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The Eibsee lake with the Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain, behind it
Bamberg's frescoed Old Town Hall standing on its island in the Regnitz
Regensburg's Stone Bridge over the Danube with the cathedral towers behind
The Partnach river rushing between the rock walls of the Partnach Gorge

Things to do in Bavaria: Munich, castles and the Alps

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Photo: Octagon, CC BY 3.0

Bamberg

Walk Bamberg's island town and drink a smoked beer at Schlenkerla

Tours in Bavaria

Photo: Reinhold Möller, CC BY-SA 4.0

Regensburg

Cross Regensburg's Stone Bridge and eat sausages beside it

Tours in Bavaria

Photo: Tilman2007, CC BY-SA 4.0

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Walk through the Partnach Gorge below the Zugspitze

Tours in Bavaria

Photo: Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0

Bavaria is Germany's largest state, running from the Franconian towns of the north to the Alps on the Austrian border. Munich is its capital and its main gateway; most first trips combine the city with King Ludwig II's castles around Füssen, the Alps at Berchtesgaden or Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and one or two of the old towns of Franconia.

This hub links the Bavarian destinations with pages of their own and adds three places that have none: Bamberg, Regensburg and the Partnach Gorge, plus the Zugspitze cable car from the Germany page.

Places in this region

4 things to do in Bavaria

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Bamberg's frescoed Old Town Hall standing on its island in the Regnitz

Walk Bamberg's island town and drink a smoked beer at Schlenkerla

Bamberg

A full dayNo booking needed

A World Heritage town whose town hall stands in the river, and a tavern that taps smoked beer from oak barrels.

Tours in Bavaria
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Regensburg's Stone Bridge over the Danube with the cathedral towers behind

Cross Regensburg's Stone Bridge and eat sausages beside it

Regensburg

A full dayNo booking needed

A medieval city on the Danube, crossed by a bridge built in about eleven years, with a sausage kitchen at its foot.

Tours in Bavaria
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The Partnach river rushing between the rock walls of the Partnach Gorge

Walk through the Partnach Gorge below the Zugspitze

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

2 to 3 hours with the walk from the ski stadiumNo booking needed

A narrow gorge cut by meltwater, with a path along the rock walls above rapids and waterfalls, a walk from Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Tours in Bavaria
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The Zugspitze massif above the Eibsee and its wooded islet on a clear spring day

Ride up the Zugspitze, Germany's highest peak

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

3 to 4 hours for the round tripGo alone or with a tour

Ride a cogwheel train up to a glacier plateau and a lift to Germany's highest summit, then drop by cable car to Lake Eibsee.

Check dates and pricesDay trip from Munich with cable car and cog train
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Traveller picks

Hidden gems suggested by travellers. We check each one before it goes up; the words are theirs, not ours.

No traveller picks for Bavaria yet. Know a place most visitors miss?

Plan your trip

  • Which places for what

    Munich for museums, beer halls and the city itself. Neuschwanstein and Füssen for the royal castles. Berchtesgaden for lakes, mountains and the Nazi history of the Obersalzberg. Nuremberg for its castle and the 20th century, and Rothenburg ob der Tauber for a night inside medieval walls. Bamberg and Regensburg are quieter World Heritage towns, and Garmisch-Partenkirchen gives you the Zugspitze and the Partnach Gorge.

  • Combining them

    In must30's view, a first week works as three bases: Munich for three or four nights with a day trip to the castles or Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Berchtesgaden for two or three, then north to Nuremberg with a night in Rothenburg or a day in Bamberg. Regensburg fits between Munich and Nuremberg.

  • Getting around

    Regional trains link Munich with Füssen, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Berchtesgaden, and Nuremberg is a major stop on the long-distance network. The Deutschlandticket covers regional trains and most local buses. A car helps for the Romantic Road and the Alpine valleys, less so in the cities.

  • When to go

    Summer is best for the mountains and lakes, and also the busiest. Late September and early October bring Oktoberfest in Munich; October is quieter on the Alpine trails. From late November to Christmas, the markets in Nuremberg, Rothenburg and Munich take over the old towns. Some mountain lifts and boats close or run less often in winter.

Questions travellers ask

Can I see Neuschwanstein as a day trip from Munich?

Yes, by regional train to Füssen and bus to Hohenschwangau, but you will mostly see Neuschwanstein alone. A night in Füssen or Schwangau leaves time for Hohenschwangau, the Alpsee and the Tegelberg.

How many days do I need for Bavaria?

In must30's view, a week covers Munich, one Alpine area and one Franconian town. Ten days add a second Alpine base or Regensburg and Bamberg.

Is Bamberg or Rothenburg better for an old town?

Rothenburg is a walled hilltop town that is at its best overnight, after the coaches leave. Bamberg is a working university and brewing town on the river, easier as a day trip from Nuremberg.

Is the Partnach Gorge open in winter?

Yes. From October to May it opens daily from 8:00 to 18:00, with last entry 30 minutes before closing, though it can close at short notice for safety.

Other places to go

Things to do in Germany

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