10 Day Bavaria Itinerary & Road Trip(Including Munich)

10 Day Bavaria Itinerary and scenic road trip through small towns and picturesque landscapes! Bavaria is a state in Southeastern Germany and shares its borders with Austria and Czech Republic. If you are looking for European charm, historic medieval towns, glorious castles and gorgeous landscapes, then Bavaria is a must.

There are a lot of small historic towns in the Bavarian region but we tried to cover the best that Bavarian cities have to offer within a 10 day window. This travel guide includes travel tips, places to stay and eat, local transportation and the best attractions to see in Bavaria.

Overview of the 10 Day Bavaria Itinerary

The first half of the trip is by trains and the second half involves renting a car and driving on the famous Romantic Road. Driving in Germany is easy…..they drive on the same side of the road as we do in the USA.! The highway aka Autobahns are easy to navigate and the roads are in great condition. Plus, there are no speed limits, so strap on those seat belts and get going. We paid a little extra for an automatic car versus a stick shift and also for the navigation. You can do this trip entirely as a road trip, but we did not want to deal with the traffic and parking in Munich and decided to just rent the car for the second half when we drove on the Romantic Road. Romantic Road is a series of small towns which are best enjoyed by driving through them, stopping and enjoying the local cafes, coffee shops and getting a feel of the local flavor. Some of these towns are accessible by bus and trains though you are limited by the bus and train timings.

Day 1: Munich

We had a direct flight from Atlanta to Munich and reached at 8:30 AM. Uber is not popular in Germany and we took a taxi from the airport to our hotel which cost almost $100 euros. Taxis will take credit cards but do so unwillingly. US dollars are not commonly accepted so do check with the taxi driver before sitting if they accept credit cards. We had requested early check in and by the time we reached the hotel, our room was ready. Completely jet lagged, ate a light breakfast at the hotel and slept for a couple of hours.

I had booked our Free Walking Tour of Munich through Heart of Munich Tours. The tour started in Marienplatz – the thriving main square of Munich. I highly recommend a walking tour as a great way to learn the highlights of the city from an expert in a very short time. The tour covers, the Historic Old Town, The New Town Hall, St peters Church, Munich Residenz, Hofbrauhaus (the legendary Beer Garden) and Viktualienmarkt, a lively food market(selling the best bratwurst)

To get to Marienplatz from our hotel, we took a local bus from outside out hotel and then the train to Marienplatz. If you are travelling in a group there is a group ticket rate which is by far the cheapest way to travel. You can buy the tickets online or download the app. We bought the tickets in the bus. You can use a credit card to pay. It cost us 18.70 euros for 3 three people and covers unlimited trips on all forms of transportation till 6 am the next day. The ticket covers different zones and the price varies, so do check the zone on the map.

After the walking tour-we visited Hofbrauhaus. It is like a big party-its fun, lively, casual, a live band plays amazing music. Highly recommend trying their beer, sausage platter and roasted pork knuckle. They do have vegetarian and vegan dishes and a drink called Radler which is beer and lemonade mixed together. For some reason, it reminded me of the dining hall in Harry Potter movies!

While you are in Marienplatz, do check out the Glockenspiel, the famous 100 year old clock that still comes alive with dancing figures at 11AM, 12 PM and 5 PM.

Day 2: Munich

We booked a guided tour of Dachau Concentration Camp– Even though the admission is free, I highly recommend going with a guide, they are familiar with the grounds, buildings, artifacts and history. Its a very somber and moving experience. The tour itself lasts 2.5 to 3 hours and involves a lot of walking. To get to Dachau from Munich take local S-train to Dachau (S2 direction Dachau or Petershausen). Approx. travel time 20 minutes. From

Dachau train station to Memorial Site: Bus No 726 to stop KZ-Gedenkstätte (direction “Saubachsiedlung”) If you book a guided tour, then the train and bus tickets are included.

After Dachau Concentration Camp we walked to the English Garden, strolled around a bit, took some pictures and then walked to Viktualienmarkt. Its a cute, lively, open air local market selling souvenirs, fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers and the best bratwurst. If you want to try traditional German Bratwurst, this is the place.

Hotel to stay in Munich- The week that we were in Munich was the week of Fruhlingsfest (Spring Festival), also called “Oktoberfest’s little sister”. Fruhlingfest is held every year in Munich from late April to the first week in May. The hotels were all sold out and the ones that were available were charging 2 to 3 times the price. So I would recommend avoiding Munich during this time of the year. The best place to stay in Munich is Alstadt. Being in the heart of the city, you are close to Marienplatz, Viktualienmarkt, shops, restaurants and major attractions. We are a family of three and we are further limited by rooms that accommodate 3 people and often end up getting a suite. There are plenty of hotel chains like Marriott and Hilton and we finally stayed at the Hampton Inn.

