Linderhof Palace Germany: Plan your visit!

Plan your visit to the Linderhof palace, one of the fairy tale castles of Germany.

Learn how to get there, when to visit, what to expect and collect useful info.

📕 What is the Linderhof Palace?

The Linderhof palace, also known as the “royal villa”, is one of the three palaces commissioned by the Bavarian fairy tale king, king Ludwig II of Bavaria.

Constructions of the neo-rococo building proceeded between 1870 and 1886 in various phases. This enchanting castle was the only one the mad king ever got to see completed.

His other two grand royal projects, the Neuschwanstein castle, made famous by Disney, and the Herrenchiemsee palace, are equally famous.

Linderhof castle is but entirely unique and served as a Lustschlösschen, which means the palace and gardens were used as a royal amusement retreat.

Originally, the young King Ludwig II, and his father King Maximilian II of the Wittelsbach house, would frequent the area and cottage to go hunting.

The then forester house and hunting lodge, also called the royal lodge, was turned into what we know today as Linderhof palace.

Ludwig was a great fan of the late French sun king, king Louis XIV, and his lavish style. Linderhof palace interiors and the outer architecture, were inspired and modeled after the palace of Versailles near Paris in France.

🚗 Location and Getting There

The Linderhof palace is situated near the alpine city, Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Ammergau alps in Southern Bavaria.

In fact, this small palace is near the Austrian Tyrol border, and it's not all that far from Germany's iconic Neuschwanstein castle.

This palace was positioned right between the much older Linderhof park, which is a protected forest nature reserve, at the base of the Ammer mountain range.

A drive to the premises is filled with miles long forest views, with almost no settlements nearby.

To get there conveniently, I recommend traveling by car. Travelers getting around via public transport will have to get to the next nearby train station to hop into a bus or cab from there to the Linderhof palace.

Munich to Linderhof Palace

By Car: The A9 German Autobahn highway takes you directly from Munich, the Bavarian capital, to the Garmisch area. But instead of going all the way down to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, you will have to take the B2 in Oberau, direction Ettal. Right after crossing the village of Ettal, look out for directions and signboard on the left to Linderhof palace. One way travel time is about 1h 20 mins.

You can also join a full Linderhof palace tour with transfer from and to Munich.

By Bus: You can get a seat on a Flixbus with Innsbruck as a direction. Get out at Garmisch Partenkirchen and take the regional public bus to Oberammergau or Ettal, where you will have to change bus to take the Schloss Linderhof bus (Line 9622). One way travel time is about 3 hours in total.

By Train: Take a train connection direction Garmisch-Partenkirchen. From Garmisch, take the regional bus to Oberammergau or Ettal and switch to the 9622 line bus to Schloss Linderhof. One way travel time is about 3 hours.

Garmisch to Linderhof Palace

By Car: Drive the B2 direction Munich up to Oberau. In Oberau look out for signs to Oberammergau and Ettal and take the B23 upwards. Drive right after Ettal and look out for signboards on the left to Linderhof. A one-way trip will take you about 30 minutes.

You can choose to join a guided tour of the palace with transfer from and to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

By Bus: Take the 9606 at the main train station in Garmisch, direction Oberammergau. Get out in Oberammergau or Ettal and take the next bus line 9622 to Schloss Linderhof. You will be traveling for about 1h 20 minutes in total.

By Train: There is no train connection from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to Schloss Linderhof.

Füssen to Linderhof Palace

By Car: You have two options. Either you take the B179 Fernpass road via Reutte, Austria OR you can take the B17 in Germany via Steingaden and Bad Bayersoien. The route via Austria is shorter, but it's a busy mountain pass road with frequent traffic jams. The German road connection is a better option, but you will be traveling a ⅓ more in distance. You will be driving for about 1 hour.

By Bus: Take a bus from the Füssen train station direction Weilheim. Get out at Echelsbacher Brücke, Rottenbuch and switch to the bus connection direction Garmisch Partenkirchen but change bus at Oberammergau soon after. At Oberammergau take the 9622 Line to Schloss Linderhof. The total one-way travel time is a whopping 4 hours!

No Train connections here!

Innsbruck to Linderhof Palace

By Car: From Innsbruck drive towards Seefeld and Scharnitz, which is the B177. You will pass Mittenwald and soon after look out for directions to Garmisch-Partenkirchen/Munich and take the B2. Once in Garmisch, move on direction Munich and Oberau. At Oberau take the road up towards Ettal and Oberammergau and look for signs on the left right after the Ettal village to get to Linderhof. This is a 1h 30 minute long trip.

By Bus: Take a Flixbus from Innsbruck direction Munich/Garmisch and get out in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Continue your journey via public buses by getting into a line direction Oberammergau. Change to the 9622 line Schloß Linderhof in Oberammergau or Ettal. The total one way travel time is about 3 hours.

By Train: At the Innsbruck main train station, take a connection to Mittenwald. In Mittenwald change to a German Nahreisezug (local train) to get to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and from there choose a bus line to Oberammergau or Ettal and change to take the 9622 bus line to Linderhof palace. You will be traveling for more than 3 hours.

