Although you can get up to the castle and see the outside of it for free, it’s only possible to go inside with regular guided tours. Inside the castle, the evidence of styles of even more generations is on display. From beautiful golden mosaics, to magnificent frescoes, to the ornate decorations of the Festival Hall, the artwork tells the story of the castle’s history through the images and through its influences. It really is not worth going to the castle and not taking the tour.
I walked there from the Eisenach train station which took about 45 minutes but it was a lovely climb up through the forest. It gives you a good perspective of how fortified the castle was, when you realise how steep the hill is!! :)