My favorite places to visit and things to see in the Bavaria region of Germany. Just know, this was a hard list to narrow down! I spent 5 days in Germany, so here are my top 5 experiences.
- Walking through Regensburg
- Visiting the Dachau Concentration Camp
- Hiking to Schloss Neuschwanstein and Marienbrücke
- Exploring the Christmas Markets
- Taking a stroll around Schloss Nymphenburg
Walking through Regensburg
I’ll be honest, I had no idea what to expect when visiting Regensburg. I was deciding between a day trip to Nuremberg or to Regensburg. All I got were conflicting reviews about which was better. I ultimately chose Regensburg and that is a decision I’ll never regret. The city was a dream. Full of old stone roads, colorful buildings, and a ton of history, Regensburg is a city that should be on everyone’s German itinerary.
Visiting the Dachau Concentration Camp
I was told prior by my AirBnb host that if I would like to see a concentration camp to just visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. While that would be a great experience, Dachau was in my itinerary and I had no plans to make a quick trip to Poland. Dachau is a beautiful area, but as you approach the entrance to the memorial and camp, you begin to imagine the world as it was many decades ago. It is an old camp in the middle of a city where people are living. It was so surreal to walk into this place with so many memories of sadness, sorrow, and torment. I opted to tour it myself, being that it closes early, which can be great but if you get the chance to take a guided tour I recommend it! To tour the camp, it is free, no admissions cost. There is a lot of space to walk and tour around, so I recommend comfy walking shoes. The indoor memorial and museum was so interesting and if you’re the kind of person who likes to read everything, plan to be there a very long time! Visiting a concentration camp is an experience like no other.
Hike to Schloss Neuschwanstein and Marienbrücke
Okay, first things first, I am NOT a hiker. Never did I imagine I would be hiking on this trip. I am SO glad that I chose to go with the group and hike over an hour or so up to these two landmarks. The view was breathtaking. I felt so empowered and so refreshed after this hike. I was also very shocked by my abilities. There is a paved road that you take all the way the mountain and to the castle and the bridge. Other options for scaling or descending this mountain are horse carriage and bus. When given our options and no one else chose to be taken up to the castle, I didn’t want to be the one and only person not to join the hike. Not only was it refreshing, but our guide also gave us a lot of history surrounding the castle and the area. Let me NOT forget the Alpsee. This beautiful lake set against the Alps is a gorgeous location for resting and relaxing. You can see it in my photos. I wish that I would’ve spent more time at the lake before having to leave.
Exploring the Christmas Markets
Visiting the Christmas markets anywhere in Europe is a must. Something about them makes Germany feel so magical. It is so fun to walk around trying things from each booth and checking out hand-made crafts. It was fairly crowded once it got dark, but during the daylight is probably a great time if you want to avoid long lines and tons of people! I visited the Marienplatz Christmas market the most because I happened to be in that area for a lot of the activities I planned. Another great Christmas market was a large one I visited in Regensburg. Truly at any point in exploring nearby cities, it impossible not to run across a Christmas market or two. The Christmas markets’ festive-like atmosphere really set the tone for my whole trip. It wouldn’t have been a pre-Christmas trip without them.
Taking a stroll around Schloss Nymphenburg
This palace is located in Munich and is beautiful to walk through and around. I did not take a tour inside but the outside of the palace is beautiful and made for the perfect morning stroll. The morning I visited, I missed my tour that morning and then opted to take the day for myself. The night before I walked to Nymphenburg but it was too dark very early in the evening to see anything. The next morning was a perfect 50 degrees so I put on my walking shoes and walked the trails that are around the palace. There is also a beautiful cafe on the grounds that offered an extensive menu and a nice place to enjoy brunch. I had NO IDEA what lay ahead of me when I arrived. There are long, winding walking trails and the weather was perfect. On the grounds there is also another old, but more abandoned castle in the back. I think that day total I walked over 22,000 steps!! I could feel it by the time I got back to my AirBnb. Overall, if you need a nice day to take it easy and relax, I highly recommended stopping by Schloss Nymphenburg.
