Unlike my last visit to Neuschwanstein, this time I got to visit other sights along the way, like the Linderhof Castle, and Oberammergau. And this time, I got to see the inside of Neuschwanstein, something that I don’t recall ever doing.

Schloss Linderhof was one of the three palaces built by King Ludwig II, and the only one he saw completed. Unlike his father who focused on governing, King Ludwig II preferred his artistic and architectural projects instead. The palace and its extensive grounds were designed to create an idyllic setting, complete with enchanting gardens, water features, and meticulously landscaped terraces. Ludwig drew inspiration from mythology and Wagnerian opera, incorporating themes of fantasy and escapism throughout the palace and its surrounding landscapes.

Along the way to Neuschwanstein, we stopped in a small town of Oberammergau, known for its artistic works. The reason that buildings have murals showing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ because the town is known for the Oberammergau Passion Play.

Käthe Wohlfahrt, a well-known German company selling Christmas themed items, also has a store here to join in the city’s woodcarving traditions.

Schloss Hohenschwangau was built by King Ludgwig II’s father and served as their family’s summer residence. It’s located near the picturesque location near lake Alpsee.

This is where every postcard picture of Neuschwanstein is taken: on the Marienbrücke, a bridge lookout. We walked around the area while waiting for our timed tour entry.

Luckily, the weather was nice, so we had an unobstructed view of the surrounding area.

Schloss Neuschwanstein embodies the visionary dreams of King Ludwig II, who aimed to create a fairytale castle. However, the castle remained unfinished upon the king’s untimely death in 1886. Today, Neuschwanstein stands as a symbol of Ludwig’s artistic and romantic ideals.

Unfortunately, it was forbidden to take pictures of the inside of the castle. I could only post existing content from the public domain. Still, one can still appreciate the interior of Schloss Neuschwanstein. Each room features intricate woodwork, ornate decorations, and vibrant murals referencing chivalry, mythology, and Wagnerian opera. The artistic craftsmanship and attention to detail within the castle’s interior serve as a stunning testament to Ludwig’s unwavering pursuit of beauty and grandeur.

See more photos of Schloss Neuschwanstein here

The main atrium of the castle was probably the most impressive room.

Apparently King Ludwig II was born here.

For some reason, this castle had a Chinese themed room. I’m not sure why.

There is also a room with paintings of various women that were seen as beautiful.

There’s also an artifact or prize that the Bavarian Empire obtained due to their assistance to the French Empire during Napoleon’s battle against the Third Coalition in Austerlitz (Part of the Napoleonic Wars). It’s nice to see a piece of history like that. It’s more interesting to me than seeing the palace itself.

I don’t ever recall seeing stuff like this in other castles like Versailles and Neuschwanstein or if I did, it definitely didn’t stick that well in my head. The architecture of this castle was definitely not the greatest, but what I saw inside was quite different from what I had initially expected.

Link to photo album here

Herrenchiemsee

We took a ferry to some of the islands in the lake. One of them is called the Herreninsel, and on that island there is an unfinished castle, built by King Ludwig II. The castle is called the “Neues Schloss Herrenchiemsee”, which translates to the “New Palace of Herrenchiemsee”.

Ludwig II was inspired by the construction of the French palace of Versailles and so he wanted to build a palace just like it. Unfortunately, he didn’t have quite as much money as Louis XIV, so he couldn’t finish his castle.

I would have liked to take more pictures of the castle, but we were forbidden to take any. From what I can recall, a lot of rooms were modeled after rooms in the Palace of Versailles, except they were unfinished.

Fraueninsel

Another island is the Fraueninsel. On this island, there is a monastery.

Some people also live on this island, but there aren’t many. The houses here are probably vacation homes for rich people.

Leberkäse

For lunch, I had Leberkäse, which is a traditional Bavarian dish. Directly translated, it means liver cheese, but I’m not sure how much liver was in it though. The meat actually consists of corned beef, pork, bacon and onions baked into a shape like a slice of bread. I guess it is Bavarian meatloaf.  The fried egg on top was also a nice touch.  The roast potatoes on the side was also really good.  It’s probably the best way to cook potatoes.

Chiemsee

The weather was really good that day despite the 38°C heat wave weather and the visibility was really good.

The nice thing about Chiemsee is that it isn’t as famous of a travel destination for North Americans and so it makes it a lot less touristy.

Link to photo album here