View of Neuschwanstein Castle (Hohenschwangau Castle, Germany)

Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein Castles are within a few minutes of one another. One (Hohenschwangau) was the childhood home of “Mad” Kind Ludwig II of Bavaria, the other (Neuschwanstein), his castle-in-the-sky dream from boyhood. Ludwig spent the majority of his adult life–and money–building a variety of castles, but his most famous today is still the unfinished Neuschwanstein. Most people travel to Fussen to see Neuschwanstein, but Hohenschwangau is just as worthy of your time. On our visit, the view from Hohenschwangau was made extra special by the fact that we were able to get our the first glimpse of Neuschwanstein from there.