The train journey from Verona to Munich is one of the best in Europe. It is set between the German & Austrian alps, and the scenery is beautiful.
We headed to the restaurant carriage and enjoyed a lovely meal as we blasted through the countryside.
The Champions League football final was taking place on Saturday night, and when we left Venice we still didn’t actually have anywhere to stay in Munich on the Saturday night.
Our Munich accommodation was the only city we didn’t book before we left NZ, and this proved to be a big mistake. Before we left London on the 6th May we were searching for a hotel to stay at for our two nights in Munich. We settled on a few options and then our train pulled up, we closed the laptop to resume our booking when we arrived in Paris. Unluckily while we were on the train, the Champions League Final was announced in Munich, and when we arrived in Paris we discovered that every single bit of accommodation in the city was booked. We managed to find one place on the outskirts which had a bed for the night we arrived, but nothing for the Saturday night. We booked this anyway as we arrived in so late we had to stay in Munich that night. My dad was talking with a friend while we were on our way to Munich, and discovered his sister lived in Munich. A few text messages later we had a bed arranged for Saturday night!
Arriving in Munich at 11pm, we jumped in a taxi and headed to our accommodation for the night. Up early in the morning we were off to the Neuschwanstein castle! This castle is the castle that Walt Disney based his Sleeping Beauty castle, and the one that features in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang! My childhood was all coming back to me as we hiked up the hill to the castle.
Before long we were on a bridge which provides a great vantage point of the castle.
Before long we were at the entrance, where Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is pulled up in the movie!
The thing that amazed us the most was the number of handgliders circling above the castle! At best count we counted 30!
Soon we were inside the castle where photos were sadly not permitted.
After a half hour tour it was down the otherside of the hill, alongside an amazing river and waterfall.
After a 9 hour day it was back on the train and bus back to Munich. We got back and jumped on the tube out to Yvonnes house. She was lovely! We headed out to her local for a few pints (be rude not to in Munich right?) and watched the Champions Final. We were rooting for Munich to win, and after full time, extra time, and penalty shootouts Chelsea walked away with the win.
In the morning it was off to the train station for a bus out to Prague, on the way we passed the stadium where the night before had played host to the great final.
