The Best Day Trips from Munich
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Munich is located centrally in the region of Bavaria. So, it is easy to take a day trip from here to different places. Actually, Germany has a very elaborate train system which makes it convenient to get anywhere.
With Munich's central location and good connectivity to the rest of Germany, the city is mostly preferred to be the 'base camp' for any day trips. It usually takes 2-3 hours to reach anywhere in and around Munich. So, it is the ideal place to stay in while making a day trip in and around.
When I am not backpacking somewhere around central Europe, you would find me not far from Munich. Actually, there are so many day trips you can take from Munich but obviously, it's not possible to do them all, so here are three of the most popular ones.
Konigssee Lake is a natural lake nestled at the foot of Mount Watzmann. Located inside the Berchtesgaden National Park, this lake is a true natural masterpiece. With its emerald green water and picturesque backdrop, Konigssee lake is something you cannot miss out on.
It takes around 3 hours by train to get to Berchtesgaden from Munich. From there you have to take a bus or even a round boat trip to get to the Konigssee lake. Since it is a famous tourist place, there'll be a crowd for a boat ride in the Konigssee lake. So make sure that you leave early in the morning so you can skip long queues.
Once you hop on one of those electric boats and set off, all the stress, hustle and noise of our daily life is left behind. You feel like you're in a trance where everything is so serene and peaceful.
The mesmerizing view with the beautiful mountain in the back and a beautiful vast of emerald green surrounding you is overwhelming. It is so different from our everyday life that it is meant to ride us off our worries.
Midway into the ride, the boatman starts playing the trumpet, the sound of which echoes off the steep Konigssee rock face. After covering around two-third of the ride, you'll reach Sankt Bartholoma. It is a pilgrimage church and looks magnificent against the Mountain at the back, with its beautiful, wine red domes.
You can get off there to explore a bit around the area or hike to the Ice Chapel where there is a beautiful restaurant. The silence of this place is magical. If you wish, you can go further 20 minutes to reach Salet, which is the only other stop in this boat ride.
You can get off and explore a little bit and maybe even explore the smaller but just as beautiful Obersee lake. All in all, this trip is worth all the effort and is such a relaxing experience that one should never miss out on!
If you are not a fan of boat rides, there are so many trails around. From easy to difficult, you can choose which hike you would like to do depending on your mood and how fit you are.
The views once you reach some high points of the trails are so scenic and breath-taking. Do bring your camera with you.
Oberstdorf is a beautiful town situated in the heart of the Bavarian Alps. It takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes to reach the village from Munich. Oberstdorf is famous for its mountain charm and winter resorts.
Set against a beautiful mountain backdrop and with beautiful scenic beauty, Oberstdorf is easily any nature lover's favorite destination. If you love adventure or winter sports this is the perfect place for you to visit! The town has an awe-inspiring natural beauty with deep gorges, striking peaks, and beautiful valleys. Oberstdorf has its own dash of culture which is displayed by the lederhosen and traditional horn playing in and around the town.
Breitachklamm is one of the most magnificent gorges in central Europe. It is so beautiful with the water flowing below and the beautiful rocks and landscapes trailing the water. You can listen to the gentle whoosh of the water below which is so soothing.
In winter, Breitachklamm looks like a magical land with ice landscapes, frozen waterfalls, and magical caves!
Another must-visit place in Oberstdorf is Nebelhorn mountain. It is a perfect place for the adventure traveler. You can do some skiing, hiking and even paragliding from the top altitude. But if you're not too enthusiastic about the idea of sliding down a mountain slope, you can just sit and relax at any picturesque location.
While in the Nebelhorn, make sure you hike down the Seealpsee lake. The trail is about one hour long and not really difficult. The lake has a mind-blowing background view of the Allgau alps. It is really worth-visiting.
Last but not the least, Sollereck Adventure Park is another place for the ones who love some adrenaline rush! Sollereck Adventure Park is a mountain resort with a beautiful view of the Allgau Alps and a number of adventure activities. This is the highest climbing forest in Germany. Even if you're not too keen about mountain climbing or any other sport, visiting it is still worth it because of its breath-taking beauty.
Nuremberg is Bavaria's second-largest city and was the unofficial capital of the roman empire. It takes about 1 hour 10 minutes to reach Nuremberg from Munich. The city also has historic importance as has been the place for nazi trials after the war.
Kaiserburg Imperial Castle is one of Nuremberg's biggest attractions. The castle is situated on top of a hill which is one of the highest points in the city. Its location naturally serves as a great natural defense. The simple architecture of the castle looks beautiful and gives an old, medieval feel to it. You can get a beautiful panoramic view of the city below from the observation platform on the top floor. Actually, Nuremberg also has a number of other historical places related to WWII.
