City: Bavaria
Top Things to do in Bavaria
What to do and see in Bavaria, Germany: The Best Things to do Good for Kids
Anthem: Bayernhymne (German)
"Hymn of Bavaria"
Restaurants in Bavaria
1. Altstadt
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,384 reviews
Rothenburg has made a concerted effort to preserve its medieval heritage, and Old Town reflects the historic fruits of this labor.
Reviewed By johnbJ2216LG - Northville, United States
Christmas market we took our granddaughter to see the Christmas markets in Germany in the city and the Christmas market was a wonderful experience. The time itself without the Christmas market is a worthwhile experience because it had very little damage from the war And a lot of the structures are still intact if you are in Germany it’s a definite place you have to visit
2. Nationalparkzentrum - Haus der Berge
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 538 reviews
Germany's only Alpine National Park Lofty, wild and majestic, "King" Watzmann (2713m) reigns over the Berchtesgadener Land as he surveys his kingdom: Berchtesgaden National Park. High mountains, deep valleys and crystal-clear alpine streams define this protected area bordering Austria. "Allow nature to remain in its natural state" is the motto of Germany’s only Alpine National Park. Berchtesgaden National Park is located in the southeast of Germany, in Bavaria and adjoining the Austrian Salzburg region. Founded in 1978, the park includes an area of 210 square kilometres and is owned by the federal state of Bavaria. In addition, the park is the core and buffer zone of the biosphere reserve Berchtesgadener Land.
Reviewed By HBB85 - West Sussex, United Kingdom
We parked in the car park opposite the museum, which was only €1 for two hours. Entry to the museum is crazy value for money at only €4/adult, which is discounted further if you have a Berchtesgaden card. (However, there is a minimum spend if you wish to pay by card). We had the whole museum to ourselves for our entire visit! The staff (and reception bear!) are friendly and the exhibition itself is informative, surprising, interesting and captivating; it held our attention for a good hour. The displays have captions in both German and English (which I realised after slowly trying to translate the German!!) Haus der Berge is far more than stuffed exhibits; the animals and birds are arranged with real thought to add interest, it's hard to spot everything the first time you look! This, combined with the bitesize information makes natural history exciting! The tunnels section with torches is inspired! (Do mind your head though!!) Any nature lover will enjoy!
3. St. Maria de Victoria Kirche
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 170 reviews
Reviewed By Asta365 - Kent, United States
The church of Maria de Victoria, also known as the Asam Kirche, is a stunning baroque church. Expecting a church more like the Asam Kirche in Munich which focuses more on these artisans' Baroque plasterwork, I was surprised to find a study in perspective in this medium size church. Confronted with a set of design challenges in what is basically a rectangular church, the brothers worked out a set of multiple perspective points that makes a celestial vision absolutely pop out at the viewer. This is coupled with clever plasterwork along the edges of the ceiling which integrate it with the walls to smoothly transition their work into the plain walls. The altar is a nice baroque composition, but the "professors" seating along the walls of this Jesuit church are extremely well crafted. In the the small treasury in the back of the church there is a magnificent monstrance made in Augsburg that commemorates the Battle of Leponto. While such a warlike scene that is somewhat jarring when seen on such a religious article, I guess it's understandable after such a significant turning point in the then-ongoing war against Islamic expansion. In a somewhat similar vein, the warrior-leader Tilly's crucifix in silver and ivory is also kept in the treasury. Admission is €3. I was allowed to use the English language guidebook to guide my visit. There really is no parking close to the church, but it is a short walk from the large public parking lots. The docents at the church were friendly.
4. Schloss Heidelberg
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 7,450 reviews
Each year, Heidelberg Palace attracts around one Million visitors from all over the world. Since the 19th century, These impressive ruins have been synonymous with Romanticism. The Heidelberg Tun, the statues on the facade and the gardens of the palace are Highlights of any visit.
Reviewed By JudyM1888 - Ocean View, Australia
A must do in Heidelberg.Take the funicular railway to the castle and enjoy fantastic views over the city.A guided tour of the castle allows a much better insight the the history and the lives of nobility who lived there. If you have lunch at the castle cafe-the apple strudel and the rhubarb water are highly recommended.
5. Philosopher’s Walk
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,754 reviews
This famous path along the Neckar River has been frequented by numerous famous philosophers throughout history.
Reviewed By AzzurroTiffany
Nice walk in the wonderful nature surrounding the city; different paths for different levels of exercise/panoramic spots, it fills your eyes with beauty in all seasons and weather conditions.
6. Marienplatz
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 25,215 reviews
This prominent public square, the largest in Munich, still stands as the center of social activity in the city, much as it has throughout history.
Reviewed By tatianam22 - Charlotte, United States
We were lucky to visit Marienplatz during Christmas, so we could experience the magical part of the decorated tree, the Christmas market with all its colorful displays of baked goods, toys, gluhwein. It's a busy place in the heart of Bavaria, reflecting new and past, mixing old architecture and modern shopping malls. Bustling atmosphere, a sea of tourists and locals create a unique vibe of hospitality and generosity of Bavaria.
7. Alpsee
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 211 reviews
A small lake near Neuschwanstein, the famous 19th-century castle located west of Munich.
Reviewed By Johnny19039
A beautiful little jewel hides behind the completely overrun tourist magnets. It is relaxing to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of nature during a walk around the Alpsee.
