Linderhof Palace – Tours from Munich, Tickets, Prices & What to See

Linderhof Palace in Ettal, Bavaria, is the only one of King Ludwig II’s three palaces completed during his lifetime. It is 95 km from Munich and visited as part of a day tour. The combined Neuschwanstein & Linderhof tour costs from €72 (adult, without castle entry). The palace opens 1 April–15 October: 9 am–6 pm; 16 October–31 March: 10 am–4:30 pm. All visits are guided tours only.

Of all the palaces built by the eccentric, visionary King Ludwig II of Bavaria, Linderhof holds a special place. It is the smallest, the most intimate, and the only one he lived to see completed. Where Neuschwanstein soars with romantic medievalism and Herrenchiemsee sprawls in tribute to Versailles, Linderhof is something different — a deeply personal statement of Ludwig’s tastes, obsessions, and inner world, built in the forested Graswang Valley near the Benedictine monastery of Ettal.

Ludwig II used Linderhof as his primary retreat from court life and public scrutiny. He was a nocturnal, intensely private monarch who preferred the company of art, mythology, and the operas of Richard Wagner to the demands of state. At Linderhof, he could be fully himself — dining alone at his self-serving ‘wishing table,’ rowing alone by candlelight in the artificial Venus Grotto, or walking the terraced gardens at three in the morning.

This guide covers everything you need to know about visiting Linderhof Palace in 2026 — the best tours from Munich, ticket prices, the rooms inside, the park highlights, and how to avoid long queues.

Top Tickets

# Neuschwanstein & Linderhof Castles from Munich (Combined Day Tour)
# Linderhof Palace Only – Full Day Tour from Munich

Linderhof Palace Tour Options & Ticket Prices 2026

The most popular day tour from Munich covers both Linderhof Palace and Neuschwanstein Castle in a 10.5-hour round trip. Tour prices (without castle entry) start from €72 for adults. With castle entry tickets included, prices start from €109 for adults. All visits inside the palace are guided tours of approximately 30 minutes.

Neuschwanstein & Linderhof Castles from Munich

A 10.5-hour day tour from Munich covering both of King Ludwig II’s greatest creations. Departing at 8:30 am by luxury air-conditioned coach, the tour visits Linderhof Palace, the village of Oberammergau (free time for photos and shopping), Hohenschwangau (lunch stop, not included), and Neuschwanstein Castle. Audio guides available in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and Russian. Returns to Munich around 7 pm.

Note: Castle entry fees (€27 per adult, €6 per child) are not included in the base tour price but can be added at checkout.

Ticket Type	Price
Adult (18+) – without castle tickets	€72
Adult (18+) – with castle tickets	€109
Youth (15–17 years) – without castle tickets	€55
Youth (15–17 years) – with castle tickets	€65
Child (up to 14 years) – without castle tickets	€36
Child (up to 14 years) – with castle tickets	€46
Student ID (18–26 years) – without castle tickets	€55
Student ID (18–26 years) – with castle tickets	€92

Linderhof Palace Only – Half-Day Tour from Munich

If you have already visited Neuschwanstein or prefer a more relaxed day focused solely on Linderhof, a half-day Linderhof-only tour from Munich is also available. This typically includes approximately three hours at Linderhof, including the guided palace tour and free time in the park.

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What to See at Linderhof Palace

Linderhof Palace contains 9 state rooms plus the famous Venus Grotto, all accessible only by guided tour (approx. 30 minutes inside). The park surrounding the palace includes the Terrace Gardens, Venus Grotto, Moorish Kiosk, Hunding’s Hut, Music Pavilion, Royal Lodge, and Hermitage of Gurnemanz — all relating to the myths and operas of Richard Wagner.

Inside the Palace – Room by Room

All visits to the palace interior are as part of a guided tour (approximately 30 minutes).

The rooms are visited in sequence:

• Vestibule – the entrance hall, dominated by a replica of the statue of Louis XIV (the Sun King) — Ludwig II’s great inspiration and role model
• Western Tapestry Chamber – opening the sequence of King’s rooms; ceiling painting of Apollo receiving Venus
• Yellow Cabinet – named for its yellow wall coverings; silver-carved ornaments and elegant colour palette
• Audience Chamber – lavishly furnished with French court references; never used for its stated purpose; contains a magnificent gold-plated bronze desk under a canopy
• Lilac Cabinet – lilac silk furnishings preparing the visitor for the adjacent bedroom
• King’s Bedroom – the palace’s most expensive room; a gigantic canopied bed, flying angels holding the Bavarian crown, Ludwig’s symbolic blue throughout
• Pink Cabinet – the King’s dressing room, covered entirely in pink, with portraits of Versailles court members
• Dining Room – featuring the famous Wishing Table (Tischlein deck dich), a self-lowering table that descends to the kitchen to be laid with food, so Ludwig could dine without servants watching
• Blue Cabinet – blue silk, carvings, pastels showing French court personalities from the reign of Louis XV
• Eastern Tapestry Chamber – mirror counterpart of the western chamber; Apollo and Aurora painted on the ceiling
• Hall of Mirrors – the climax of the tour: every surface covered with mirror, the ivory chandelier creating an effect of infinite reflected light; Ludwig is thought to have spent his nights here

