Day trip from Munich to Salzburg?
May 29th, 2016, 02:17 AM
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Day trip from Munich to Salzburg?
I am visiting Munich in a few weeks and I have a day trip planned to Salzburg, Austria and a second day trip planned to Rothenburg. I definitely want to go to Rothenburg, but I am having second thoughts about Salzburg. Is it worth visiting? I only have a few days in Munich so I think it would be better to stay in Munich for an extra day and really enjoy the city rather than go to Salzburg. Thoughts? This will be in early June.
May 29th, 2016, 03:51 AM
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Salzburg is very nice! If you decide to go there you should definitely hike up or take the train up to the castle!! It's very beautiful and also the view is amazing! it's a very tiny city but really worth seeing it!
May 29th, 2016, 04:44 AM
#3
Whereas Rothenburg is somewhat unique: the moat, the drawbridges, the fortress-like walls, I'm not sure you'll be as thrilled with those Christmas stores and the mob scene of visitors that often happens there.
For a better overall experience I would choose Salzburg which is slightly easier to reach (by rail) and I would not wait until one of those regional tickets kicks in (e.g., after 9 AM) but would leave Munich EARLY so I could have the maximum amount of time in Salzburg itself.
For a better overall experience I would choose Salzburg which is slightly easier to reach (by rail) and I would not wait until one of those regional tickets kicks in (e.g., after 9 AM) but would leave Munich EARLY so I could have the maximum amount of time in Salzburg itself.
May 29th, 2016, 04:48 AM
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I don't know when the tourist season starts in Munich. I have been to Munich and Salzburg numerous times, but the last time in mid July. Both cities were so packed with tourists, as to make them hard to enjoy.
Are they worth visiting, yes, but the crowds made it hard to do so. I am not sure if you have a car, but you might want to consider visiting the Chiemsee with a visit to Herrenchiemsee. We stayed there during the same time and it was less crazy.
Garmisch Partenkirchen was also less crowded (obviously lacking the excitement of Salzburg). We spent a day there in the town, up on the Zugspitze, and kayaking on the nearby Eibsee.
If you have a car, there is a lovely outdoor museum not far from Garmisch called the Freilichtmuseum Glenleiten. That was a wonderful day and fairly empty save a few German visitors.
If you are relying on public transportation, you might want to consider Augsburg. There is enough to do for a whole day trip and while I can't speak for the number of tourists, I can't imagine it would be at the level of Salzburg.
But again, maybe your trip is early enough in the season to make the trip to Salzburg worth your while. It's a lovely place to visit.
Are they worth visiting, yes, but the crowds made it hard to do so. I am not sure if you have a car, but you might want to consider visiting the Chiemsee with a visit to Herrenchiemsee. We stayed there during the same time and it was less crazy.
Garmisch Partenkirchen was also less crowded (obviously lacking the excitement of Salzburg). We spent a day there in the town, up on the Zugspitze, and kayaking on the nearby Eibsee.
If you have a car, there is a lovely outdoor museum not far from Garmisch called the Freilichtmuseum Glenleiten. That was a wonderful day and fairly empty save a few German visitors.
If you are relying on public transportation, you might want to consider Augsburg. There is enough to do for a whole day trip and while I can't speak for the number of tourists, I can't imagine it would be at the level of Salzburg.
But again, maybe your trip is early enough in the season to make the trip to Salzburg worth your while. It's a lovely place to visit.
May 29th, 2016, 04:59 AM
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Well I prefer Salzburg to Munich so I would go in a shot. (There are a couple of trains per hour at about 1:45.)
But without knowing what your must sees are in each place and exactly how much time you have how can we comment?
But without knowing what your must sees are in each place and exactly how much time you have how can we comment?
Jun 1st, 2016, 03:24 AM
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I will not have a car. I will be in the region for 4 days and have two day trips planned: one to Rothenburg along the Romantic Road (bus) and one to Salzburg via train. Would Nuremberg be a better option than Rothenburg? I like unique architecture, churches, history, small towns. Thanks for your help!
