When people think of Munich, Oktoberfest is usually what comes to mind. However, there is so much more to this town than just a giant beer festival. Not to say people should not go! Oktoberfest is an experience everyone should have, and we’ve talked about how to best do it here. However, if you want to avoid being one of the two million visitors to Munich during the few weeks of Oktoberfest, then you’re in the right spot!

Personally, I think Munich is a nice city, but for me, a day or two was enough to see all the highlights. It is an incredible base for lots of unique day trips though! I spent a week there jumping around to all the nearby towns and there are still places I’d like to see. First things first though, I would highly recommend the free walking tour in Munich! It starts daily in front of the town hall at 10:30am & 2:00pm. I’m one of those people that usually leaves halfway through a walking tour because I get distracted by more interesting things. The Munich walking tour was one of the few I’ve actually finished. It’s well worth the three hours you put in, because you get to know the history and layout of the city very well, making it easy to get around afterwards. It was through the tour that I discovered there’s a church, Frauenkirche, that has the footprint of the devil in it. It’s a very interesting legend. Apparently, in 1468, an architect went looking for money to build a new cathedral in Munich, but could not get funds. He ended up making a deal with the devil: the devil would provide funds on condition that the building would always be dark with no windows to let in light. Upon the completion of the building, the devil was satisfied because he saw no windows when he first entered the church. However, when the devil walked further into the church, he saw the windows cleverly hidden behind columns. Furious at being fooled,  he stomped his foot, causing the ground to shake, and leaving a permanent footprint behind. In order to get an amazing view of Munich, and to get a much needed breeze, I recommend going to the lookout tower. It’s only a few euros, and it’s quite the experience maneuvering through the tiny staircases winding up to the observation deck!

Of course while in Munich, checking out some of the famous beer gardens are an absolute must! Some of the most popular are Waldwirtschaft, Braustuben, Hirschgarten, Hofbrahaus, and Augustiner Keller. but I personally really enjoyed the Hofbrahaus even though it’s always packed. Don’t be shy, and feel free to sit down with other travelers, or invite solo travelers to join your table! I met two Canadian travelers, and we had a great time drinking beer together. Don’t be surprised with the hostile service, the servers are very busy and often times have no patience. The steins of beer are expensive, but huge, so forking out 7 euros for a beer is actually not as overpriced as it sounds.

My favorite part about Munich was all the day trip options. It’s a very central location allowing easy access to the alps, other major cities, lakes, castles and more!

Neuschwanstein Castle

You’ve probably seen pictures of this castle before! It’s the famous Neuschwanstein Castle that inspired the Disney Sleeping Beauty castle. It looks like it belongs out of a fairytale, which is why more than 1.5 million people visit annually. This year I was one of them! There are tours available of the interior of the castle, but I would make a reservation in advance. I took the train and bus from Munich, and then opted for a shaded hike up the mountain to get to the castle, but some people prefer to take another bus to the top, or a horse drawn carriage. There’s also an option for a personal tour, but I found the process of getting there to be very easy! All you need is a Bayern ticket, which can be purchased from any ticket machine and this will serve as a day pass. In the blank spaces on the ticket, you’ll have to write the names of yourself and any additional passengers (up to five additional people). The ticket will be 23 euros for one person, plus 5 euros for any additional persons. From Munich Hauptbahnhof, you can hop on the 9:55am (or a later train) to Fussen. It’s a beautiful two hour, scenic train ride through the countryside. Right outside the Fussen station, you’ll get on bus 78 towards the castle. There is usually a huge crowd of people by the buses, so, you can’t miss it. It’s a short 10 minute drive, and once you are dropped off, start walking uphill and you’ll come to the ticket center where you can pick up the tickets. (I would highly recommend reserving them in advance!) From there you can walk up the hill, which is steep and takes about half an hour. It’s a good workout, and the fastest way to the top. Otherwise you can take a shuttle bus, which is 2.60 euros round trip, but there’s usually a line. However you get there, prepare yourself for a gorgeous view!

