour.

Rucksacks, prams, child carriers, and similar bulky objects may not be taken into the castle. Please leave these items in your car or bus.

No photographing or filming is allowed in the castle. Photo and film shootings are basically subject to approval and charges. Here you will find information on photography permits / film permits. Taking pictures of the outside of the buildings for private use does not require a permit.

We also provide you with image and film material that you may use free of charge on your own website under certain conditions; click here to download image material or download footage.

Neuschwanstein Castle is on the edge of the Ammergebirge nature reserve; it is therefore not permitted to fly model planes or drones /multicopters.

Animals are not permitted in the castle.

The Marienbrücke in winter

Please note that during the winter months the Marienbrücke, the bridge over the Pollät gorge, may have to be closed in bad weather.

The way to the castle and the guided tours are not affected.

Information on whether the bridge and the route to it are open can be found on the website of the Hohenschwangau Ticket Centre: www.hohenschwangau.de.

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Bayerische Verwaltung der staatlichen Schlösser, Gärten und Seen, Thomas Aniol

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Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung | Neuschwanstein Castle | Tourist information

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Official website of Neuschwanstein Castle

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All Berlin museums and cultural institutions may reopen. You can find concrete information on our homepage and at the individual houses. Please click here for further information. Various rooms of the Pergamon Museum will remain closed due to renovation work. The central building with the Pergamon Altar and the north wing will reopen in 2025 at the earliest. A new, temporary exhibition building is located opposite the Museum Island: the exhibition "Pergamon Museum. The Panorama" with the 360-degree panorama by Yadegar Asisi and antique originals from Pergamon makes it possible to experience the Pergamon Altar in its original form and in its urban context on the Acropolis.
Museum Island and its buildings

Berlin's Museum Island is a grand work of art: five world-famous museum buildings from the time of the Prussian rulers, together with the modern James Simon Gallery, form an exciting ensemble that was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999. In 1999, the Museum Island master plan was also adopted. The core of this is an underground connection, the Archaeological Promenade, to be built between the museum buildings.

History of Museum Island

The Altes Museum (Old Museum) is located at Lustgarten, directly opposite the Berlin Cathedral and the new Humboldt Forum. With its opening in 1830, historically significant collections and artworks were made accessible to the general public in Berlin for the first time. The idea of a museum open to everyone goes back to the Enlightenment and its educational ideals. Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Prussia's most important architect, provided the designs. Over the next 100 years, a total of five museums were built on the site. And at the end of the 1870s, Berlin's Museum Island received its current name.

By 1855, a second impressive museum building was erected according to the plans of Friedrich August Stüler: the Royal Prussian Museum, today's Neues Museum (New Museum). In 1876, the Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery), with architecture reminiscent of a Greek temple and incorporating Stüler's designs, opened its doors. It took until the beginning of the 20th century to complete the ensemble. In 1904, the neo-baroque Kaiser Friedrich Museum at the tip of the Museum Island, today's Bode Museum, opened. And in 1930, the Pergamon Museum was added as the last of the five large museum buildings.
The Nazis planned a gigantic conversion, which fortunately could not be implemented. After the war, Museum Island was a landscape of ruins, the Neues Museum in particular was almost completely destroyed. Reconstruction began during GDR times, but the Neues Museum still remained a ruin.

Museum Island's master plan

In 1999, 10 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Board of Trustees decided on a comprehensive restoration of the ensemble, entitled Museum Island's master plan. This included the reconstruction of the Neues Museum and the restoration of the other museums. In addition, the individual museum buildings, each of which faces a different direction, were to be connected to form one large, unified whole.
A modern central entrance and exhibition building, the James Simon Gallery, has been welcoming guests since July 2019.
The British star architect David Chipperfield accepted the commission for planning the James Simon Gallery. His firm David Chipperfield Architects had already overseen the reconstruction of the Neues Museum. James Simon (1851-1932), a Jewish citizen in Berlin and a passionate art collector, now receives special recognition for the first time: he was the most important patron of Museum Island, who provided Berlin's museums with extensive collections. His most famous transfer of ownership to Museum Island is under the northern dome in the Neues Museum: the bust of Nefertiti.
The Archaeological Promenade will connect four of the five museums and exhibit important objects from the art collections.

