Unravel the Magical Castles of Bavaria
Head to the mountains of southern Germany to enter the kingdom of a most peculiar monarch, and to hear stories of fairy tale castles and treasonous plotting. If you want to unravel the mysterious history of the place and its famous King Ludwig of Bavaria, you should check out the tips below. Neuschwanstein is roughly a two-hour drive south from Munich, almost on the Austrian border. To see inside, you’ll need to join a 30-minute guided tour, available in English. Don’t miss Hohenschwangau castle next door, where young Ludwig grew up. Munich’s early 19th century National Theater hosts a yearround calendar of ballet, opera and classical music – works by Wagner, Verdi and Tchaikovsky are being staged last January. It’s also possible to explore the opera house as part of a guided tour. A good value option near Neuschwanstein in the town of Füssen, Hotel Fantasia has flamboyant rooms hung with chandeliers and set in a building with its own turret. Don’t be surprised to see Ludwig’s face painted on the ceiling above your bed. Linderhof was the only castle Ludwig saw completed and it has the most ornate interiors of them all. Palace visits are available only through tours, but you can wander the grounds, with their outbuildings modelled on Wagnerian operas On a quiet street east of Munich’s old quarter, Motel One Deutsches Museum offers compact, thoughtfully-designed rooms with tall windows looking over the city skyline. It’s a short walk from the superb Deutsches Museum of science and technology. Stay at the Grand Hotel Sonnenbichl – a venerable old hotel just outside Garmisch Partenkirchen. The spacious rooms have views up to the surrounding Alps, with some looking out at the Zugspitze –the highest mountain in Germany. Some of the best views of Falkenstein Castle are from Burghotel Falkenstein – a hilltop hotel with a cozy wood paneled restaurant a half-hour drive from Neuschwanstein that serves hearty schnitzels, grills and game. Lake Starnberg was where King Ludwig met his mysterious end – a chapel and a wooden cross mark the spot where his body was found. To get there, head to the village of Berg on the lake’s eastern shore, and follow a well-marked footpath through the lakeside woods for about 15 minutes. An island on Lake Chiemsee is home to another of Ludwig’s constructions – Schloss Herrenchiemsee is an ornate, half-finished palace modelled on Versailles.
BEST TIME TO VISIT While winters in Germany get cold, visitors are fewer, and so, queues far shorter. Remember those woollens! GETTING THERE Lufthansa, Air France, Air India, British Airways, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Jet Airways, KLM Royal Dutch, Qantas Airways, Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways fly to Munich from most major Indian cities. GETTING AROUND Neuschwanstein is a two hour train trip from Munich to Füssen , then a 10-minute ride on buses 73 or 78. To get the most out of Bavaria’s country side, however, rent a car. Avis offers car hire at Munich Airport. Visit Vacation-now.com for travel tips, holiday homes and destinations.