11 Great Day Trips from Munich

I’m sure that the Bavarian region of Germany is on your couple’s bucket list.

If you are planning a trip to Germany then you will more than likely be including the Bavarian city of Munich.  I mean, you have to visit the famous beer gardens and stomp around the famed Oktoberfest venue. 

While planning your trip, be sure to include time to visit some of the surrounding areas as there are many fabulous day trips from Munich. 

Whether you have 2 days in Munich or 2 weeks, Munich is such a great city! Of course, if you are spending several days in Munich then you definitely need to consider getting out of the city and seeing more of the surrounding area.

Whether you are trying to get from Munich to Neuschwanstein Castle, or Munich to Dachau, we have you covered!

To help you in your planning, we’ve asked the expert, our fellow travel bloggers, to tell us about their favorites.  So, here we go with some awesome Munich day trips!

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Great Day Trips from Munich

Nuremberg

Submitted by: Me, Michelle of That Texas Couple

You can’t have a list of day trips from Munich and not include Nuremberg.  The second-largest city in Bavaria, Nuremberg is best known for its association with the Nazi party. 

And while there is no denying this part of Nuremberg’s history, there is so much more to this fabulous city.  

While you can easily plan a day trip from Munich to Nuremberg on your own, you might want to consider a guided tour and let others take care of all of the logistics for you.  

Nuremberg is still completely surrounded by the medieval town wall, making it easily walkable.  Visitors will definitely want to see Nuremberg’s old town including the charming Tanner’s Lane. 

Lined with cafes, bars, boutique shops, and of course, half-timbered houses, Tanner’s Lane is a must-see while in Nuremberg.  After visiting Tanner’s Lane, make your way to Nuremberg castle to capture great views of the town and take a glimpse into Nuremberg’s past.  

While here you absolutely must try the Nuremberg sausages.  We chose Bratwurst Roslein to eat our Nuremberg sausages, and we were not disappointed. 

These tiny sausages were perfectly caramelized on the grill and then accompanied by some traditional German kraut and a huge pretzel.  The perfect end to a great day in Nuremberg.  

St. Johann in Tirol

Submitted by:  Helene of Paul Marina

St.Johann in Tirol is a market town in Austria, situated about 2-3 hours from Munich, making it an easy day trip from Munich. The town is nestled in a large valley.

It’s a lovely lesser-known place to discover in the Alps, any season.

St.Johann is a well-known winter sports resort but it’s also a gorgeous place in the warmer months of the year. You can go shopping in the local boutiques for traditional wear such as designer Trachten dresses and Leather pants or you can acquire Swarovski gems, which by the way are from the region.

You can also choose to be active by experiencing nature in the surrounding. Discover the ancient Roman trail at the Niederkaiser forest, which is a great place to enjoy a sunny afternoon if you don’t want to go hiking up a mountain. The Panorama baths are another fun place to be with an outdoor hot water pool and a crystal clear view of the mountains.

Learn about local food and culture in one of the traditional restaurants. I recommend you try the local bread dumplings with Sauerkraut and Sausages or in autumn the wild game chanterelle mushroom cream sauce with braised red cabbage dish.

If you leave by 7 am in Munich, you can get there with a rental car by 9-10 am by taking the highway, crossing Kufstein after the border, and taking the mountain road towards St.Johann/Kitzbühel.

Eibsee

Submitted by:  Alex of Swedish Nomad

Eibsee is a beautiful lake in Southern Germany, on the slopes of Zugspitze, which is the tallest mountain in all of Germany.

Not only is it a beautiful lake, but also a great recreation area is known for its fresh air and lovely nature. Rent a boat and paddle around the lake, make a stop at one of the islets and bring a picnic basket. 

The best time to visit is during the early hours when you will hear the birds chirping, see beautiful reflections and just enjoy the peace and serenity of being outdoors. 

If you wish to set your foot on the highest point in Germany, you can get a cable car up from Eibsee as well. 

The easiest way to get here from Munich is by car, but you could also go by train to Garmisch-Partenkirchen and take the bus down to the lake. Most convenient is a rental car though because then you can choose your own arrival and departure times.

Parking is available and you pay about 4 euro for a full day.

If you want to stay overnight, it’s possible to do so at the Eibsee Hotel, and here you will also find a nice restaurant with a view of the lake.

Garmisch

Submitted by:  Lindsey of Abroad Wife

Garmisch is a beautiful mountain town at the base of the highest peak in Germany, the Zugspitze.

