rywith22

Hello everyone, happy to say that the wife and I will be heading to Paris for 2 weeks in the beginning of May. We are going to be doing a few days in the Loire Valley exploring some castles and also doing another day trip from Paris to Disneyland. We also wanted to get over to see Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany (can you tell we are Disney freaks, LOL). I'm also a huge fan of Ancient Rome and always wanted to see the ruins in Augusta Raurica, Switzerland as well. Wanted to get some thoughts on travel to Augusta Raurica and then on to Neuschwanstein. Keep in mind, the Augusta Raurica is really a nice to do, not a must but the Neuschwanstein is pretty much a must do for us. If there are some nice Roman ruins on the way, I'd be interested in seeing those as well...
Thanks in advance!

Edward2005

I gather you are flying into Paris and then returning home from...Munich?

Paris - 4 nights
Amboise or another LV base - 3 nights
Basel - 2 nights
Fussen - 1 night
Munich - 3 nights

+ 1 extra night to play with

Fussgaenger

"Wanted to get some thoughts on travel to Augusta Raurica and then on to Neuschwanstein Castle... If there are some nice Roman ruins on the way, I'd be interested in seeing those as well... "

You probably know about Trier, Germany. It's very close to the French border.
Tourist-Information Trier: UNESCO World Heritage sites

"...we are Disney freaks..." Neuschwanstein was partial inspiration for Sleeping Beauty's castle in Disneyland, as I'm sure you know. What you may not know is that it's not a real castle in European terms. It was finished just before the 20th century began, right around the time Walt Disney was born, and built for a Bavarian monarch, so it's a residential palace. Actually, it was never finished inside (and there are only a few rooms you get to see on the overcrowded 30-minute guided tour.) The outside, with the turrets and the castellations etc., were the handiwork of a theatrical set designer - not medieval castle builders. It is all cake frosting, just as fake as the Disneyland castle, really. Ludwig II lived there for half a year and died - nothing of grand historical significance really ever happened there. There are no rides, no Disney characters... so altogether it's very hard to understand traveling so many miles and hours (around 8 hours by train I know) unless you actually have OTHER plans for seeing that part of Germany.

That long trek is even less logical when you consider the beautiful, fanciful castle options that lie so much closer to the French border.

Near Trier - Burg Eltz, intact after 800+ years, excellent tour:

Near Koblenz, in the historic Middle Rhine Valley (UNESCO World Heritage site) - Marksburg Castle, "unchanged since medieval times" - http://www.marksburg.de/en/

In between Trier and Koblenz on the Mosel River in Cochem - Reichsburg (palace, reconstructed on castle site) - https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...chem_0001a.jpg

And if you want a truly impressive palace experience, check out Ludwigsburg - much more on the way to Augusta Raurica than N'stein is: Home

Christina

If you decide not to go to Germany as it is a lot of trouble, there are plenty of Roman sites you can easily see in France that would make your itinerary a lot easier. You have 2 weeks, after the Loire and Paris, etc, you could go to Lyon and Burgundy very easily. There are Roman ruins in Lyon (a Roman theater as well as a Gallo-Roman museum) and in Autun (just a bit west of Beaune, near Dijon), there are city gates, a theatre and remains of a pyramid and temple to Janus. Of course there are a bunch of chateaux around there, also, but nothing any grander than what you'd see in the Loire, of course.

Musée gallo-romain de Lyon | Accueil

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autun

bilboburgler

Are you going to Rome too? Are you taking the train or driving?

rywith22

Yes, we will be making a 3 day trip to Rome but have been there a few times already.

Thanks for these replies, everyone. You've given us some great material and maybe it's not actually a must do to see Neuschwanstein Castle since the area in Trier might serve us just as good. If anyone else has any input, feel free to share.

PalenQ

Agree unless wanting to tourt Bavaria for a few days skip Neuschwanstein which to me is a neat castle or palace or whimsical fantasy or whatever - not just the castle but the lovely area it is in but yes the Mosel makes a great area for castles - mainly ruined ones except Burg Eltz one of most fanciful in Europe. Trains are great for cities- but the Mosel begs to be driven as few trains run along one of Europe's most gorgeous river valleys - follow it to Rhine at Koblenz and more lovely castles like Marksburg. For lots on trains check www.seat61.com; BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.

Trier has some of the finest Roman ruins and intact relics north of the Alps - including old basilica once a Roman temple - and the Porta Negra nearly wholly intact from Roman days when it was gateway to the eastern part of Holy Roman Empire - Trier was capital of westertn part.

PalenQ

If Rome do a day trip to nearby Ostia Antica - ancient Rome's port now as impressive in ruins in some ways as Pompeii. Commuter trains take just about 30 mnutes.