Is it possible to daytrip from Munich to Ludwig's big 3 castles?
 

I am trying to plan a Bavaria trip that includes 3 young teens. I am not sure what castles in particular would appeal more to them.

I have read a lot about driving this area, but I haven't seen if anyone has visited Linderhof along with the other N and H in one day. I know it's a 2 hour drive each way, but what about if tickets are reserved via internet beforehand? Is this a silly way to spend a day? Many of you say that Linderhof is a favorite.

An alternative I have is to spend the whole day in Munich touring the Residenz and Nymphenburg. Would that be a smarter use of time?

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

If your kids and you like alittle biking look at this site.
http://www.mikesbiketours.com/index_munich.html
they have trips around Munich and also to Neuschwanstein Castle. I am thinking about doing it also next summer.

What time of the year will you be there?

If you really like castles (we do, but other folks get their fill pretty quickly), you could easily visit Linderhof and the Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles all in one day if you got to one or the other right around opening time. You can reserve your tour time on the internet.

If going between April and September, Hohenschwangau is open 8-5:30, and other months 9-5:30. Neuschwanstein 8-5, and 9-3. Linderhof is open 9-6, and 10-4.

So if you reserved Hohenschwangau at 8, you could reserve Neuschwanstein for 10:30 or so. Have a bite to eat and drive off to Linderhof. It's about a 45 minute drive (at least it was for us), and even with lunch you should easily reach Linderhof by 1 leaving several hours to look around.

You could reverse it depending on the time of year or your inclination.

A couple of summers ago (in June), we left Munich around 9:00 a.m., and drove to Linderhof, with a couple of stops along the way. After we left Linderhof, we stopped along the Plansee in northern Austria for lunch.

Then drove through Reutte and Fuessen into Hohenschwangau and checked into our pension. We then walked to the ticket center to check on our internet reservations for the next day.

The lady at the ticket center asked if we'd like to see Hohenschwangau castle that afternoon as there were spaces still left. So we changed to something around 4:45 p.m. and saw H. castle. We visited Neuschwanstein castle at our originally scheduled time the next morning.

With this shift we were able to visit some other area sights that we weren't sure we'd have time for; e.g., the Wieskirche and the castle complex near Reutte, Austria.

We were surprised at how short distances were when driving--even though we knew intellectually how far 100 kilometers were, somehow we weren't psychologically prepared to have that 100 "units" go by in an hour or less. Too many years driving in places with vast distances like Alaska, Texas, and New Mexico I guess.

Thanks Russ. I am not sure if we really like castles because we haven't seen any yet. Maybe I'll just have 2 tentative plans and play it by ear. But then I couldn't have internet reservations. How exciting do you think the Munich Residenz and Nymphenburg are? Are they gorgeous inside and out, or is it just the abundance of stuff (like porcelain) inside? We will be there in June. Thanks.

Of all gadzillions of castles in Europe the three of 'Mad Ludwig's' you have chosen will be amongst the most thrilling to young teens as there is some bizarre thing at every turn - tables that disappear into the floor, grottoes, just all kinds of neat things not seen in the tradition boringly furnished castles. Of course these castles can be called Ersatz castles - being only built as imitations of medieval castles but were built as pleasure palaces for Ludwig, who alas, never really got to enjoy Neuschwanstein, his crowning achievement, as he was murdered just when it was nearing completion - murdered it's said because he was bankrupting the Bavarian Treasury with his castle-building spree! Go for it.

>as he was murdered
Who has told you this story? Where did you get your infos from. Why is not on TV? ;)

Well if Ludwig was not pushed, he sure died in a most mysterious manner.
What evidence do you have that he was NOT murdered? I don't think any witnesses have given sworn testimony, and human accounts are notoriouosly untrustworthy.

Take for example the lies about Martin Bormann after WW II. He was in South America, even reported to have died there. Then he was in Russia because he was a Soviet Agent. All the while he was buried in a shell crater in Berlin where he died trying to escape the Russian ring on or about April 30 or May 1, 1945. That is assuming that dental records are to be believed.

So one can make up one's own mind.

Back to the castles, all of them are fine. Herrenchiemsee, the attempt to emulate Versailles, mirrors and all, are on the east side of Munich, and would take most of a whole day to visit.

We took a car from Munich to Neuschwanstein and after the tour, which ended in time for lunch, we headed for the Wieskirche rather than another castle.

Any or all of what you propose is good.
Nymphenburg to me is the least interesting of the 5 we have named. But this is putting it in a relative setting with the other 4. On an absolute basis, if you went there first, I think you would find it interesting. But some people get saturated with castles after just 1; others can tolerate 3 or more.

I visited Nymphenburg Castle last week while in Munich, and did not find it that exciting. I was hoping to go to Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles instead, but it was raining on the scheduled day, and I thought it would not be worth the trip in bad weather. Maybe next time!

But I did go to Dachau - and that could be another option for you to take your teens. It would certainly be a very educational trip.

Neuschwanstein is wonderful to view from the exterior; unfortunately, the interior isn't nearly as elaborate as is Linderhof.

Bob has given you good advice re Herrenchiemsee which is more of a palace than a castle. It is easily the largest and MOST elaborately and richly decorated of all the Ludwig buildings which may explain why it is far more popular as a destination amongst the germans in particular.

And getting there is fun in an of itself with a possible ride on the narrow gauge railway from the station at Prien to the ferry docks in Stock and the pleasant boat ride over to the island and the horse-drawn carriage ride to the palace itself...not to mention the wonderful fountain displays on the grounds.

If you go to Nymphenburg youir kids will like the carriage house with lots of Cinderella coaches. You can go out the autobahn toward Garmish, turn off toward Schloss Linderhof then on to nearby Oberammergau. Then take the backroads by the Wiesse Kirche to Fussen to see N and H castles. You can certainly do the driving in one day. The question is coodinating the entrance times to Linderhof and Neuschwanstein. YOu might want to plan to overnight in Schwangau or Fussen.

Ok, that's the kind of advice I was looking for. Tables that disappear into the floor, etc. - that kind of thing is a must do in this age group. I will try to fit in these 3 in one day. I also do plan to take them to Dachau (as Brazilnut suggested). Thank you everyone for the excellent tips and ideas. Staci

Take out to the Olympic Stadion complex - which has been rehabbed into some kind of multi-media experience - not sure of details but teens may like. Do some reasearch on it - and there is also some kind of memorial to Munich Olympics massacre of Israelian athletes.

Your kids will most likely enjoy the Deutsches Museum in Munich. It is a "hands-on" Science and technology museum. BTW the disappearing table is at Herren Chiemsee. I am not aware of others at Linderhof or Neuschwanstein.

Also, the BMW has museum is right next to the Olympic grounds. Lots of cars - could be interesting...

It's an easy day-trip by train from Munich to Fussen, to see Ludwig's Neuschwanstein and the other one there (I've forgotten which). The Bayern Pass is a very inexpensive way to go-- last June it was about 39EU roundtrip for up to FIVE people. Can't beat that bargain. It's about 2 hours each way. Do double-check the schedule, as we missed the last direct train back from Fussen around 9 p.m., and had to take a 1 1/2 hour layover in a very tiny town. It's beautiful country, and the castle being eccentric might appeal to teens. Our two liked it.

There is supposed to be a disappearing table at Linderhof also, at least according to the guide we had the last time I visited it. Apparently Ludwig didn't want to have to interact with anyone else. Strange dude.

As to the manner of his death, I've heard the murder story, also. Bavarians will tend to defend him and deny that he was mad or that he committed suicide. I think his doctor was with him and also died. Very mysterious.