The entry fee is insane amount just to see the shop and the restaurant. And thats it pretty much…read more There are a few rooms open which are not exciting at all. The only way to see the castle if you pay a guided tour. Which is not a problem but they dont tell you this when you huy the ticket so you are pretty much screwed. All of the inside is closed!!! They run tours every hour or so. They should articulate better that they only meaningful way to see the castle is via the tour.

We had a great afternoon at the Berg. We took a tour and there is even a falconry show if you get…read morethere in time to see it. Very entertaining. They also have a restaurant, gift shop, and a concession stand.

High on a Hill there's a lovely Fortress. Funicular up in 30 seconds as opposed to a 35 minute…read morewalk. The view from the Observation Tower is spectacular, an alp or two is always good eye candy. We spend about 2 hours wandering around, through the museum and courtyard. Look through every window you find and you can see why this Fortress was impenetrable. Also have a go with the bells on way out and if you have time come back to the bell area at 11.00am to hear the original mechanism working. A final drink and snack in the restaurant will afford those great views once more. We arrived early with few people around. Yes there are a lot of steps but they are well designed and shallow. The way down from the tower is separate to the way up so you don't get blockages. The rest rooms are fantastic just at the end of the Museum.

We took the funicular up and walked around the different museums in the fortress. The views of the…read morecity and the mountains were beautiful. Some of the major highlights of Fortress Hohensalzburg are the magnificent Princes' Rooms, the Magic Theater on the High Level, the Great Armory in the castle courtyard, the various museums (like the marionette museum, the tower and the historical museum) were all very interesting and detailed. Go up for the breathtaking views over the rooftops of the city. It was really interesting to learn how this fortress had evolved over a period of almost 500 years. If you want to do all, it would take 3-5 hours...it's huge.....

Visited t his spot our last full day in Germany and took a few trains, a taxi, and a boat to get…read morehere. But it was worth it. I was excited to see this castle on an island based upon Versailles built by the "crazy" king of Bavaria. I've seen some of the other famous castles of his during a trip in 2017 so happy to add another to my list! The palace itself is beautiful and can only be seen through a guided tour - we had missed the last English tour of the day, so we joined a German tour and were given a sheet of paper to follow along through the 12 or so rooms we saw. Photos are not allowed - which I understand but also wish wasn't the case for people who have traveled long and hard to see something and want to try to take some photos for themselves to remember the trip. It was nice to not have cameras out the whole time though and to just look at the ornate details of the room while the guide spoke to us about everything. It was raining and somewhat miserable while we were here but we still found the gardens and palace to be lovely and enjoyed the trip we made for the day to see them.

The island of Herrenchiemsee has two palaces: the Old Palace in the former Augustinian monastery,…read morenow known as the Old Palace and museum; and the incredible "New Palace " of Ludwig II of Bavaria. This review covers the New Palace. It's a must-see on any trip to the region. After Ludwig II bought the island in 1873, he made plans for the construction of the huge "New Palace", on which work began in 1878. This enormous building was modelled on Versailles, though the original plans were to include wings to match the original, but financial problems restricted the plans to the current building. As it is, it's still huge, and Ludwig expended more money on it than Linderhof and Neuschwanstein combined. However, funds ran out in 1885, a year before his untimely death, with only 30 of the 80 main rooms completed. But just those 30 completed interiors are stunning, and you can see pretty quickly how it burned through the funds so fast: room after room of vast mirrors, huge and exquisite chandeliers, luxurious furnishings and acres of gilded stucco. Clearly, no expense was spared. The hall of mirrors is actually longer than that at Versailles and its 52 candelabras and 33 chandeliers hold over 7,000 candles. Outside, the front of the Palace overlooks stunning French-style gardens with large classical fountains. Strangely, Ludwig did not intend to live here: it was to be a museum, an homage to Louis XIV and absolutist monarchy. All the paintings are copies of French originals and depict Louis XIV, not Ludwig. He spent only 10 days here - and even then he slept during the day and had an army of servants light the thousands of candles to illuminate it so he could wander through its rooms. The Palace can only be visited by guided tours, laid in in German and English. They last about 30 minutes and lifts enable full access for wheelchair users. The palace also includes a museum of Ludwig's life, featuring his coronation robes, and a small gift shop and restaurant. It's a 20 minute walk from the main jetty and 15 minutes from the Old Palace.

I gave 1 star only for the curbside appeal. The rest of it is disappointing, to say the least. In…read morean attempt to modernize, they have completely removed the castle charm. And in an attempt to get a bite to eat or some refreshment, we were made to feel most unwelcome. Take pictures from the outside, enjoy the town, but don't pay to go in.

I don't know why I felt like singing Do a Deer, a female deer, as soon as I entered and kept…read morelooking up at the trees! Famous for the filming of the Sound of Music, these gardens are beautiful. Definitely a must stop when in Salzburg. I was here in November and they were so well maintained. I can only imagine how beautiful they are in the spring and summer with all the flowers.

This is a beautiful garden in the center of Salzburg. I love to visit not only because of the…read more"Hollywood" connection but also because it is a well kept and expansive green space in the city. Several important scenes in the world-famous movie "The Sound of Music" were shot in the Mirabell Gardens. Maria - played by Julie Andrews - and the seven children danced around the Pegasus Fountain while singing the song "Do Re Mi". The Mirabell Palace and Mirabell Gardens are one of the most important sights of Salzburg. The complex is under monument protection and was declared a world heritage site by the UNESCO. Just enjoy walking around the flowers, trees, statues and gardens...you will love it....

All real castles should get a 5 star rating. They are amazing even when in ruins state. This one is…read moretypical sitting on the hill up a windy road in the forest. Misty cool afternoon with tons of green grass everywhere and a huge panoramic view. The great thing about this place is the top has a kitchen and bar with beer and wine. Sitting on the top veranda after walking the stairs up is very nice, the views to the mountain are beautiful with farms and animals and forest, the views to the basin are nice too, you see cars and churches and a small lake. Just sit and imagine the years that rolled by in this place and all the events that happened from celebrations to wars and everything in between.....

Since we had the 24 hour Salzburg Visitor card, we stopped at the Hellbrunn palace on the way back…read morefrom the Untersberg cable car experience. I wanted to come here since the Gazebo from the Sound of Music (where Liesl sings 16 going on 17) is here. The tour of the palace highlights the "Trick Fountains" which are really interesting, fun and surprisingly artistic. As you walk around these fountains, there are times when they suddenly spew water, getting unsuspected guests a bit wet.... The palace was built in 1613-19 and named for the "clear spring" that supplied it. Hellbrunn was only meant for use as a day residence in summer, as the Archbishop usually returned to Salzburg in the evening; therefore, there is no bedrooms in Hellbrunn. The place has plenty of beautifully landscaped green spaces and it is just a marvel of what hydraulics can do. There's a cute cafe and a souvenir shop on the grounds.

The honest draw here is the Sound of Music gazebo, and it does deliver, though it's worth knowing…read moreupfront that the pavilion was actually relocated to make it easier for the public to visit. So it's not technically where they filmed the scene, but it's the real gazebo on very beautiful grounds, and standing in front of it in Salzburg still feels cool The palace and park themselves are a bigger win: a 17th-century pleasure palace with enormous, well-maintained grounds that are genuinely gorgeous to wander on a good day. The trick fountains are a legitimate reason to come, although they were off on the day of our visit which was a bummer. If you're in Salzburg and have any interest at all in the film or just want an afternoon outside the old town, this is worth the trip.