While there is certainly no shortage of attractions for tourists in Munich, there are plenty of great things to see and do around Bavaria’s largest city. Finding dazzling palaces and castles, charming old villages, and mountain views is as easy as jumping in a car, taking advantage of the region’s excellent public transportation system, or joining a guided tour. Together with the castles and palaces near Munich, such as Herrenchiemsee or Schleissheim Palace, it is easy to reach historic Nuremberg and the beautiful half-timbered towns in the north along the Romantic Road. The Bavarian Alps are within easy reach, as are Salzburg and Innsbruck, in Austria. Less famous perhaps,
1 Neuschwanstein
Perhaps the most recognized castle in the world – it was the inspiration for Walt Disney’s famous theme park castles – Neuschwanstein is a Romanesque Revival fantasy built by Ludwig II of Bavaria in the late 19th century. It fulfills every romantic dream of a castle, with its soaring towers and turrets, battlements and stone walls rising dramatically on a rocky crag above the lake. It’s just as fantastic inside, richly decorated with themes from opera and romantic literature. Tours of the opulent interior include the throne room, the banquet hall and some of the most spectacular views of the Bavarian Alps, rising behind. You can easily combine a visit here with King Ludwig’s equally fantastic hunting lodge, Linderhof (see below), on 10,
Adres: Neuschwansteinstraße 20, Schwangau
Official site: www.neuschwanstein.de/englisch/tourist/index.htm
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2 Linderhof-paleis
Southwest of Munich, near Ettal and the Austrian border, Linderhof Palace was the favorite of King Ludwig II, and stands like a beautiful jewel box among wooded hills. It was built in 1878 as a hunting lodge in rococo style and the halls and rooms are elegantly decorated. Highlights of a tour include the Hall of Mirrors, used by the king as a reading room; the Eastern and Western parlor rooms, with their rich tapestries; the Public Room, used as a study; the king’s bedroom; and the Dining Room, famous as the place where Ludwig would dine alone and “talk” with imagined guests such as Louis XV. Explore the park to discover extensive fountains and features such as the formal and landscaped gardens; the Moorish Pavilion; and the beautiful Venus Grotto, the man-made version of Capri’s famous Blue Grotto. (Entrance to the palace and cave is only possible with a guided tour.) The Royal Castles Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Day Tour from Munich combines Ludwig’s two most famous palaces.
Adres: Linderhof 12, 82488 Ettal
Official site: www.schlosslinderhof.de/englisch/palace/history.htm
3 Herrenchiemsee
On the island of Herreninsel on Lake Chiemsee, Bavaria’s largest lake, about 60 kilometers southeast of Munich, the beautiful palace complex of Herrenchiemsee was founded in 1878 by King Ludwig II. He planned it to rival Versailles, but it remained unfinished after he drowned at the age of 40. Highlights include the beautiful State Staircase, the State Bedroom and the Great Hall of Mirrors, as well as Ludwig’s opulent little Rococo-style apartment. Important artifacts relating to Ludwig’s life are contained in the ten halls of the King Ludwig II Museum , including furniture once in the Munich Residenz. The gardens include sculptures and beautiful fountains, one of them a copy of the Bassin de Latone at Versailles. Also on the island is a former Augustinian monastery , now a museum. You can reach the island by boat from Prien or Stock. You can only visit the palace interior with a guided tour, available in English.
Address: 83209 Herrenchiemsee
Official site: www.herren-chiemsee.de/englisch/n_palace/index.htm
4 Convention site Dachau concentration camp
About 17 kilometers northwest of Munich, the city of Dachau is famous for its 18th-century Schloss, and infamous as the location of the infamous Dachau concentration camp, where approximately 41,000 people died during Nazi rule. KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau, now a memorial site with the reconstructed barracks and cells, also houses a museum with objects and documents from this dark period in Germany’s history. Guided tours in English are available daily at 11am and 1pm, with additional tours on Saturdays and Sundays at 12:15pm from July to September. Or you can join the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site Tour from Munich by train to view the exhibitions and memorials with a guide, who will interpret the site with historical detail.
Address: Pater-Roth-Str. 2a, D-85221 Dachau
Official site: www.kz-gedenkstaette-dachau.de/index-e.html
5 Neurenberg (Nürnberg)
The old town of Nuremberg has been an important center for art and culture since the Middle Ages and has preserved most of the old walls that have surrounded it since the 14th and 15th centuries. You can walk along it and explore the gates and towers, as well as the hilltop castle that overlooks the old city center. Here you’ll find Gothic churches and other buildings that have been carefully restored from damage during the bombing of World War II.Nuremberg was the site of the Nazi Party Rally Grounds, where Hitler organized his propaganda balls, and you can visit the Documentation Center for information about the activities of the Third Reich and the Nazis here.
