9 Incredible Day Trips from Munich
Looking for the best day trips from Munich? This guide has all of the best places not to miss!
While most people think of Berlin when they think about Germany, Munich is also a must-visit. It’s the capital of the Bavarian region and offers a different cultural experience compared to the rest of the country.
Munich is also most famous for its annual Oktoberfest, which attracts the most tourists annually. Besides Oktoberfest, though, there are tons of other things to see and do in Munich and the Bavarian region!
While in Munich, don’t miss exploring the rest of Bavaria by taking some Munich day trips.
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Day Trips While Visiting Munich
After seeing all the incredible sights and culture of Munich, it’s time to take a few day trips so you can see the rest that Bavaria has to offer:
- Go to the highest point of the Bavarian Alps in Garmisch Partenkirchen.
- Take a Sound of Music movie tour in Salzburg.
- See the “Sleeping Beauty” Castle of Neuschwanstein.
- Learn about King Ludwig at Linderhof Palace.
- Tour the medieval town of Regensburg.
- Visit a festive Christmas Market in Nuremberg.
- See the charming village of Berchtesgaden.
- Learn about Nazi history in Dachau.
- Visit a medieval crime museum in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
If you’re interested in one of these day trips, click the link, and you’ll go to that section!
Garmisch Partenkirchen
If you want to experience the incredible Bavarian Alps, a day trip to Garmisch Partenkirchen is a must. Most people come here to go to the highest peak of the Alps in Germany.
Zugspitze is about 9,700 feet high, and you can reach it by cable car or cogwheel train.
The view at the top is absolutely spectacular no matter what season you come! In the summer, you can go paragliding and hiking around the Alps. Winter is also a popular time to come for skiing.
Other than seeing the top of Zugspitze, there are tons of other things you can do in Garmisch Partenkirchen:
- Visit the Olympic Ski Jump. Garmisch Partenkirchen was the host of the 1936 Winter Olympics. You can take a tour of all the ski jumps and even see training sessions going on during certain times of the year.
- Stroll around the town center. The downtown area is very historic and beautiful. There are many shops you can go into. Make sure to also eat at one of the restaurants for some incredible Bavarian food.
- See the Partnach Gorge. This stunning rocky gorge has beautiful waterfalls that you can explore. It also offers some of the best hiking near Munich.
If you want more information on all the fantastic things you can do in GP, check out my full guide here.
Getting to Garmisch Partenkirchen
GP is one of the most popular day trips from Munich by train. You can easily get direct trains to GP from the central train station in Munich.
I recommend taking the direct train so you don’t have to worry about transfers. It only takes about an hour and 10 minutes, and the journey is beautiful.
Salzburg
Right across the border from Munich, you’ll find the beautiful Austrian town of Salzburg. The town is best known as the birthplace of Mozart, and many people come here to see his old home and relive his life.
The center of Salzburg is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Exploring all the charm and stunning architecture in the city center is a must.
If you’re a fan of the movie The Sound of Music, you’ll especially love Salzburg. The movie was filmed here, and the Von Trapp home is even a hotel now. You can even book a tour to see all the famous filming locations.
For all the best things to do in Salzburg, check out my full guide here.
Getting to Salzburg
If you want to take a Munich to Salzburg day trip, you can easily get here by train or bus. There are about 30 trains from Munich daily, and the journey takes about two hours.
There are also several buses daily, but the journey takes much longer. I recommend the train even though it’s a little more expensive.
Neuschwanstein
Visiting Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most popular Munich day trips. The castle looks like it’s straight out of a fairytale. Some people also call it the Sleeping Beauty Castle because Walt Disney designed the Disneyland castle based on the one in Neuschwanstein.
As one of Europe’s most famous and most visited castles, it’s stunning, and touring it is an absolute must. During a tour, you can visit King Ludwig’s bedroom and various other rooms in the castle.
While in Füssen, you should also visit the Hohenschwangau Castle. It was the childhood home of King Ludwig.
Please check out my guide to visiting Neuschwanstein Castle here.
Getting to Neuschwanstein
Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle takes about two and a half hours by train. Not all of the trains are direct, so make sure to check the route and see if you need to transfer or not. You can catch trains from the Munich central station about every hour.
Linderhof Palace
Linderhof Palace is one of the most popular weekend trips from Munich because it’s one of the closest places to Munich and very easy to get to.
It’s another castle built by the mad King Ludwig. However, unlike the others, he finished Linderhof Palace and lived here in solitude until he died.
The palace is much smaller than the others he lived in, but it’s beautiful and worth checking out while you’re in Munich.
You can tour the outside on your own and then take a guided tour of the inside. The bedroom and the Hall of Mirrors are the most stunning areas to see. It also gives you a lot of insight into how King Ludwig spent his last years.
Getting to Linderhof Palace
If you decide to rent a car while in Munich, you can get to Linderhof Palace in under 45 minutes.