The Venus Grotto

The Venus Grotto is one of the most extraordinary private spaces built by any 19th-century monarch. Constructed as a natural stage depicting the first act of Wagner’s opera ‘Tannhäuser,’ the artificial cavern contains a lake, a waterfall, a gilded shell-shaped boat, and a Lorelei rock. It was illuminated by one of the world’s first electrical installations — 12 dynamos powering coloured lights to transform the cave’s atmosphere at Ludwig’s command.

The Park and Its Pavilions

The Linderhof Park, designed by Carl von Effner combining French Baroque and English landscape styles, extends over the surrounding hillsides and contains several remarkable structures:

• Moorish Kiosk – purchased from the 1867 Paris World Exhibition, decorated with a Peacock Throne, glass chandelier, and marble fountain
• Hunding’s Hut – based on the first act of Wagner’s ‘Die Walküre’; rebuilt in 1990 after fires
• Hermitage of Gurnemanz – based on the third act of Wagner’s ‘Parsifal’
• Music Pavilion – at the top of a 30-step marble cascade, looking north over the palace towards the Venus Temple
• Royal Lodge – a hunting lodge used by three monarchs; now contains an exhibition on the building’s origins and Ludwig II’s planning projects
• Terrace Gardens – three Italianate terraces with the Naiad Fountain and a bust of Queen Marie Antoinette

Note: The Venus Grotto is currently undergoing restoration and may have limited access during parts of 2026. Check the official Linderhof website before your visit.

The ‘Curse of the Timed Ticket’ – Why You Should Book in Advance

Linderhof Palace uses strictly timed entry tickets. If you buy tickets at the venue, you may wait in a queue to purchase, then discover the next available slot is hours away — leaving you stranded at the entrance with a paid ticket and nowhere to go. Booking a guided tour from Munich eliminates this risk entirely: the guide manages all ticketing logistics.

Here is a realistic scenario: You arrive at Linderhof at 11 am. After a 45-minute wait at the ticket counter, you buy tickets at 11:45 am — only to find the next available entry slot is 1:15 pm. You now have nearly 90 minutes to fill at the entrance, having already paid for a ticket. This is what visitors call the ‘curse of the timed ticket.’

The solution: book a guided tour from Munich. Your guide purchases tickets in advance, knows the timing, and ensures you arrive at the palace in time for your allocated slot with no queuing.

Linderhof Palace Opening Hours

Linderhof Palace opens daily from 9 am to 6 pm (1 April–15 October) and 10 am to 4:30 pm (16 October–31 March). All buildings are closed on 1 January. The ticket office opens 30 minutes before the palace.

The Linderhof fountains operate daily from mid-April to mid-October, running every 30 minutes from 9 am to 6 pm.

Linderhof Palace Weather & Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Linderhof Palace is from late April to October when the weather is mild, the park fountains are operating, and road conditions are reliable. Winter visits (November–March) are possible but note that the palace is at 1,000 m altitude — winter tyre equipment is mandatory for drivers. Some park features may be closed.

Summer (June–August) offers the most reliable weather and the longest opening hours, but also the most visitors. May and September offer an excellent balance of good conditions and manageable crowds.

Getting There

Linderhof Palace is in the Graswang Valley near the village of Ettal, 95 km (60 miles) from Munich.

Address: Linderhof 12, 82488 Ettal, Germany.

By Guided Tour from Munich (Strongly Recommended)

A guided tour handles all transport and ticketing logistics — the most reliable way to visit Linderhof from Munich.

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By Train + Bus

From Munich Hauptbahnhof, take a Regionalbahn (RB) to Oberammergau (approx. 2 hours). Then take Bus 9622 to Linderhof Schloß — the stop is a 5-minute walk from the palace entrance. Note: Bus 9622 runs infrequently, especially on weekends. Check the timetable carefully before travelling.

By Car

Take the A95 motorway from Munich, then B2 to Oberau. Follow signs to B23 (Ettaler Straße), then St2060 to Linderhof. The palace parking lot accommodates approximately 550 cars. Winter equipment (snow tyres, chains) is mandatory from October to April.

Important: Even though the ticket office starts operation half an hour before the tourist attraction opens, we suggest you purchase the tickets online to avoid long waiting lines. You can either book a tour from Munich to Linderhof Palace and Neuschwanstein Castle or book a tour only to Linderhof Palace.

Frequently Asked Questions

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