23 Best Things to Do in Bavaria, Germany

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From visiting the many famous castles and churches to hiking in the mountains and enjoying a nice beer in one of the many beer gardens, there is plenty of charm in this historic region of southern Germany. Here are our favorite things to do in Bavaria, Germany.

Germany’s largest state, Bavaria, is a region rich in history and culture. There are many things tourists can do in this scenic area, including visiting famous castles and churches, hiking in the mountains, and enjoying a delicious German beer in a beer garden.

Bavaria is one of Europe’s most popular and scenic travel destinations, with spectacular mountains and magnificent castles throughout history. It is a famous travel spot where the past and present come together to form a timeless location.

Visiting Bavaria, Germany, allows you to experience an incredible and memorable journey. Let’s get into the best places to visit in Bavaria, Germany.

Things to Do in Bavaria & Places to Visit

Neuschwanstein Castle

Address: Neuschwansteinstraße 20, 87645 Schwangau, Germany

Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century palace situated on a craggy hill just above the Hohenschwangau village close to Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The literal translation of Neuschwanstein is ‘New Swan Stone Castle,’ a dream castle that inspired the Cinderella Castle of Walt Disney World.

The Bavarian King commissioned the palace for a retreat (it is said he was a shy and reclusive king) and Richard Wagner’s honor. The Neuschwanstein Castle was meant to be the King’s private residence.

The castle was also built to recreate the Hohenschwangau Castle, the king’s childhood home. Ludwig opted to fund the palace from extensive borrowing and his coffers rather than using public funds. The ground for the castle was broken in 1868 during the summer, but the foundation wasn’t laid till September of 1869.

However, he did not live long enough to see the castle completed, as he passed away in 1886. The palace was opened to the public shortly after the King’s death. The Bower and the Square Towers were finished in 1892, years after the public opening.

Since the castle’s opening, over 61 million people have paid a visit to Neuschwanstein. Over 1.3 million people visit the castle yearly, with about 6,000 visitors daily during the summer.

Neuschwanstein has become known as one of Europe’s most popular tourist attractions. The castle is often called “the castle of the fairy king.”

See Related: Best Museums in Munich

Linderhof Palace

Address: Linderhof 12, 82488 Ettal, Germany

Linderhof Castle is located in Southwest Bavaria, close to the Ettal village, Southwest Bavaria. The castle’s name is derived from Linde, which means mighty weeping willow in German.

The weeping willow has been in the Linderhof Park since about the 15th century when it was first noticed in the Granswang valley, south of Bavaria, close to the Austrian border.

By the 19th century, King Maximillian II turned the place into a lodge for hunting, and in 1869, his son Ludwig II purchased the land to build a royal palace.

Linderhof is the only castle King Ludwig II of Bavaria saw completed in his lifetime. It is also the smallest palace out of the three he built. He began crafting building plans for his three palaces, Linderhof included, in 1867.

Schloss Linderhof was supposed to resemble the king’s most loved palace – the Palace of Versailles. Although this lofty dream was not achieved due to financial constraints, Linderhof Palace is still a stunning bastion filled with amazing wall paintings, tapestries, marble sculptures, and elegant furniture.

One of the most breathtaking places in the palace is the Hall of Mirrors. It is a magnificent room with mirrors covering almost everywhere. The reflections in the room are endless and provide a magic mirror experience.

Linderhof Castle Park is another incredible attraction. The park is sprawling and filled with beautiful greenery. The garden in the park has two fountain figures. One is of Fama, the fame goddess, and the other is Amor, the love god.

See Related: Things to do in Leipzig

English Garden

Address: Munich, Germany

The landscape garden is also known as the English Garden or the English Landscape Park. It is a landscape “garden” style that began in the early 18th century in England.

This style eventually spread throughout Europe and rapidly emerged from the more symmetrical and formal Jardin à la française, a popular gardening style. The English landscape garden offered a romanticized outlook of nature. The man behind this style was called William Kent.

He established this “informal style” of gardening to rebel against the overly formal architectural style. Nicolas Poussin and Claude Lorrain obtained and drew his inspiration from landscape paintings.

The English Landscape Park typically had swoops of softly rolling lawns nestled against groves of different trees and classical temple recreations, a lake, bridges, Gothic ruins, and other scenic architecture made to recreate the idyllic nature of the pastoral landscape.

A distinctly significant work that influenced this style was that of Lancelot “Capability” Brown. As the 18th century drew to a close, the English landscape garden was beginning to be copied by the French garden and even the gardens owned by prospective Emperor Paul in faraway St. Petersburg, Russia.

By the 19th century, the influence of the English landscape garden was still significant. Its influence affected how public gardens and parks were designed in different countries worldwide. It is also worth noting that the English garden was focused on the English country home.

While at the English Garden, you must stop by the outdoor Chinese beer garden. It’s one of my favorite tourist attractions in Munich, the largest city in Bavaria.

