Elle’s in Europe 2025 - Day 10 - Leg Day for Our Princess
After a great night's sleep and a 7:30 AM alarm this morning, we were ready for our first day in Germany. We all got ready, including Elle, who enjoyed her bottle before heading down to our included breakfast on the first floor. The Mandarin Oriental has a hybrid breakfast with some items you can get at the buffet and others you can order. We both ordered eggs, and Jenn got Elle pancakes with fruit, which she devoured. The best part of breakfast was how much Elle loved our waitress. They were waving and giggling the entire breakfast.
When we were full and Elle had eaten as much fruit and pancakes as she was going to eat, we headed downstairs to the lobby. Before coming on the trip, we had worked with the hotel to rent a car for the day. They brought up a stunning black BMW 520i with a car seat. Jenn was worried at first when she realized it was a forward-facing car seat, but then read online that this is the German regulatory requirement. Once we were all buckled in and I got the CarPlay working, we were off.
Our plan for the day was to visit Neuschwanstein Castle, a 2-hour journey from our hotel. Getting out of Munich was easy, and once we hit the highway, it was smooth sailing. The drive was simply stunning. The scenery was something out of a fairy tale, and I can’t remember how many times I told Jenn to look left or right at some beautiful landscape. As we approached the castle, we realized that we had to park at the bottom of the hill and climb up. We found a parking space, emptied as much as we could from the stroller, and began the arduous journey up. The signs said it should take 45 minutes to get to the castle, but even with a stroller, we made it in under 30.
The moment you see the stunning Neuschwanstein castle peaking through the trees, it makes the entire journey to get to this point wash away. With the tree-topped foothills of the Alps as the backdrop, this stunning castle, built in the late 1800’s is magnificent. We walked up to the castle but decided not to buy tickets for the castle tour; rather, we opted to take in the outside, avoiding a tough sled with the stroller. Even Elle loved the castle, babbling and laughing the entire time. We took more photos at the castle than on any day of the trip so far.
After spending over an hour walking the perimeter and surrounding area, we started to make our way back down the hill, stopping for lunch at the cafe, Schlobwirtschaft. Jenn got spaghetti bolognese, and I had currywurst for the first time since our Berlin food tour. There’s something about the simplicity of ketchup, curry powder, and sausage that hits just right.
We continued the walk back down the hill, stopping at the gift shop where Jenn bought a small ornament for our “travel” Christmas tree. Elle fell asleep in the stroller, which meant we were going to keep walking until she woke up. We made it to the small town at the base of the hills that also overlooks the Hohenschwangau Castle. But the surprise of the journey was the stunning Alpsee lake that was situated at the end of town. It was one of the most surreal and stunning areas we’ve ever visited. It felt like a slice of heaven. Elle must have realized it as well because she woke up at the lake and was kicking and babbling the entire time.
With Elle awake and our time running out, we made our way back to the car, paid the 14 euros for parking, and began the two-hour drive back to Munich. The drive back was rather uneventful. We listened to Spotify, Jenn sat in the back and kept Elle company, and we were able to drop off the car at the Mandarin Oriental at around 5:30 PM. We went back to the room, let Elle crawl around and stretch her legs, before making the 3-minute walk to dinner tonight, Buffet Kull. Jenn started with a Bellini, and I had a glass of German sparkling wine. Both were perfect on this warm summer day. Given that Elle had only had two ~30-minute naps, we wanted to keep dinner quick and just ordered main courses. Jenn went with the lamb, and I had the filet, and both were fantastic. The star of the show might have been the potatoes, though we equally split them between the three of us.
We left the restaurant a little after 7 PM and walked for the next twenty minutes, colliding with a very well-attended Pride festival. Elle loved the music, and loved when the crowd started clapping so she could join in. We got Elle back to the hotel, bathed her in the beautiful marble tub, and she was asleep the moment Jenn put her in her crib. Jenn was asleep a few minutes later, and I joined them an hour later, writing this recap. I can’t express how amazing today was. These are the days that get you excited to travel and make it all worthwhile. I remember telling Jenn that it wasn’t the last time we’ll visit the Neuschwanstein castle. I hope to bring Elle back here one day when she’s a little older. It was one of the best experiences we’ve had traveling in a while, and I’d love for her to experience and remember it one day.
