Paragkash

I am visiting Bavarian Alps for 4 days with my wife and 2 teenage Kids in 1st week of May 2010. We haven't yet decided whether to rent a car or use Bayern Ticket..
I have tried to study as much as I can. I still have some questions..

1. We are visiting Herrenchiemsee on our 1st day, Linderhof on day 2. I have read that there is a Combination Ticket (14days validity) available for 2 adults for 18X2 =36 Euros and kids below 18 years get a free entree. This ticket gives an entree to 40 museums including 3 King Ludwig II palaces i.e. Herrenchiemsee, linderhof & Neuschwanstein. This will save me from long queues. Is it really true ?( actually too good to be true)
Is it better than the combo "King Ticket' which gives admission to Hohenschwangau & Neuschwanstein @ 17x2= 34 Euros, but there is a long queue & lot of hassels in getting these tickets.
Which one is better?

2. Which is a good photo stop for Schloss Neuschwanstein from where I can get a front view with the entrance gate and the Turrets in the background. This photo is taken from a height & is often flashed in the brochure. Marienbruecke gives the side view.

Germany experts... Please help.....

november_moon

You can buy the Kings Ticket ahead of time on line and avoid the lines. We found it to be hassle-free. The tickets are timed, so you just show up at Will Call at the appropriate time, pick up the tickets and head up to the 1st castle. I am not familiar with the other type of ticket.

ira

Hi Para,

>I have read that there is a Combination Ticket .........<

From whom are you buying this ticket.

>the combo "King Ticket' which gives admission to Hohenschwangau & Neuschwanstein @ 17x2= 34 Euros, but there is a long queue & lot of hassels in getting these tickets.<

We bought our tickets online from http://www.hohenschwangau.de/548.0.html - the official website.

You can choose the time you want.
You get a confirmation that allows you to pick up your ticket at any convenient time (I went in the early morning).

If you take the horse-drawn carriage up to Neuchwanstein, do not be concerned that the driver seems to be dawdling when he should be driving. They keep in radio communication with the tour dispatcher.

Sorry, can't help with the photo, but the folks at the Castle can help.

Paragkash

Hi Ira & november_moon,
Thanks for a prompt reply.
I have read about the online "Kings' Ticket", @ 17 Euros each + 3.60 Euro Service charge; which gives admission to 2 castles at Fussen.

The " Cobination Ticket" as mentioned on the official website of Bavaria Tourism, has to be bought at the ticket office of any of the 40 Castles/ Palaces mentioned in their list.
They are valid for 14 days.( also available with 6 months and 1 year validity)

These ticket gives admission to all 4o palaces/ Castles/ Museums including 3 Schloss built by King Ludwig II.
i.e Herrenchiemsee, Linderhof, Neuschwanstein. ( I plan to visit them in that order)
It would be convinient for me to buy it at Herrenchiemsee, 2 days prior to Neuschwanstein visit. This will mean that I can just walk in into any of these 40 locations without being bothered about the queues.

The catch is that it does not include Hohenschwangau castle at Fussen, where Ludwig II spent his childhood.

Has anyone bought this Combination ticket on a visit to Bavaria. It sounds very convinient and too good to be true.
Please help....

Can anyone help me with the spot for the best photo of the Fairytale Schloss Neuschwanstein. (apart from Merienbruecke)...

Dukey

Re Herrenchiemsee and, hopefully, some practical information for your visit there.

If you travel by rail (I assume from Munich) you will take the train to Prien and then either take the short trip on the Chiemseebahn to the port in Stock (extra cost) or you can walk the distance traveling pretty much parallel to the railway.

Once at the lake in stock you'll need to buy steamer tickets for the roundtrip over to the island itself UNLESS the combo ticket you have been discussing above includes that (I suspect not).

If you drive to Stock there are parking lots (additional cost) where you leave your car and get the steamer over.

Once ON the issland you can either take the horse-drawn carriages to the palace itself or walk.

Plan for most of the day fro this trip including the trip to Prien/Stock from your originating point (looks as if you are doing that).

This is the largest of all the Ludwig builds and the most elaborately-decorated to include Linderhof (it is MUCH larger than the latter) and well worth the trip IMO.

Enjoy it.

Echnaton

For the best photo stop you need some time and some hiking. The Reith Alpe is a good stop (you need a strong telephoto lens). Another excellent stop is the hike up to Reith Lift

Here is the description in German:

http://www.allgaeu-ausfluege.de/06reithalm.htm

Paragkash

Wowwww!!!
Dear Echnaton, I haven't seen a more informative site with such beautiful photos before this.
It gives such detailed info. with photos and pics of signboards with directions.

After seeing this website, I feel I should spent atleast a month in Bavarian Alps, though I would love spend a lifetime there.
Thanks a lot...

Paragkash

Dear Dukey, Thanks a lot for a detailed info. on Schloss Herrenchiemsee. It re-assures me that my choice of destinations is right,in given time limitations.
The Combo Ticket does not come with a transport options.

Can someone tell me if this ticket, if bought at Chiemsee will be valid for Neuschwanstein.

Paul1950

Here's a discussion about front view Neuschwanstein shots that might also help--though it appears that getting the shot you want could be difficult.

http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/h...hwanstein.html

pauljagman

Echnaton - excellent photos! Makes me want to return.