See Related: Charming German Traditions to Know

Hohenschwangau Castle

Address: Alpseestraße 30, 87645 Schwangau, Germany

This historic castle is situated in Southern Germany and is a 19th-century building that was the childhood home of several German Kings. The castle was initially sold off by King Maximillian I Joseph of Bavaria in 1820. His grandson, Maximillian II, repurchased the castle when he became crown prince in 1832.

The castle had become rundown and decrepit by then. In February of 1833, the palace’s reconstruction began and continued till 1837. Continuous building additions kept being made till 1855. Domenico Quaglio was the architect overseeing the project, designing the castle exterior in a neogothic design.

This castle served as the royal hunting and summer residence for King Maximillian I, his wife Marie of Prussia, and their sons Ludwig and Otto. It is said that the queen loved taking hikes in the surrounding mountains, and she set up an alpine garden filled with plants from different parts of the Bavarian Alps.

Ludwig later became King of Bavaria, and Otto became King Otto I of Bavaria. The castle is in Hohenschwangau, a village close to Füssen in the Ostallgäu county of Southern Bavaria.

Over 300,000 visitors and tourists from around the world visit the castle annually. Other than Christmas, the castle stays open throughout the year. Guided tours are available in English, Czech, Japanese, French, German, Russian, Italian, Slovenian, and Spanish. However, self-guided tours are not allowed.

Visiting this castle is one of the most amazing things to do in Bavaria, as well as visiting other cities like Munich, Nuremberg, and Mannheim.

See Related: Day Trips from Nuremberg

Ellinger Tor

Address: Ellinger Str., 91781 Weißenburg in Bayern, Germany

This city gate of Weissenburg is the most popular in Bayern, Germany. The gate is part of Weissenburg’s ancient city wall and dates back to the 14th century. In 1964 and 1967, the Ellinger Tor was on the Deutsche Bundespost Stamp. This gate is now part of the historic city council library.

The Ellinger Tor gate was the first part of Weissenburg’s city wall, built approximately in 1200. The gate’s tower was constructed during the 14th century, while the upper area floor was built during the 17th century. The battlements and exterior appendages were finished around 1520.

Some of the Weissenburg town histories can be seen on the Ellinger Tor gate. The town’s first coat of arms from 1241 is on the right half of the gate. The left part has the second coat of arms from 1481.

The half-white castle on the 1241 coat of arms signifies the city, while the imperial eagle signifies the king and his immediacy. It can be seen that this particular coat of arms has a twin-headed eagle positioned between two white turrets.

Generally, the Elinger Tor is a fascinating and stunning gate with beautiful decorations, as seen from the side, facing out of town. The other side is equally beautiful but with sparse, simple aesthetics.

It is nestled in a side street that may hide it from tourists walking downtown. However, visitors coming to Weissenburg via the B13 route will get a stunningly clear view of the gate.

Nymphenburg Palace and the Residenz

Address: Schloß Nymphenburg 1, 80638 München, Germany

The Nymphenburg Palace is located in Neuhausen-Nymphenburg, Bavaria, Southern Germany. This baroque castle and the adjoining Nymphenburg Palace Park make up one of Europe’s principal royal palaces. It has a frontal width of 632 m (2,073 ft.) (north-south axis) that exceeds even that of the Versailles Palace, making it the largest palace in Europe.

The Nymphenburg Palace used to be the main summer home for the past rulers of Bavaria, who belonged to the House of Wittelsbach and are a popular destination in the Bavarian Capital of Munich.

The palace has baroque facades with an overall width of almost 700 meters. Several rooms retained the original baroque design from when the palace was erected, while others have been renovated in neoclassical or rococo style.

The stone hall (Steinerner Saal) within the palace’s central pavilion is filled with decorations by Francois de Cuvillies and ceiling frescoes designed by Johann Baptist Zimmermann and F. Zimmerman. These designs combine to give the stone hall a very visually captivating appeal.

In addition to the central pavilion, the palace has a Northern pavilion with various wings and a Southern pavilion with various wings. The Southern pavilion used to house the Electress apartments when the palace was first built.

The famous Gallery of Beauties associated with the Bavarian is hung in the Southern Pavilion. On the other hand, the Northern pavilion houses the chapel with ceiling paintings of St Mary Magdalene and the Museum of Man and Nature.

Every year, the Nymphenburg Palace main building gains over 300,000 visitors looking to explore this fairy tale palace. This palace is also the headquarters of the Bavarian Administration of State-Owned Palaces, Gardens, and Lakes.

See Related: Best Things to Do in Dortmund

Hofgarten

Address: Hofgartenstraße 1, 80538 München, Germany

This garden is between the Englischer Garten and the Residenz in Munich, Germany. It was constructed in 1613–1617 under Maximilian I, Elector’s orders, and designed using the Italian Renaissance Garden style. It’s one of the best parks in Munich by far.

