Famous for its architecture, history, and of course the now globally recognized Oktoberfest, Munich is the third largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg, and is capital of the German Free State of Bavaria.
First mentioned in 1158, the city abounds with historical sights, including the stunning baroque Nymphenburg Palace, and the landmark Frauenkirche which dominates the skyline due to local height laws.
Munich is also well placed to explore the rich historical area of Bavaria, a land of fairytale castles, medieval towns, forests and mountain scenery.
Even Austria can be quite easily visited from this city. But which day trips from Munich are most worth your time? Here are some of our top recommendations for your next visit to Munich.
Don’t leave home without: Lonely Planet Germany (Travel Guide)
Best Day Trips from Munich
Regensburg
Just under two hours to the north of Munich is Regensburg. This historic town is known for its very well preserved medieval center, which has as such has been made a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
However, its history spans back much further than the Middle Ages. Evidence of a settlement here in the Stone Age does exist, but more tangible is the Roman town of Castra Regina, built here in 179 AD; even in 90 AD the Romans had constructed a fort nearby.
You can still see evidence of the Roman town in the form of the remains of the East Tower of the Porta Praetoria.
Elsewhere the skyline is dominated by the huge Regensburg Cathedral, dating back to 789 AD, but as it stands dating to the 16th century (and later), and the stunning 200-year-old Regensburg Stadttheater. This is a town full of history ready for you to explore.
Our top recommended tours of Regensburg:
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Ingolstadt
Located as little as 36 minutes away by train, day trips from Munich to Ingolstadt couldn’t be more convenient. First mentioned by Charlemagne, the Holy Roman Emperor, in 806 AD as Ingoldes stat, this ancient city is packed full of sights.
There is the Kreuztor, the iconic western gate to the medieval part of town, built in 1385, the stunning baroque Asamkirche Maria de Victoria, a church constructed in the late 18th century, as well as the pristine 15th century ‘New Castle’, among many other examples of Gothic architecture.
Aside from its wealth of history, this Bavarian town is also a haven for shoppers, with designer outlet shopping at Ingolstadt Village featuring 110 international boutiques, many of which offer discounts of up to 60%.
Our top recommended tour of Ingolsadt:
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Salzburg and Salzkammergut (Lake District)
In the summer, Munich heads to the cooler climate of the Bavarian Alps to relax and chill out in its naturally beautiful lakes and rivers. In neighboring Austria, day trips from Munich allow you to immerse yourself in the Salzkammergut area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site filled with glistening lakes and beautiful waterfront towns.
One of these is Lake Wolfangsee, a beautiful body of water nestled between low mountains where you can go on a boat ride to the famous 500-year-old White Horse Inn. In fact, Wolfgangsee is located close to Salzburg, which is most definitely worth a visit when you’re in the area.
While this is a charming, historic city in its own right, it’s super famous for being the birthplace and early home of the child prodigy, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. You can actually visit the house where it all started in 1756.
Our top recommended tours to Salzburg:
- Salzburg Sightseeing Day Trip from Munich by Rail
- Salzburg Small-Group Day Tour from Munich
- Salzburg and Lake District Day Tour from Munich
- Salzburg City Tour – Private Tour All Inclusive
Herrenchiemsee
King Ludwig II of Bavaria had a big obsession with wanting to build castles and palaces that looked like something out of a fairytale. Versailles near Paris, France and Herrenchiemsee definitely fall into this category.
One of the three castles commissioned by Ludwig, Herrenchiemsee is different to the other two in that it actually features two castles: the first was a medieval abbey converted into a palace by Ludwig (Old Palace).
The second is the New Palace, built in the rococo style and featuring lavish interiors. Both of these, collectively known as the ‘Bavarian Versailles’, are to be found on Herreninsel, the largest island in the Chiemsee Lake, just under two hours’ drive southeast from the Bavarian capital.
Neighboring island Fraueninsel is home to a Benedictine convent, but there had already been a monastery in this tranquil setting, founded in 782 AD by Tassilo III, Duke of Bavaria.
Our top recommended tours to Herrenchiemsee:
- Royal Castle of Herrenchiemsee and Fraueninsel Day Tour from Munich
- Herrenchiemsee Palace Rail Trip from Munich
- Small-Group Guided Day Tour to Herrenchiemsee Palace and Park from Munich
Berchtesgaden
Near the border of Austria lies this incredible area of natural beauty. The municipality of Berchtesgaden is dominated by the towering distinctive twin peaks of Watzmann, Germany’s second highest mountain at 8,901 feet, famed for its climbing.
Another notable mountain in this area is the 6,171 ft tall Kehlstein, which itself is a sub-peak of the Hoher Göll (8,274 ft). It’s atop Kehlstein that you’ll find the Eagle’s Nest, or Kehlsteinhaus, a residence used by Adolf Hitler.
Ironically, however, the Nazi leader only visited 14 times, who worried about the bad weather, thin air, and had a fear of heights. Today it’s open seasonally as a restaurant and beer garden and is visited by bus. You can then catch a brass-clad elevator that makes its ascent for the last 407 feet of the journey.
Our top recommended tour to Berchtesgaden:
Don’t leave home without: Lonely Planet Germany (Travel Guide)
Linderhof Palace
Known in German as Schloss Linderhof, this is the only of Ludwig II’s castles whose completion he actually lived to see (though it was finished in the same year as his death in 1886).
