Just a few hours south of Munich, in the Bavarian Alps, is the inspiration for the castle in Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. Neuschwanstein belonged to King Ludwig II, an enigmatic character with a grandiose swan-themed vision for his private retreat. The castle was famously never completed following the King’s mysterious death, and it can be viewed as it was left in 1886. A short walk through the forest will take visitors to Marienbrücke (Mary’s Bridge), boasting panoramic views of the castle and the surrounding mountains. Hotels near Neuschwanstein Castle