Herrenchiemsee: Guided tours, directions, tickets and excursion tips

Herrenchiemsee at a glance

Herrenchiemsee was commissioned by King Ludwig II in 1878, shortly after he had visited Versailles Palace near Paris for the first time.

In addition to its magnificent architecture based on the French example, what makes it so special is its unusual location: the palace is located in the middle of an island in Lake Chiemsee and can only be reached by boat.

Today, Herrenchiemsee is one of the most popular destinations in Bavaria and can easily be visited from Munich as part of a day trip.

Architecture and location on the island: Accessible only by ferry

Along with the royal castles of Linderhof and Neuschwanstein, Herrenchiemsee is one of the most popular Bavarian destinations. As a visitor, however, you have to be a little bit seaworthy: Because the special thing about Herrenchiemsee is that the palace can only be reached by ship.

The palace building, the magnificent rooms and chambers, as well as the large palace garden were planned and realized according to the Versailles model, without being a detailed copy. The Parade Bedroom, the Hall of Mirrors and the detailed reproduction of the central axis of the symmetrical garden were enough for Ludwig II to feel like the French Sun King.

Highlights: Guided tours, palace park, tickets, carriage rides

• The state rooms of the New Palace can be visited: among others, the staircase, the Parade Bedroom and the Great Hall of Mirrors. However, this is only possible within the framework of a guided tour, which takes place regularly (duration: approx. 35 minutes).
• In the palace garden, the water games can be admired from the beginning of May to October 3.
• Also only during the summer months, horse-drawn carriage rides are offered on the way from the landing stage to the palace (duration: approx. 15 minutes).

The opening hours of the palace are based on the shipping times:

• April to October: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (last tour approx. 5 p.m.).
• November to March: 9.40 a.m.-4.15 p.m. (last guided tour approx. 4 p.m.)
• closed: 1.1., Shrove Tuesday, 24./25./31.12.

How to get there and information about Chiemsee shipping

• By car: Take the A8 (Salzburg - Munich) to the Bernau exit, then drive in the direction of Prien am Chiemsee and follow the signs. Parking spaces are available for a fee. Driving time is approximately 1 hour.
• By public transport: Take the train to Prien am Chiemsee - travel time: approx. 1 hour. From here, the Chiemsee-Bahn runs regularly in summer to the Prien / Stock boat landing (alternatively, you can also reach it on foot in about 30 minutes).

From the landing stage Prien / Stock there is a regular ferry to the Herreninsel.