Walk in the footsteps of Bavaria's eccentric King Ludwig to Neuschwanstein Castle. Also known as the Koenig Ludwig Weg or King Ludwig’s Way. The eccentric Ludwig II succeeded to the throne of the then independent kingdom of Bavaria in 1864, as a youth of 18. On 13 June 1886 he and his physician Dr Godden were found dead in the water of the Starnbergersee (Lake Starnberg); the question still remains - Did Ludwig fall or was he pushed? He was a strong swimmer and a post-mortem established that he did not drown. But no one has succeeded in unraveling the mystery. The Koenig Ludwig Weg starts at the Votivkapelle (shrine), which marks the actual spot on the lakeshore ( near the hamlet of Berg) where the bodies were found. The route ends 60 miles away near Ludwig's own fairy tale castle at Neuschwanstein. This walk, which is one of the favourite longer walks in Germany, links places particularly dear to King Ludwig who was himself a keen walker. It is not a mountain walk and much of the route is on farm tracks and country lanes, but the surroundings are delightful, with a host of splendid buildings to admire in magnificent settings and plentiful opportunities to stop for refreshments! The plains surrounding Munich give way to gentle rolling hills that become ever higher as one approaches the great wall of limestone that marks the start of the Alps proper. The route passes two of Bavaria's most scenic lakes and through charming villages of geranium bedecked chalets with typical onion shaped church spires. There are masterpieces of baroque architecture, the Andechs monastery, the wonderful cathedral of Diessen on the Ammersee Lake; the monasteries of Wessobrunn and Rottenbuch, as well as the Wies or 'Meadow' church are on the route. The highest point (988m) on the walk is the summit of Hohenpeissenberg hill, considered by many to be the finest viewpoint in Bavaria. We end our tour at King Ludwig II’s most famous architectural masterpiece- the castle Neuschwanstein and at the nearby castle Hohenschwangau, both in Allgau on the Austrian border, where Ludwig spent most of his childhood. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of King Ludwig II (in 1995), the route was extended to begin at the Votivkapelle in Berg. It is a popular walk so early booking is recommended.
Known for its world-famous Passion Plays, performed every ten years, it is impossibly picturesque; its houses are decorated with elaborate paintings known as Luftmalerei and prettily carved wooden balconies overflow with geraniums. Here, the locals embrace their rich history, where traditional Bavarian dress is often worn in recognition of their heritage and the custom of Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and a generously sized portion of cake) is still an afternoon ritual.
The village is also an absolute Mecca for the walking enthusiast. From exhilarating mountain hikes with amazing views all the way to the Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain, to relaxed strolls through lush green valleys and wetland nature reserves, Oberammergau's wealth of well-signed paths and easy-to-follow trails make it a great choice for wonderfully varied walking. We provide a choice of both level 1 and level 2 walks for all days, using the highly efficient local public transport system so you can explore further afield - all guests receive a Guest Card that gives free transport on certain local buses and trains. You also have the mountain lifts to take the sting out of more challenging ascents.
Trekking and HikingAdventure
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
13-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Oberammergau, Bad Kohlgrub, Etta
Oberammergau, Bad Kohlgrub, Ettal Village, Uffing, Kolben, Linderhof Palace
Overall, this was an amazing trip to be introduced to Europe and experience a little bit of everything there. If you are thinking about opting out of a tour service like this and figuring it all out on your own, I would advise against it. There are a lot of cultural and social differences between these countries that a cursory internet search will not make you aware of. The tour guide's guidance is really what allowed us to be safe and not clueless while exploring, and the tour also highlighted a lot of the activities and locations that were actually worth doing. I feel like I truly maximized my time in Europe and did not waste a moment. At this price point, I doubt you would be able to find anything as good. It was truly life-changing, and on the flight back I dreaded coming back home. Also, if you see Kevin Screene as an option for your tour guides, take him. Amazing person and an even better guide.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
10-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Rome, Florence, Venice, Bavaria
Rome, Florence, Venice, Bavaria, Rhine, Amsterdam, Paris, Swiss Alps, the Swiss Alps, Tuscany
10% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
We all had a wonderful time, the whole group got along and we made life long friends. It was fast, we saw a lot of beautiful places. Our driver was excellent, his name was Chris and our tour leader was Martina ""Marty"" who had a wealth of information since she has traveled the world visiting every country in this world… amazing! We would highly recommend Expat, this was our sixth trip. Safe travels!
