When in Munich, add these Bavarian destinations to your itinerary!
If you are going to Munich and have some spare time, then I highly recommend these surrounding attractions as an add-on to your trip. Relatively close and easy to get to, they are worth a visit if you have the time in your itinerary.
1: Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site
Lest we ever forget the horrors of WWII, a visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site is a sombre but important place to visit when visiting Munich. Not the happiest of holiday destinations - but despite this- a must do when visiting Munich or Bavaria. Allow a minimum 3 hrs for this tour. Located approx. 20 mins. from Munich by local train, it is absolutely worth squeezing it into your itinerary. There is something particularly moving about arriving at the very same station the prisoners did - however unlike them, we were not forced to walk the several km to the concentration camp site. Do this in a winter month like we did, and you will only begin to realise the horrors and hardships these people faced when destined for the camp. These days, regular buses pass from the front of the train station and will take you to the memorial site. Approximately 800,000 visitors visit annually. Entry is free and guided tours are available via headphones for a small fee. The museum is constantly being worked on and provides a sad but necessary insight into what happened all those years ago. Note this may trigger some people, and I would not recommend it for small children.
2: Therme Erding
If you are in the region of Munich in the warmer weather, you can visit the unusual Therme Erding- Europe’s largest water park, approximately 30 minutes from Munich. The park boasts water slides, saunas, steam rooms, wave pools, and if you are game, even a 18+ naked area (oh those Germans!!) There are bars but you can also BYO food and drinks. Packages are available.
3: Andechs Monastry and Brewery
One of the last monastery breweries left, Kloster Andechs originated in 1455 and still brews beers using a single mashing process. The proceeds fund many of their charitable activities including helping the homeless. Set in gorgeous surroundings, a trip here is good for the heart and the soul, as well as the numerous charities they support.
4: Lake Starnberg
With the impressive panorama of the Alps as a backdrop, the restaurants, beer gardens and cafés along the lakeside promenades of Starnberg Lake (Starnberger See) is a wonderful place to spend a day or two to relax. Bavaria’s second largest lake, you can also see expensive villas and lavishly renovated castles.A 30 minute S-Bahn trip away for those keen to get back to nature, Starnberger See offers stunning lake views, biking and hiking trails, swimming and water sports. For those who want the views with fewer activities, you can enjoy views from the many restaurants and cafes in the area. Plan to get there at sunset for a stunning view.
5: Lake Tegernsee
The Tegernsee holiday region lies on the edge of the Alps in beautiful Upper Bavaria.Only 50 km south of Munich, on Lake Tegernsee, you will find the gorgeous town of Tegernsee surrounded by gentle hills and wooded mountains 725 metres above sea level, just waiting for you to enjoy its charm and many leisure activities. Serviced by a hotel and spa resort on the lake, this is a bucket list destination to include (at least- if not longer) an overnight stay.
Great restaurants await you here at Tegernsee: it boasts the only restaurant in Bavaria that has been awarded no less than 3 Michelin stars, 19.5 Gault and Millau points and many other awards, Uberfahrt. Chef Jürgens previously worked at the well-known and still well worth a visit, Tantris in Munich.
Other towns on the Lake are also worth visiting if you have the time. The many rose-covered houses, flowerbeds and boathouses on the Mangfall River, which rises from the lake near Gmund, are picture-perfect.
Just to give you an idea of how gorgeous the area is, the old prison of Tegernsee is now a popular cafe with a wonderful view of the lake. The railway only ends in Tegersee today because of an argument between the property owners to ensure it stayed there, and the romantic and stunning landscape around Lake Tegernsee inspired the author Hedwig Corths-Mahler to write more than 200 romantic novels based on the area.
6: Attend the Oktoberfest:
The world-famous Oktoberfest is held in Munich annually and is a great place to experience Bavarian culture. Here you can enjoy traditional food, music, and beer. Held (ironically) from September to early October each year (in 2023, Sept 16th – October 3rd), it is known worldwide for its gigantic beer halls, people proudly displaying their ability to down bier steins of beer (about 7.5 million litres or 153 swimming pools every year!) and for everyone dressing up in traditional lederhosen and dirndls - even the non- Germans!If you plan to attend Oktoberfest you will need to plan – it will be very busy, and hotels will be booked out early. The official website for Oktoberfest is found here.
If you only have time to visit Munich, I suggest you visit my blog, The 10 Best Things to See in Munich.