The Bavarian city is said to have the best Medieval Christmas market in the whole of Europe. It also has one of the best toy museums in the country!
Bamberg is known as the little Venice and for all the good reasons! It is a picturesque town located north of Bavaria. It takes around 1 hour and 40 minutes by train to reach this beautiful village from Munich.
Barely touched during WWII, Bamberg is a beauty. The town is so authentic with its ancient buildings and beautiful design of the houses. It is one of those places where getting lost is a good thing. The Regnitz river literally runs through the city and the old town hall is found spanning the river.
Try to explore the city on your foot along its twisty, cobblestone street and get lost among its beauty. The murals painted on the sides of the town hall are so impressive and elegant. It is one of the best places to get good Instagrammable photos.
Apart from these suggested places, Salzburg is another beautiful city you can visit. Does the name sound familiar to you? Well, that's because the movie ' The Sound of Music' was set in here. Although the city is located in Austria, It takes only around two hours from Munich to get to Salzburg. Salzburg is also known as the home of Mozart. When you walk the cobblestone streets of Salzburg, you'll find yourself reliving the scenes from 'The Sound of Music'. The vibe of the town is so lively and amazing.
There seems to be a festival at every time of the year in Salzburg. Most of the buildings there have a baroque like architecture which looks oh-so-elegant!
Salzburg's High Fortress is so impressive, sitting in the middle of the town and is one of the best urban castles in the whole of Europe. In the streets of Salzburg, you can find the most authentic and local Austrian food. In every corner of the city, you can find a fountain or a beautiful church. It also has some of Europe's best shopping centers.
A great idea while in Salzburg could also be visiting the famous ice cave in the mountains. The cave is one of the oldest ones in Europe and having a tour inside to see the impressive ice formation is a unique experience.
All in all, Salzburg is an authentic town with beautiful architecture and scenic views, highly influenced by its classical music, alpine meadows, and lively vibe.
There are still many attractive places to visit. Living in Germany for 7 years, I summed up for you my favorites so far.
This is it guys! I hope I could help you better plan your day trips from the beautiful city of Munich. Happy discovering!
With Munich's central location and good connectivity to the rest of Germany, the city is mostly preferred to be the 'base camp' for any day trips. It usually takes 2-3 hours to reach anywhere in and around Munich. So, it is the ideal place to stay in while making a day trip in and around.
When I am not backpacking somewhere around central Europe, you would find me not far from Munich. Actually, there are so many day trips you can take from Munich but obviously, it's not possible to do them all, so here are three of the most popular ones.
Top day trips from Munich
The must-go: Konigssee Lake
Konigssee Lake is a natural lake nestled at the foot of Mount Watzmann. Located inside the Berchtesgaden National Park, this lake is a true natural masterpiece. With its emerald green water and picturesque backdrop, Konigssee lake is something you cannot miss out on.
It takes around 3 hours by train to get to Berchtesgaden from Munich. From there you have to take a bus or even a round boat trip to get to the Konigssee lake. Since it is a famous tourist place, there'll be a crowd for a boat ride in the Konigssee lake. So make sure that you leave early in the morning so you can skip long queues.
Once you hop on one of those electric boats and set off, all the stress, hustle and noise of our daily life is left behind. You feel like you're in a trance where everything is so serene and peaceful.
The mesmerizing view with the beautiful mountain in the back and a beautiful vast of emerald green surrounding you is overwhelming. It is so different from our everyday life that it is meant to ride us off our worries.
Midway into the ride, the boatman starts playing the trumpet, the sound of which echoes off the steep Konigssee rock face. After covering around two-third of the ride, you'll reach Sankt Bartholoma. It is a pilgrimage church and looks magnificent against the Mountain at the back, with its beautiful, wine red domes.
You can get off there to explore a bit around the area or hike to the Ice Chapel where there is a beautiful restaurant. The silence of this place is magical. If you wish, you can go further 20 minutes to reach Salet, which is the only other stop in this boat ride.
You can get off and explore a little bit and maybe even explore the smaller but just as beautiful Obersee lake. All in all, this trip is worth all the effort and is such a relaxing experience that one should never miss out on!
If you are not a fan of boat rides, there are so many trails around. From easy to difficult, you can choose which hike you would like to do depending on your mood and how fit you are.
The views once you reach some high points of the trails are so scenic and breath-taking. Do bring your camera with you.