It is a quick 1-hour train ride or 1-hour drive away from Munich making it the perfect day trip. No matter what time of year you visit, Garmisch has something for everyone and is a great place to get outside and enjoy nature. 

Taking a ride up to the summit of the Zugspitze is something no one should miss. Make sure you check the weather, you won’t have much of a view if it is cloudy. You can either take the train or the cable car up.

Once you’re there enjoy the view of the German Alps, relax in a sun chair, and have a beer and schnitzel in the restaurant. In winter Garmisch makes a perfect skiing and winter sports destination. Garmisch hosted the winter Olympics in 1936 so you can rest assured there are plenty of ski slopes to tackle.

For a little more of an Olympic experience, take a guided tour of the Olympic Ski Jump Park. In summer, you can hike in the mountains instead of ski. Visit Eibsee to take a dip in beautiful, pristine, blue water that could rival the Caribbean.

There are hiking paths around the lake that can be used at any time of year. Garmisch is also home to Partnach Gorge. It is an easy hike through a rocky gorge that has been carved out by glacial runoff.

Hiking through the canyon with ice blue water rushing by is a memorable experience.

While in Garmisch, consider taking this Garmisch-Partenkirchen walking tour to learn all about the town.

Salzburg, Austria

Submitted by:  Wendy of The Nomadic Vegan 

Salzburg, Austria is a beautiful Baroque town that has rightly been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s one of the best-preserved old towns in the German-speaking world.

With the Salzach river flowing past, the snow-capped mountains in the distance, and a castle fortress perched majestically on a cliff above the town, Salzburg is picture-perfect. 

And, as a relatively small city of 150,000, it’s compact and easy to get around, so you’ll be able to see all the main sights in a single day, making it one of the great day trips from Munich.

The city is most famous for being the birthplace of Mozart and the setting for The Sound of Music. The house where Mozart was born is now a museum, and various companies run tours to the locations featured in The Sound of Music. 

There are also plenty more museums, castles, and churches to visit if you have the stamina. In addition to the famous clifftop Festung Hohensalzburg, built in 1077, there’s also Schloss Hellbrunn, the summer palace of the archbishops of Salzburg.

If you visit between April and October, you can see the trick fountains in action. Be sure to take a stroll down Getreidegasse, a long, narrow street where you’ll still find old-style signs hanging in front of the shop windows.

Have lunch at the cozy Gustav, which is the city’s first vegan bistro and café and is loved by both meat-eating and vegan travelers. 

Trains from Munich Hauptbahnhof to Salzburg Hauptbahnhof are frequent, leaving about every 40 minutes. The trip takes one and a half to two hours each way. 

Book a Guided Tour from Munich to Salzburg and let someone else take care of the work. 

Dachau 

Submitted by:  Betsy of Passing Thru

Neuschwanstein Castle

Submitted by:  Melissa from Thrifty Family Travels

Neuschwanstein Castle is one of the most visited castles visited in all of Europe and once you see it’s beauty you can easily understand why.  So beautiful and magical is this castle that it’s what inspired the design of the Disney castle that you can find at Disneyland parks all over the world.

Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century palace that was created by Ludwig II and is located high up on the cliffs in the gorgeous countryside of Bavaria.  Visitors can take a tour inside this stunning castle however it is super popular so be sure to book your tickets well in advance.

 It’s also worth noting that given this castle is located high in the cliffs, you will need to walk around 1.5km up a steep driveway to reach it.  Alternatively, you can take a horse and carriage but be warned we waited well over an hour for a carriage.

Even if you do miss out on getting tickets, in my view it is still well worth the visit.  This is no doubt the most stunning castle I’ve ever seen.  It’s absolutely stunning.

It will take a full day to visit Neuschwanstein Castle from Munich as it is a 3-hour trip one way via public transport.  It’s easy enough to do though, you simply take a train from Munich to Fussen and then from here a bus to the castle. 

Alternatively, you may join a bus tour from Munich.

Stuttgart

Submitted by:  Diana of The Elusive Family

Stuttgart is an amazing city to explore with an abundance of things to do and places to see.  Located just over an hour and a half drive away from Munich, making it a fun day trip from Munich. 

Stuttgart is home to Mercedes Benz.  The city also features an impressive museum dedicated to the car-maker.

The well-known botanical garden and zoo Wilhelma provides for a beautiful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.  A walk through the center of Stuttgart leads to the large open Schlossplatz, which hosts open-air concerts, the winter Christmas market, as well as smaller events throughout the year.

