ontheroadagain2013

If you were looking to visit Neuschwanstein and the Zugspitze, how many nights would you plan and where would you stay? We have 3 unplanned nights and would like to visit these sights and perhaps some others time permitting. Can I ask for itinerary suggestions? We are willing to spend two nights in one place and one night in another if that makes better sense. We need to be in Munich on the fourth night. Thanks in advance!

pja1

Hi,

How are you getting around, car and or public transportation? If by car, I'd probably base in Fuessen. Very charming old town just a few miles from Neuschwanstein. You could see Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles, do the Zugspitze trip from nearby Ehrwald, Austria, add the luge ride at Tegelberg, a mile or so from Neuschwanstein, a visit to the Wieskirche and King Ludwigs amazing Linderhof palace. On the way to Munich, stop at Andechs Monastery. We've done all these.

Paul

flpab

http://www.bavaria.by/partnach-gorge...irchen-germany

Garmisch Partenkirchen is our fav place to stay. I love the gorge, a must see with the Zugspitze. Mittenwald is a great village and is south of GP.

michele_d

Do what pja said.

This is what we did and it worked out perfectly. Linderhof is beautiful and the Wieskirche is a must see IMO.

ontheroadagain2013

We will have a car and currently have reservations in Mittenwald. I wasn't sure if one of the other towns were a better option. Do you think we'll need all three nights to take in Neuschwanstein, Zugspitze, Wieskirche and Linderhof palace?

We'll be sure to stop at Andechs Monastery on our way to Munich, thanks for that suggestion. I so appreciate all the recommendations. This forum has been invaluable to planning our trip.

michele_d

Yes, you will need all three nights in order to see all these sights, which are all great.

You can do Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau one day.

Zugspitz and Linderhof another day

and then the Weiskirche and Andechs on the way to Munich.

CarolJean

We stayed in Mittenwald and loved it. So, my vote would be to stay with your (Mittenwald) plan.

ontheroadagain2013

Thanks I think we will. I saw a B&B in Fuessen that we would have liked but they are all booked.

Cowboy1968

As you will already be in Mittenwald, you could take the cable car to the top of Karwendel mountain.
It's not as overpriced and crowded as the trains and cable cars to Zugspitze, just 500 meters less tall than Zugspitze, and offers more or less the same views. R-T fare is just €24 - and you can actually do a little hiking up there (or even back down to Mittenwald) and not just hang around on a peak until you go back down.
Plus you will just drive 2-5 minutes from your Mittenwald hotel.
http://www.karwendelbahn.de/page/en/karwendel_summer

pja1

Hi again,

Since you booked Mittenwald, it works. Actually, we LOVE Mittenwald. Stayed here in '05 and '06. With 3 nights you have 2 full days. That's about right for what you'd like to see. The Karwendelbahn is well worth it. Right in Mittenwald. Have a peek at the church in Ettal while in the area.

Paul

nygvic0326

Can one do a day trip from Munich by train to include Mittenwald and Garmisch Partenkirchen ?? Or would it be better to do an over night stay ??

Cowboy1968

That would be a very typical day trip from Munich (saying as someone who lives in Munich).

Garmisch has a somewhat okay "downtown" area, but nothing too exciting. Most people would day trip there, either to go up Zugspitze, or take the bus to Linderhof/Ettal, or visit the gorge. The city itself is more a hub or base than anything too spectacular on its own.

Mittenwald is more quaint/ pittoresque, a nicer setting more in the mountains, Garmisch is more at the bottom of the mountains.. more a complete old town with painted houses and such.. nice to stroll around, see the violin museum, make a trip up Karwendel, .. but nothing which required an over night stay - unless you wanted it.

If I had to choose and if I had no intention to see Linderhof castle and Ettal, I would go to Mittenwald. Also seeing Garmisch on same trip would not be my taste as the town itself is neither that exciting nor as pittoresque as Mittenwald.
If you wanted to see Linderhof castle and Ettal you should/must go via Garmisch. If you also added a visit to the gorge, there would not be that much time left than for a dinner in downtown Garmisch.

A really hidden secret between Garmisch and Mittenwald is the Schachen house - one King Ludwig domicile (though he hardly slept there than for a few nights) in the mountains with neither a road nor a train or cable car going there. You have to hike (and then overnight in the hut) to see the small mansion and the Alpine Botanical Garden up there. But it does require a certain level of fitness (5 hrs walking one way from next railway station Krün).

nygvic0326

Cowboy1968 thanks for your reply. So you would suggest Mittenwald and then Linderhof castle and Ettal as comprising a good day trip ??

Cowboy1968

Well, that would be possible, I think, but as Linderhof and Ettal can only be reached by bus from Garmisch it is not that convenient to fit them into that itinerary. To be honest, I have only done trips to Linderhof and Ettal by car as I did not want to bother with bus schedules.
To combine what you want to see, you would first take the train from Munich to Garmisch. Change to a bus to Linderhof. Visit the castle (maybe factor in a wait or line). Hike to Ettal monastery (or wait for another bus). Visit the monastery (that does not take that long), maybe stop for something to eat at the beergarden). Take yet another bus to Garmisch. Train to Mittenwald. Stroll around Mittenwald. By now, it will probably be too late to see the town AND take the cable car up Karwendel. Take train back to Munich.
This will be one long day - and the waiting time for the regional buses to take you to and from Linderhof and Ettal may eat up quite a chunk of your day.
I think you need to play that through with the timetables - which you can do at bahn.com - not only for the railway connections but also the buses.

flpab

Oberammergau is somewhere you might want to check out. My husband was in the Navy and stationed at the NATO school so we loved this area. It is where they have the Passion play and there are tons of quaint woodcarving shops. One tip is that between Ettal and Oberammergau there is a private home on the left side of the road that has a woodcarving shop. 1/2 the price of things you will find in the villages. I love my salad bowl, nut crackers and Christmas ornaments that I have bought there over the years. I do think Partenkirchen is a nice village. We always found things to do and food is excellent. Mittenwald is lovely. I would stay there. Linderhof,the grounds were great but the house tour was short and gaudy. The piano is crazy and the dining table. I am more into the nature of this area and love the Zugspitze. We have done the cog train and that was fun. Stop and see the church. Very beautiful and Pope Benedict was there. Wish I was going!!

ontheroadagain2013

Thanks everyone! This was the part of our trip I was really struggling with. You all have me really looking forward to it now. I'm glad our original thought to stay in Mittenwald seems like a good plan. I had seen pictures of it many years ago online and luckily remembered it again while planning this trip. We have reservations at the Post Hotel. Have any of you stayed there or have any opinions of it?

These are some great suggestions, I hope 3 nights will be enough.
Cowboy1968 - we will be sure to look into the cable car to the top of Karwendel mountain, just in case we get too busy and can't squeeze the Zugspitze in (which I really hope doesn't happen).

flpab - how easy is it to find the private home with the wood carving shop? I much prefer patronizing small businesses than the larger touristy ones. Is there signage or can you give me a little more detail as to how to locate it? Oberammergau was another town on my long wish list of places to see.