VIP Daytrip Neuschwanstein, Linderhof and Grotto from Munich
Description
Discover the sights of Linderhof and Neuschwanstein. Our comfortable coach will take you with a smaller group to the castles of Linderhof and Neuschwanstein. The whole tour will be headed by a professional English-speaking guide who will give you an interesting castle tour. Afterwards, you will be granted ample time to discover the beauties of the castle grounds and the breathtaking scenery. Our ongoing trip will then bring you to Hohenschwangau providing you the opportunity to enjoy lunch and visit the fabulous castle of Neuschwanstein. During the ride you may choose from a variety of drinks, and some snacks are included in the package as well. Of course, our knowledgeable tour guide is ready to assist and answer your questions throughout the tour. Entrance fees included!
Tour Options
Itinerary
We’ll meet at 8:45 a.m. at Sonnenstrasse 1, 80331 Munich. There you’ll find a tour bus marked “Mentor Reisen,” and our friendly driver and guide will welcome you as you check in. We’ll depart at 9:00 a.m. and drive past several Munich landmarks (which the guide will explain) on our way to the grounds of Linderhof Palace and the Venus Grotto. From 1st May we depart at 8:30 am and meet at 8:15 am!
You will arrive at Linderhof Palace parking lot around 10 a.m. After the guide picks up the tickets at the ticket center, you will walk together to the Venus Grotto. The path is slightly uphill and takes about 20 minutes. The guided tour of the artificially created grotto with a lake lasts about 15 minutes and is conducted live in English. You will be fascinated by the play of colors and the interior design. After 10 years of authentic restoration, the grotto reopened to visitors in 2025. Attention: Only in summertime available from May 1st until October 15th.
Around 11 a.m., you will leave the grotto and head to Linderhof Palace, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2025. Explore the gardens surrounding the palace on your own and then make your way to the palace entrance. The smallest, fully furnished, palace was built in the 19th century in the French Rococo and Baroque styles. The Palace of Versailles influenced both the architectural style and the gardens. The guided tour takes place live in English at 11:40 a.m. and lasts about 30 minutes. The tour bus departs at 12:30 p.m.
On the route between Linderhof Palace and the village of Hohenschwangau, below Neuschwanstein Castle, lies the artists’ village of Oberammergau. It is known for its facade painting (known as Lüftl-Malerei) and woodcarving. The Passion Plays, which take place there every 10 years, have also become world-famous. They depict the last week of Jesus’ life, from Palm Sunday to Easter. You’ll take a tour of the town by coach, as this allows you to see much more than a brief stop would.
After a drive of about 50 minutes, we arrive in the village of Hohenschwangau. Once the guide has picked up the tickets for the castle at the ticket office, you’ll have some free time. We definitely recommend visiting the Marienbridge. The "Marienbridge" was built in 1845 and still features original elements on its railing. From there, the view of Neuschwanstein Castle is truly unique. You absolutely must take the opportunity to snap a photo from there!
You can reach Neuschwanstein Castle on foot (about a 30-40 minute uphill walk), by shuttle bus/by horse-drawn carriage for a fee. Your guide will provide you with the exact details. The guided tour of Neuschwanstein Castle begins shortly after 4:00 PM and lasts approximately 25 minutes with an audio guide. Afterward, please return directly to the tour bus. The return trip to Munich departs at 5:30 PM
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please arrive at the meeting point at about 8:45 am!!! (from May 1st at 8:15 am!)
- You will need cash if you want to use the shuttle bus or horse-drawn carriage.
- Please note: There are over 300 steps to climb at Neuschwanstein Castle!
Reviews(788)
The castles are very different but both spectacular. There are a lot of steps and some inclines and declines so smart, comfortable footwear is a must. Cansel and Regip were great and I highly recommend this tour.
Thanks, Bridie, for your 5 star review and your advice!
The pickup location required a bit of planning for us (2 trams and a walk), but we knew that beforehand and were prepared for that. The convenience of not having to drive to and deal with the ticketing at the castles is hugely valuable for someone on holiday. Sabine's historical knowledge and personal connection to Bavaria gave us a lot of insight to the sites we visited. It was a good way to visit all these sites in one day.