🏰 Highlights

While the palace might appear like a simple villa amidst a forest, this royal retreat in the Bavarian Alps is much more than that.

The dreams and personality of King Ludwig II shine through and give you a peak into his fantastic life before this tragic downfall.

He was known to be a dreamer, a poet, a forward thinker of his time, a creative soul, but he also used up all the state funds to build his castles from your fairytales. Yet, the people loved him. The locals in Oberammergau would call Ludwig their beloved king.

He brought Bavaria to bankruptcy, and this romantic ruler has resemblance to Shah Jahan and his legendary Taj Mahal. Both, Ludwig II and Shah Jahan, were somewhat tragically deposed by their family members at the end of their rule.

Furthermore, theories emerged that he may have been gay, due to stories connected to this stable boys and the love letters to the composer Richard Wagner.

Palace

It feels as if you are entering a small villa but one that is decorated with extravagant baroque and rococo elements.

The building consists of only 4 larger functional rooms and every room contains an element of symbolism.

The tour starts in the Vestibule and the first thing that you get to see are marble columns and a picture of King Louis XIV.

Further, his veneration for the French sun king and his absolutism reign is honored with suns depicted in all rooms in multiple places.

Hand-painted ceiling frescoes from another age and time, tapestries, stucco work and furniture work of another skill level adorn every single room.

Ludwig was the king of the night, the opposite of the sun king and therefore his bedchamber, the largest room, is facing north. He called himself also the Moon King.

The opulent hall of mirrors was used as a drawing and reading room, and he would spend his nights there. The candles in the candelabras and the Viennese crystal chandelier light reflected in the wall mirrors.

A more ingenious invention of the time is the dinner table, known as the “whishing table” or “Tischlein deck dich”. A crank mechanism can take the table from the lower kitchens located downstairs, to the dining room.

The king was a loner, and he would always dine alone. It is said the table had to be set for 3 or 4 people and that he would talk to his imaginary friends, which included the sun king of France and king Louis XV.

Incidentally, the Linderhof interiors and gardens were inspired by Richard Wagner's Operas, including Tannhäuser, Parsifal, der Ring des Nibelungen, Tristan und Isolde and die Walküre. The same applies to Ludwig's fairy tale castle, Neuschwanstein.

Gardens

The ornamental gardens are well manicured mixed style gardens. That means you will see different style elements across the area, especially around the palace itself in the Eastern and Western Parterre.

Look out for the Renaissance Italian style gardens on the terrace, think Boboli gardens in Florence and the Luxembourg gardens in Paris to compare.

Moreover, the Eastern and Western parterre are laid out in a baroque fashion. Other gardens like that include the Mirabelle gardens in Salzburg and the famous Versailles ornamental gardens near Paris. English and Spanish garden flair and layouts can be spotted in some areas too.

Yet, the most striking element is the elongated water pool opposite the palace, with a gilt fountain group at the center, spitting out a 25-meter-high water stream every so often.

Disturbing the symmetry is an over 300-year-old Linden Tree, which is said to have been saved by the king itself from being cut down. The linden tree is the name giver to the palace, Linderhof.

On the other side of the pool on a hill sits the temple of Venus and from here you can get the best views to the palace with the fountain.

Behind the Linderhof, the northern bed chamber side, is the Neptune's fountain. Water comes flowing down the 30 marble steps, creating a cascade effect. At the top of it all is the music pavilion.

The eastern and western parterre are laid out with vibrant flower beds and statues depicting roman gods and the bust of king Louis XVI.

In addition to all that is the vast forest-like park areas that you can explore on your own. Ludwig loved the oriental theme, and he decorated the park accordingly.

Look out for the Moorish Kiosk, located in the far east, which was purchased from the world exhibition in Paris in 1976. The king would often have tea sitting in the peacock throne, while his servants were dressed in oriental costumes. A marble fountain and glass chandelier were installed as well.

Another such exotic building, the Moroccan house, situated to the west of the palace after the ticket counter, was also purchased from a Paris World Exhibition in 1878.

At the far south-eastern end lie the hunting hut and the Hermitage of Gurnemanz. The latter was inspired by the Wagner opera, Parsifal.

We couldn't get to see the Venus Grotto, located in the north, as was closed for maintenance work up to the end of 2024. This artificial cave with a lake and waterfall contains a golden boat in the shape of a shell, and it is said to have wonderful mural paintings.

🎫 Cost and Admission Timings

You can access the park completely for free, that includes the fountain outside the palace and the smaller buildings in the park, including the Moorish Kiosk and the Moroccan house.

The palace interior rooms can only be visited as part of a guided tour, which lasts about 25 minutes.

A guided tour is held every 5 to 10 minutes and up to 40 people can join the tour. Tours are held in German or English. Larger groups should contact the administration in advance to book a slot.

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Near the entrance of the park is the ticket office, with other facilities. Tickets can be purchased over there or online in advance.

I recommend booking Linderhof palace tickets online during the peak season (July and August) and to buying tickets on place during the other months so that you can talk to the clerk and get a better recommendation.

Keep in mind that you will need about 10 to 30 minutes to get to the palace from the ticketing counter, as you walk down the pathways across the royal park facility.