Jun 1st, 2016, 04:43 AM
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There is no »Romantische Strasse« bus from Munich to Rothenburg. To catch the regular bus you would have to go to Augsburg first, loosing the scenic southernmost leg from Füssen to Augsburg and starting with the most boring part of the route (Augsburg - Donauwörth). Moreover, the bus ride is not doable as a day trip. It leaves Augsburg at 12:35 arriving Rothenburg 17:05. So, if you decide to go to Rothenburg, you should take the train. The trip, however, takes it time (2:30 one way at a minimum). On the other hand, Nürnberg is a bit over one hour with ICE and 1:40 with cheap regional trains.
>Would Nuremberg be a better option than Rothenburg? I like unique architecture, churches, history, small towns<
Rothenburg is a small town (10.000 people), Nürnberg is not (500.000). Rothenburg is one of the southern towns forgotten by the industrialisation, so it has preserved its medieval appearance (the noth west quarter was bombed in WWII, but restored meticulously). If you avoid the few tourist traps (e.g., the above mentioned »christmas« market), you probably will like it. On the contrary, Nürnberg was bombed heavily, so it is in principle a modern city with a couple of (important and worth visiting) medieval and renaissance buildings restored (the three main churches, the castle, the town hall, Dürer's house etc.), which can give you an impression what it was like before destruction. In terms of museums it has much more to offer than Rothenburg (e.g., the collection of Renaissance painting and historical musical instruments in the Germanic Museum, the Traffic museum, the Dürer house, the Nazi documentation etc.).
>Would Nuremberg be a better option than Rothenburg? I like unique architecture, churches, history, small towns<
Rothenburg is a small town (10.000 people), Nürnberg is not (500.000). Rothenburg is one of the southern towns forgotten by the industrialisation, so it has preserved its medieval appearance (the noth west quarter was bombed in WWII, but restored meticulously). If you avoid the few tourist traps (e.g., the above mentioned »christmas« market), you probably will like it. On the contrary, Nürnberg was bombed heavily, so it is in principle a modern city with a couple of (important and worth visiting) medieval and renaissance buildings restored (the three main churches, the castle, the town hall, Dürer's house etc.), which can give you an impression what it was like before destruction. In terms of museums it has much more to offer than Rothenburg (e.g., the collection of Renaissance painting and historical musical instruments in the Germanic Museum, the Traffic museum, the Dürer house, the Nazi documentation etc.).
Jun 1st, 2016, 04:48 AM
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I did a day trip to Salzburg from Munich last Saturday using a Bayern ticket. (Take the blue Meridian train which runs hourly and not the EC train when using this ticket.) Very pleasant day outing and Salzburg was not overly crowded.
Jun 1st, 2016, 05:11 AM
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meamop,
Beauty of Bavaria is in the smaller places and pretty villages, towns and alpine countryside.
Just 30 minutes outside munich are very scenic villages.
I would spent just a day or half a day in Munich.
Dacau concentration camp for half day and the rest of Munich for half a day.
Look for off beat places.
Herenchiemsee Palace at Prien am Chiemsee is Germany's answer to Versailles Palace and is just 1 hour south east of Munich.
Fussen with its 2 castles, Neuschwanstein (Walt Disney castle inspiration) and Hohenschwangau. Linderhoff Castle nearby is also good.
All these 4 places are associated with king Ludwig.
You may keep your main bags in Munich and travel with small back packs. If not, we had stored our bags in the lockers at Prien station while we visited Herenchiemsee for 4 hours.
Stay at Fussen, a pretty town. Next day visit at least Neuschwanstein Castle.
Next day, travel to Salzburg and stay there. According to me, Salzburg is one of the prettiest towns in the world. Definitely NOT to be missed. But you will not fall in love with it, unless you stay there overnight. A day trip is injustice to Salzburg and not the correct utilization of your time. Schloss Helbrun on the outskirts of Salzburg is a pleasant 3 hours visit. (Sound of music sites there and along the way)
I would keep Rothenburg for some other time.