Day 3: Garmisch Partenkirchen

Arrive at Garmisch Partenkirchen by train. Once two separate towns, Garmisch Partenkirchen have combined to provide visitors a charming historical town center, scenic views, Bavarian culture and a haven for winter sports enthusiasts. Garmisch is the gateway to Zugspitze, the highest point in Germany, also called Top of Germany.

When you check into the hotel you will be given a guest card that allows for local public transportation, free of charge. Look for the red bus and travel to small nearby towns, completely free. We did use the guest card the next day to get to Fussen. I highly recommend the town of Mittenwald (the free bus goes to Mittenwald) . If you love fine dining, do check out Das Marktrestaurant, a Michelin starred restaurant. I tried 10 days before out trip and could not get a reservation there.

We spend a leisurely day in Garmisch Partenkirchen exploring the town center and souvenir shopping . By now we were missing Indian food and ate a delicious meal at Saffron Indian Restaurant.

Hotel- in Garmisch Partenkirchen- We stayed at the Staudacherhof. Its is a family run hotel and the property has been in the family for over 120 years. There have been expansions over the years and the suite that we stayed in was in the newer building. The rooms are spacious, done up in very Bavarian decor and the bathrooms are modern. They have free breakfast, a welcome drink and free coffee and desserts in late afternoon for the hotel guests.

Day 4: Zugspitze and Arrive at Fussen

There are 2 ways to get to Zugspitze-cable car and Cogwheel Railway. The cable car was under repair and our only option was the cogwheel railway. Few things to keep in mind that Zugspitze closes for winter and reopens again in May. Do check the opening dates before planning. We were lucky that when we reached there on May 10th, that was the first day that it had reopened to the public. Secondly, keep a couple of days for Zugspitze. If its cloudy on top, there is no point in spending the money on tickets to go up-all you will see is a cloud cover. Our hotel concierge checked the webcam and once we knew it was a clear day, the hotel arranged for the tickets. Tickets were approximately 75 Euros per person, roundtrip. The Zugspitze train leaves from its own station behind the main train station and departs every hour. The train will stop for a few minutes at Eibsee, but if you want to look around, take the bus to Eibsee.

Once you are at the top, enjoy the breathtaking view, the nippy air, take some amazing pictures, play in the snow and just soak in the pristine atmosphere of the Alps. There is a nice restaurant where you can enjoy coffee, beer, desserts and good hot food.

Because we had early morning tickets to see Neuschwanstein castle the next day, we had to leave Garmisch and head on to Fussen the same day. We used the free guest card and took the bus to Fussen. We took Bus 9606 to Rottenbuch and after 12 minutes we had a connection to Fussen by Bus 73. Total travel time was approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Day 5: Neuschwanstein Castle and Fussen

There are so many castles all over Europe and across the world then what makes Neuschwanstein castle so famous….. one word Disney! I had visited Disneyworld almost 30 years back and when I found out that Neuschwanstein castle was the inspiration behind Sleeping Beauty’s towering castle, I knew I had to visit the real castle once in my lifetime and see the castle with its towers, turrets and fairytale like appearance. With the Bavarian Alps as the backdrop, its association with King Ludwig II of Bavaria and its connection with Wagnerian Opera, Neuschwanstein castle is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe with over a million tourists each year.

You can only see the castle as part of a guided tour. You can buy tickets from the official website or go with any of the guided tours like Viator. The castle tour lasts approximately 30 minutes and is offered by the castle guide in German or English.

There are 3 ways to get to the castle-by foot, shuttle bus or by horse carriage. I recommend taking the shuttle one way and the horse carriage the other way. The horse carriage will only accept euros, no credit cards of dollars. The best view of the castle is from Marys bridge/Marienbrucke. Marienbrucke is a 15 minute walk from the castle but its worth the walk as you will get a view of the entire castle with the gorge below and the lake in the background.

After a guided tour of the castle and taking a ton of pictures on Marys bridge, head back to town. There are lots of restaurants for lunch and many cute souvenir shops. We shopped, we ate, had some local beer and did paddle boating on lake Alpsee. Highly recommend boating in Lake Alpsee -its serene, calm, beautiful and at all times you can see the castle towering over the lake.

Best view of the castle from Marys bridge/Marienbrucke

Took the bus back to Fussen, spent the evening exploring Fussen town center, and ate some good Ramen and called it a night.

Paddle boating on Lake Alpsee, with a view of the castle

Hotel in Fussen- We stayed at Hotel Hirsch in Old Town Fussen. The location is as good as it gets with restaurants, cafes and bus stop all within walking distance. The room comes with complimentary breakfast and highly recommend having at least one meal at the restaurant. The food and drinks were top notch!

Day 6: Drive along the Romantic Road to Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber

We rented a car in Fussen from Hertz car Rental. If you rent a car in Munich, Frankfurt or even Nuremburg you will have more rental car companies to choose from. It was a one way rental with drop off in Munich Airport on day 9.

