We are spending 2 nights in Salzsburg and then basing in Mittenwald for 3 nights before heading off to Rothenburg and Munich. I'm trying to make sure that our itneneraries on the 3 driving days are doable. 1)on the day we drive from Salzburg to Mittenwald can we visit Berchtesgaden, and Herrenchiemsee on the same day. 2) from Mittenwald can we fit in a short visit to Oberammergau then Linderhof, take the scenic route by Plansee to Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau 3) If the weather is good take the cable car up Zugspitz on the Austrian side and then Innsbruck for the day. I'd prefer to be back before dark so I don't want to get too crazy. The distances don't look great but I have no idea how twisty or slow the roads are. Thanks for your help!

Visits to castles and up mountains take time and you have to redefine your priorities. In order to arrive at Herrenchiemsee you have to take a ferry (this means: wait for a ferry), book up a visit at a set time, walk 25 minutes in a park or take an horse cart. The visit will not be long but then you have to do the same itinerary in reverse. It helps to leave with an early ferry to avoid crowds later; even by leaving very early, it will be difficult to be back to the car before lunch time. This means that while you can visit Herrenchiemsee *or* Berchtesgaden (only the town) on the route to Mittenwald, you cannot probably do both in the same day (and on leaving Salzburg they are on different directions). Salzburg to Mittenwald is via Innsbruck, so it takes about three hours driving. Roads are good but for a short and extremely steep stretch between Zirl and Seefeld.

Again, you should better visit Neuschwanstein (drop Hohenschwangau unless you have a full day) in early morning, this leaves some time for Oberammergau; Linderhof would be more a stretch (close to Oberammergau, but you have again to book up a visit at a set time). Very difficult to do all three in the same day.

As you leave Mittenwald, the Zugspitze and Innsbruck are on opposite routes so you would be find difficult to visit both in the same day. Again, hikes to high mountains are better done in early morning before clouds build up, if the morning is already cloudy then forget it.

Hi,

We visited Herrenchiemsee by car from Berchtesgaden in Oct. 2007. It does take about 2.5 to 3 hours from the time you park untill the time you get back to your car. Only good thing as per our experience, it's not as popular as Ludwig's other "castles". There were 5 people on our tour, and that was including the 2 of us. No wait time at all. Actually, the ticket booth, along the walk, around the grounds, etc. were empty. We were practically by ourselves.

I'd limit this day to either Berchtesgaden or Herrenchiemsee.

Trying to visit Linderhof, Oberammergau plus Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau on the same day is tough. You can visit Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau in half a day, give or take. Either pre book tickets or get there very early, meaning 8:30 to 9am the latest. From your base in Mittenwald, you'd have to be on the road pretty early. I could see booking an afternoon tour for Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau and visitng Linderhof first thing in the am before this or vice versa. Doable in my opinion. Again, just from our experiences visiting a few times in Oct., Linderhof wasn't nearly as crowded as Neuschwanstein.

Personally, I'd drop Innsbruck. Not a big fan of Innsbruck itself (sprawling city, traffic, etc. with a small old town) but love the alpine scenery. You should get enough of that from Ehrwald (Zugspitze) and the Mittenwald area. As noted, Ehrwald (Zugspitze) and Innsbruck are not the same direction leaving from Mittenwald. To visit both the Zugspitze (in Ehrwald) and Innsbruck in the same day, you'd have to allow at least 3.5 to 4 hours driving time to do this loop. Roads are very good, not many twisty roads, etc. but don't plan on making great time. They're basically all 2 lane roads. It could be done of course, but you'd have to leave early, visit the Zugspitze, drive about 1.5 to 2 hours to Innsbruck via the Fern Pass, visit Innsbruck (and it's traffic, one way streets, parking, etc.) and then head back to Mittenwald via Seefeld.