8. Queen Mary's Bridge (Marienbrucke)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 486 reviews
This bridge crosses a gorge behind Neuschwanstein Castle.
Reviewed By Nomennescio_24 - Karlsruhe, Germany
Best vantage point of Neuschwanstein Castle. At peak times, you might encounter a queue, especially since the allowed number of visitors is limited. But it's definitely worth it, especially since it's an attraction for free.
9. Schloss Neuschwanstein
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 17,562 reviews
Yet another of the eccentric King Ludwig II's magnificently odd architectural creations.
Reviewed By 430chuckd
You will be greeted at the entry to the little tourist shopping area where you will pay about 7 euros to park. From there you will walk to the nearby ticket office and purchase tickets for reserved tour times for one or both castles. This must be done on the day of your visit, and it's a good idea to get there early, since the time slots fill up rapidly and the number of people per slot is limited. Allow two hours between the starts of the tours if you plan to take the bus up to Neuschwanstein rather than walk, three hours if you walk. From the ticket office you will take a short walk uphill through a small shopping area with restaurants, hotel, a bank, gift shops, etc., following the signs to Schloss Hohenschwangau. It's best to see this castle first since it's the closest and the easiest stairway climb up the hillside. After this tour, which is about 40 minutes, walk back down to the nearby bus stop (you won't have trouble finding it) and purchase tickets at 2-1/2 euros each for the ride up the mountain stopping near Schloss Neuschwanstein, about a 10-minute drive and the buses run at 10-minute intervals. Or, you can use the walking trail if you’re in good shape, but it’s rather steep and long (about 40 minutes) and keep in mind that there are a LOT of stairs on the castle tour. The bus will let you off at a point with a very short hike to Mary’s Bridge (highly recommended if you’re not afraid of heights or rickety-feeling bridges), where you will get the best view photo view of the castle. From there walk back down to the bus stop and follow the signs mostly downhill to the castle, about a 10-minute walk. Taking the hiking path down from there after the 40-minute tour is easier than walking back uphill to the bus, since it’s all downhill. If you’re a serious German history buff and want to learn everything (and I mean Everything) about the history of the region, you can buy the museum tickets at the door. Don't miss the Linderhof Palace for jaw-dropping opulence while you're in the area. It's not as big as the castles, but the interior is truly impressive.
10. Zugspitze
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,079 reviews
At nearly 10,000 feet, Germany's highest peak is a popular ski area during the winter and a challenging hiking trail during the rest of the year.
Reviewed By monideepad - Bangalore District, India
My son and I were visiting my sister and family at Erlangen. We planned a day-trip to Zugspitze. So, it was my sister, brother-in-law, niece,nephew, my son and me. We were joined by my sister’s friend, her husband and daughter... We took the train from Erlangen to Nürnberg as early as 7am. We then took the train from Nürnberg to München and changed to another train from München to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. After that, we took the cogwheel train from Zugspitzbahnhof to Gletscherbahnhof located at the height of 2,588 metres above sea level. We walked to the south part of the mountain which is the Zugsitzplatt, a high ‘karst’ (formed from the dissolution of soluble rocks such as limestone) plateau with many caves. Three glaciers, the two largest in Germany namely, Northern Schneeferner and Höllentalferner and the third namely, Southern Schneeferner lie on the flanks of Zugspitze. The highest mountain in Germany, Zugspitze was named after the “Zugbahnen” or avalanche paths down the mountain’s notoriously steep north face and summit. Less than two weeks prior to this trip to Zugspitze in the German Alps, my husband, my son and I, had been to two more glaciers, Mt. Titlis and Glacier 3000 in the Swiss Alps. On both occasions, we had met bright, sunny weather. However, at Zugspitze, there was not the faintest sign of the sun. It felt very different and was indeed a welcome change to have good snowfall instead. It felt more like a Winter Wonderland than any other snow clad peak I have visited and I felt very close to Nature. We climbed as high up as the Church Maria Heimsuchung, which stands at the height of almost 3000 metres above sea level, defying sun, storm, wind and snow. I felt that this house of God, standing in solitude, like a sentinel in the vast expanse of snow, provides peace and protection to the skiers and winter sports enthusiasts during their visits to the glacier. On enquiring, I learnt that Catholic and Protestant Mass are celebrated on a regular basis depending on weather conditions. I felt deep reverence, not only for the Creator but also for this tiny little place of prayer as I stood high up in the snow clad mighty mountain with snow flakes falling all over us. The children had put in their snow suits and they paid no heed to the constant drizzle of snowflakes. They were busy swooping down on slides and toboggans; climbing up and sliding down again. We were constantly alert about making it back in time for the train, but we did not want to miss out on going to the Zugspitze summit. So, we made a dash for the Gletscherbahn cable car station from where cable cars runs every 10 minutes between the Zugspitz glacier and the summit. We barely had about 20 minutes to spend at the summit in order to be able to catch the last cable car down. So we rushed out being careful to remain on the German side It is said that on a clear day, four countries : Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland can be seen from the Zugspitze. However, standing in the Zugspitze platform that offered a 360 degrees view, we looked north, south, east and west; but it was too foggy and musty and there coupled with snowfall, the view was totally obscured and we could see nothing beyond a couple of metres. The only regret I felt was that we could not spot the famous golden summit cross. Given a chance, I would have loved taking a picture standing by its side. For our return, we took the aerial tram right upto Garmisch-Partenkirchen and trains to München, Nürnberg and Erlangen respectively.