The Romantic Road is a popular tourist route in southern Germany linking picturesque medieval towns. historic castles and stunning landscapes. This route is 350 kms long stretching from Fussen in the south to Wurzburg in the north. If you enjoy exploring historic town centers, walking along town walls, driving along at a leisurely pace then this road trip is for you. We stopped at Nordlingen and Dinkelsbuhl our way to Rothenburg. There are free open parking lots, in both these towns, where you can park your car for a few hours, walk around town, get some dessert and coffee and take some pictures. Drive from Fussen to Nordlingen is about 2 hours. From Nordlingen to Dinkelsbuhl is just 30 minutes and from Dinkelsbuhl to Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber is another 30 minutes.

Arrive at Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber, check in to the hotel, park the car and explore the fairytale town of Rothenburg!

Hotel in Rothenburg Ob Der Tauber- Steeped in history and in the heart of Rothenburg is Hotel Reichskuechenmeister. A hotel that has hosted emperors and with a history of Imperial Master chefs- dining at the hotel is highly recommended. Breakfast is complimentary but we paid about 15 euros for parking each night.

Day7: Drive to Wurzberg

After a 45-50 minute drive from Rothenburg, arrive at Wurzburg and head straight to the Wurgburg Residenz. there is a huge paid parking lot in front of the Residence and is the ideal spot to leave the car and explore the Wurzberg Residence and the city center.

The city is bigger than Rothenburg and very lively with a good vibe. We parked the car and walked everywhere. The must see places in Wurzburg are Wurgburg Residenz. Included in the UNESCO world heritage site, it is known for its baroque architecture, impressive staircase, worlds largest ceiling fresco by Tiepolo and the beautiful garden surrounding the Residenz.

After the Residenz we walked up to the Marienberg Fortress which sits on top of a hill. It is quiet a hike but the panoramic views and glimpse into Wurgburg history are worth the walk.

Walk down on Alte Mainbrucke ( The Old Bridge ) lined with statues of saints. With beautiful views of the river and the city, its a great place to hang out and you will see lots of locals standing and enjoying wine….the whole Fraconian region is known for their wines!

Walking on the Alte mainbrucke (old bridge) in Wurzburg

You got to try the variety of German beer

In the evening explore Rothenburg

Day 8: Nuremberg

Nuremberg is not on the Romantic Road, but I was intrigued by it, simply because I had heard about the famous Nuremberg Trials and I wanted to visit it. It is a fairly large city as compared to Wurzberg and Rothenburg and has a lot to see and offer. Driving time from Rothenburg to Nuremberg is about an hour. Since we had only a day and lots to see, we signed up for the walking tour of the city with a local guide.

There is a paid parking garage near Hauptmarkt, which was our meeting point. Hauptmarkt is a fun and lively market square with lots of restaurants, bars and stalls selling gingerbread. It is home to the town hall, the Schöne Brunnen fountain, and the Frauenkirche church. There is a ring in the grate of the fountain and legend has it that if you turn the ring in the grate, it brings you good luck!

The Frauenkirche church has a beautiful facade and the mechanical clock still comes alive at noon everyday with figures dancing, very similar to the Glockenspiel in Munich.

We walked through old town and up to the Nuremberg Castle. It is quite a walk to the castle but its beautiful and you catch some pretty good views of the city from there.

While in Nuremberg do try out their famous Nuremberg sausages and their potato salad which is so different from the mayo doused potato salad that we are used to eating. I felt it was closer to mashed potatoes than potato salad-definitely worth trying.

Do also check out the amazing desserts at Neef Confiserie. In fact, the desserts all over Germany were droolworthy. In your 10 Day Bavaria Itinerary, do not worry about calories and indulge in the amazing desserts!

In the evening explore Rothenburg

Day 9: Explore Rothenburg and Drive to Munich

Spent the morning taking pictures, walking around town in Rothenburg. Drove back to Munich, dropped off the rental car at the airport, To take train back to Marienplatz, walk to terminal 2,and take train S1 or 8. We took a hotel very close to the airport as we had an early morning flight the next day. We had a few hours so we went back to Marienplatz, picked up some Pistachio croissants for breakfast the next day and went back to Viktualienmarkt once again to savor their grilled bratwurst for the last time.

The Schneeball or Snowball-traditional pastry from rothenburg

Day10: Flight back to the US.

If you have more time to add to your –10 Day Bavaria Itinerary you can add a daytrip to Berchtesgaden/ Eagles Nest and Innsbruck. We had already seen Berchestegaden and Salzburg on our trip to Austria. Innsbruck is also an excellent Day trip and very close to the Austria Germany border and worth the trip.

If you have any questions regarding this 10 Day Bavaria Itinerary, please leave a comment and I will be happy to answer your questions.

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