Top 5 things not to miss in Bavaria?
 

What are everyone's favorite things in Bavaria? Castles, Hotels and Restaurants if money was not a factor.

There are some real experts on this board, and I'm sure they'll be along soon.

But in the meantime, I'd have to say my top 5 things in Bavaria are:
The beer, ditto, ditto, ditto, ditto!

Just kidding. In no particular order, here are the top 5 that I have personally experienced:

1. Going up (and coming down) from the Zugspitz

2. The towns of Mittenwald and Oberammergau

3. The amazing peaceful scenery, everywhere

4. Berchtesgaden and the Konigsee

5. Seeing Neuschwanstein after seeing a million photos

Have a great time. When are you going?
H

Too much info to relate. I visited Bavaria in 1996 and spent a whole month driving with a side trip into Austria.

Places I remember well and loved: Munich (I could live there), Linderhof Castle, Oberamergau (plus towns around there), Wies Kirche (church) along the Romantic Rd and Rothenburg, Rhine River cruise and, in particular, the towns of St. Goar & Rudesheim. Also, I would not have missed my visit to Dachau.

Bavaria is such a beautiful area. Every place you drive you will want to stop.

I could send you my trip report from that time if you're interested. E-mail me at [email protected]

Thanks for the info, we will be there in four weeks.

Hi debalyin,
After many trips in Bavaria, to name just my top 5 would be impossible.
My list would include:
Ramsau (Berchtesgaden area)
Mittenwald
Fuessen
Ludwig's castles...
Neuchwanstien/Hohenschwangau
Linderhof
Neues Schloss (Herrenchiemsee) my favorite.

Zugspitze
Karwendelbahn
Tegelbergbahn
Wieskirche
Andechs Monestary
Ettal Monestary
Konigsee
Bad Tolz
Bad Reichenhall
etc., etc., etc...

The friendly people, the great food (especially from the bakeries) and Radler Beer.

Oh, the gorgeous scenery, whether it's driving through the Alps or through the beautiful countryside.

We really like Bavaria!

Paul

I've only been to Bavaria twice, but here are some of my favorites:
--Nymphenburg palace in Muenchen
--Hohenschwangau to gaze upon the two castles and take photos from the bridge above Neuschwanstein
--Ettal Monastery (buy a Dunklesbier)
--Wieskirche
--Driving on the German Alpine Road (Hwy 308) from near Fuessen to Lindau (the hairpin curves in the descent near Nesselwang is awesome)
--Rothenburg for the bakery, the beautifully restored buildings and the night watchman
--Driving on the back roads and finding interesting places we knew little about (e.g., Bad Toelz and its outdoor restaurants in the pedestrian area; Giesing, home of the Streif teddy bear factory and museum--though technically, Giesing might be in Baden Wurtemburg, just outside Bavaria--not sure)

For restaurants, we loved the Altes Hackerhaus and the Andechser am Dom in Munich. Terrific traditional German food

We stayed at the Reutemann hotel in Lindau--amazingly plush rooms right on the harbor near the Lion monument. Impeccable old world service.

Hi Deb,

Linderhof
Wieskirche
Rothenburg
Lindau
Beer and Pretzels

Hey Deb,

Just went to Bavaria last September.... here is my order

1. The towns of Mittenwald and Oberammergau (experience real German life)

2. Neuschwanstein Castle (just WOW!!!)

3. Going up Karwendel Mountain in Mittenwald. (9000 feet with the city below; It was 60 degrees in Mittenwald at the foot of the mountain and two feet of snow as i walked on top of the mountain. What an experience!)

4. Oktoberfest in Munich

5. THE BEER and FOOD !!!

In Southern Bavaria:

Augustiner brewery and beer hall in Munich (not the one in the pedestrian zone).

Schliersee, Spitzingsee, and Bayrischzell for hiking (with couple of breaks at the Sennhütten to replace lost calories)

Beer garden of Reutberg monastery brewery, with the Alps as a backdrop.

Augsburg, historic old town.

Mittenwald, Linderhof/ Ettal, and neighboring Ausserfern valley in Austria.

1. Walking and gawking anywhere in the Berchtesgaden area. IMHO the best scenery in Germany.

2. Bamberg..the most authentically beautiful city.

3. The beer. Augustiner(Munich) and Aecht Schlenkerla(Bamberg). Truly worth the price of admission alone.

4. Regensburg. Great alstadt. Visit on Sunday morning when its just you and 1000 years of midieval history stairing at each other.