Tickets for the Linderhof palace tour have a set time slot, and the tour starts outside the palace and not next to the ticket counter.

Summer Ticket Cost (mid-April to mid-October): €10 per adult. You can get a reduction and pay only €9 if you are above 65 years of age, but you will have to show your ID.

Winter Ticket Cost (mid-October to mid-April): €9 per adult. Here again you can get a better price at €8 if you are above 65 years of age.

Children and teens up to the age of 18 are free of charge. Pupils above the age of 18 as well, you will have to show a valid and recognizable school ID.

The castle ticket doesn't include admission to the Königshäuschen exhibition "Lynderhof zum Schloss", which is a traditional farm house turned into a museum, located on the premises near the palace. Tickets priced at about €2 can be purchased separately to see the museum.

If you have come all the way to see the three palaces of King Ludwig II, then you might want to get a palace combination ticket, called Königsschlösser for €31 per adult.

The park and palace open their doors daily at 9 am and close them at 6 pm, from mid-April to mid-October. The timings are a bit shortened in winter, and you can get in from 10:30 am to 4 pm.

🛏️ Hotels

The closest hotel to the Linderhof castle, with a unique traditional touch, is the Klosterhotel Ludwig der Bayer. Run by the abbey next door, this 4-star hotel has everything that you can hope for in a Bavarian establishment.

Incidentally, the most stylish place that you can stay in the Lartor resort in Unterammergau, near Oberammergau. This boutique hotel comes with views and a sophisticated design approach.

If you are looking for a 5-star establishment with rooms decorated with alpine elements, then check out the Romantic Alpenhotel Waxenstein in Grainau near the Eibsee lake.

You can choose to stay in Partenkirchen, a corner of the Garmisch-Partenkirchen merged city. The yellow and colorful Atlas Grand Hotel will help you dive deep into the local environment and culture.

If you want to stay at a lake view, I can also recommend the Eibsee-Hotel with their traditionally furnished rooms and grand wellness program.

🚗 Day Trip Ideas

The Linderhof palace is in one of the most beautiful places in Germany and you will find plenty of attractions and towns to visit nearby. Most are within a one-hour distance.

I can recommend visiting the following towns:

• Oberammergau – A 15-minute drive away, this village is known for its intricate painted murals, passion play and for its wood carving traditions.
• Ettal and the Abbey – Ettal abbey is an active benedictine monastery with beautiful church interiors and monks preparing fantastic spirits.
• Garmisch-Partenkirchen – the capital of the region. The two towns were merged in 1934 by Hitler for the Winter Olympics. People come for the history, the yearly ski jumping competition, traditionally painted houses and for the upscale shops.
• Mittenwald – Another beautiful and unmissable village, known for the painted house facades and handmade top class violins.
• Murnau am Staffelsee – A market town on the Staffel lake, with colorfully painted houses standing in a row.

If you are looking for more attractions, take a look at the following places:

• Hohenschwangau – With the world-famous fairy tale Neuschwanstein castle and the Hohenschwangau castle. It can be beautifully combined on a day tour with Linderhof palace.
• Highline 179, Ehrenberg Castle with Fort Claudia – Located in Reutte Austria on the way to Hohenschwangau, just 30 minutes away. Highline 189 is a suspension Nepal style bridge connecting the Ehrenberg castle and fort Claudia ruin.
• Eibsee Lake and Zugspitze – One of Germany's most beautiful lakes located at the base of Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze.
• Partnach Gorge – A hike across this gorge is an adventure!

⌛ When to Visit and Weather

The Linderhof gardens and palace are accessible all year round and each season has its perks. We have visited in the past in summer and fall and I think that the most beautiful season to visit is fall.

Leave trees change their foliage and the Ammergerbirge nature preserve surrounds the 58 ha Linderhof gardens and palace. The backdrop gives you a stunning view, with the gardens turning into a feast for your eyes.

Spring time can also be very rewarding with spring flowers decorating the park and palace gardens. Winters turns the Linderhof into a winter wonderland example, resembling a small palace from the movie frozen by Disney.

Average temperatures to expect on your visit:

• Winter (end of December, January, February, and a bit of March) – mostly between 14 and 41 Fahrenheit (ca. -10 to +5 degree Celsius). Nights are cold, and the wind can drop temperatures. Not all that busy and no queues.
• Spring (end of March, April, May, and June) – It gets gradually warmer with temperatures ranging between 50 and 68 Fahrenheit (ca. 10 to 20 degree Celsius). During special holidays, such as Easter, it can get busy.
• Summer (end of June, July, August and the first weeks of September) – Summers usually better in the mountains, but the ozone layer is thinner here and the altitudes increase the sun ray strength. It can get hot, but temperatures typically sit between 68 and 95 Fahrenheit (ca. 20 to 35 degree Celsius). The busiest months of the year and it will get overcrowded and queues are common.
• Fall aka Autumn (end of September, October, November) – A pleasant romantic time to visit, with foggy mysterious landscapes forming and acceptable temperatures fluctuating between 50 and 77 Fahrenheit (ca. 10 to 25 degree Celsius). No queues and not that crowded.

💭 FAQs