We will be in Munich for three days in May and would like to take a day trip to the Neushwanstein Castle. <BR>We are deciding between renting a car for the day or taking the Panorama tour. <BR>Has anyone rented a car for a day in Munich and driven this route? Would you advise it? how long does it take? Which rental place would you recommend in central Munich? <BR>We considered the tour but understand that you are rushed and advanced reservations aren't made.

Advance reservations for the bus tour are needed which is why theý're not made. But I think you'd have a much better day driving. Driving in Germany is quite easy; you'll find most German drivers much more 'cooperative' than most American drivers. Munich is not a difficult city to drive in at all. <BR> <BR>Can't help you with where to rent. Do make sure you book (and probably prepay) the car from home before you go ... you'll save serious money. AutoEurope usually works out for us in Germany, but you may want to check Kemwell, Avis and Hertz as well. <BR> <BR>It's abotu 125 km (75 miles) from Munich to Neuschwanstein. Should take probably 1-1/2 to 2 hours. <BR> <BR>Other sites in the area to make use of your day: Linderhof (another of Ludwig's castles), Wieskirch, perhaps the Zugspitze and more. <BR> <BR>Helpful info at www.twenj.com/bavarianeu.htm

Excuse the typo. I meant to say, of course, that there's no need for reservations for the bus tour which is why they don't accept them.

These comments are purely subjective so take them for what they may be worth. <BR>The drive to Neuschwanstein takes about two hours; the tour of each castle, Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, takes about 40 minutes each. I doubt that you can rent a car in Munich in the AM and beat the tour buses to the castles; they begin to arrive about 10AM. <BR> <BR>I have no idea what sights the Panorama tour might include other than the two castles. The area of Upper Bavaria is rich in Alpine lakes and scenery, Baroque churches and monasteries and charming villages. I'd be tempted to rent a car in Munich and drive to King Ludwig's castle, Linderhof, near Oberammergau. It's a more direct route almost all on autobahn. From there, I'd tour Oberammergau and the Ettal monastery, drive north to Steingaden and the Wieskirche and then on to Neuschwanstein in late afternoon when tourist crowds start to disperse. <BR> <BR>I've some information on the Bavarian castles that I'll post in a subsequent note. Fodors isn't too happy with lengthy responses.

Here’s a little background and information regarding Bavarian castles that may be of interest and value. There are four major castles in Upper Bavaria, three of which are the result of King Ludwig II’s obsession with castle building. Schloss Hohenschwangau is not one of Ludwig’s. It was built by his grandfather, Maximilian II in the English Tudor style and is the castle in which he Ludwig was born. It’s one of the few castles that someone lived in for an extended period of time. Queen Marie, Ludwig’s mother lived there for many years. It’s located about a mile and a half southeast of the town of Fussen. From the castle’s terraces you can get some stunning views of its neighbor, Schloss Neuschwanstein, Ludwig’s best known and most eccentric castle. Part of its eccentricity comes from the fact that it was designed, not by an architect, but by a designer of theatrical productions. Its flamboyance attests to its odd origins. <BR> <BR>Arrive early to tour the castles or late mid afternoon. Tour buses begin to arrive at about 10AM. If arriving by car, leave it in the special car park at Hohenschwangau. You can walk from the parking lot to Schloss Hohenschwangau. Following the tour of the castle, walk back to the center of the village where you can either take a bus from the Hotel Liesl or horse-drawn cart from the Hotel Muller to Neuschwanstein. Take one or the other; you can walk to Neuschwanstein but it’s a very steep and lengthy climb. After touring the castle, you might want to walk up the Pollat gorge to the Marienbrucke, the bridge that spans the gorge. From there you can look down on Neuschwanstein castle, a most impressive view. Return to the village and your car by either the bus or horse cart. <BR> <BR>Linderhof is another of Ludwig’s castles, this one in the style of Louis XIV. It’s near Oberammergau and although only about 16kms east of Hohenschwangau as the crow flies, there’s no direct route to it in Germany. Rather than drive north from Hohenschwangau to Steingaden and then southeast towards Oberammergau to avoid a couple of mountains, it makes more sense to go south into Austria and pick up the route going from Unterletzen to Plansee and Ammersattel to Ammergebirge just west of Linderhof. It’s a much shorter, faster route with some wonderful scenery. <BR> <BR>Linderhof is Rococo in design, dates from the mid 1870s and has an extraordinarily ornate interior. It’s in a lovely setting with gardens, grottos, waterfalls and fountains and a number of eccentric outbuildings including a kiosk in Moorish style. Heaven only knows why. <BR> <BR>The third of Ludwig’s castles is Schloss Herrenchiemsee on an island in the lake of the same name lying east of Munich. This castle is obviously modeled after Louis XIV’s Versailles and while it is a copy of sorts it’s probably Ludwig’s finest castle due to its stunning interiors including a hall of mirrors and equally to its setting on an island in lake Chiemsee. <BR> <BR>Now, what’s the story on Ettal. Located in the village of Ettal about 2 miles southeast of Oberammergau, Kloster Ettal is not a castle but rather an immense monastery dating from the early 1300s and subsequently remodelled and enhanced in the Baroque style. It’s a stunning example of the artistry of those architects and artisans who introduced the Baroque to Bavaria in the mid 1700s. <BR>

I flew from NY to Frankfurt overnight and rented a car at the airport and drove all the way to Munich in one day. <BR>Stayed overnight at the Munich Marriott and drove to the Neuschwanstein Castle. <BR>It is an easy drive. Although the castle was nice, I enjoyed the countryside and the beer at an outdoor cafe at the foot of the castle. I also managed to drive to the Zugespitze for an unbelievable view of the Alps. This was the best 4 day/3night long weekend getaway I have ever had in Europe. <BR>Definitely drive!

We have done both. Because we were in Munich over a holiday weekend, our choices as to what to do/tours to take were limited. We took the Panorama tour to the castles. It also stopped briefly in Oberammergau. Our guide was friendly and knowing without being overbearing. While they do purchase tickets for you, you still must wait in line. We felt we had enough time at each stop and it was worth the money. (By comparasion we took a non-Panorama tour in Salzburg and quickly learned you get what you pay for). A few days later, we picked up our rental car and drove out of Munich to Garmish. We rented through Auto Europe and the actual provider was Avis. The Avis counter was at the Hauptbahnhof and the car was actually located in a parking garage a few blocks away. I was grateful for having paid attention to the routes we were taking out of the city while on the tour bus. Driving the autobahn was no problem. But if you are not used to big city driving, it can be overwhelming. I live in a small town and was a bit nervous about having to drive in the city. If you would be comfortable driving in the downtown of a major metropolitan area of the US, rent a car. If not, go with the tour.

If you're staying in central Munich, just get on the train. You'll be in Füssen 2 hours later, and the shuttle bus to the castles is timed with your arrival. Spend the whole day there, have a nice meal, return in the evening. It's only $18 round trip, whether you are alone or have up to 4 other people along, if you buy a daypass (Bayern ticket on weekdays, Schönes Wochenende ticket on Sat or Sun.)