Oberstdorf
Oberstdorf is a beautiful town situated in the heart of the Bavarian Alps. It takes approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes to reach the village from Munich. Oberstdorf is famous for its mountain charm and winter resorts.
Set against a beautiful mountain backdrop and with beautiful scenic beauty, Oberstdorf is easily any nature lover's favorite destination. If you love adventure or winter sports this is the perfect place for you to visit! The town has an awe-inspiring natural beauty with deep gorges, striking peaks, and beautiful valleys. Oberstdorf has its own dash of culture which is displayed by the lederhosen and traditional horn playing in and around the town.
Breitachklamm is one of the most magnificent gorges in central Europe. It is so beautiful with the water flowing below and the beautiful rocks and landscapes trailing the water. You can listen to the gentle whoosh of the water below which is so soothing.
In winter, Breitachklamm looks like a magical land with ice landscapes, frozen waterfalls, and magical caves!
Another must-visit place in Oberstdorf is Nebelhorn mountain. It is a perfect place for the adventure traveler. You can do some skiing, hiking and even paragliding from the top altitude. But if you're not too enthusiastic about the idea of sliding down a mountain slope, you can just sit and relax at any picturesque location.
While in the Nebelhorn, make sure you hike down the Seealpsee lake. The trail is about one hour long and not really difficult. The lake has a mind-blowing background view of the Allgau alps. It is really worth-visiting.
Last but not the least, Sollereck Adventure Park is another place for the ones who love some adrenaline rush! Sollereck Adventure Park is a mountain resort with a beautiful view of the Allgau Alps and a number of adventure activities. This is the highest climbing forest in Germany. Even if you're not too keen about mountain climbing or any other sport, visiting it is still worth it because of its breath-taking beauty.
Enjoy the medieval charm of Nuremberg
Nuremberg is Bavaria's second-largest city and was the unofficial capital of the roman empire. It takes about 1 hour 10 minutes to reach Nuremberg from Munich. The city also has historic importance as has been the place for nazi trials after the war.
Kaiserburg Imperial Castle is one of Nuremberg's biggest attractions. The castle is situated on top of a hill which is one of the highest points in the city. Its location naturally serves as a great natural defense. The simple architecture of the castle looks beautiful and gives an old, medieval feel to it. You can get a beautiful panoramic view of the city below from the observation platform on the top floor. Actually, Nuremberg also has a number of other historical places related to WWII.
The Bavarian city is said to have the best Medieval Christmas market in the whole of Europe. It also has one of the best toy museums in the country!
Don't miss Bamberg
Bamberg is known as the little Venice and for all the good reasons! It is a picturesque town located north of Bavaria. It takes around 1 hour and 40 minutes by train to reach this beautiful village from Munich.
Barely touched during WWII, Bamberg is a beauty. The town is so authentic with its ancient buildings and beautiful design of the houses. It is one of those places where getting lost is a good thing. The Regnitz river literally runs through the city and the old town hall is found spanning the river.
Try to explore the city on your foot along its twisty, cobblestone street and get lost among its beauty. The murals painted on the sides of the town hall are so impressive and elegant. It is one of the best places to get good Instagrammable photos.
Salzburg: the city of Mozart
There seems to be a festival at every time of the year in Salzburg. Most of the buildings there have a baroque like architecture which looks oh-so-elegant!
Salzburg's High Fortress is so impressive, sitting in the middle of the town and is one of the best urban castles in the whole of Europe. In the streets of Salzburg, you can find the most authentic and local Austrian food. In every corner of the city, you can find a fountain or a beautiful church. It also has some of Europe's best shopping centers.
A great idea while in Salzburg could also be visiting the famous ice cave in the mountains. The cave is one of the oldest ones in Europe and having a tour inside to see the impressive ice formation is a unique experience.
All in all, Salzburg is an authentic town with beautiful architecture and scenic views, highly influenced by its classical music, alpine meadows, and lively vibe.
Final thoughts
Bavaria is one of the richest regions of Germany. It is one of those places of the world that combine modern cities, with history and nature. I have to admit I missed it after my stay in Stuttgart, too.There are still many attractive places to visit. Living in Germany for 7 years, I summed up for you my favorites so far.
This is it guys! I hope I could help you better plan your day trips from the beautiful city of Munich. Happy discovering!
If you have a limited amount of time for your journey, see our advice about how much time to spend here:
Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Munich?, Should I spend 3, 4, or 5 days in Munich?, Should I spend 1 or 2 weeks in Munich? and Is Munich Worth Visiting?
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