Despite being the smallest of Ludwig’s grand construction projects, and not exactly perched upon mountains like Neuschwanstein, the Linderhof is nevertheless a majestic building. In fact, it was modeled after Louis XIV’s Versailles, the French king was actually something of an idol for Ludwig.
Situated near the also grand Ettal Abbey, Linderhof is a suitable homage to its inspiration: it is sumptuously decorated inside and out, with its famous glittering ‘Mirror Room’, and Dining Room complete with ivory chandelier. There’s also a 125-acre formal garden to wander around.
Our top recommended tours of Linderhof:
- Royal Castles of Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Day Tour from Munich
- Neuschwanstein Castle, Linderhof Palace, and Oberammergau Day Trip from Munich
Nuremberg
The second biggest city in the region of Bavaria after Munich, Nuremberg is a fascinating, beautiful and somber place to visit. Nuremberg is an easy day trip from Munich, being only around two hours by car.
This city is known not only by its older history, with the 14th century house of Renaissance painter Albrecht Dürer or the fortified buildings of Nuremberg Castle constructed around 1000 AD, to name just a few, but it is also known for its Nazi connection.
It is here, at the Reichsparteitagsgelände (‘Party Congress Grounds’), a ‘New Rome’ was envisioned by architect Albert Speer. It is also the location where Adolf Hitler held the infamous Nuremberg Rallies.
Most buildings constructed during this time were demolished, but the biggest National Socialist building preserved is the massive amphitheater of the Kongresshalle or Congress Hall.
Here you can learn much more about the ascent and aftermath of Nazi Germany at the Nazi Documentation Center. Have a look at our Nuremberg City Guide for all the best things to do in the city once you’re there.
Our top recommended tours of Nuremberg:
- Nuremberg Day Trip from Munich
- Nuremberg Third Reich and Roman Empire Historical Day Trip
- Nuremberg Nazi Rally Grounds and Old Town Tour
- Nuremberg Old Town Walking Tour
Romantic Road
Rather than one single destination, the aptly named ‘Romantic Road’ is a route stretching south from Munich to southern Bavaria, along which a string of beautiful places to visit are situated.
Day trips from Munich can easily take in some of these sights, where you’ll feel like you’ve stepped right into the pages of a fairytale, the road winding through mountains and thick pine forests.
There’s Harburg, for instance, which features a stunningly well preserved medieval castle – first mentioned in 1150, it has never been seriously damaged by war; even Michael Jackson tried (unsuccessfully) to buy Harburg Castle, having called it “the castle of my dreams.”
Further south is the impossibly picturesque Rothenburg, the archetypal Bavarian town, an equally medieval feel with its cobblestones and historic buildings.
Our top recommended tours of the Romantic Road:
- Romantic Road, Rothenburg, and Harburg Day Tour from Munich
- Romantic Road: Rothenburg ob der Tauber and More Private Tour
- Munich Super Saver: Salzburg and Lake District Day Trip plus Romantic Road and Rothenburg Day Trip
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Zugspitze
Located in the extreme south of Bavaria, and saddling the Austrian border, is the mighty Zugspitze, at 9,718 feet this mighty mountain is Germany’s highest peak.
As a day trip from Munich, taking just over an hour to get there by car, you’ll pass through Garmisch-Partenkirchen, town of Hitler’s 1936 Winter Olympics and a great place for a stop-off in itself.
The cobbled streets and Lüftlmalerei (Italian-style Bavarian frescoes) adorning its buildings makes for a charming rest-stop. From here it’s not far to Zugspitze.
Thanks to great infrastructure, it’s not hard to travel around the mountain; first of all, it’s a cable car ride to the top of the mountain for unparalleled views of the Bavarian Alps, then a ride on the unique Bavarian Zugspitze Railway, one of four rack railways still operating in Germany.
Our top recommended tours to Zugspitze:
Neuschwanstein Castle
One of the three beautiful castles commissioned by ‘Mad’ King Ludwig II of Bavaria, Neuschwanstein Castle is arguably the most beautiful.
So much so, in fact, that it is affectionately known as the ‘Cinderella Castle’, though it is the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland which is directly modeled after this opulent and ostentatious project.
Built from 1869 to 1886, the year Ludwig died, this stunning example of Romanesque revival architecture was originally intended as a home for the Bavarian king, but instead, opened to the public shortly after his death. It’s been a major tourist attraction ever since, drawing 1.3 million people to every year.
There are spectacular views from here of Hohenschwangau Castle, set in the village of the same name; the castle was the childhood home of Ludwig II, and it’s sort of heartwarming that he wanted a view of it from Neuschwanstein.
Our top recommended tours to Neuschwanstein:
- Royal Castles of Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Day Tour from Munich
- Neuschwanstein Castle Small-Group Day Tour from Munich
- Neuschwanstein Castle Excursion from Munich
- Small-Group Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Castle Luxury Coach Day Trip from Munich
Related Article: How to Visit Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich
Recommended Multi-Day Germany Tours:
- The Best of Germany (Start and end in Frankfurt-am-Main! With the discovery tour Best of Germany Summer, you have a 12-day tour package taking you through Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany and 11 other destinations in Germany. Best of Germany Summer includes meals and more.)
- Bavarian Highlights (Start and end in Munich! With the in-depth cultural tour Bavarian Highlights, you have a 9-day tour package taking you through Munich, Germany and 9 other destinations in Germany. Bavarian Highlights includes meals, transport.
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