Castles · Tour
Leave Before Eight or Queue for the Bridge, and the Lake Where Ludwig Died
Neuschwanstein takes around 1.5 million visitors a year, and up to 8,000 of them on a single day. That number is the problem this private tour is built around. The answer is timing and order. Departures before 8 a.m. reach the Marienbrücke before the queue for it forms, and the same logic buys you Hohenschwangau in something like quiet. The drive south is part of the day rather than a transfer. It passes Lake Starnberg, the summer lake of the Bavarian and Austrian courts, and the point in the water where Ludwig II died on 13 June 1886. Because the minivan is private, the guide plans around what you want: more churches, less driving, Füssen, Linderhof, the alpine coaster. Each addition costs time somewhere else, and the guide will tell you how much before you decide.
What's included
- Drive in new and luxurious Mercedes- or VW Minivan (a/c) - only your group participates!
- Skip-the-Line Ticket Neuschwanstein Castle, even for bookings at short notice
- Professional English-speaking tour guide
- No hidden costs!
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- Hotel pick-up and drop-off from Munich (outside of Munich additional costs may apply)
- Bottled water
Itinerary
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Theresienwiese
The stops listed here are recommendations. This is a private tour, so extra requests are accommodated where possible; see also the Additional Info. The day is run by your guide in a minivan, and it starts in Munich, passing the ground where Ludwig I, the grandfather of Ludwig II, held his wedding celebrations more than 200 years ago. That party is now the Oktoberfest. (Traffic, or your pickup address, may mean a different sight is shown instead.)
Starnberger See
Twenty minutes later comes Lake Starnberg, the Dukes' lake, with villas along the shore including the summer houses of Sissi, Empress of Austria. The guide shows the spot in the water where Ludwig II died on 13 June 1886, and explains the odd relationship between Ludwig and Sissi, and why he would not marry her younger sister. The Roseninsel, the lake's only island, was royal property too, and the two of them met there more than once.
Hohenschwangau
Another hour through rural Bavaria and the Alps come up ahead, with the towers of Neuschwanstein at around 3,000 ft. Then the village of Hohenschwangau, the starting point for both castles. The guide hands you a detailed map of the area and tells you how to use your time: the Marienbrücke viewpoint, the shuttle bus or the horse-drawn carriages, where to eat and where to shop. Hohenschwangau castle is worth the time in its own right, the neo-Gothic summer residence of Maximilian II, with Ludwig's childhood room. Skip-the-line tickets for the 45-minute tour can be booked; put the request under 'Special Requirements' when you book and the operator will tell you how.
Schloss Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein is one of the best-known buildings in Germany, and what it was built out of is Wagner: the rooms follow characters from the operas. You can walk up, take the shuttle bus (not in snow and ice) or the horse-drawn carriage; details under Additional Info. The guided tour inside runs about 35 minutes, and then you walk another 15 minutes through more rooms on your own, with the guide having told you beforehand what to look for.
Queen Mary's bridge ("Marienbrücke") - THE TOP VIEWPOINT -…
The Marienbrücke, built in 1866 by Ludwig II, is the viewpoint. From the bridge the castle entrance is a 20-minute walk downhill, past one more good vantage point. Note: for departures after 8 a.m. there can be a wait to get onto the bridge. When that happens the guide takes you to another viewpoint nearby with no queue. In snow and ice the bridge is closed.
Enjoy views of the spectacular Pöllat waterfall from the…
The Pöllat waterfall, seen from the Neuschwanstein courtyard and from the Marienbrücke (waiting times possible for departures after 8 a.m.; the bridge closes in snow and ice). The Pöllat is a wild river 10 km long that rises not far from the castle.
Pilgrimage Church of Wies
A stop at one of the Baroque churches. The guide covers the Wieskirche, the famous one, or one of the others along the route, which are quieter and largely unvisited. Note: if the route runs by Lake Plansee to Linderhof and/or Oberammergau, the stop is at a different Baroque church rather than the Wieskirche.
For a while we pass Austrian territory on our approx
The road to Linderhof and Oberammergau, about 50 minutes, crosses into Austria for a stretch and runs along the mountain lake Plansee. Depending on traffic, or in winter on avalanche risk, an equally scenic route on the Bavarian side is used instead.
Schloss Linderhof
(On request) On the 11-hour tour, or instead of Hohenschwangau castle: Linderhof, the smallest and most private of Ludwig's palaces, in a closed Alpine valley. French Baroque design, Bavarian trompe-l'œil painting, and the Magic Table, the Tischlein-deck-dich. The Baroque park around it runs out into landscape garden, with more buildings scattered through it, the Venus Grotto among them (closed in winter, see the next item). Entry to the castle park is free.
(ON REQUEST)
(On request) The Venus Grotto in the Linderhof park was reckoned one of the largest artificial grottoes in the world when it was finished in 1877, after two years of building. Ludwig had it made as a private opera house, built to the stage design of Wagner's Tannhäuser, and as a private swimming pool: the water of the lake inside it, waterfall included, could be heated. To visit it: • tell the operator when you book, under 'Special Requirements' • allow at least 55 minutes, which comes out of the time for everything else. The tour inside lasts 15 minutes; the rest is 20 minutes' walk each way, on a very steep path. Entry to the castle park is free.