I have visited Bavaria 3 times for 7 days each and still haven't been able to see all.
Have been to Barchtegaden, Ramsau, Königssee lake are very small and pretty places. Lindau near Swiss border is very scenic.
One cant see it all in one trip.
Want to visit Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Zugspitz, Grainau.
Alps are more scenic and picturesque. Smaller the village, more spectacular is the scenery ( most of the times)
You take your pick, if your are happy seeing BMW museum, Palaces and city squares or smaller quaint scenic places and have the bouquet that you want.
Beauty of Bavaria is in the smaller places and pretty villages, towns and alpine countryside.
Just 30 minutes outside munich are very scenic villages.
I would spent just a day or half a day in Munich.
Dacau concentration camp for half day and the rest of Munich for half a day.
Look for off beat places.
Herenchiemsee Palace at Prien am Chiemsee is Germany's answer to Versailles Palace and is just 1 hour south east of Munich.
Fussen with its 2 castles, Neuschwanstein (Walt Disney castle inspiration) and Hohenschwangau. Linderhoff Castle nearby is also good.
All these 4 places are associated with king Ludwig.
You may keep your main bags in Munich and travel with small back packs. If not, we had stored our bags in the lockers at Prien station while we visited Herenchiemsee for 4 hours.
Stay at Fussen, a pretty town. Next day visit at least Neuschwanstein Castle.
Next day, travel to Salzburg and stay there. According to me, Salzburg is one of the prettiest towns in the world. Definitely NOT to be missed. But you will not fall in love with it, unless you stay there overnight. A day trip is injustice to Salzburg and not the correct utilization of your time. Schloss Helbrun on the outskirts of Salzburg is a pleasant 3 hours visit. (Sound of music sites there and along the way)
I would keep Rothenburg for some other time.
I have visited Bavaria 3 times for 7 days each and still haven't been able to see all.
Have been to Barchtegaden, Ramsau, Königssee lake are very small and pretty places. Lindau near Swiss border is very scenic.
One cant see it all in one trip.
Want to visit Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Zugspitz, Grainau.
Alps are more scenic and picturesque. Smaller the village, more spectacular is the scenery ( most of the times)
You take your pick, if your are happy seeing BMW museum, Palaces and city squares or smaller quaint scenic places and have the bouquet that you want.
Jun 1st, 2016, 12:16 PM
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Regensburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its medieval buildings. It is nice distance from Munich for day trip. I like both it and Rothenburg; but, the ease of reaching it would make a better day trip for me.
https://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/German...gensburg-2012/
Nördlingen is a walled city like Rothenburg and only 2 hours from Munich by train. Very little tourist traffic when we were there in April.
https://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/German...#246;rdlingen/
Although I really like Rothenburg, there are many other great, closer choices (Landshut, Landsberg, etc.) in addition to two above.
https://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/German...gensburg-2012/
Nördlingen is a walled city like Rothenburg and only 2 hours from Munich by train. Very little tourist traffic when we were there in April.
https://mcchelsea.smugmug.com/German...#246;rdlingen/
Although I really like Rothenburg, there are many other great, closer choices (Landshut, Landsberg, etc.) in addition to two above.
Jun 2nd, 2016, 04:27 AM
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The Romantic Road bus ride is long, fairly dull, and tedious and allows only a few minutes' stopover time in very few places. Don't do it. And Rothenburg really is overrun with tourists. If you do decide to go, take the train, and stay there. Getting back to Munich on a day trip requires a lot of ground travel.
In the places Gary Mc has suggested, you will a much better atmosphere than in Rothenburg - well-preserved towns filled with more than just trinkets and shopkeepers and hokey tourist stuff. And they are doable day trips from Munich!
In the places Gary Mc has suggested, you will a much better atmosphere than in Rothenburg - well-preserved towns filled with more than just trinkets and shopkeepers and hokey tourist stuff. And they are doable day trips from Munich!
