Munich is a fascinating and historic city in the south of Germany. Capital of Bavaria, it is famous for it’s beer halls, beer gardens and the annual Oktoberfest celebrations. But, it offers so much more than that.
You don’t have to go too far afield here to access some unique sites and experiences just outside the city.
Dachau
Located just 20km outside of the city centre, you can see for yourself what a Nazi Concentration Camp would have looked like. This is a difficult experience to have, and not one you would usually have when having fun on your holiday. However, I think it is something we should all push ourselves to do, so we can see first hand what we have learnt in textbooks: the inhumanity and loss of dignity that millions of persecuted people were subject to.
Audio guides are available and will cost you €4 Euros. Alternatively you could do a guided tour (which I would recommend) and tickets to this cost €3.50. Numbers are limited to 30 people and it is advised you buy these tickets at least 15 minutes in advance. You cannot make reservations for this. These tours run in both German and English at different times of the day. Click HERE to view visitor information and tour times.
You can reach Dachau in 30 minutes if you have a car or there is a train going direct from the Central Train station in Munich (S2 train). This takes around 25 minutes. Once you reach Dachau station you hop on the 726 bus towards Saubachsiedlung. You can read more about your transport options HERE.
Arbeit Macht Frei: Nazi Slogan used at concentration camps meaning “Work sets you free”.
Starnberger See
Bavaria’s second biggest lake is known as Munich’s ‘summer swimming pool’. An easy 30 minute train ride from Munich, here you have an array of options for the outdoor enthusiasts who want to do something active, or even just have some time out to chill. You can swim, hike, sail, bike ride, exercise the shoulder muscles by jumping in a row boat and enjoy dining by the water. Keep in mind if you want to do an activity that involves boats this needs to be done in the warmer months (not throughout winter). For more ideas check out Munich’s tourism sites.
Fairytale Castles and Palaces
A 1.5 hour drive south of Munich will take you to a stunning part of the Bavarian alps where you can find Historic royal palaces and castles you can tour inside. These are reasonably close to each other (by car) and were built by 19th Century King Ludwig II.
Linderhof Palace The mirror and chandelier interiors are fabulous here!
Hohenschwangau Castle, located a stone’s throw from big brother Neuschwanstein, is much smaller, but a unique experience none the less. This is the least visited of the King’s Bavarian castles.
Neuschwanstein Castle was the model for Disney’s sleeping beauty castle and although the interior is not as ornate as I imagined, the viewpoint from the bridge and the exterior was breathtaking.
Neuschwanstein Castle 
Looks stunning 
from all angles!
If you want an impressive mix of historic royalty and beautiful scenery…then look no further. If you want to do all three in one day you will definitely need a car as public transport is limited in this area. If you are happy to just do Neuschwanstein and Linderhof you can find a day trip offering these (including transport from Munich) fairly easily on Viator. If you are coming down here self guided on the bus or train from Munich it is not a direct journey and more time consuming than driving. For this reason I recommend a small group tour or using a hire car.
Salzburg
Eat a slice of Strudel , stroll the city, visit an 11th Century fortress with panoramic views of the city below and step into Fraulein Maria’s shoes for the day on a Sound of Music tour. If you don’t have time to spend a few nights in Salzburg, by taking a day trip you can still get a taste of the wonderful things this charming little Austrian city has to offer.
Book a day tour with transportation or alternatively you can make the 1.5 – 2 hour journey via train or hire car.
Eagle’s Nest
The Eagle’s Nest is one of Bavaria’s most beautiful sites with a mix of scenic vistas and Nazi History. You can go inside what was Hitler’s countryside retreat and be rewarded with some of the most magnificent views. Check out planning details and my experience in this post.
Germany is definitely one of my favourite countries in Europe and there is something about the history of Munich and the beauty of the south that keeps me coming back. That, and the pretzels and schnitzels of course! 🙂
I hope this helps you when planning your own German adventure!
Ally XO
Leave a Reply