Tripsmiths Oberammergau & the Castles of Bavaria

Today we drive to the Chiemsee, Bavaria’s largest lake, where Ludwig realised his final castle dream by building Herrenchiemsee Palace on Herreninsel Island. Construction began in 1878, directly inspired by Ludwig’s visit to the Palace of Versailles, and this is truly a monument to royal megalomania: 35 seamstresses spent seven years sewing the cover for the royal bed alone. The most extraordinary room here is the gilded Hall of Mirrors, best seen by candlelight, which arguably outshines the original in Versailles. After lunch, we explore the manicured palace grounds before returning to Munich.

This morning, we drive south through the increasingly beautiful scenery of the Bavarian Alps, arriving in time for lunch in the delightful town of Oberammergau. We will check in to our hotel and gather together in the afternoon to attend a performance of the legendary Passion Play. Dinner is included during the lengthy intermission.

Today we make the journey to Füssen, located in the heart of the Bavarian countryside and full of Ludwig history – the perfect place to embark upon our exploration of the fairy-tale castles. Along the way we stop at Linderhof Palace, the smallest of Ludwig’s palaces, but the only one that he lived to see completed. This evening is free to explore this charming lakeside village.

This morning we make the short journey to Hohenschwangen, Ludwig’s childhood home, for a guided tour of the fortress and grounds with their glorious array of Alpine plants and flowers.

This afternoon is dedicated to Ludwig’s crowning glory and the embodiment of his wildest Romantic fantasies – the stunning Castle of Neuschwanstein. Featuring in numerous films, its soaring turrets and wedding-cake walls draw an astonishing 1.3 million visitors per year. Built in the Romanesque Revival style, the castle was the scene of Ludwig’s arrest in 1886 by his courtiers, exasperated by his eccentricities and profligacy. We will spend most of the afternoon here before returning to our hotel.

After breakfast on our final day, we return to Munich via Castle Berg on the Starnbergersee. This country manor house was where the King was confined after his deposition and declared insane. A few days later, he and his physician were found drowned in the lake. The mysterious double death has never been explained. We pay our respects at his tomb in Munich’s St. Michael’s Church and head to the airport for our return flight.