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
10-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Munich, Bratislava, Prague, Ljub
Munich, Bratislava, Prague, Ljubljana, Split, Dubrovnik, Budva, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Budapest
18% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
Cologne to Mainz trip Excellent director, Julia, made everything easy. Right level of support. Food excellent and abundant. Area beautiful, cycling relatively easy.
This is a fast pace tour so we've seen many points of interests in 11 counties in 14 days. It was well organized and learned some of the countries history, which was very nice. Pascal is such a caring person and excellent driver. He always have that beautiful smile and warm hello whenever he sees you even though he worked for many long hours. Would give him 7 stars out of 5. He goes above and beyond expectations. What an asset forExpat! Matt is very well versed in European history and it is great learning from him. He also kept us well informed so that the tour runs smoothly, which we appreciate very much. Though a couple of the hotels are not up to par, it won't prevent us from touring through Expat in the future. Overall, it was a great experience for us .
Art and architecture
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
10-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Amsterdam, Ghent, Swiss Alps, Pa
Amsterdam, Ghent, Swiss Alps, Paris, Rhine, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Ljubljana, Venice, Tuscany
7% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
As Central Europe's third largest lake, cycling around the lake is special in that you visit all three countries in a week. Hosting a huge 270km lakeside cycling path, it's a beautifully flat journey from one country to the next, where you'll take in the sights and scents of cherry orchards, wildflower fields and daisy-strewn meadows.
Cross the mighty Rhine Delta that straddles the border between Austria and Switzerland and encounter wonderful wildlife, including kingfishers hidden in the reeds. Take a refreshing dip in the turquoise waters during stop-offs, visit half-timbered frescoed towns for lunch (kretzer (perch) and zander (pike-perch) are Konstanz specialities), and then admire the myriad of Baroque churches and Gothic cathedrals.
Brimming with historical and cultural highlights, jump off your bike to visit fairytale Meersburg boasting twin castles, steep streets and vine-covered hillsides. Get a true taste of Germany when cycling through the Bavarian vineyards - local Muller-Thurgau wines come from Riesling and Silvaner grapes for which Lake Constance is famous. For chocolate-lovers, mediaeval Stein am Rhein boasts an array of lovely chocolate shops, and you can visit the 11th century monastery while you're there.
Bicycle tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
15-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Bregenz, Arbon, Stein Am Rhein
Bregenz, Arbon, Stein Am Rhein, Konstanz, Friedrichshafen
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. As this was our very first European cycling trip we really didn’t know what to expect but the trip exceeded our expectations! The information provided before (the tip about a charging stick was invaluable) and during was great. The accommodations were fantastic, especially their location. It was so nice after a long ride to arrive at the hotel, be able to check in, have our bags available and then, after a shower, be able to head out on foot to explore the sights! The breakfasts were amazing and fuelled us for the ride ahead. The navigation system generally worked well although a bit tricky in larger centres but we figured things out. The bikes were well maintained and worked well.
Bicycle tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Nuremberg, Rothenburg ob der Tau
Nuremberg, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bamberg, Neustadt, Wolframs-Eschenbach
Experience the Baltic states on this 12-day adventurous journey through Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. From the medieval spires of Tallinn and the funky bars of Riga to the Baroque-styled quirks of Vilnius. Visit colourful markets, be immersed in art and architecture and kayak on Lithuanian lakes. Hike through forests, learn about the layered history and indulge in home-cooked meals with friendly hosts. Join a trip with likeminded travellers and discover the rich history and fascinating customs of this region on a journey from Helsinki to Vilnius.
Countryside and village visits
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Home-stay, Guest House
Age Range
15-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Berlin, Helsinki, Aukstaitija Na
Berlin, Helsinki, Aukstaitija National Park, Vilnius, Tallinn, Riga, Klaipeda, Spitz
This tour was an amazing experience and a great way to see A LOT of Europe in a short amount of time. The trip was fast paced but very well planned out with the itinerary and mix of activities that you see and do. Jemma, our tour guide was absolutely amazing! We couldn't have asked for better! She was charismatic, funny, knowledgeable, organized, and guided us in a positive way where we got the very most out of the travel experience learning the local history, foods, culture and best site seeing spots. She went above and beyond to make sure we were getting the most out of our tour experience. Gabriel, our driver was also phenomenal. We always felt very safe and he was always perfectly punctual and helped us load/ unload and kept us very comfortable on the coach.