6 Berchtesgaden and Eagle’s Nest
The attractive town of Berchtesgaden is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the Bavarian Alps and is surrounded by mountains. These rise so steeply from the shores of the nearby Königssee that the landscape is often described as fjord-like. The entire area is part of the Berchtesgaden National Park. In the town itself, the main attraction is the Palace of the Wittelsbach Dynasty, formerly owned by the Augustinians and dating from the 1100s. It is now a museum of art, weapons, furniture and fine porcelain. But the main goal of most tourists in Berchtesgaden is the Eagle’s Nest, the mountain hut built by Hitler on Mt. Kehlstein. It is accessed via a 6.5 kilometer private road built for Hitler and by a brass-equipped elevator to the 1,834 meter high summit. Together with Hitler’s lodge, where you can see original features such as a mantelpiece presented to Hitler by Mussolini, the summit offers spectacular views of the Bavarian Alps. The 10.5-hour Berchtesgaden and Eagle’s Nest Day Tour from Munich is a great way to visit this historic site with a professional guide and enjoy the Alpine scenery by air-conditioned coach.
7 Romantic Road en Rothenburg
The Romantic Road connects a series of postcard-perfect towns in the provinces of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Along the route are the three medieval walled towns of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Dinkelsbühl, and Nördlingen, as well as Harburg, with its impressive hilltop castle, one of the oldest in Germany. Rothenburg ob der Tauber is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe, its walls and towers rising dramatically on the steep banks of the River Tauber. The center is filled with half-timbered houses and beautiful churches, plus a 13th-century town hall. The 10.5-hour Romantic Road, Rothenburg and Harburg Day Tour from Munich follows this picturesque route by bus through the mountains and forests of Bavaria, stopping at Harburg Castle before arriving in beautifully preserved Rothenburg. There is time to see the top attractions; having lunch; and browse Käthe Wohlfahrt’s Christmas Village, the famous year-round Christmas shop, just off the market square.
Official site: www.romanticroadgermany.com
8 Salzburg, Austria
The setting of a river surrounded by snow-capped mountains, a beautiful castle and a romantic Old Town with well-preserved Baroque buildings make Salzburg one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Salzburg is a favorite of music lovers, who visit his home and attend the various concerts and festivals focused on his work. The more recent musical fame is the setting for the film The Sound of Musicand a number of sites in Salzburg will be familiar to fans of that story. Wander through the beautiful galleries and medieval streets of the old town and don’t miss the beautiful cathedral and St. Peter’s Abbey. On the Sound of Music, Salzburg and Lake District full-day tour from Munich, you can visit Salzburg’s highlights, the Sound of Music film locations in scenic Lake Mondsee, and even time for a boat trip on Lake Wolfgang to admire the surrounding mountain scenery.
9 Pass in Donau
Passau is majestically situated on the Austrian border, where the Danube meets the River Inn. The Oberhaus Fortress and Mariahilf Church lie on both sides of the Danube and combine with Passau’s Italian-style houses to create a memorable cityscape. The old town of Passau is located on a narrow spit of land between the two rivers, surrounding a hill from which picturesque stepped alleys lead down to the rivers. Highlights include St. Stephen’s Cathedral; its most notable features are the crowned dome and Baroque nave built between 1668 and 1678. Inside, the lavish stucco decoration has an Italian touch, and the organ, added in 1928, is one of the largest in the world with 17,388 pipes and 231 stops. Other highlights of Passau include the pedestrian Ludwigstrasse , the city’s main business and shopping street and home to the Votive Church from 1619, and the Heilig-Geist-Spital , the Hospital of the Holy Spirit, founded in 1358. Also of interest is the Residenzplatz , home to the Cathedral Treasury, the Diocesan Museum and the 18th-century New Bishop’s Palace (Neue Residenz). On the other side of the Danube lies the 13th century strongholdVeste Oberhaus with a beautiful view from the tower.
10 Het Schleissheim Palace Complex
A complex of three beautiful palaces, the early 18th-century Palace and Park of Schleissheim is located just 19 kilometers away from the center of Munich and is easily accessible by car and public transport. The New Palace(Neues Schloss) consists of a 330 meter long main building with a larger, triple-articulated central section connected on either side by arcades with pavilions. The charm of the beautifully decorated interior lies in the successful blending of the Italian late Baroque and early Rococo styles. Highlights include the murals and stuccowork depicting the Turkish wars; the entrance hall with its eight red marble pillars and paintings; the Grand Staircase Hall; the two-story Great Hall, with its stucco ornaments and large paintings; and the baroque Grand Gallery housing works by Dutch, Flemish, German and Italian artists. English audio tours are available.