5. Touring Munich by trolley/tram. Just pay up, sit back and relax and watch Munich go by.

Hi deb -

The food
The Amalienburg on the grounds of the Nymphenburg, Munich
Asamkirche, Munich
Surfers on the Eisbach in Munich
The Residenz, Wuerzburg
The top of the Zugspitze
Bamberg
Wieskirche
Konigsee
Some of the warmest, friendliest people in Europe

OK, so it's more than 5.

-The off season
-Walking to the Festung (castle) in Würzburg
-The bells on Sunday morning in Würzburg
-The river front in Regensburg
-Rothenburg in the off-off season
-Hiking around the lakes at Schwangau
-Riding trains
-Riesling wine
-Gasthauses
-Stehcafes: Mandelhörnchen and Kaffee
-Eis cafes
-Butchering the poor language as my wife and I go shopping for necessities
-A rainy day afoot in Freising

Regards, Gary

Thanks everyone for the great info.

Another vote for Ettal - be sure to try the schnapps made locally. The blueberry is worth the trip alone. Just a sip and you will remember every great blueberry pie you ever had....

1. Neuschwanstein, Marienbruke, & Hohenschwangau
2. Linderhof Palace
3. Ettal Monastery (with lunch/dinner try the doppelbock dunkel, wow)
4. Amalienburg at Nymphenburg Palace
5. Oktoberfest (highly recommended if you can every get there)

By the way, either my memory or typing was off when discussin the STEIFF teddy bear factory and museun (not Streif) in GIENGEN (not Giesing) oy.

Lived there for 3 years and really difficult to list only 5, everything is great-but here goes:
1. Scenery during spring in the Frankish schweiz (Bavarian Switzerland)
2. Driving through the Bavarian Alps to Fussen
3. Munich-food,people, beer
4. Prien am Chiemsee and the boat to Fraueninsel and Herrenchiemsee
5. Rothenburg south along the Romantische Strasse

Top 5 things in Bavaria?

5) Bauernschmaus - a heaping pile of meat, sausages, sauerkraut and maybe even some potato salad. More than even I can finish

4) Pfannkuchen - Humongous pancake usually made with potato and topped with cheese and ham

3) Weiswurst - Bavarian white sausage, a staple of Munich. Don't eat the outer skin or you'll look like a tourist and end-up tooting the next day. Germans get a kick out of the Japanese tourists that drink the broth it's cooked in as if it were a soup

2) Schnitzel - Can be Hunter Style, Gypsy Style, Viennese Style or House Style. Anyway they serve it, love it. Can be made from veal, pork or chicken. The cutlet meat is cut in a totally different manner than it is here in the States and is so much better than anywhere I've had it back home.

1) Weissbier - Wheat beer. Simply awesome. Drink it by the liter and you rarely get a hangover.

One of my favorite places:
1)top of the highest mountain in Garmish

2)The Christmas markets, Munich is my favorite.

3)The large pretzels. I gain ten pounds every year.

4)This one may sound strange but the Gallery department stores. They have champagne bars in the lower levels.

5)The people are so warm and friendly

Anything new to add now, 7 years later?

Herrenchiemsee Palace,
My favorite of King Ludwig's castles and palaces. It is especially wonderful to go for a candle light concert.

Berchtesgaden

Sauerkraut in a hofbrauhof.

Some places that haven't been mentioned:
Würzburg and Main River vineyards
WEltenburg Abbey and beer garden via Danube boat trip

Thanks sassafrass, WoinParis, Vttraveler.

1- Munich's city center and Englischer Gardens.

2- Neuschwanstein Castle and area

3- Nurnberg's extensive remains of Nazi edifices such as the vast Parade Grounds just south of town - where Hitler famously reviewed goose-stepping troops - the balcony and the stadium are still there as is a museum documenting it all and Fascism in Germany.

4- Bamberg - wondrous old city

5- Herrenchiemsee Palace of Mad Ludwig - lovlingly set on an island in a lake.

Well those of the places I have been.

Ride a mountain luge - sommerrodelbahn - alpine coaster. They are one of Bavaria's cheap thrills and are sure to make anyone feel like a kid again. There are a couple near Ludwig's castles and some near Bamberg/Nuremberg. I'm sure there are many I don't know about. I've been on at least four different coasters in Bavaria and can't wait to go again this June!

Thank-you PalenQ and AndiM. I too love the mountain luges and coasters.

http://www.metzgerei-gerold.de/ Oberammergau's local butcher where you can order lunch. So fresh and the best food. Ilove this whole village.
All good suggestions, just my little gem for lunch.