Visiting King Ludwigs castles
May 22nd, 1998, 09:34 AM
#1
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Visiting King Ludwigs castles
Could anyone advise me where they liked staying best - Ettal, Oberammergau, or Schwangau - while they visited the castles? Also, any particular hotels which they enjoyed? I'd like a nice sized hotel with a restaurant (not a private house).
May 22nd, 1998, 10:50 AM
#2
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A few years ago, we stayed in a family owned inn in a small farming village called Hohenfurch. Its located on the Romantic Road between Landsberg and Schongau. Our immaculate room, with bath, refrigerator, sink, two burner stove, king sized bed, dining table and chairs and furnished private balcony cost $36.00 a night and included a generous breakfast of meats,cheeses, breads and superb coffee. The inn's dining room featured Bavarian specialties, as well as trout taken from a lovely but frigid alpine stream that flows through the center of the village to the river Lechs about a quarter of a mile away. On the weekend, the restaurant featured live Bavarian music provided by locals in a wonderfully relaxed and informal atmosphere.
The hotel is the Landgasthof Schonach-Hof operated and owned by the Haslach family. Address Kapellenstrasse 22, D-8928 Hohenfurch. Tel: 08861/4108.
The village is small but charming. A trout laden alpine stream and lush lawns and most attractive homes with lovely gardens and windowboxes laden
with geraniums or petunias border its one main street. The village church is typical of the region; austere from the outside with red roof, stuccoed walls that set off a mural of a religious figure and no stained glass windows. The interior is breath taking.
The entire Pfaffenwinkel area is criss-crossed with hiking trails, all of
which offer superb views. Hiking routes appear in the Pfaffenwinkel
brochure.
Hohenfurch is situated on Route B17, the German Romantic Road, so named
because it courses through a number of charming, delightful, historic towns
and villages from Wurzburg in the north, through Rothenburg o.d. Tauber,
Augsberg, Landsberg (where Hitler wrote "Mein Kampf" while imprisoned
there), Hohenfurch, Schongau and Fussen.
Drive to the Wieskirche near Steingaden, about 12 miles from Hohenfurch to
see the epitome of rococo artistry. Drive 10 miles to Rottenbuch and visit
another rococo masterpiece, the parish church; (you'll see its bell tower
from the road). Drive to Peiting about 8 miles from Hohenfurch ascend Hohe
Peissenberg and get a stunning view of the Alps and eleven alpine lakes.
Drive to Schongau, only 3 miles from Hohenfurch, have a meal at the Alte
Post Inn, then walk the 700-year-old ramparts that encircle part of the
town.
Drive 25 miles south to Schwangau and visit mad King Ludwig's fairy tale
castle, Neuschwanstein. Visit his more sedate castle Hohenschwangau in the
same village. Take the Tegelberg cable railway to view the German and
Austrian Alps.
Drive a bit further to Oberammergau. Many of the residents will remind you
of New Testament figures. A Passion Play is staged in Oberammergau every
ten years (next in 2000) and the citizenry make up the play's cast.
Oberammergau, while famous for its Passion Play, is equally famous for its
huge population of wood carvers and for the murals on the exterior walls of
most of its homes and shops. Great place for souvenir hunting!
Don't even think of driving to Munich! While it's only about 40 to 45
miles from Hohenfurch, there's no place to park once you get there.
Drive to Herrsching on the Ammersee (it's about 35 miles northeast of
Hohenfurch). . Make a detour just before Herrsching. Stop in Andechs and
sample the beer! It is one of the world's premiere beers, brewed in the
monastery in Andechs and available in Andechs and no where else! Sidetrack
to the Starnberger See, the lake where Ludwig, the mad king drowned.
Accident, suicide, assassination? No one knows. Back track to Herrsching.
Park the car at the train station and ride the train to Munich.
Munich's train station is ideally located. Get a city map and list of
events from the tourist office at the station. It's located opposite Track
11. Exit the station and walk the long and wide pedestrian promenade
(Neuhauserstrasse) to the Marienplatz and the impressive Gothic style town
hall built at the turn of the century. Pass sidewalk cafes, formal
restaurants, beer halls, fashionable boutiques and department stores on the
way. Stop at "Augustiner" at 16 Neuhauserstrasse for lunch and the best
beer in Munich. Eat and drink in the beer garden to the rear or at the
sidewalk café in the front. Look for signs between the "new" Gothic town
hall and the "old" 14th Century town hall that point the way to the
"Viktualienmarkt" an open air market laden with fresh flowers, vegetables
and meats.
At the new town hall at 11 AM, noon, 5 and 9 PM, a glockenspiel, with
dancers and jousting knights on a merry-go-round perform for delighted
tourists and children.
Come back another day and visit two superb art museums or the fascinating
science and technology museum (Deutsches Museum). Visit the Residenz, an
impressive palace not far from the new town hall.
Visit Dachau, about 10 miles north of Munich and approachable by train from
Munich's station. Visit the town of Dachau, as well as the concentration
camp. Dachau was once the Bavarian center for the arts, subsequently
surpassed by Munich. Do check out the 16th Century castle in the old part
of the town.