One island and five museums

The Pergamon Museum

The three-winged Pergamon Museum by Alfred Messel is the most visited museum in Berlin. It displays the Collection of Classical Antiquities, the Museum of the Ancient Near East and the Museum of Islamic Art. The Collection of Classical Antiquities is one of the most important collections of Greek and Roman art in the world. The most famous work is the Roman Pergamon Altar, whose sculpted frieze depicts the battle between gods and giants. As part of the master plan for Museum Island, the Pergamon Museum is being gradually renovated and a fourth wing will be added. In the course of this renovation, the hall with the Pergamon Altar is expected to be closed until 2025. A further highlight of Roman architecture, the approximately 17-metre-high Market Gate of Miletus, can still be viewed. Also on display are the highlights of the Museum of the Ancient Near East, the Babylonian Ishtar Gate with the Processional Way, and the artefacts of the Museum of Islamic Art.

The Bode Museum

Restoration of the Bode Museum at the tip of Museum Island was completed back in 2005. In its magnificent halls it houses a unique collection of sculptures, showcasing exhibits from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, including works from Donatello, Bernini and Canova. Other treasures are housed in the Museum of Byzantine Art and the N umismatic Collection. Together with works of European sculpture, works from Berlin's Gemäldegalerie (Picture Gallery) are also on display. Since July 2019, visitors can once again visit the James Simon Cabinet in its original room, which was closed as a result of anti-Semitism under the Nazi dictatorship.
In summer, the riverbank opposite is a popular meeting place for Berliners and their visitors because of the beautiful view of the northern tip of Museum Island.

The Neues Museum

The reconstruction and renovation of the Neues Museum by the renowned architect David Chipperfield took a total of ten years. A sensitive approach to the old building and the traces of war, combined with ultra-modern conversions, resulted in an exciting, unusual architectural style that has not lost its authentic character. Since the spectacular reopening in 2009, the building has housed selected exhibits from the Egyptian Museum and Papyrus Collection, the Museum of Prehistory and Early History and the Collection of Classical Antiquities. The world-famous bust of Nefertiti is presented in a special octagonal room under the northern dome.

The Alte Nationalgalerie

Like an ancient temple, the Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery) rises above Museum Island on its high stepped pedestal. It is clear that Greek temples served as a model for the architect, Friedrich August Stüler. The Alte Nationalgalerie houses paintings and sculptures from Classicism, Romanticism, Biedermeier, Impressionism and the early Modern Age. It is considered to be one of the most comprehensive collections of art from the period between the French Revolution and the First World War. World-famous works such as The Monk by the Sea by Caspar David Friedrich and The Thinker by Auguste Rodin can be found here, as well as works by Schinkel, Menzel, Manet, Monet and Renoir among many others. Right at the entrance, visitors are welcomed by the most beautiful couple in Prussia: the famous Princesses Group by Johann Gottfried Schadow.

The Altes Museum

The classical building, the Altes Museum, designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in 1830 was the first museum building on the island. And for the first time, the royal art collections were shown to the public in a specially designed antique-style building. Today, countless masterpieces of classical antiquity are exhibited alongside the magnificent architecture with its expansive circular dome: Sculpture, jewellery, vases and coins from Greek and Etruscan art, as well as from the Roman Empire. Gold and silver jewellery is displayed under a blue ceiling in a special treasure chamber.
Due to the Corona Pandemic, all houses on Museum Island are currently closed. Please click here for further information.
Museum Island is easily accessible by all forms of public transport in Berlin. You can take the underground using the U5, U6, or S-Bahn lines S1, S2, S25, S5, S7 or S75. The S-Bahn stop of Hackescher Markt is just 15 minutes walk away from the Island. The M1 and M12 trams stop at nearby Kupfergraben, less than 5 minutes walk away. The Lustgarten bus stop is 600m away from Pergamonmuseum and can be reached on buses 100 and 200. You can use the
Berlin Welcome Card Museum Island
to explore all the museums on Museum Island over three consecutive days. With a
Museum Pass Berlin
you can visit 30 other museums in Berlin for free. Entry for children and young people up to the age of 18 is generally free.

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All Berlin museums and cultural institutions may reopen. You can find concrete information on our homepage and at the individual houses. Please click here for further information. Various rooms of the Pergamon Museum will remain closed due to renovation work. The central building with the Pergamon Altar and the north wing will reopen in 2025 at the earliest.

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Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany

The Middle Rhine was the heart of the medieval Holy Roman Empire and the region was a magnet for great artistry, ingenuity, and craftsmanship. During its heyday, it was one of the most important trading areas in Europe-arguably, the world. Journey through the Romantic Rhine Valley and discover the culture, the stories, the gastronomy and wine that makes this one of Europe's most renowned romantic landscapes.

