Hooray for better weather - only a short shower today, but the storm clouds were still around. We went to the Chiemsee, a large lake with islands, to visit a palace built by Mad King Ludwig II in the 1880s. The car was parked at the port at Prien am Chiemsee and we took the ferry over to Herren Insel where the palace was located.

It was around 20 mins walk to the Ludwig’s palace, but it was a pretty walk through the forest. The first sight of the palace as you emerge from the trees is stunning: the huge grounds with fountains, flowers and symmetrical paths in front of an edifice full of windows. 

Ludwig was besotted with Louis XIV of France - put his portraits everywhere & gilded/painted/stuccoed every surface possible to resemble the Palace at Versailles. He bankrupted himself (and a lot of other people!) so he only completed 20/70 of the rooms, but those 20 are incredible: the Salon has 35 chandeliers each holding 100 candles, the bedroom has more gold than his last 2 castles combined and the State room has the most amazing chandelier made of Meissen porcelain - the flowers look just like silk. No pics allowed inside, so mine are from the website.

Returning through the woods, we visited the former royal palace which was subsequently used as an Augustinian monastery and is now an art gallery/display space. There was a display of WW2 pictures and information but sadly it was all in German, so we looked at the pictures and left.

Lunch was on the terrace in front of it, and gave us great views of the lake and the other island, Frauen Insel. Our boat tickets also allowed us over there (Ladies' Island), which is much smaller. It has a large abbey with a small church, the first from 628AD and the other from the 1100s - we did a quick visit then returned on the boat as that short shower hit.