A full-day excursion takes us to Germany’s largest inland lake, Chiemsee, where King Ludwig II laid plans for a palace not only to rival Versailles but to leave it in its shadow. The palace was built but never finished and we’ll tell you all about it when we get there.

 It's time to move on to our new home for the next seven nights, a typically Bavarian chalet-style 4* hotel in the town of Oberammergau, a place famous for its passion play which is enacted every ten years……pandemics and wars permitting! This is an excellent base to explore southern Bavaria where soaring mountains overlook lush green pastures and where true Bavarian hospitality is at its best.

PROPOSED ITINERARY

(This is subject to some minor changes without notice)

Wednesday 09^th August 2023

Afternoon flight from Dublin to Munich and transfer to hotel. Evening meal is not included tonight, as we arrive quite late, so we recommend you eat on the flight or head out for a late-night snack at one of the restaurants close-by.

Thursday 10^th August 2023

Leisurely walking tour of some of the highlights of this wonderful city, led by your hosts Alan and Ann. We’ll see the gorgeous “new” town hall, the Viktualenmarkt, Hofbrauhaus, Frauenkirche, Odeonplatz. After a break for lunch and some free time, we’ll be taking a tour out to the stunning Nymphenburg Palace and gardens. (We can offer an alternative with a tour of the BMW Museum at the Olympiapark or a trip to the Dachau concentration camp)

Evening meal at local restaurant.

Friday 11^th August 2023

After an early breakfast, we set off by train towards Prien am Chiemsee for a full-day excursion to the island of Herrenchiemsee and its palace. You’ll learn about its conception, its raison d’etre and its king. Evening meal is included but we haven’t decided where, just yet.

Saturday 12^th August 2023

Lazy breakfast with a couple of hours free to relax in the hotel pool or a quick visit to the city. We travel by train via Murnau to Oberammergau and a short taxi ride to the hotel. There’ll be a short, guided tour of the town with Alan, before a relaxing evening at the hotel and dinner.

Sunday 13^th August 2023

Morning visit to Ettal Abbey. Enjoy a self-guided tour of the public areas and the chapel. Lunch (not included) at the Abbey’s brewery restaurant or return to Oberammergau. Afternoon free. Opportunity to visit the museum of the famous passion play. Dinner at the hotel.

Monday 14^th August 2023

This could be one of the highlights of the holiday, a full-day excursion to Füssen and the fairy-tale palace and castle of King Ludwig II. Walt Disney reputedly used Neuschwanstein as inspiration for his “Cinderella Castle” and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang rescued the children from the Child Catcher here. The fairytales, however, pale into insignificance with the truth. You can only be amazed.

(Please note that quite a lot of walking is unavoidable here)

Dinner back at the hotel…..but a bit later tonight!

Tuesday 15^th August 2023

Today is an important public holiday in most of Bavaria and Oberammergau is no exception. It’s the religious celebration of the Assumption of Mary and early morning church services are traditionally attended by locals dressed in traditional costume, many of whom carry bouquets of flowers and herbs.

We have no indication yet as to which towns and villages will be holding further celebrations but we’ll see if we can fit one of them in to our progamme. 

We take you on a journey across Germany’s most beautiful state, Bavaria……well, we think it is! Not only will you experience some of the most spectacular scenery, but we’ll take you to a host of fabulous places, many made famous by the “Dream King”, Ludwig II of Bavaria.

Where possible and suitable, we’ll be using the amazing public transport system; trains & trams, buses and ferries, rack-railways and cable cars. One full day excursion will be by coach to make the most of the day.

Our tour starts with three nights in the state capital, Munich, where we stay at the city-centre 4* Holiday Inn. We have included a visit with audio-guide and transport to the Nymphenburg Palace, a huge sprawling complex with stunning gardens and birthplace and final days of numerous kings, princes and electors. There will also be a walking tour, led by your hosts Alan and Ann, featuring many of the highlights of this city. Avail of some free time to explore or maybe visit the famous concentration camp at Dachau on your own.

For those who are interested, there’ll be plenty of opportunity to visit the Oberammergau Museum, where you’ll learn about the passion play, its history and its effect on the town. You’ll see the costumes, probably meet a number of the cast, made up from over 1000 locals!

We have lots in store for you, here. A visit to the Ettal Abbey and a chance for a nice lunch at its famous brewery; a trip to the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, famous as a winter-sports resort and military training base; journey to the top of Germany, the Zugspitze. Of course, no visit to the area would be complete without visiting the extraordinary palaces and castles of King Ludwig II. 

Wednesday 16^th August 2023

Who knows, you could start today in glorious sunshine and by lunchtime you could be ankle deep in fresh snow; yes, even in August. Stand with your right foot in Germany and your left foot in Austria at the top of Germany’s tallest mountain, the Zugspitze. Today’s trip involves trains, cog-wheel railway and cable cars. On a good day, stare south into the high Tyrol Alps, north over the beautiful Eibsee and simply wonder at the spectacular scenery….as long as it isn’t snowing! It’s a great day out, then back to the hotel for evening meal.

Thursday 17^th August 2023

This morning we’ll be visiting the last of King Ludwig’s palaces, possibly our favourite! Linderhof is just a short bus-ride away and there’ll be plenty of time to explore the beautiful gardens as well as this stunning and intimate home. The afternoon is free to relax and enjoy the town of Oberammergau.

Friday 18^th August 2023

Today we’ll hop on the train to Murnau, a lovely town not too far away and well worth a visit. If you’re into art, it is home of the “Blue Rider” movement! Back to the hotel for dinner. Or, what about a day to relax! Take a cable-car ride and lunch or afternoon snack at the Kolbensattelhütte. If you’re brave enough, ride down the mountain on a sled, known as a Rodelbahn!

Saturday 19^th August 2023

It’s time for home. At this stage we do not have the precise travel details, but we will keep you posted.

NOTES

TIPS. We have included tips for the catering staff but it’s up to you if you wish to leave something for the person who cleans your room. €2-€3 per guest per day is the norm but it’s at your complete discretion.

Baggage. You have a checked-baggage allowance of 20kgs plus a small carry-on bag, which must fit under your seat, We may, however, be offering a “Hands Free” option and details of this are available separately.

Dress Code. There isn’t one, except that if you wish to visit any churches, you should dress appropriately. Evenings are also casual, so wear what you wish to dinner. We strongly recommend you bring sturdy footwear, especially if you wish to do any hiking.

Hiking. On several days there will be an option to go hiking with Alan. Please give us a call for information.

Train Travel. Please be prepared to travel in the opposite direction of travel. 50% of the seats face backwards but we will endeavour to seat as many people as possible facing forwards, if they need to,