There are great places to explore in Stuttgart such as Schloss Solitude, a beautiful palace on a hill, Wurttemberg Mausoleum, the amazing Markthalle, which hosts an indoor market with a variety of merchants selling goods and the minimalist style Stadtbobliothek, known worldwide for its simple and clean design.

No city is complete without a sports arena and Stuttgart’s Mercedes-Benz arena hosts 3 sports teams and numerous sporting associations within its magnificent structure.

Stuttgart is also home to the world’s second-largest beer festival in the fall, Cannstatter Folk Festival, which attracts approximately 4 million visitors a year.  The festival lasts 3 weeks and has over 330 merchants on site.  

In the springtime, Stuttgart hosts the Spring Festival on the same grounds. Between the festivals, markets, and places to explore, Stuttgart is a city not to be missed!

Starnberger See

Submitted by:  Patrick of German Backpacker

Munich is hands down one of the most beautiful cities in Germany and a visit to the Bavarian capital should definitely be on your itinerary.

However, Munich isn’t only a great place to visit, but also a perfect base for day trips into the German countryside. One of the best and easiest places to travel to from Munich is the “Starnberger See”, which is a beautiful lake just outside of the city.

You can reach the Starnberger See easily by train in less than 30 minutes and only for a few Euros. The small town called “Starnberg”, located directly at the lake offers plenty of nice cafés and restaurants along the lakeside.

If you walk a bit further, you can see the yachts and boats of Munich’s upper class, since the lake is a popular spot for locals who like to escape the city for a bit.

My recommendation: Keep walking!

You’ll slowly leave the town and the people behind and find yourself in the beautiful nature surrounding the lake. Especially the sunsets are spectacular here!

Keep in mind that the Starnberger See isn’t only a great place to visit in the summer. I was there in late fall and enjoyed the nice autumn atmosphere with all the colorful leaves. I’m sure you’ll have a great time!

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Submitted by:  Melissa of Parenthood and Passports

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a quintessential charming German village. The small town looks like a scene straight out of a storybook. With brightly colorful streets lined with outdoor cafes, shops, bakeries, and beer gardens, the town has a great atmosphere and an obvious tourist draw.

Roughly a 2 ½ hour drive from Munich, this picturesque village is a popular day trip for guests to the Bavarian capital.

Visitors can walk the historic walls of the village, wander the cobblestone streets, or tour some of the interesting museums within the town, including the Christmas Museum or the Medieval Crime and Justice Museum.

If you prefer guided tours, I’d recommend the Night Watchman’s tour. On this family-friendly guided tour, the town’s night watchman dressed in medieval attire leads guests through the streets, recounting stories and tales of the town and adding humorous anecdotes along the way.

Whether staying in Rothenburg ob der Tauber for a meal or if you just want to grab a quick snack while you’re there, a must-try dessert is a schneebälle. This deep-fried, powdered sugar-covered dough ball is quite popular in the town, and it’s hard to find anywhere outside of Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

The yummy concoction makes the day trip even more worth it!

You might want to consider this guided tour. 

Lake Konigssee

Submitted by:  Arzo of Arzo Travels

From Munich, you can easily get to Lake-Königssee- the cleanest lake in Germany. By car, it takes about 2 hours (one way) and by train, it takes about 3 hours to get from Munich to Schonau am Konigsee- however, it is totally worth it! 

Lake-Königssee is located in the area of Berchtesgaden, which is near the Austrian border and close to the town of Berchtesgaden and Eagle’s Nest. The lake is located in stunning scenery- it looks absolutely amazing. 

However, you cannot hike around the lake.  If you want to get to the other end of the lake you need to do a boat tour- but if you ask me, boat tours are actually one of the best ways to get around and so it is a fun activity. 

The interesting things about boats on Lake-Königssee are that they are electric, which is one of the reasons why the lake is so clean (you could actually drink the water).  

You will pass the famous St. Bartholomew Church and can get and can get out here to visit the church if you wish.  If not, you can continue your boat tour and head to the other side of the lake where you can hike and see another cute lake, Obersee.   

Surely Lake-Königssee is one of the great day trips from Munich where you can enjoy some great outdoor time.  

Final Thoughts on Day Trips From Munich

As you can see, there are so many fabulous day trips from Munich. We have only scratched the surface here and we think we have given you some great options!

Comment below and let us know what day trips you would add to the list.

Suggested Munich Tours

While You’re Here, Check Out These Posts:

Top 10 Things To Do In Munich

Castles of the Romantic Rhine

Ultimate Guide to the Fairy Tale Town of Bacharach, Germany

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