Herrenchiemsee Palace and Lake Chiemsee

Lake Chiemsee, the largest lake in Bavaria, is so big that Bavarians call it the Bavarian Sea, and its islands make one of the most satisfying day trips from Munich. On the largest of them, the Herreninsel, Ludwig II built his most ambitious palace, the New Palace of Herrenchiemsee, as a homage to Louis XIV and Versailles. Work began in 1878, but money ran out and the king died in 1886, so only the central section was completed, and Ludwig himself stayed there for only a few days. What was finished is overwhelming: the state staircase, the parade bedroom and, above all, the great Hall of Mirrors, even longer than its model in Versailles, lit by dozens of chandeliers and candelabra. The state rooms can only be seen on a guided tour, and tours in English run continuously and last around forty minutes. The same ticket covers the King Ludwig II Museum in the palace's south wing, which tells the story of the king's life and building projects, with costumes, furnishings and plans for buildings that were never realised, and the Augustinian Monastery, the so-called Old Palace near the landing stage, where Ludwig stayed while the New Palace was being built. The island itself is car-free and wooded, and the walk from the boat to the palace takes around twenty minutes through the park, past fountains and a long canal view across the lake; in summer a horse-drawn carriage also runs. Many visitors add the smaller Fraueninsel, a few minutes away by boat, with its Benedictine convent, its Carolingian gatehouse, one of the oldest buildings in Bavaria, a fishing village and garden cafes serving smoked fish from the lake. Boats leave from Prien-Stock, a short walk or ride from the station at Prien am Chiemsee, which is around an hour by regional train from Munich.

How to plan your visit: take a regional train from Munich main station to Prien am Chiemsee, then walk or take the local connection to the harbour at Stock, where the Chiemsee boats depart for the Herreninsel and the Fraueninsel. Buy a boat ticket that covers both islands, see Herrenchiemsee first, then cross to the Fraueninsel for lunch and a walk around the village before heading back. Palace tickets can be bought online or at the ticket office on the island, and some tickets are kept for on-site sales. Allow a full day; with the boat, the walk to the palace, the tour and the museum, Herrenchiemsee alone takes three to four hours.

When to go: the New Palace opens daily all year except 1 January, Shrove Tuesday and 24, 25 and 31 December. In winter, from late October to March, it opens from 10am to 4.45pm, with the last tour at about 4pm, so start early; the boats run on a reduced winter timetable. Summer brings longer hours, the fountains, which run from early May to early October, and the horse-drawn carriage, but also crowds, especially at weekends. A clear autumn day, with the Chiemgau Alps rising behind the lake, is ideal.

Things to know: photography is not allowed inside the palace buildings, and large bags, rucksacks and umbrellas are not allowed in the museum rooms, with only limited lockers. Bicycles are not allowed on the Herreninsel. The island is flat and the paths are good, but the walk to the palace is long for small children or anyone with limited mobility, so use the carriage in season. Herrenchiemsee completes the trio of Ludwig's palaces with Neuschwanstein and Linderhof, and if you only have time for one beyond Neuschwanstein, choose this one for the lake setting and the Hall of Mirrors, or Linderhof for intimacy.