The Inghams Team, Liz and Mike in Seefeld and Bethany in Götzens, Austria have sent us a great blog post to tell us about one of the wonderful excursions you can go on when on holiday in these resorts:
If you are staying in Götzens or Seefeld with Inghams, why not take a break for a day to explore one of Bavaria’s most famous landmarks, Castle Neuschwanstein? Which literally means in English “New Swan on the Rock Castle”. Just an hour and 45 minutes away through the breath taking Austrian countryside and rolling hills of Bavaria, this is a trip not to be missed. You even have your very own English speaking guide to accompany you for the journey and they will explain everything there is to know about Austria, Bavaria and Castle Neuschwanstein.
Castle Neuschwanstein in the summer
This castle is a dramatic Romanesque fortress with soaring fairytale towers…one can imagine Rapunzel letting her hair down one of these towers! Join us for a full day out…every Thursday from Seefeld or Gotzens.
Castle Neuschwanstein in the winter
The coach leaves Seefeld at 08.30 am and winds it way up and over the scenic Fernpass reaching an altitude of 1212 m and travels into Bavaria Germany. Journey time is usually 1 and ½ hrs passing some stunning scenery en route. When we arrive at Neuschwanstein, the guide (might be Ferrucio) organises entrance tickets for the castle tour which is optional and costs €12 per person. Children under 16 get free entrance! The tour is conducted in English and lasts approx 30 mins and well worth it. From where the coach parks guests can enjoy a scenic amble up the path through the woods approx 1 mile takes 30 mins or alternatively take a horse drawn buggy up to the castle costs €6 pp up and €3 down.
Wintertime views
Neuschwanstein was the creation of King Ludwig II of Bavaria who wanted to create a very beautiful castle isolated from the world hence its idyllic location on top of a hill overlooking a lake. King Ludwig II built the castle so he could live like a medieval king. Building work commenced in 1868, so although the castle looks like it’s from the middle ages, it was actually equipped with running water and a heating system. Unfortunately, King Ludwig II’s vision was not shared by all. He had excessive debts and the banks wanted to seize his property. The government had him certified insane and he died amid mysterious circumstances in Lake Starnberg on 13 June 1886. Less than two months later, Castle Neuschwanstein was open to the public. Today it is seen as a symbol of German idealism and is one of the most frequently visited and photographed buildings in the world. The circumstances of King Ludwig’s death still remain a mystery…He was a great admirer of Wagner’s work and hence the many attributes to Wagner’s operas within the interior of the castle.
This is such a beautiful and idyllic castle which Walt Disney much later used as his inspiration for the sleeping beauty castles at disneylands around the world. It was also adopted as the enchanting castle which features at the start to every Disney movie and a lot of footage from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella were all filmed here!
Guests can spend a bit of time in the Multivision Cafe, the original shop, where you can purchase some great souvenirs, posters, postcards etc. There is lots of time as we stop in total for 3 hrs at Neuschwanstein to also have lunch.
After leaving Neuschwanstein we head back into Austria a different route breaking up our journey at the world famous resort of Oberramergau the site for the famous Passion Play which takes place every 10 years. Here we stop for approx 45 mins to 1 hr to recharge with Kaffee and Kuchen in any of the delightful small pavement cafes. Look at the amazing structure of the theatre used for the Passion Play and spend a bit of time window shopping. Some great wood carving and cuckoo clock shops here in Oberrammergau.
We then drive through Garmisch Partenkirchen the resort in Germany which hosted the Winter Olympics in 1936 and then via the picturesque Mittenwald village back to Seefeld.
We usually get back to Seefeld at approx 17.00 after a great day out.
Not to be missed!
Authors: Liz Cakebread and Bethany McDowell/Resort Manager/Inghams Ski/Austria