01: Munich

Nymphenburg Castle - Ludwig II was born in the Green Salon.
Marstall Museum by Nymphenburg Castle - here you will find all of King Ludwig's II
coaches and many pictures - worth seeing.

Residence - From here Ludwig ruled the country when he was in Munich. You will
Need almost a full day to visit the entire Residence.

Old Residence Theater - Cuvillies Theater - This is where Ludwig attended his
private performances.

National Theater - Ludwig enjoyed many operas here as well

Prince Regent Theater - Originally this theater was meant strictly for performances
of Richard Wagner operas.

Michaelskirche (St. Michaels Church) - Last resting place of King Ludwig II

02. Now you continue by taking the Autobahn via Garmisch to Linderhof.

Linderhof Castle with park
Grotto in castle park
Maurish Kiosk in court park
Hundigenhuette (Hundigenhouse) in castle park - about a 30-minute walk away.
The Hermitage is next to the Hundigenhouse)

The Schloss Hotel offers nice accommodations. The park and the castle are beautiful and mysterious in the evening, after most tourists have left.

03. From here you can leave early in the morning for Elmau and hike from there to the
mountain castle at Schachen - about a four hour hike. Beautiful views, beautiful castle. This trail is not difficult, however not possible in winter.

04. Continue to Oberammergau, town of the passionplays.
Here you will find one of the largest displays of the crucifixion that Ludwig had
donated to the town. He could often be seen here in prayer.

05. Continue into the direction of Fuessen.
A point of interest along the way is the Wieskirche (Wies Church). It has nothing
to do with Ludwig II but it is one of the most beautiful churches in the world.
From Fuessen, you can visit Neuschwanstein Castle.

06. Continue to Schwangau.
Visit to Hohenschwangau Castle - this is where Ludwig II spent most of his time,
his masterpiece.
Visit the Marienbruecke (Marienbridge) - walk through the Poellatschlucht
(canyon) - very romantic, not possible in winter

From there you can hike to the Schweizerhaus (built for Ludwig's mother Queen
Marie) in the Bleckenau, 1 hour hike. You can also drive there and back.
It is absolutely worth your while to take a walk around Alpsee (Alpine Lake), a
comfortable walk with spectacular views of the castles.

Another possibility is a ride with the cable car to the top of Tegelberg (Tegelberg
Mountain). Beautiful view of the castles.

07. While in Fuessen it would be worthwhile to attend the Ludwig II Musical, you
would not regret it. If possible sit in the King box. You are served and treated
like a king here. If possible visit back stage, daily tours are offered.

08. Continue to Herrenchiemsee.
In the summer you can drive there via Reutte in Austria, then past Plansee
(Plan Lake) to Linderhof. Ludwig II often took this route in his carriage. Not
possible in the winter.

09. Via the autobahn back to Munich, then on into the direction of Salzburg to
Chiemsee. Drive on to Prien, where the boats are docked.

10. Visit to Herrenchiemsee Castle:
Visit to Ludwig II Museum.
Visit to the Old Castle - Ludwig lived here during the building of the castle and
watched the building progress.
Return by boat to Prien.

If you are wondering whether to visit Herrenchiemsee in the winter, the answer is
Yes. The castle is just as beautiful then and the tour guides will have more time to
spend with you and answer your questions. The museum is almost empty during the winter months and you can take your time meandering through it. The disadvantage is that the park is not so pretty, all fountains are enclosed with wood, there are no flowers blooming and no spectacular fountain displays.

The same goes for Linderhof. The biggest advantage with a winter visit to any of
the castles is, that you avoid the masses of summer people who urge you to hurry
through the rooms and past the displays.

12. A word about King Ludwig's mountain retreats. Most of them can not be visited
during the winter months and not much can be seen there then. To reach most
retreats you have to prepare for an uphill hike of at least 1 hour or longer. That is
only enjoyable for those who like to hike but you will be rewarded by the
magnificent scenery.

Dear friends, I hope the above itinerary will guide you somewhat in your sightseeing adventure. Enjoy!