The Neuschwanstein Castle sits on the Alps.
One of the only things that people know about the Neuschwanstein Castle is that it inspired Walt Disney to create the Magic Kingdom. There is more to the gorgeous, fairytale castle than that.
King Ludwig II of Bavaria who was a huge fan of composer, Richard Wagner, built the castle. The world-renowned composer acted as inspiration for the castle and Wagner’s characters heavily inspired many of the rooms inside. The actual translation of Neuschwanstein is “New Swan Stone” which is a direct reference of the composer’s “Swan Knight,” character.
Neuschwanstein castle is located near the town of Fussen and is one of the most visited castles in Germany. Situated on the Alps, the castle was built in the medieval style, yet was designed with all of the technological advances of the 19th century. Construction began in 1869 by stage designer, Christian Jank.
Unfortunately, Kind Ludwig II would never see the completion of the castle as he ran into substantial debt and died in 1886. Neuschwanstein was still a building-site. Only 14 rooms out of 200 planned rooms were completed. Even to this day, the second floor rooms are closed to the public, as they are just bare brick! Visit the castle and see for yourself!

Farewell Florence
As I (sadly) finish up my final days in Florence, I’ve been reflecting on the lessons I’ve learned and the memories I’ve