You can also take the train or book a tour. I recommend booking a tour if you can, as some even combine Linderhof Palace with Neuschwanstein Castle so you can visit both places on the same day if you are pressed for time.
Regensburg
For a picturesque medieval town, head to Regensburg. You can also see Roman ruins here, so the city has many different cultural aspects that are worth exploring.
Regensburg is one of the only places in Germany that was not affected by all the bombings during World War II. So, it’s one of the only preserved cities where you can still experience history.
The city is also right in the center of three different rivers, so it’s a stunning location. Besides just touring the town center and having a peaceful lunch, you can also visit the Regensburg Cathedral, built in the 13 century.
Getting to Regensburg
Catch a direct train to Regensburg from Munich Central Station, and the ride only takes about an hour and a half. It’s a quick and easy way to get to Regensburg, making it one of the best day trips from Munich.
Nuremberg
Nuremberg is one of the best day trips for those who enjoy medieval architecture and old medieval towns. Some people consider it the ancient capital of the Holy Roman Empire.
Nuremberg also has a lot of history when it comes to WWII. It was one of the first cities where the Nazis gathered and one of the first places where the boycotting of Jewish businesses began.
The town was completely destroyed during World War II and had to be built from the ground up.
Even though the history is dark and painful, Nuremberg is now a very fun city to visit. Thousands of tourists come here every year.
Stroll around the historical center, where you can still see some of the city’s original streets. You can stop into one of the pubs for a pint or two and head to a cafe for coffee and pastries.
If you’re lucky enough to be here during the holiday season, Nuremberg has a beautiful and festive Christmas Market that is not to be missed.
Getting to Nuremberg
The quickest and easiest way to get to Nuremberg is to take a train. It’s only an hour long and takes you directly from Munich to Nuremberg.
Berchtesgaden
Located right on the Austrian border, Berchtesgaden is a charming village set right in the Bavarian Alps. If you want to see the beautiful German and Austrian mountains, this is one of the best places to go.
The city is also famous for being home to The Eagle’s Nest, where Adolf Hitler used to come when he wanted to relax in the mountains. It’s now a museum that you can tour, as well as a restaurant.
Want to take a tour of the Eagle’s Nest? Check this out!
It’s very hard to get to, as you must climb high up into the mountains on a small road. The Nazis are said to have done this on purpose when they built it, as they wanted it to be a secret place of power, and they wanted to impress any guests that they might host there.
One of the most beautiful things to do here is to see the Konigsee. It’s a lake with a stunning emerald green color and is surrounded by cliffs and mountains.
You can take a boat tour and see the fantastic scenery around the lake. There are also some of the best Munich hikes around the lake, where you can walk through the forests. Most of the trails end at the lake.
Getting to Berchtesgaden
Berchtesgaden is one of the further day trips from Munich, as it takes about two and a half hours by train to get here. Most trains do not go direct as they first take a stop in Salzburg and then head to Berchtesgaden from there.
Dachau
Just a few weeks after Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany, Dachau became a site for one of the many concentration camps that would be built.
The camp here imprisoned more than 200,000 people from the time it opened until it was liberated at the end of the war. A memorial site was built in the camp in 1965, and visitors can now pay their respects to all the people who were imprisoned and murdered here.
Doing a guided tour of Dachau is needed to understand the history and what took place here truly. It’s not an easy place to visit, but it’s so very important.
The tour will also take you to the chapels set up in the camp to show the different faiths of the people taken here. There is also an exhibit that has real stories and photos from survivors.
While here, you can also visit Schloss Dachau, which used to be a residence for the Bavarian royal family. It has a restaurant where you can eat and beautifully manicured gardens where you can relax.
Getting to Dachau
Dachau is only 25 minutes from Munich, so it makes for an excellent half-day trip if you want to be back in Munich in time for dinner and nightlife. From Munich, you can take a bus straight to Dachau.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
This is another fantastic medieval town that is worth checking out while you’re in Munich. It has many different cathedrals that you can step inside, as well as a castle built in 1142.
The Medieval Crime Museum is also worth going to if you’re interested in the history of how crimes were punished in the 10th and 11th centuries. They even have replicas of the different devices used to torture people and get confessions.
In the town center, there are many traditional restaurants and pubs where you can stop and take a break from walking.
Getting to Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Depending on how many transfers are involved, you will need to take about a 2.5 to 3.5-hour train ride from Munich. There are few direct trains, so you will likely have to do at least one transfer.
You will either need to get off the train at Ansbach or Nurnberg and then take the 732 bus the rest of the way.
Don’t Miss These Fantastic Day Trips From Munich!
Ready to take some amazing day trips from Munich? I hope this guide helps you plan your time around the Bavarian region of Germany.
Which of these day trips are you going to do first?
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- Where to Stay in Munich—Best Areas & Accommodations
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