Enchanting Castles and Villages Surrounded by the Alps

The castle is not accessible by car, it must be left in one of the parking lots near the tourist information office of Hohenschwangau Castle.
From there, you can choose between three options to visit Neuschwanstein Castle:
1) On foot, ascending along the road for about 30 minutes 2) By horse-drawn carriage, whose ride ends about 500 meters before the castle 3) By shuttle bus from the car park P4, which ends at the Jugend viewpoint, and then you have to walk down for about 15 minutes.

The first stop on the way up and before entering the castle is a panoramic view of the fortress from up close to appreciate its towers and the infinity of windows.
The viewpoint also overlooks the woods and the lower part, where the Pollat river flows in a green plain.
There are benches to sit and relax if you are tired after the hike.

The Neuschwanstein Castle, once the residence of King Ludwig II, can only be visited by guided tour (with guide in German and English and with audio guide in other languages).
Although it is more striking from the outside than from the inside, the guided tour takes you through the third and fourth floors where you will find the royal halls, bedrooms and the chapel. In addition, from the large windows you can see the natural environment where the fortress is located, a real fairy tale.
Although the visit is short, about 30 minutes, it gives an idea of the splendor with which the king of Bavaria lived centuries ago.
Attention! It is advisable to purchase tickets in advance on the official website of the castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. The tickets have a specific entry time that must be observed.
The remaining tickets for the day can be purchased directly at the Hohenschwangau ticket centre.
Opening Hours: April – October 15th Monday – Sunday: 09:00 – 18:00
16th October – March Monday – Sunday: 10:00 – 16:00

After visiting the castle, it is worthwhile to continue ascending the trail to see a more complete panoramic view of the castles' surroundings.
This stop allows us to observe the high snow-capped mountains of the Alps, the lake at the bottom, the surrounding forests and the Hohenschwangau castle in the distance that stands out for its yellow silhouette among the trees. A postcard to remember!

The last stop before descending is one of the best panoramic views of the area. This pedestrian iron bridge is located on the top of a cliff of the Polliat river.
It is the best view of the Neuschwanstein castle, as you can see its structure completely on top of the hill and surrounded by a lush forest. Amazing!
It is necessary to take the time to take pictures, weather permitting, as sometimes rain, snow or clouds do not allow the castle to be seen.
Attention! The bridge and the viewpoint may be closed due to adverse weather conditions. Information about opening/closing can be found on the official website of the castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.

After hiking and falling in love with the scenery at first sight, it is time to descend and recharge your batteries at the restaurant.
This restaurant has a beautiful terrace overlooking the Neuschwanstein castle, but also has indoor space in case of cold, rain or snow. It offers typical dishes of the Bavarian cuisine.
The highlight is the roast pork with bread dumpling and sauerkraut. If you like pasta, an excellent option is the vegetable lasagna with tomato sauce.
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:00 – 18:00

Accessible by foot on a 20-minute trail or by horse-drawn carriage in 10 minutes, this castle was the summer residence of royalty and is the place where Ludwig II of Bavaria spent his childhood.
With its characteristic dark yellow exterior, the guided tour has a more extensive tour than the previous castle, and you can better appreciate the exuberance with which the kings lived and the details in the royal halls and bedrooms.
In addition, the castle garden with fountains and views of the beautiful Alpsee Lake is also visited.
Attention! It is advisable to purchase tickets in advance on the official website of the castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.
Opening Hours: October 16 – March Monday – Sunday: 10:00 – 16:00
April 1 – October 15 Monday – Sunday: 09:00 – 17:00
After the visit to the castle, it is time to return to the car park, pick up the car and continue the route.

This church deserves a stop mainly because of its location, in the middle of a small plain near the lake. For some reason, it is chosen by bridal couples to be photographed.
Its white color on the outside contrasts with the green of the grass in summer and goes unnoticed by the white of the snow in winter. Inside, its pink altar and the reliefs on the ceiling stand out.
The surroundings of the church are a perfect panoramic point of the Neuschwanstein castle and the Bavarian mountains.
Opening Hours: May 15th – October 15th Monday – Sunday: 14:30 – 16:30
There is a place to park the car right next to the church.

Leave the car in the open-air car park and walk a few meters to the church.
The parking is paid, but the price is low compared to other parking spaces in the area.

Very similar to St. Coloman's church in its exterior structure and also painted white on the outside, inside it is a true work of art that earned it World Heritage status.
In baroque style, the mixture of yellow, white, pink, blue and orange colors stand out. With marble columns, stuccoes and frescoes, it is worth a stop on the way, even though it is not very visited.
Opening Hours: November – February Monday – Sunday: 08:00 – 17:00
March – April, September – October Monday – Sunday: 08:00 – 19:00
May – August Monday – Sunday: 08:00 – 20:00

Located in front of the tourist information office of Oberammergau, it is the best place to leave your car and walk around the village. There is a fee.

Known as the town of painted houses or story houses, it is a true work of art in the open air.
Each of the houses is painted differently and there are even thematic ones such as those referring to scenes from Little Red Riding Hood and Hansel and Gretel.
There is also the house of Pontius Pilate, with three-dimensional paintings that look like real windows and balconies.
The town is small, so it is easy to walk around in about an hour. Of course, prepare your camera because you will not stop taking pictures of the houses all the time.

You can charge your car here, before returning to Munich. It is an open-air charging station on the outskirts of the village of Oberau.
Type: CCS 2 stations, 4 plugs Power: 150–300 kW

From the loading station, walk along the edge of the river Loisach until you reach the bridge, where you get a nice panorama of the Alps as a backdrop.

After charging the electric car, the journey continues, this time for dinner in a nearby restaurant before returning to Munich.

Typical Bavarian restaurant, with large portions and low prices. There are several options to choose from, including pork knuckle with potato dumplings and Swabian loin stew.
On the open-air terrace side is the Biergarten if you want to savor an exquisite beer.
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:00 – 01:30

After two days of touring southern Bavaria, the romantic route has come to an end. Fairy tale castles, villages surrounded by mountains and forests, and decorated churches were the protagonists. It's time to return to Munich.