Unless you need to visit Obermammergau, I'd probably skip this too. We visited twice and still weren't impressed. If you took away all the religious wood carving stores/gift shops, there wouldn't be too much left. It's cute, but we like Mittenwald so much better. Just an opinion.

Paul

I should apologize for my criticisms of Oberammergau and Innsbruck. You didn't ask for opinions on places, just time frames. These places are popular for a reason, just not our taste.

day 1 would stretching it.
Day 2 is also too much.
Day 3, while doable, it wouldn't be relaxing.

Keep in mind, daylight hours are shorter in October.

I do not agree with pja1 on Innsbruck, even considering that Ambras castle near Innsbruck is much more beautiful than any of the Ludwig castles - at least it is a castle where a real emperor lived and ruled half of the Western world. (No visits to the castle in November.) Still, I think that we agree that the original plan is too intense.

Hi asps, Just my opinion on Innsbruck, which is why I tried to retract my comment. We loved Ambras castle also.

We all have different opinions and that is ok. Innsbruck was just blah to me. My husband was stationed in Oberammergau so it is special to me but would not spend the night there now. Just go for lunch.
1)on the day we drive from Salzburg to Mittenwald can we visit Berchtesgaden and Herrenchiemsee? That depends if you were planning to go to to Eagles nest and see the museum and bunkers? That takes a while on its own. The museum is good to see but those bunkers were really what got me. I swear the hair on my neck stood up. I think they were Borman's bunkers we saw. If you saw Band of Brothers you will recognize several places in town. I am not that big into castles, Linderhof's grounds were very beautiful but the house tour was so short. Only thing interesting was his dining room table.

Thanks everyone. I think I was using all those castles as just something to give my day a destination instead of just wandering around aimlessly. If you have any alternative ideas for just driving for the day I would welcome them. We don't really care about Innsbruck as much as wanted to make sure we were deep enough into the mountains for the scenery. Small villages, lakes in the mountains, pretty drives, that is really what we are looking for.

Hi again cjtrav,

If what your after is "deep enough into the mountains for the scenery. Small villages, lakes in the mountains, pretty drives, ...", you're in luck with your base in Mittenwald.

Mittenwald IS a very pretty village with a mountain backdrop. The drive between Mittenwald and Fuessen (Neuschwanstein) via the Plansee is very scenic. The area around Ehrwald (called the Zugspitze Arena) is scenic.

www.zugspitzarena.com

I'd say just about anywhere you go in the Mittenwald area you'll find what your looking for.

For a scenic drive between Salzburg and Mittenwald, I'd drive (and have driven a few times): Salzburg, Berchtesgaden, Schneizlreuth, Lofer i. Triol, St. Johann i. Tirol, Worgl to Innsbruck (either on the A12 or 171, 171 is local but parallels the A12) to Innsbruck. Then Zirl, Seefeld and Mitetnwald. The drive from Berchtesgaden to Worgl is very sceneic. One of my favorite drives.

Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau are worth visiting, as is Linderhof. Ettal Monestary is worth a look also. The Karwendelbahn cable car in Mittenwald is good also.

If interested, we have photo's (3 pages) at:

www.worldisround.com/home/pja1/index.html

Paul

You may want to look at the map (viamichelin.com) on the drive from Salzburg to Mittenwald. If t you go to Berchtesgaden then up through the Inn valley (toward Innsbruck) you will not be going by Chiemsee. Near Innsbruck you may want to make a stop at Hall. If you are going in the winter there os a charming ski village named Seefeld near Mittenwald.

If you see Linderhof, HohenSchwangau, and Neuschwanstein you may get your fill of Ludwig castles. Someone above suggested you drop Hohenschwangaue but IMHO it is the most interesting of the lot because it was actually lived in by Bavarian Royalty.

We love he area between Mittenwald and Schwangau. The highlights include Garmish, Ettal Monastary, Linderhof, Oberammergau, Wiesekirche and Fussen.

Have a great trip and raise a glass for the rest of us back home.