My favorite part was getting that picture perfect view of the exterior. With a short hike up the hill, (or drive if you take the bus), you’ll be above the castle, where there’s a bridge for photo opportunities. St. Mary’s bridge is typically packed with tourists, since it provides the perfect overlook of the castle surrounded by alps and a green, lush valley. It’s a prime photo location to say the least. Surprise! There are actually two castles in Fussen that can be visited, besides Neuschwanstein, there’s also Hohenschwangau Castle, which is where the king lived while Neuschwanstein was being constructed. There’s a crystal blue lake right by Hohenschwangau, which provides an amazing backdrop of the alps and the valley. It started sprinkling towards the end of the day, but the backdrop only got prettier with a thin layer of mist. No matter the weather, these castles will be gorgeous! I’ve heard it’s beautiful covered in snow as well. I might have to come back in the winter sometime.

Dachau Concentration Camp

This concentration camp is a short 40 minute trip from Munich, and should be visited. I believe it’s important to pay homage to the ghostly and emotional history of the Nazi regime in Germany. Dachau was opened in 1933 as a Nazi Labor Camp, and now  serves as a chilling reminder of the horrors of the Holocaust. Over the course of 12 years, it became home to over 200,000 prisoners, many of whom died due to the horrific conditions they were trapped in. The gates of the concentration camp had the dark motto: Arbeit Macht Frei, Work Will Set You Free.

There’s a museum in the old administrative buildings with a wealth of information, starting with how the economic crisis in Germany got severe enough to allow Hitler to gain control of the country and gives detailed accounts of the development of the Nazi regime and the profound impact it had on the world. The personal testaments of survivors, detailed descriptions of the torture at Dachau, along with documentaries showing piles of human bodies, makes the experience here very emotional. The experience of walking inside the gas chamber at Dachau is a very sobering one, knowing that those walls meant death to so many. Dachau is said to be a life-changing experience for many, and I completely agree.

Admission into the camp is free, and there are audio guides that can be rented for just 3 euros. Free English tours are offered at 11:00am and 1:00pm. The easiest way to get here from Munich is to purchase an XXL Metro Pass, which will be 8.10 euros. This will cover a full day of metro, bus and tram travel in Munich and Dachau. From the central train station, there is a S2 train going towards Dachau every 20 minutes. From the station in Dachau, you will take Bus #726 in the direction of Saubachsiedlung, which will drop you off at the entrance of the camp in 15 minutes.

Salzburg

Salzburg is in Austria, but is a day trip that can be made from Prague, Vienna, or Munich. So, time should definitely be found to visit! I only did a day trip, but I think staying overnight would be the best way to see all of Salzburg, and it’s neighboring town of Hallstein, which features incredible salt mines, and Hitler’s famous Eagle’s Nest. Salzburg is known as the cultural capital of Austria, birthplace of Mozart and home to the famous Sound of Music, if you haven’t watched it, you definitely should before you head to Salzburg! There are options to take a tour that will bus you around and show you all of the Sound of Music sights, however, since I’m not a die hard fan (crazy I know!), I elected to save some money and show myself around instead. The Hohensalzburg Fortress is huge, and one of the biggest draws to Salzburg.

It’s a lavish, medieval castle with far reaching views of Salzburg. It’s quite the hike to the top of the hill the Fortress is on, but luckily, Hohensalzburg Fortress has a high speed tram that will transport you to the top in a short minute. The views from the top are breathtaking, with lush greenery and mountains as far as the eye can see. If you’re willing to hike a little (about 15 minutes uphill), across the river are some fortress walls, where you get a beautiful view of Hohensalzburg Fortress. There is also Mozart’s birthplace, and where he performed his recitals to see. You can’t leave without trying Mozart’s favorite flavor of gelato, which was pistachio, almonds and chocolate.

It was a very easy process getting to Salzburg, start by making your way to Munich’s central station (Hauptbahnhof), and then purchasing a Bayern Ticket, which is a day pass for 25 euros. Then you can hop on the next train to Salzburg, which typically leaves once an hour. Old town central Salzburg is a short 15 minute walk from the station from there.

There’s also a number of trails for hiking in the Alps, along with skiing during the winter! Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to go hiking, but here’s a great resource, if you’re looking to get away from the city. Munich is a great and affordable base for exploration!

The adventure continues,

Lexi