The older and smaller Schloss Lustheim was built in 1688 in the style of an Italian garden palace and stands on a circular island surrounded by a canal. It is best known for its fine ceiling painting honoring Diana, goddess of the hunt. The castle houses the Ernst Schneider Foundation porcelain collection , one of the best collections in Europe. Schleissheim Park was created in 1720 and is one of the few Baroque gardens in Germany that has survived its original state. Highlights include the two fountains, a waterfall and the canal that runs through the center of the park, as well as the beautiful avenues of limes that border the gardens.
Address: 85764 Oberschleißheim
Official site: www.schloesser-schleissheim.de/englisch/schleissheim/index.htm
11 The Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Korbinian
The beautiful old Bavarian town of Freising lies on the high left bank of the River Isar, just 33 kilometers north of Munich. The city’s most notable feature is the Romanesque Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Korbinian, a five-aisled 12th-century basilica with a domed roof that was lavishly decorated by the Asam brothers in 1724 with stuccowork and paintings. A Gothic portico between the two towers leads to the interior of the cathedral, where you will find the Romanesque crypt, one of the oldest of its kind in Germany, with its famous animal column composed of intertwined men and monsters and the tomb of the church . founder, Bishop Korbinian. Decorating the high altar is a copy of Rubens’ Apocalyptic Women from 1625. Be sure to check out theDiocesan Museum with its extensive collection of sacred art and the famous Lukasbild, a rare relic from Constantinople.
Address: Domberg 27, Freising
12 The old town of Ingolstadt
Formerly the residence and stronghold of the Dukes of Bavaria, Ingolstadt’s pedestrian-friendly old town and many well-preserved historic buildings are still surrounded by the remains of medieval fortifications. Highlights include Rathausplatz , with the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), formed by the combination of four Gothic houses in 1882, and the 15th-century Spitalkirche, with its beautiful murals. To the north are the church of St. Maurice (St-Moritz-Kirche) and the Oberfranchiscan church (Obere Franziskanerkirche), both dating from the 14th century. The enormous 15th century Herzogsschloss has one of the finest Gothic secular interiors in Germany and the massive Kreuztor, with its seven towers and turrets, dates from 1385. The Minster of Our Lady (Liebfrauenmünster) is a 15th-century late Gothic church with the largest and most beautiful Renaissance stained glass window in Bavaria, dating from 1527.
Address: Rathausplatz 2, 85049 Ingolstadt
13 Oberstdorf
Although more than 100 miles from Munich, the large market town of Oberstdorf is worth considering for a day trip or an overnight stay. Three streams – the Trettach, the Stillach and the Breitach – join just below the town to form the Iller, whose valley cuts deep into the Allgäu Alps. This beautiful setting in a ring of towering mountains, combined with the excellent climate, has made Oberstdorf one of Germany’s most popular mountain resorts. A highlight of the city is Kurplatz , with its beautiful covered promenade and stunning mountain views. Just outside the city is the Breitachklamm gorge and hiking trails can be found near the Heini Klöpfer Ski Jumpin the valley of Stillach. From here a cable car takes you to the Fellhorn, which at 2037 meters is a habitat for beautiful alpine flora. Another hill popular with climbers is the 2224 meter Nebelhorn , also reachable by cable car.
14 Innsbruck en Swarovski Crystal Worlds
Innsbruck’s well-preserved Old Town, a compact center where Late Gothic-style buildings lie close together in narrow, winding streets, offers a photo-worthy view on every visit. The mountain peaks surrounding this Austrian town add a picturesque backdrop to colorful homes reflected in the River Inn, as well as year-round outdoor activities just a few minutes away by cable car. Highlights of the old town include the famous golden roof and beautiful churches, especially the spectacular Hofkirche.
Daily shuttles take visitors from Innsbruck to the nearby Swarovski Crystal Worlds, a fantasy terrain of art and design in sparkling crystal. In The Chambers of Wonder, internationally renowned artists and designers have created sparkling original interpretations in crystal and outside in the 7.5 hectare garden, outdoor sculptures and art installations surround an enormous grass-covered giant, from which a waterfall flows. A visit here is combined with plenty of time to explore the historic Old Town of the 10.5-hour Swarovski Crystal Worlds and the day trip to Innsbruck from Munich, which also takes you through some of Bavaria’s most beautiful mountain landscapes.
Address: Kristallweltenstrasse 1, Wattens
Official site: https://kristallwelten.swarovski.com
Read also:
Top Tourist Attractions in Munich