Paragkash - Have a great trip! I am envious of you, but 4 days is not nearly enough! There is way too much to see and do. Your teens might enjoy the rides they have nearby which I think they call roller bahns (?). Actually, you may enjoy the ride yourself. It's a sled on rollers that go down tracks they have on the hills. I believe the tracks are used for luges in winter time (?).

Paragkash

pauljagman,
The roller bahns sound quite exciting and a bit scary too.
I know that 4 days are too less.
But I am just praying god to be as nice to me in future, as he has been to me till now and give me some more chance to visit these beautiful places.
I spent 10 days earlier in Germany, way back in 1999.
Been to some romantic places on Romantic strasse, Wine strasse and Burg strasse.
Due to snowfall, we missed Fussen then, had to come back to Munich from halfway. Just trying to complete that trip which I have been dreaming for the last 11 years and from much before that.

We will be coming from a 11 days Turkey trip and will be spending 10 days in Switzerland after these 4days in Bavaria.

Paragkash

Paul1950,
How did you get that "Rick Steves Forum" link?
It is just what I was looking for.
I am glad that there are so many people commenting on and looking for that Famous Front view of Neuschwanstein.

Only difference is that, that guy did not get this Enchanton's link, which is so wonderful.

The sad thing is that the conclusion in that discussion is that, the Famous view could have been actually taken from a helicopter flying very low in front of the castle; and it cannot be taken otherwise.

Such a great help from you all. Great info. indeed.

Paul1950

Paragkash: I'm glad the link helped. Part of my job is researching all sorts of mainstream and oddball topics via the web, so I have gotten pretty good at ferreting out information. But, even then, it is often much easier and quicker just to come here and ask Fordorite Nation!

Paragkash

PAUL 1950,
Your search was on the dot. Bull's eye.
You are too good in your work.

You named it right too..
I liked that..
Fordorite Nation!

Paragkash

Just to conclude...
I have received a courier with an official reply from Bavria Tourism " Bayerische Schlosserverwaltung" Munich- website : www.schlosser.bayern.de

They have sent me leaflets and a list of 40 locations that I can enter with a "Mehrtagesticket"- Multi-daily tickets of the Bavarian Castle administration.
It is valid for 14 days, costs 36 Euros for 2 parents and 2 kids under 18 yers.

I think I will be going for this and will buy it at Herrenchiemsee cstle on day 1 in Germany.

Thanks a lot for all the help.

Vttraveler

If you have enough time on the day you visit Herrenchiemsee, the Fraueninsel is also interesting to visit. And, you will have some opportunities for good photos from the boats on the Chiemsee

Paragkash

Vttraveler, Thanks for the suggestion.
I googled "Fraueninsel" and found it quite interesting.
I would take more than an hour to explore it, including the boat trip.

Germany experts,
Please help.

Will I be able to visit "Herrenchiemsee" and "Linderhof" on the same day?

I am planning to reach Priene-am-chiemsee by 9 am.
We have a car.
How much time is reasonable for exploring the grounds and the palace, each.

What would be the trvelling distance/ time between them?

What time does it get dark in the Bavarian Alps, in May 1st week?
I need to reach Fussen in the evening for an overnight stay.

Please help...

Echnaton

Driving time between Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof is about 3 hours. This means, it is technically doable. For Linderhof, one hour should be sufficient.

msnovtue

I would strongly caution against trying to do Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof in the same day.

First, Herrencheimsee takes more time than you think. The ferry to the island is around 20 minutes one way, if memory serves. Then it's a 20 minte walk to the palace itself. So there's an additional 80 minutes.

Second, while both palaces are pretty spectacular, there's other things to see at both places. The grounds and fountains are worth a good look at Herrenchiemsee, plus there's a museum devoted to Lugwig II's life that definitely worth seeing. While the palace itself at Linderhof takes only about an hour to see, there are several outbuildings that are also worth a visit. (I myself rushed through my first visit to Linderhof, only to find out afterwards what I missed.) http://www.schloesser.bayern.de/engl...s/li_parkb.htm

If you're looking for something to fill out a day with Linderhof, a few hours in Oberammergau is nice. Even Garmisch-Partenkirchen isn't too far. If you're heading over towards Fuessen, the Weisekirche is also a good stop.

Finally, and this is just a personal recommendation, try to schedule a bit of a break between schloesser... Unfortunately, they can kind of run together. I crammed 5 of 6 palaces associated with Ludwig into a week and a half, and I still had problems. Plus, if this isn't something your kids are necessarliy into, they're not really going to have a chance to absorb everything. Better to maybe skip one and then whet their appetite for a future trip, maybe. Again, though, this is just my personal recommendation, and honestly, I was never one of those kids--I came back from my first trip to Neuschwanstein at 4 yrs old and announced to all that when I grew up, I was going to be a king and live in Neuschwanstein.


Also, as far as Cheimsee goes, here's a link to the ferry service you'll need to take: http://www.chiemsee-schifffahrt.de/d...chifffahrt.htm (Unfortunately, it's only in German)

Vttraveler

I agree with the last post that trying to do Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof in one trip would involve rushing both destinations.

Kloster Ettal near Linderhof is another possible destination if you take more time in that area