Imbued with the spirit of German Romanticism, the Rhine River has inspired fairy tales, fables, poetry, and paintings. Its mythical underwater maidens and their magic gold provided the muse for Wagner's "Ring" opera cycle. The evocative voyage from Mainz to Koblenz has been a favorite with travellers since the 19th century. The stretch from Bingen, west of Mainz, runs through a steep and narrow gorge, and has more castles than any other river in the world. Below these cliff-top fortresses sit villages of half-timbered houses, like the settlement of Bacharach, which owe their existence to the Riesling grape grown along the hillsides.

The reason for all this creative energy in one place is simple. The Rhine has been an important transportation link between the north and south of Europe for thousands of years. This led to an exchange of culture and a flow of trade, which has helped build small towns and impressive fortresses along the river's course. It is no wonder this natural beauty and historic architecture have fueled artists, writers, and musicians over the past two centuries.

As the epochs changed, at the beginning of the 19th century, a new generation of artists-from the early Romantic period-discovered a beauty in the Rhine's wild cultural landscape. The river started to appear in German literature. Within 20 years, English Romantic artists like JMW Turner and writers like Lord Byron brought international fame to the Rhine and breathed new life into the valley.

The Upper Middle Rhine Valley stretches for 67 kilometres, down a gentle winding stretch of the river. Starting at Bingen, you can travel by boat, car, bicycle, or foot, with panoramic views along the whole route. The castles stand high on the hills and many of them are open to the public. Shoreside hamlets offer plenty of opportunities for rest and exploration. People come from across the world to see the striking Loreley Rock, near the town of Sankt Goarshausen, which is a symbol of Rhine Romanticism and the subject of well-known poems and songs. At the end of the valley, the beautiful city of Koblenz has a cable car which can take you across the water and up to the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress.

Eternal Beauty
The Loreley Valley, a stretch of the Rhine between Koblenz and Rüdesheim/Bingen, is among the most romantic river sections in Europe. Though less than 70 kilometres long, the area is dense with culture and history. Its importance as a transport and trade route, and the diverse culture it has developed organically over 2,000 years are what enabled its inscription as a World Heritage site in 2002. The region offers a uniquely romantic journey through picturesque towns, castles, palaces, ruins, as well as artistic and cultural treasures abound.

You can find tributes and references to the Rhine in operas, poems and songs around the world. The area's majesty was set to canvas by English landscape painters, including William Turner, the famous English artist, in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Romanticism is most closely associated with the ancient walls of the castles and castle ruins. Their violent past was long, long ago. Today, many of the old walls and fortresses have been given a new lease on life and you can spend the night in these incredibly picturesque hotels and hostels. There are almost 40 of the structures between the Mäuseturm (Mouse Tower), near Bingen, and Koblenz. Of these, the impressive Marksburg Castle towers over Braubach and has remained intact. It is now the headquarters of the German Castle Association and provides a great example of medieval life.
Wine from the Rhine: Sweet Festival Fuel
The elegant Riesling wines from the Rhine are treasured all over the world. The best way to truly appreciate these award-winning wines is to visit the local vineyard pubs and restaurants, meeting the producers and learning more about the culture from which they are created.

The Rhine is a relaxed and welcoming landscape, where golden-colored wine sparkles, locals clink glasses to toast romance and good living. Throughout the year, there are countless celebrations, festivals, and fairs paying tribute to Riesling, including the Rhein in Flammen: the "Rhine in Flames" festival that takes place every summer. Come join the celebrations and you will witness bright, sparkling lights, the mysterious Bengal fire, and the longest boat convoy in Europe (80 vessels), which add to the explosive firework displays that transform the river into a colourful fairytale landscape.
How to Get There
If travelling by plane, the following airports are located near the Rhine Valley: Frankfurt/Main and Frankfurt-Hahn (both approx. 60km away to Bingen, southern gateway to the Rhine valley ); Köln-Bonn airport (100 km away.via Koblenz, northern gateway to the Rhine valley).

If arriving by car, take one of the following national motorways/highways: A61 Köln-Ludwigshafen; A3 Köln- Frankfurt; A48 Luxemburg/Trier-Montabaur; B42 Bonn-Wiesbaden; B9 Mainz-Köln.