Thank you so much for your 5 star rating. We are happy when we were able to help you have an exciting day!
Excellent tour. Super knowledgeable and friendly
Thank you for your 5 star review!
Our trip was fantastic from start to finish! Barbara’s storytelling was top-tier, and our driver made the ride smooth and effortless. The bus was comfortable, well-stocked with snacks, and perfectly timed. Plenty of walking at each ideal stop gave us the perfect excuse to relax during the drives. Best of all, it kept our teenagers completely engaged!
Thank you very much for your kind words. We are happy when you felt well taken care of!
We mistakenly turned up a day early and thought we would have to come back again the next day. Thankfully we had a wonderful guide and driver who contacted the office and got permission for us to join their tour. We were given drinks and snacks at every stop which was really appreciated. The tour was well organised and the guide, Sabine did a wonderful job of entertaining us and keeping us on time so that we were able to enjoy each stop without being rushed. Surprisingly our favourite place was Lindenhof Castle. Would highly recommend this tour.
Thank you so much for your nice words, Steve, and your recommendation. Please cherish your Bavarian memories 😉
TLDR; seriously not for the faint of heart. There is a lot of uphill walking. Also, there are a lot of stairs, and a lot of walking. Did I mention the walking. Linderhof: Start with an uphill hike to the grotto. The inside is incredible, all man-made. If I could have gone just one place on this trip it would be here. Downhill hike to the palace. If you go all the way through r the garden and up a lot of steps you can see the Venus shrine. Stand near the palace steps and zoom your camera instead. Unless you are here for the walking. The palace itself is OK. It’s tiny and it’s hard to imagine a king living there, even in the solitude he craved. Definitely worth seeing. Neuschwanstein: Seriously, I mean there is one walk from the town up to the castle that is at least a mile. Uphill. All the way. There are shuttle services (bus and horse carriage) but they aren’t free, the lines are long and they pack you in very tightly. I’m not ashamed to say is was puffing like a steam engine at the top (took me 55 minutes - age 72 - fitness level - don’t ask). The castle itself (inside) is disappointing. The outside is awesome from a distance. It’s a LOT of stairs inside too. The King didn’t finish this one before his mysterious death, so there are really only two rooms worth seeing (ballroom/throne room). The rest are relatively pedestrian as he built a lot of modernity into the structure (kitchen, etc.). The tour guide (Kristen for us) is not allowed to give tours inside the castle. This actually makes a little sense once you realize the on-site tour guides have a very crisp script that rushes you through in about 20 minutes. Hey, I just literally hiked a mile, uphill to see this and that’s all you got? Honestly - would not go back. This is no reflection on Kristine or our driver (Rexhin? SP), who both did a great job for us. They were very professional and friendly the entire time and the briefings and timing cues were spot on. Full marks for the company!
Thank you very much for your nuanced words and your advice. We are happy when you felt well taken care of by our team and on the hand, sorry that King Ludwig II may have disappointed you, somehow 😉
Christine was a fantastic guide who was super friendly, gave lots of information about Ludvig II and made sure everyone had a great day. We even got a complimentary upgrade to the VIP tour and received some snacks and drinks on board the coach. The castles were great and the timing did not feel rushed even with the time restraints in each place.
Thank you very much for your 5 star rating. We are happy when you felt well taken care of by Ludwig II and our team 😉
It was a great experience!! Cristina was an amazing guide!!
Thank you very much for your 5 stars. Please cherish your Bavarian memories 😉
We mistakenly turned up a day early and thought we would have to come back again the next day. Thankfully we had a wonderful guide and driver who contacted the office and got permission for us to join their tour. We were given drinks and snacks at every stop which was really appreciated. The tour was well organised and the guide, Sabine did a wonderful job of entertaining us and keeping us on time so that we were able to enjoy each stop without being rushed. Surprisingly our favourite place was Lindenhof Castle. Would highly recommend this tour.
Thank you so much for your overwhelming review, you couldn't make us any happier. It was a pleasure to have you as our guests!
Wear comfortable shoes and clothing for any type of weather. A lot of walking uphill and downhill at times.
Thanks for your 5 star rating and your advice, Heather. Yes, the walking is challenging, but we hope that what you got to see in the end made up for it 😉