More to come on Belgium (don't forget Luxembourg, too) and the Bernese
Oberland.
The hotel is the Landgasthof Schonach-Hof operated and owned by the Haslach family. Address Kapellenstrasse 22, D-8928 Hohenfurch. Tel: 08861/4108.
The village is small but charming. A trout laden alpine stream and lush lawns and most attractive homes with lovely gardens and windowboxes laden
with geraniums or petunias border its one main street. The village church is typical of the region; austere from the outside with red roof, stuccoed walls that set off a mural of a religious figure and no stained glass windows. The interior is breath taking.
The entire Pfaffenwinkel area is criss-crossed with hiking trails, all of
which offer superb views. Hiking routes appear in the Pfaffenwinkel
brochure.
Hohenfurch is situated on Route B17, the German Romantic Road, so named
because it courses through a number of charming, delightful, historic towns
and villages from Wurzburg in the north, through Rothenburg o.d. Tauber,
Augsberg, Landsberg (where Hitler wrote "Mein Kampf" while imprisoned
there), Hohenfurch, Schongau and Fussen.
Drive to the Wieskirche near Steingaden, about 12 miles from Hohenfurch to
see the epitome of rococo artistry. Drive 10 miles to Rottenbuch and visit
another rococo masterpiece, the parish church; (you'll see its bell tower
from the road). Drive to Peiting about 8 miles from Hohenfurch ascend Hohe
Peissenberg and get a stunning view of the Alps and eleven alpine lakes.
Drive to Schongau, only 3 miles from Hohenfurch, have a meal at the Alte
Post Inn, then walk the 700-year-old ramparts that encircle part of the
town.
Drive 25 miles south to Schwangau and visit mad King Ludwig's fairy tale
castle, Neuschwanstein. Visit his more sedate castle Hohenschwangau in the
same village. Take the Tegelberg cable railway to view the German and
Austrian Alps.
Drive a bit further to Oberammergau. Many of the residents will remind you
of New Testament figures. A Passion Play is staged in Oberammergau every
ten years (next in 2000) and the citizenry make up the play's cast.
Oberammergau, while famous for its Passion Play, is equally famous for its
huge population of wood carvers and for the murals on the exterior walls of
most of its homes and shops. Great place for souvenir hunting!
Don't even think of driving to Munich! While it's only about 40 to 45
miles from Hohenfurch, there's no place to park once you get there.
Drive to Herrsching on the Ammersee (it's about 35 miles northeast of
Hohenfurch). . Make a detour just before Herrsching. Stop in Andechs and
sample the beer! It is one of the world's premiere beers, brewed in the
monastery in Andechs and available in Andechs and no where else! Sidetrack
to the Starnberger See, the lake where Ludwig, the mad king drowned.
Accident, suicide, assassination? No one knows. Back track to Herrsching.
Park the car at the train station and ride the train to Munich.
Munich's train station is ideally located. Get a city map and list of
events from the tourist office at the station. It's located opposite Track
11. Exit the station and walk the long and wide pedestrian promenade
(Neuhauserstrasse) to the Marienplatz and the impressive Gothic style town
hall built at the turn of the century. Pass sidewalk cafes, formal
restaurants, beer halls, fashionable boutiques and department stores on the
way. Stop at "Augustiner" at 16 Neuhauserstrasse for lunch and the best
beer in Munich. Eat and drink in the beer garden to the rear or at the
sidewalk café in the front. Look for signs between the "new" Gothic town
hall and the "old" 14th Century town hall that point the way to the
"Viktualienmarkt" an open air market laden with fresh flowers, vegetables
and meats.
At the new town hall at 11 AM, noon, 5 and 9 PM, a glockenspiel, with
dancers and jousting knights on a merry-go-round perform for delighted
tourists and children.
Come back another day and visit two superb art museums or the fascinating
science and technology museum (Deutsches Museum). Visit the Residenz, an
impressive palace not far from the new town hall.
Visit Dachau, about 10 miles north of Munich and approachable by train from
Munich's station. Visit the town of Dachau, as well as the concentration
camp. Dachau was once the Bavarian center for the arts, subsequently
surpassed by Munich. Do check out the 16th Century castle in the old part
of the town.
More to come on Belgium (don't forget Luxembourg, too) and the Bernese
Oberland.
May 25th, 1998, 12:46 PM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
We would recommend staying in Fussen to visit Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau, both within easy walking distance. Also worth a visit from Fussen is Tegelberg, a popular place for hang-gliding and para-sailing launches (you gotta see these people run off a sheer drop to oblivion). We stayed at the Hotel Zum Hechten at Ritterstrasse 6, fax 0 83 62 91 60-99, a family-run Gasthof, the host is Wolf. Lots of nice walks from here also, be sure to walk past Schwansee. Also be sure to walk to the Marienbrucke, a really breath taking view of Neuschwanstein and the valley.
