In the south of Germany, you’ll find Bavaria. Bavaria is the largest German state, making up approximately one fifth of the total land area of the country. The state’s capital is Munich which is also the country’s 3rd largest city – this is where I chose to base myself during my time in Bavaria. Read on to discover 5 places to visit in Bavaria…
Please note: To visit the following places, I did two full day trips with Get Your Guide. The first was the Rothenburg and Nördlinger Ries Day Trip and the second trip was the Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Castle full day trip.
#1 Harburg Castle
Harburg Castle is a small medieval complex built around the 11th or 12th Century. Once owned by the famous Hapsburg family, the now-privately owned castle is now a tourist attraction on the Romantic Road. On the day trip I was booked on, we received at guided tour of the complex and were able to go inside some of the rooms and see some of the historical objects housed within. It was really interesting and worth a visit.
#2 Rothenburg
The charming town of Rothenburg (pronounced Roo-ten-berg) ob der Tauber is located around 3 hours by car or train from Munich. Rothenburg is a well-preserved medieval town located on Germany’s Romantic Road and only one of three towns in Germany to still have completely intact city walls.
Fun fact: Rothenburg is the location used for the small Vulgarian village in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968). The town has also served as inspiration and featured in several films.
Must see: Christmas Museum and Shop
Weihnachtsmuseum Kathe-Wohlfahrt, Rothenburg’s Christmas Museum and shop are absolutely incredible! If you love Christmas, this is definitely the place to go! The shop is home to more than 30,000 traditional Christmas decorations and its absolutely dazzling! I bought some very sweet decorations for myself and my family here – it made me so excited for Christmas and the Christmas markets I would visit later in my trip.
The museum costs €5 to enter and is very interesting – it takes you through the origins and legends of modern-day Christmas and various traditions from around the world. The museum and shop are enormous so you can expect to spend at least an hour here.
#3 Linderhof Palace
Up in the mountains on Bavaria is King Ludwig II’s Linderhof Palace. It is incredibly beautiful and as I visited in winter, it was even more beautiful covered in a layer of snow. Originally a hunting lodge, the exterior looks like a grand house with well-maintained gardens but inside, the incredible sapphire blues and glistening gold imitate the interior of Versailles. Ludwig was obsessed with French Kings Louis XIV and XV and modelled most of his palaces on French palaces.
Ludwig was an interesting character… known as Mad King Ludwig, he liked to be alone and hated socialising. He wouldn’t even talk to his household staff unless absolutely necessary. Linderhof Palace was used as his private house and he rarely had guests. We’ll talk more about Ludwig later…
#4 Oberammergau
Oberammergau is a sweet little town in the mountains. It makes for the perfect stop between Linderhof Palace and Neuschwanstein Castle. The town is known for its woodcarvings and traditional “Passion Plays” which have been running in the town for over 370 years. Oberammergau is a great place to stop, relax and admire the views of the surrounding mountains.
#5 Neuschwanstein Castle
Neuschwanstein Castle stands high above the town of Hohenschwangau. It truly looks like something out of a fairytale, especially against the snow-covered mountains and trees. Commissioned by King Ludwig II and intended to be a secluded private residence, construction of the castle began in 1869 but was never completed. Current restoration works are aiming to finish the castle and bring it back to how it was in Ludwig’s day. The exterior design of the castle combines the Romanesque, Gothic and Byzantine architectural styles typical of the 19th Century. The interior is completely different though – rich colours, a stunning mosaic throne room and a beautifully decorated wooden panel Hall of the Singers – it is just wonderful to see. The castle itself was very modern for the time – it had a version of central heating which filter hot air into each room (including the servants’ quarters), it had modern kitchens and even a telephone line to the village post office.
So back to Ludwig… before the castle’s construction was complete, Ludwig died in 1886 in questionable circumstances. The “mad” king drowned (despite being an excellent swimmer) along with his doctor in a nearby lake – the truth of his death remains a mystery. King Ludwig II never intended for the castle to be opened to the public but just 6 weeks following his mysterious death, the new Prince-Regent Luitpold commanded it be opened to paying visitors in order to recover some of the building costs and debts. Today, more than 1.6 million people visit the castle each year.
Fun fact: Neuschwanstein Castle is the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Walt Disney World. The castle is also used for the exterior shots of Baron Bomburst’s castle in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
I took two day trips to visit these places. The first was a day trip to Harburg Castle and Rothenburg. The second was a day trip to Linderhof Palace, Oberammergau and Neuschwanstein Castle. The full day trips taken to visit all of these spots were so worth it! Learning about the history of the region and visiting some of the most charming and interesting places was awesome!
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