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The castles of Louis II of Bavaria
The four castles of Louis II of Bavaria are all on the Route of German Alps. Three of them are located near Oberammergau, a Bavarian village which is quite adorable. Hohenschwangau is the castle where the “mad king” spent his childhood. It is a blend of Tudor, Gothic and medieval styles. You can visit a dozen rooms and see the frescoes recounting episodes of German mythology and the imagination of the little Louis. Enjoy the lighting of the castle at night. On the mountain opposite, is the Neuschwanstein Castle, perched on a rocky outcrop and lost amidst the trees with the snowy peaks of the Alps. Straight out of a fairy tale, it inspired Walt Disney to draw that of Sleeping Beauty. We have an excellent view of both castles, from the deck of Marienbrfcke or through the cable (Tegelbergbahn). Lost in the middle of the forest to the Austrian border, Linderhof Castle is the smallest of the four but also the most authentic. The vast park is home to the grotto of Venus (the largest artificial cave in Europe), the Moorish Kiosk and refuge of Hunding. Herrenchiemsee, the fourth castle - located 90 km from Munich - is a replica of the Palace of Versailles.

The road castles
There are more than 70 castles on the route linking from Mannheim to Prague. It leads through the beautiful landscape of the Neckar valley, the provinces of Hohenlohe, Frankenhahe or Franconian Switzerland. It goes through the sites of Heidelberg, Rothenburg ob der Taug, Nurmeberg, Bayreuth or Bamberg. Apart from these castles, this road is marked by numerous traces of the past: medieval cities, religious buildings from all eras and other cultural sites.

Castle Nymphenburg
Place of birth of Louis II (cousin of Empress Elisabeth of Austria), this castle with styles of both baroque and rococo, built outside Munich (today near the city center) was the summer residence of the kings of Bavaria. The interior (purple dyes, paints and gold at the entrance and tapestries featuring scenes from mythology …) the “Gallery of beauty” of Ludwig II with its women portraits of the Court Versailles, the red cabinets and the immense park with its small pavilions make this castle a major attraction. At the rear of the building, the gardens and the woods lined nearby. They have since remained in that state. There is a small hunting lodge, with the rococo style, architectural style that characterizes much of Bavaria. The stables now hosting a museum of carriages including those belonged to Louis II.

Castle Possenhofen
Possenhofen, the castle where the Empress of Austria (Sissi) spent her young years in Bavaria, is located in the heart of the woods in the area of Lake Starnberg. With his erect turret slots, its facades and dapper green paint, the castle presents an original architecture. Sold at the end of the last century by the state of Bavaria to a businessman, not less than twelve owners have divided apartments. It is clear that the authorities had underestimated the tourism potential of this monument, which is visible to visitors from outside. However, the site offers a beautiful things in the small garden (where the throne statue of the empress lies), at the foot of the lake until the Imperial Hotel in Feldafing. We can go along the lake (25 km in length) about a hundred meters by narrow roads. At the back of the court, you can visit the stables of the time, with the old tile walls and green yarn. The boxes have been transformed into a gym to match the “sport personality” of the monarch. Do not miss the imperial suite, located on the floor of the hotel. Complete the visit by the historic station, which connects the hotel to the castle. It houses the museum Antiquariat Heinemann, a private collection comprising many objects (in addition to pictures, postcards, authentic documents …) that belonged to the empress and her family.

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