Ettal Abbey
For another Baroque interior, this one set inside a twelve-sided domed medieval hall from the 14th century, the guide takes you into the Benedictine monastery at Ettal, five minutes' drive from Oberammergau. The monastery shop sells the beer and the liqueur the monks make.
Oberammergau
Shortly after Linderhof comes Oberammergau, the Passion Play and woodcarving village. Some of the painted house fronts, the Lüftlmalereien, are more than 250 years old, and the Passion Play Theatre is here. The carving shops sell figures, animals and objects at every size, nativity sets and Christmas pieces among them.
(ON REQUEST) - If you like to visit this attraction
(On request) If you want the alpine coaster: 1) tell the operator immediately, when booking, in the 'Special Requirements' field 2) you will have about 45 minutes less for everything else 3) it cannot be reserved, so to avoid queues the day starts there and Neuschwanstein moves to the end 4) if you are undecided, you can watch other people come down the last stretch of track for nothing. A chairlift takes you up through the mountains to a restaurant and to the start of the run, at 1,270 m (4,170 ft). The toboggan run is weatherproof, with magnetic brakes, and it is 2,600 metres (1.6 miles) back down to the valley. Open daily in suitable weather, roughly December to October.
Altstadt von Fuessen
(On request) Füssen has 2,000 years of history behind it. It was a favourite seat of the Habsburg emperor Maximilian I, and its first great period came at the start of the 16th century: the High Castle, one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Bavaria, was already decorated in 1499 with unusually rich architectural and illusionistic painting. The town wall survives, the houses lean, and the former monastery complex with its Baroque church looks Italian. Narrow streets, street cafés and shops.
(ON REQUEST) - If you like to this activity
(On request) For a private guided bike ride through the Bavarian countryside: 1) tell the operator, for instance in the 'Special Requirements' field when booking 2) you will have about 60 minutes less for the other stops, and in some cases will have to drop them 3) you are not insured through the tour company or the bike rental company. The ride is about an hour, past mountain lakes and a medieval town; bring a swimsuit. Your own bike costs nothing extra, and bikes including e-bikes can be rented.
Munich
The drive back to Munich, and the guide drops you at your accommodation or at any other address in the Munich area.
Not included
- Lunch
- Gratuities
Good to know
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
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- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Are you able to walk uphill from the car park to Neuschwanstein castle on a paved road - approx. 1,5 km/1 mile in an hour's time? If not, we have to calculate additional (waiting-) time for the horse-hybrid carriage or the Shuttle bus, since neither can be reserved (the latter is not operating during snow and ice) – Anyway, an approx. 450 meters/0.28 miles uphill walk (up to 15 % slope) or an approx. 500 meters/0.3 miles downhill walk (up to 19 % gradient) from the respective terminal to the entrance of the castle have to be managed in any case.
- In Neuschwanstein Castle itself, a total of 346 stairs (up and down) have to be mastered. For wheelchair users and people with severe walking disabilities who can show a disability ID --> please inform us IMMEDIATELY after your booking! <-- we can request an exclusive lift service only for you with a maximum of one accompanying person, accompanied by the castle staff. The elevator service is at no extra cost, but (due to fire regulations) the number of tours with this service is very limited and must be reconfirmed by the castle authority.
- To Hohenschwangau castle there is a carriage service (not in winter season) almost from door-to-door. In Hohenschwangau Castle, a total of 180 stairs (up and down) have to be mastered (no elevator). The costs for the horse-drawn carriages are not included in the travel price and can only be paid in cash on site. No advance reservation possible.).
- In Linderhof castle you have to walk only approx. two times 15 minutes (relatively flat) and in the 30 minutes tour of the castle you have to climb stairs to the first floor.
- Each castle can be reached also with strollers, but they are not allowed during the tour of the interiors.
- If you want to reach Neuschwanstein castle by the "breathtaking" hike through the spectacular Gorge (approx. 45 to 60 minutes - CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE!) on a well-developed path (not suitable for strollers, 1/4 of the distance are stairs), suitable footwear is required (for example hiking boots). In case of unsuitable weather or during maintenance work, the path through the gorge remains closed!
- Regarding the sights mentioned in the 'Itinerary,' please note the following: 1) The times given are approximate. 2) The travel time required to get to each sight is not included in these times. 3) The program items marked as "ON REQUEST" are not automatically included in the tour. If you would like to visit one or more sights marked "ON REQUEST," please let us know in advance so we can optimize your itinerary accordingly. Naturally, in that case - especially when choosing the shorter (9.5-hour) tour length - you will have less time for the other program items. (If desired, the tour can be extended for an additional fee)
- Image credit #2 (Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castle) © Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung (neuschwanstein(dot)de)#3 (Neuschwanstein castle) © Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung (neuschwanstein(dot)de), Photographer: Anton Brandl), #4 (Neuschwanstein throne room) © Bayerische Schlösserverwaltung (neuschwanstein(dot)de) #all others: Sightseeing Bavaria Exclusive
- Up to 8 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Guiding available in: de, en.
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