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Places Fairy Tales are Dreamed of

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Witness the fairy tale castles of Neuschwanstein and Linderhof, created by Germany’s 19th-century King Ludwig II, on a day trip from Munich. Traveling by air-conditioned coach, admire Bavaria’s magnificent scenery as you journey to Linderhof, Ludwig’s rococo-style hunting lodge and last home. Join an optional interior tour and then continue to Neuschwanstein, a picture book clutch of turrets and chambers that inspired Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle. Enjoy free time in nearby Hohenschwangau village for lunch and to explore Neuschwanstein’s grounds, and take an optional castle tour. Entrance fees not included.

  • King Ludwig II’s Royal Castles day trip from Munich
  • Admire lush Bavaria on route to Neuschwanstein and Linderhof, both built by Germany’s ‘mad’ King Ludwig II
  • Tour (own expense) the inside of the lavish Linderhof or visit the Moorish Pavilion in the grounds
  • Ogle the hilltop Neuschwanstein, the model for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle
  • Enjoy free time to tour Neuschwanstein’s interior (own expense) and explore its grounds and Hohenschwangau village
  • Learn about the ‘mad’ Ludwig and his desire to create his own fantasy castles
  • Enjoy a shopping stop in postcard-pretty Oberammergau, famous for its Passion Play

Words can not describe these castles! We toured the Linderhof castle which was the King’s hunting lodge – wow don’t show this to any of my hunting friends, I’m afraid our deer camps pale in comparison. Then we were off to see Neuschwanstein Castle! It is unbelievable and so enchanting just like in fairy tales. Having seen Sleeping Beauty’s castle at Disneyworld it definitely was inspired by this castle. The third castle pictured is Hohenschwangau, this is where King Ludwig grew up and was is father’s castle.

Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial

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Gain insight into the Holocaust of World War II on this half-day tour of Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site from Munich. Travel by train and bus to the memorial site, and take a guided tour of the compound, a place of memorial and education dedicated to the thousands who were imprisoned and lost their lives there between 1933 and 1945. Learn how Dachau provided a model for all Nazi camps, and see the exhibitions and memorials, together with the reconstructed barracks and cells, as your guide provides illuminating, informative and sensitive commentary.

  • Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site tour from Munich
  • Tour the exhibition center and former compound with a professional guide
  • Learn about Dachau’s history at the exhibition center
  • See the camp gate and reconstructed barracks, cells, guard houses and other buildings
  • Pay your respects at the international and religious memorials
  • Round-trip travel to Dachau by local train and bus included

I’m not going to ponder long on the concentration camp, it is what it is. After going to Auschwitz and Birkenau in Poland, we knew what to expect. It is sad to know that there are these type of people in the world.

Berchtesgaden and the Eagle’s Nest

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The impressive mountain scenery and the beautiful landscape of the Berchtesgadener Land will definitely fascinate you. Our tour will offer you the opportunity to pay a visit at the NS Documentation Center on Obersalzberg. A special bus and lift then take you up to the Kehlsteinhaus at an altitude of 1,834m where you will be rewarded with spectacular views.

Our guide will give a comprehensive summary of the historical events and answer any questions. Afterwards, we will have a short stop in the town of Berchtesgaden.

The return journey via the German alpine road shows you the impressive valleys of Bavaria. 

It was super foggy during our tour! You could barely see in front of you but I captured as many photos as I could and even took a few of signs so you would know what you are looking at 🙂 ! As you can tell it was also raining! But all in all we can say we have been there. Another check on Greg’s bucket list and another day devoted to WWII.

Hitler and the Third Reich Walking Tour of Munich

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Delve into Munich’s dark past and the birth of the Nazi ideology on a revealing 2.5-hour city walking tour. Led by a knowledgeable guide, discover the sites that provided backdrops to Adolf Hitler and his followers as they set about founding the Third Reich, giving Munich its title as the ‘Capital of the Nazi Movement.’ See beer-halls where Nazi brown shirts first gathered, buildings from where Hitler delivered speeches, and memorials to opposers of the movement, all as your guide charts the events that saw Hitler take power in 1933.

  • 2.5-hour Munich and the Third Reich walking tour with an expert guide
  • Learn how Munich saw the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis in the 1920s and 1930s
  • See streets and buildings where Hitler fought his way to power and gave speeches
  • View beer-halls where Nazi fanatics gathered and sites linked to the 1938 anti-Semitic pogrom of Kristallnacht
  • Visit memorials to those who died opposing the hate-filled Nazi ideology
  • Hear about the Nazi propaganda machine and lead-up to World War II from an informed guide

Three weeks of travel; so I guess I had to indulge Greg a couple of days of WWII. History is interesting and I am afraid may be repeating itself. But no politics here only travel and sightseeing. For a two and half hour walking tour of Munich it was more like running and grasping as much as you could as fast as you could. I really appreciate with the tour guides show you photos of then versus being in front of the actual place now. It really brings things to light.

Quick Overview of How Things Started

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I’m going to try not to overload you with pictures and post but I do need to tell you that this is a three week Europe/Scandinavian trip that includes six countries and a whole lot of excursions! We started with unexpected weather in the way of flooding in Houston. The Mayor of Houston closed the Houston International Airport and our flight from Little Rock to Houston was cancelled. Needless to say we didn’t make our connecting flight to Munich. Emergency calls to United to get us on the quickest flight to Munich was made and off we go. An awesome friend (Dana Heide) whom had dropped us off at Little Rock Airport that morning, returned and picked us up and we headed to Memphis, Tennessee where the next available flight would leave bright and early the next morning. Praying for no more mishaps we boarded our flight from Memphis to Newark, New Jersey then to Munich. What is the saying a day late and a dollar short! We lost a little over 26 hours but we were in Munich in time for the first parade Saturday morning. So let the festivity’s begin!

6.2 Million Visitors to Oktoberfest

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Just a few shots to try an show just how many people were there! I have never been in such a crowd before. You literally could not keep up with anyone else, just make your way to the next designated spot. There were no seats or tables available. It was reported that there were 6.2 million “extra” people in Munich for opening weekend. My suggestion to anyone wanting to go, try for a weekday but research what is happening that day and make reservations – if possible! Some of these pictures are from the Ferris Wheel so you can see how crowded it was. Okay I think you understand…it was crowded.

Costume and Riflemen’s Parade

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A look into Bavarian culture and traditions would start with the Costumes and Riflemen’s Parade. This parade showcased the local hunting clubs and a varied succession of regional costume groups, “troops” in historical uniforms, marching bands, riflemen, thoroughbred horses, oxen, cows, goats, the decorated drays of the Munich breweries, floats displaying typical local traditions and historic carriages all pass by. This parade is always on the Sunday Morning following the opening of Oktoberfest on Saturday.

Oktoberfest in Munich

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Day one in Munich started with a parade of the breweries. To be in Munich’s Oktoberfest, which is the original and is over 200 years old. You have to brew your beer in Munich. There are five breweries represented in this parade. Each brewery enters one wagon of the beer that will be served in the tent at Oktoberfest and one wagon holds the beerhall workers. Each wagon is pulled through town and ends up at their respective tents inside the fair grounds. At noon sharp the Mayor of Munich taps the first barrel of beer and thus begins Oktoberfest. You can be in the tent but you will not be served any beer until the cannon fires announcing the keg as been tapped.