Visit Sleeping Beauty's Castle

Q: I will be in Fankfurt and Munich during summer and want to visit the castle that was the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty's Castle in Disneyland. I think it is near Munich. Could you give me details of how to get there, what it costs and any other recommendations? - Mandy Gibson

A: The place you are referring to is Castle Neuschwanstein, which is probably the most famous castle in the world. It was built by King Ludwig II (also called Mad Ludwig) and is located on a hill above the village of Hohenschwangau in Bavaria. To get there from Munich, you can take an organised tour. Alternatively, catch the train from Munich to Fussen, which takes two hours, and then take the bus to Hohenschwangau. You can walk up the steep hill to the castle or take a carriage for six Euros one way or nine Euros return. You can only visit the castle as part of a guided tour at a cost of 12 Euros per adult. You can book in advance on the http://www.hohenschwangau.de/ website or you will be allocated a time when you buy your entry ticket at the booth in Hohenschwangau. The tours only take 35 minutes but there is plenty to explore in the area around the castle. During the tour, you climb up 165 steps and go down 181 steps, so be prepared for a little exercise. You will learn that the castle was ahead of its time in that every floor has running water, indoor heating and a flush toilet. One of the exceptional rooms you will visit is the main bedroom, which features sumptuous carving. It is said it took 14 woodcarvers nearly five years to create this masterpiece. You will also discover that Ludwig was a fan of the composer Richard Wagner and scenes from his operas appear in many of the rooms. If you also intend to visit the other two main attractions in the area, the Hohenschwangau castle and the Museum of the Bavarian Kings, you can buy a ticket that covers all three for 28.50 Euros.

On the Rails from Hong Kong to Shanghai

Q: We will be travelling to Hong Kong in June and heard that there is a “bullet” train to Shanghai, which takes approximately 2 hours. Please advise on the cost of the trip and how to go about making a booking. - Daya Naik

A: There is a train service between Hong Kong and Shanghai, but it certainly does not cover the 1231kms in two hours! The T100 train service takes around 20 hours, departing from Hong Kong at 3.15pm and arriving at Shanghai at 11.10am the next day. There are three classes of travel, the hard sleeper (six-berth compartment), the soft sleeper (four-berth compartment) and the deluxe soft sleeper (two-berth compartment with toilet and safety box). All compartments are air conditioned. A one-way ticket bought at the station in Hong Kong costs $65, $110 and $135, but buying through an agency costs more. The current price of tickets bought on http://www.chinatripadvisor.com/ is $92, $145 and $175. Other options are http://www.chinatraintickets.net/ and http://www.tiglion.net/. You can also ask your hotel to book the tickets for you. Tickets can only be reserved 5-10 days in advance of the departure, so having a knowledgable local do it for you is important. You need to know that the departure station in Hong Kong is known as "Hung Hom" and is located in Kowloon, which is also known as "Jiulong". The train from Hong Kong runs on even-numbered dates in January, March, June, July, Sept, Oct 2012 and on odd-numbered dates in Feb, April, May, August, Nov, Dec 2012.

Comfort in Heavenly Franschhoek

Q: My husband and I are looking for a comfortable guest house in Franshhoek for a short holiday. However, we have been surprised at the high rates of many of the places we have looked at. Could you recommend some good guest houses under R1000 per person per night? - Lindy Goodman

A: While a number of guest houses in Franschhoek are very upmarket, there are many superb places which fall into your price bracket. Many local accommodation websites such as www.sa-venues.com offer a wide range of hotels, guest houses and self-catering units. However, for medium-priced guest house, I found the website www.roomsforafrica.com particularly helpful. Among those that caught my eye was the Lavender Farm Guest House, which has four luxurious rooms from R475-R750 per person (Tel: 021 876 2671; www.lavenderfarmfranschhoek.co.za). Another was the Centre-Ville Guest House, a charming renovated Victorian home in the heart of Franschhoek. Sit on the wide verandah and soak up village life or make use of the in-house massage therapist. Rates range from R450-R900 per person (Tel: 021 876 4257; www.centre-ville.co.za). I also liked the look of Maison Chablis Guest House, a Georgian-styled home in a beautiful garden with a pool. Rooms range from R550-R650 person (Tel: 021 876 2366; www.maisonchablis.co.za). If you want to experience life on a working wine farm, the Auberge Clermont fits the bill. It is located in an old wine cellar amid vines. Rooms are comfortable, with touches like underfloor heating and hand-decorated ceilings, while a swimming pool and a tennis court provide distractions. Rates range from R650-R850 per person sharing (Tel: 021 876 3700; www.clermont.co.za). Finally, you could opt for Plumwood Inn, with rates from R495-R795 per person. Comprising three buildings in the town, the inn offers cosy rooms and delicious breakfasts (Tel: 021 876 3883; www.plumwoodinn.com).