May 26th, 1998, 02:05 AM
#5
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I echo the message to arrive early at Neuschwanstein to beat the tour buses. We stayed at Fussen, drove to the castle just as it was opening, walked up the hill (some people take carriage rides and that looked crowded), and had a great tour with a small group. Also during that trip we saw Linderhof. You have to go there, it is so outstanding and the tours are great. Another outstanding thing is Wies Church, done in Rococo style. Farmer had a vision and so the church was built in his field. Try to pack it all in. Remember you can sleep at home when you get back!
May 30th, 1998, 10:34 AM
#8
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You can also stay in Garmisch as the drive from Garmisch to Fussen is not bad. It will take u thru Oberammergau, Wies church and into Fussen. Good place in Garmisch (3 times stayed there) is the hotel Hilleprandt. Room 1 on the ground floor opens to the backyard with a small patio. nice furniture, clean and reasonable priced. Neu is the best castle to see, but it will be crowded. When we were there in June the bridge was closed for repair. Also go to Linderhof and see the cave along with the castle. This is a very short drive from Garmisch. The Ettal Abbey also a good trip and restaurant across the street from Abbey was good.
Jul 1st, 1998, 11:00 AM
#10
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Leaving for Germany in 2 weeks.Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl <BR>recommended to us in Garmisch.No car. Is it easy to <BR>get there by train from Munich,and what is best way <BR>to then get to Linderhof,Neuschwanstein then Oberamm- <BR>ergau.Back to Munich the next day.Any help apprecia- <BR>ted for our first trip to Germany. <BR>
Jul 1st, 1998, 11:23 AM
#11
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Trebie: Garmisch is about two hours from Munich, depending on conditions. Garmisch-Partenkirchen are two towns that meet one another. Be sure to take a cable car ride on one of the mountains there. my wife and I day-tripped last summer to Garmisch from Munich and also visited the town of Ettal, where there is a very beautiful Basilica, then on to Linderhof castle and finally, Oberammergau. These three are very close to Garmisch and located almost one after the other. Neuschwanstein castle is not nearby. It is located slightly north and mainly west of Garmisch. We drove to it along the "Romantic Road" directly from Munich and it took about two hours. If you are not driving, then a tour to Neuschwanstein could probably be found. Don't miss any of these places and bring lots of film. Have fun!
Jul 5th, 1998, 10:34 AM
#12
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Don't miss the castle on the island on Lake Chiemsee, south east of Munich. I thought it was the best of all his castles. It can be done as an easy daytrip from Munich or Garmisch. Well worth it. Beautiful gardens with fountains. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the views or take the boat to other islands. <BR> <BR>Dennis Holland
Jul 5th, 1998, 05:38 PM
#13
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I highly recommend staying in Pfronten at Burghotel Falkenstein. Located at the top of the alps just below the ruins to Falkenstein castle where Ludwig was to build his dream schloss. Pfronten is just about 15 minutes from Fussen. We have also stayed at Zum Hechten in Fussen. But for us nothing beats the view from the deck overhanging the Austrian borderpost at Falkenstein. Great restaurant, impeccably decorated rooms, nice family that runs it, and at a great price! If you need more info email me. I also prefer Fussen over Garmisch because it is less touristy and the shopping is nice.
Jul 5th, 1998, 07:12 PM
#14
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<BR>< The walk she mentions going up the hill to Neuschwanstein is extremely difficult! If you're not in the greatest of shape, take the horse and buggy!> LOL! <BR>That's really funny to me. But I guess it wouldn't be to the typical couch potato 100 pound overweight lazy American tourist. Especailly those who use bus tours and are used to being driven everywhere. Or those who drive 3 blocks to the 7-11 to buy a pack of cigarettes. God forbid you ever get even a bit of exercise. Actually this walk is short and not very steep at all.
Jul 5th, 1998, 07:53 PM
#15
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This is directed to Wynton: It is rather obvious that you are uncultured and obviously uneducated based on your spelling alone, to say nothing of your lack of any class. Your rude and ignorant remarks are unwarranted and are only exceeded by your bad breath! The walk IS steep and difficult (especially going all the way to the top of the bridge). And who asked YOU, to begin with!
Jul 6th, 1998, 03:48 PM
#16
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I did a day trip to Fussen & Neuschwanstein from Munich a few years ago and would now like to spend a few days in the area. I'd like to visit Garmisch, Linderhof, etc. Can it be done reasonably without driving or is renting a car the way to go? <BR> <BR>(The climb to Neuschwanstein is rather steep as I remember but then I'm a Flatlander from Florida!) <BR> <BR>Thanks Irene
Jul 7th, 1998, 12:00 AM
#17
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Arline, oh blubbery whale shaped one. Just how fat are you anyway? It must be considerably or you wouldn't have gotten that worked up over this issue about the path (a subject I may add that YOU and you alone first brought into this post). The walk is more like a stroll and is not steep for anyone in any shape at all. It is only those who are either 1. disabled 2. very elderly or 3. very lazy and overweight who would have problems of the severity you state on this path. As you have not stated you are disabled or elderly, I assume you are really a lardo. Especially when you get so worked up about this whole thing (which you yourself and no one else first brought to this thread).
