Linderhof Palace

Linderhof Palace near Ettal in the Bavarian Alps is the smallest of King Ludwig II's royal palaces and the only major one he lived to see completed. Since 2025 it has been part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with Neuschwanstein. With its glittering Rococo rooms, formal gardens with a soaring fountain, and an artificial grotto inspired by Wagner's operas, it's one of the most rewarding day trips from Munich.

The story of Ludwig II's retreat

Linderhof began as a modest hunting lodge used by Ludwig's father, King Maximilian II. From 1869, Ludwig II expanded it step by step into a jewel-box palace in the style of French Rococo, reflecting his fascination with Louis XIV and Versailles. A final expansion of the bedroom was still unfinished when Ludwig died in 1886.

What to see

• The palace: visits are by guided tour only, lasting about 25 minutes. Highlights include the Hall of Mirrors, the lavish bedroom, and the dining room's famous "magic table," which could be lowered to the kitchen below and raised fully laid, so the reclusive king could dine alone.
• The Venus Grotto: an artificial cave built in 1875 to 1877 to stage a scene from Wagner's opera Tannhäuser, complete with a lake and a gilded shell-shaped boat. Its colored lighting was powered by one of the world's first electric power plants. After a decade-long restoration (2015 to 2025), it is open again in summer.
• The gardens: terraces, water basins, and the Flora fountain, whose jet reaches up to 22 meters (72 feet).
• Park buildings: the Moroccan House, Hunding's Hut, and Gurnemanz's Hermitage. The Moorish Kiosk is under restoration and expected to reopen in 2028.

Tickets and opening hours

As of October 2026, according to the Bavarian Palace Administration:

• Summer (April 15 to October 15): daily 9 am to 6 pm.
• Winter (October 16 to April 14): palace only, daily 10 am to 4:30 pm; the grotto and park buildings are closed.
• Tickets: palace 11 euros; combined palace and grotto ticket 18 euros (summer only). Visitors under 18 enter free.
• Closed January 1, Shrove Tuesday, and December 24, 25, and 31.

Some tickets are sold online, which lets you skip the line at the ticket office.

How to get to Linderhof

Linderhof lies in the remote Graswang Valley, roughly 100 km (60 miles) southwest of Munich.

• By car: Take the A95 and B2 toward Garmisch-Partenkirchen, then the B23 to Ettal and the road to Linderhof. There's a large paid parking lot.
• By train and bus: Take a regional train from Munich to Oberammergau, then bus 9622 to the palace. Regional trains and buses are covered by the Deutschlandticket.

Many guided day tours from Munich combine Linderhof with Neuschwanstein, which is a good option if you don't have a car.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes. Linderhof is less crowded than Neuschwanstein, the interiors are more complete, and the setting in the mountains is beautiful. Allow two to three hours for the palace, grotto, and gardens. Paths up to the grotto are steep in places. In winter the palace is quieter and often snowy, but the grotto and fountains are closed, so summer and early fall offer the full experience. Visitors under 18 get in free, which makes Linderhof a budget-friendly stop for families.