The Rhine Valley is very well connected by rail, and most of the towns on both sides of the river have their own train stations. Deutsche Bahn offers direct connections from Frankfurt Airport, and Köln Hbf. (Cologne Central Station)
When to Visit
The Rhine Valley is a beautiful place to visit all year round. Come in the spring for hiking and cycling. Summer is the time to discover the river and the castles and enjoy the "Rhine in Flames" festival. Autumn is always wonderful-for the colors and the romance-and to be among the first to taste the new Rieslings.
How to Visit
To experience the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, you can travel by boat, car, railway, bicycle, or foot with panoramic views along the whole route. There are six ferries that cross the river so it's easy to visit both sides. You don't need to hire a car, as the region is well serviced by public transport. The towns and villages are well connected by hiking trails and bike routes, with frequent stops in castles, vineyards and restaurants along the way. To truly make the most of the culture and activities here, we recommend you stay for at least four days.

Sights and Attractions recommended by the locals

Many World Heritage sites are temporarily closed to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Please check official websites for more information.

Upper Middle Rhine Valley, Germany

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Upper Middle Rhine Valley, Germany | World Heritage Journeys of Europe

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The Middle Rhine was the heart of the medieval Holy Roman Empire and the region was a magnet for great artistry, ingenuity, and craftsmanship. During its heyday, it was one of the most important trading areas in Europe-arguably, the world.

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Black Forest | Description, Map, & Facts

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Black Forest: Black Forest, mountain region, Baden-Wurttemberg state, southwestern Germany, source of the Danube and Neckar rivers. It occupies an area of 2,320 square miles and extends toward the northeast for about 100 miles from Sackingen on the Upper Rhine River (at the Swiss border) to Durlach (east of Karlsruhe).

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Travel Guide to Salzburg, City of Culture : salzburg.info

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Salzburg city tourist board website: We provide you with useful information about affordable hotels, special events and sights in Salzburg.

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PMSG Potsdam Marketing und Service GmbH Babelsberger Straße 26 14473 Potsdam

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Cologne Cathedral: Hohe Domkirche Sankt Petrus | Cologne Tourism

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The Cologne Cathedral is a cathedral of superlatives, landmark and center of the Rhine metropolis. The foundation stone of the Gothic cathedral was laid on 15...

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The German Romantic Road is one of the biggest magnets for tourism in the southern provinces of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.

The first visitors were friends and families of the American soldiers stationed in the large bases in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg but the idea of the trail from Würzburg to Füssen soon became wildly popular.

It's not too hard to see the reason for the popularity - despite the modern roots of the idea, the tour combines the historic cities of Würzburg and Augsburg with the three medieval walled towns of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Dinkelsbühl and Nördlingen, and then finishes off with the tourist highlights of Neuschwanstein Castle and the Alps.

These days coach parties from all over the world can be seen at the most popular stops along the way, the route signs along the way are in German and Japanese, and in 2010 the Romantic Road celebrated its 60th birthday.

www.romanticroadgermany.com

This site is designed for those who would rather explore all or some of the Romantic Road on their own, rather than in a coach party. It is written from an independent viewpoint and is not the official marketing website for the Romantic Road. All of the larger and more popular sights are here (see the navigation off to the right) but also some of the smaller towns and villages that sometimes get lost in the marketing shuffle and the stressful rush from one "ticked" historic sight to another.

Part of the charm of this region is the discovery of walking trails through the vineyards in the Tauber valley or the traditional villages and churches of the Pfaffenwinkel. If there is anything extra you would like to see on this site or any comments you might have - and especially if you would like to give your own feedback once you have travelled all or part of the Romantic Road - please feel free to contact us.

If you have travelled the Romantic Road and are looking for another tourist route in Germany, the German Alpine Road pages on our sister site GermanSights.com may be of interest.

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Romantic Road Germany - information, maps and sights

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The German Romantic Road is one of the biggest magnets for tourism in the southern provinces of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The first visitors were friends and families of the American soldiers stationed in the large bases in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg but the idea of the trail from Würzburg to Füssen soon became wildly popular.

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Vienna: City of Music

Vienna is home to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world. And even among the world's greatest conductors, it is an honour to take the lead at the New Years Day Concert, held at the Golden Hall of the Musikverein every year on the 1st of January.

The Vienna Boy's Choir inspires music lovers around the globe with their great voices.

In addition to classical music, Vienna offers jazz fans unique concerts at the Porgy & Bess jazz club, but fans of the electronic music scene can also find their rhythm at unusual locations such as the Danube Canal or the Praterstern.

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Vienna | Visit Austria's Imperial Capital

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Vienna is home to the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world. And even among the world's greatest conductors, it is an honour to take the lead at the New Years Day Concert, held at the Golden Hall of the Musikverein every year on the 1st of January.