Visits to Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof Palaces
 

What would be the latest time that I should be at Prien station, in order for me to be able to actually visit the palace and do a walk around, without having to run gasping for breath, because they would lock the gates and kick me out due to closing time? Should this be a full day trip? So I am asking about the minimum time necessary, as I may be with little time on hand and want to take in the bare minimum.

Also, what about Linderhof? Doing a train trip from Munich, what time should I be there at the latest to be able to visit and walk (walk not run) around? Would 2pm be OK?

Thank you all, Fodorites!

Hi Gabrieltraian - we spent a wonderful day at Herrenchiemsee this time last year. We arrived around 9:30am and took the ferry across to the island. After a tour through the palace we walked the length of the grounds (well worth it), had a meal at the outdoor cafe & watched the fountains dancing, explored the museum and farm buildings, then caught the next to last ferry back from the island. A full day, but one full of memorable experiences . . . enjoy!
Cheers, Di

You should be aware that the Prien station is a few minutes' walk from Stock which is the "port" on the lakeshore from which the boats over to the island actually leave from.

You can either take the narrow ga. railway from the DB station at prine to Stock or walk the pathway adjacent to the narrow ga. RR tracks.

The trip over to the island itself takes about 20 minutes. After you get to the island, you'll either have to walk for another 10 minutes or so to get to the palace itself or take one of the horse-drawn wagons.

I don't mean to make it sound all that laborious because it isn't. You just need to be aware of what to expect. I would plan on devoting a large part of any day to this.

if you were arriving by car it would be a bit simpler but the outing can easily be accomplished by rail.

If you're going sometime between April and September, 2 PM would be fine for Linderhof--it closes at 6. You do catch a bus in Oberammergau, so you might want some time to look around the town as well--if so, factor some time in for that.

Thank you very much for your replies.
They are useful.

I can really fine-tune my itinerary based on them.

Since I had this thread open already, I thought that I could ask the following question in the same place.

This summer I plan to visit Herrenchiemsee, Linderhof, Hohenschwangau and Neuschwanstein Castles.
Is there a so called "recommended" sequence to visit these? Is there any connection as to making more sense if visiting these castles/ palaces in a certain order?
Please note that I will do them as day trips from Munchen, each in a different day (of course, Hohensch. and Neusch. in the same day).

I've seen them all and I'm not sure, other than from a geographic standpoint, that there is or even should be any recommended order.

I would only remind you that the palace at Herrenchiemsee is the largest of all of these at 200 or more rooms (you won't get, or need. to see them all). And despite the fantasy of Linderhof, Herrenchiemsee has to be the most elaborately decorated of them all, too. Inside, it truly is a miniature Versaills complete with a scaled-down Hall of Mirrors.

There are some fountains on the grounds immediately in front of the entrance but these are nowhere nearly as extensive or elaborate as those at Versailles.

If I were doing all of this again I would leave Herrenchiemsee until last and as I mentioned in my earlier reply, it is very easy to do, especially by rail. If you arrive at the Prien station with time on your hands (although I think most of the departing narrow ga. trains are timed to meet the DB arrivals) you can easily walk down the pathway beside the tracks to the ferry dock and perhaps take the train back upon your return from the island.

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.

Since Neuschwanstein and Linderhof are fairly close to each other, I would do these together (not necessarily on the same day) and Herrenchiemsee separately. The order is not so important. Not quite sure anymore in which order they were built, but I believe it was Neuschwanstein, Linderhof and Herrenchiemsee.

Thank you very much Intrepid1 and Treplow!

bookmarking

Now, I´m a bit of an outdoor guy, but this is also possible for those who seldom go to the mountains. Have you considered hiking from Neuschwanstein to Linderhof through the mountains. It's not mountaineering stuff, but simply hiking, with one night on an alpine hut? Did it once, and it was simply great. And if not, when in Linderhof (which I consider the most beautiful of all the very kitschy Ludwig castles), don´t leave without a quite short hike up the mountain to the "Brunnenkopfhäuser", huts above Linderhof with simply awesome views. Do me the favour.

> Inside, it truly is a miniature Versaills complete with a scaled-down Hall of Mirrors.

Actually it was Ludwig's big pride that had a scaled-UP hall of mirrors built in Herrenchiemsee :-)))

Are you saying the one in Herrenchiemsee is larger than the one in Versailles?

Alyamiro..you are correct. I just did some research on herrenchiemsee and the Hall of Mirros there is, in fact, LARGER than the one at Versailles.

Somehow when I visited I thought it was smaller.

I also see that the palace is listed as having "70 rooms" but I could have sworn we were told there are a total of 200 rooms wyhen we took the tour.

Watzmann, thank you for your tips.
However, because we are tight with our schedule, we won't be able to do the hiking from Neuschwanstein to Linderhof through the mountains. But still, we would like to consider the hike up the mountain from Linderhof to the "Brunnenkopfhäuser".
I don't know if the path is visible or easily recognizable, but we will ask at Linderhof for directions.

Watzmann, I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote it, but what I meant was that we cannot do that overnight in the mountains because we already booked our accommodation in Munich.
However, if our host will agree to cancel one night, we might consider overnighting in the mountains.
I presume that we would just have to show up and try to find a place to sleep somewhere?