In the heart of this garden is the pavilion dedicated to the goddess Diana, which was constructed in 1615 by Heinrich Schön, the elder. From each arch in the pavilion is a path that leads away. The roof of the Diana pavilion (Dianatempel) is a sculpture replica of Bavaria made by Hubert Gerhard in 1623.

The eastern part of the Hofgarten is faced by the Bavarian State Chancellery (Staatskanzlei), which is accommodated in the old Army Museum. At the front of the Chancellery building is the war memorial (Kriegerdenkmal), established to commemorate the Munich citizens who died in action during the First World War.

Toward the northeastern corner is a square-shaped black granite memorial for the White Rose group members executed by the Hitler regime for non-violently protesting Nazi rule.

During the Second World War, the garden was damaged. After the war, it was reconstructed using a limited design that fused the 19th-century landscape garden style and the formal original 17th-century design.

The Hofgarten is an incredibly popular place with tourists as well as residents. In the South of the garden close to the Residenz are flowers designed in 1853 by Carl Effner.

There are also arcades leading to the north and west, plus numerous wall paintings associated with Bavarian history. The Court Garden Gate (Hofgartentor) is west of the Garden, leading to the Theatinerkirche.

Imperial Castle of Nuremberg

Address: Burg 17, 90403 Nürnberg, Germany

The Nuremberg Castle is one of the most important historical sites when visiting Nuremberg and Bavaria, Germany. This castle is built on ancient fortified structures on a ridge made of sandstone overlooking the historical old town and UNESCO World Heritage Site of Nuremberg.

The castle alongside the city walls is considered one of the most intimidating medieval defenses. It signified the magnitude and strength of the Holy Roman Empire and the exceptional role Nuremberg played as an imperial city.

During the Middle Ages, the Kings of Germany had no capital but continuously traveled from one imperial castle (Kaiserpfalz) they owned to another. Eventually, the Nuremberg castle gained prominence over other palaces, and for centuries, many emperors and kings of Germany used it as their permanent seat of power and residence.

Nuremberg Castle has three different parts. The first part is the old Burgraves castle. The second part is the Imperial Castle. The third part is the building that the Imperial City constructed. These structures were built around 1000, so each part represents a different period.

Some alterations were made to the castle in the 19th century. Under the Nazi regime, the castle was changed back to its “original state” as part of preparing for the infamous 1936 Nuremberg party rally, which was the Nazi Party rally grounds.

After World War II left most of the castle in ruins, it took about thirty years to renovate and rebuild it to its current state. The town of Nuremberg and the castle are some of the best romantic getaways in the Alps.

See Related: Berlin Wall Facts

Bavarian Forest National Park

Address: Germany

The Nationalpark Bayerischer is a park within the Eastern Bavarian Forest directly situated on Germany’s border shares with the Czech Republic.

The Bavarian Forest National Park was established on the seventh of October 1970. It was the first national park in Germany, taking up an area of 24,250 hectares.

The Bavarian Forest National Park is one of Germany’s most popular tourist destinations. The park is known for its lush, green forests and pristine lakes. Visitors can enjoy various outdoor activities, including the vast array of hiking trails, biking, fishing, and swimming.

The park is also home to wildlife, including deer, boars, and eagles. Visitors can take guided tours or explore the park on their own. There are also a number of restaurants and cafes located in the park for those who want to stop and enjoy a bite to eat.

Along with the nearby Czech Bohemian Forest, the Bavarian Forest makes up Central Europe’s biggest forest contiguous area and some of the best national parks to visit.

See Related: Parks in Frankfurt to Visit

Deutsches Museum

The world’s leading scientific and technology museum is the Deutsches Museum in Munich, Germany. The museum has over 100,000 exhibits covering 50 diverse technologies, making it one of Bavaria’s most popular tourist attractions.

The museum has 35 exhibits across seven sections, including Astronomema Amateur Radio Geodesy Energy Technology. The vast collections of objects are from the Stone Age until today. The book is not restricted to specific subjects – it includes everything from atomic physics to mining to aviation history.

Visiting the Deutsches Museum is one of the best things to do in Bavaria with kids. There’s so much to see and learn.

Marienplatz

Address: Marienplatz, 80331 München, Germany

Mary’s Square is situated in the center of Munich City, Germany. Since 1158, it has functioned as the main square in the city. Marienplatz used to serve as the location for tournaments and markets. Originally, Mary’s Square was known as Markt (“market”), Schranne (“grain market”), and later Schrannenplatz (“grain market square”).

Once the Schrannenplatz shifted in 1853 to a new iron-and-glass Schranne close to “Blumenstrasse,” it became known as Marienplatz. The new name became official on the 9th of October, 1854.

Marienplatz got its name from a Marian column in the center of the square called Mariensäule, built-in 1638, to commemorate the termination of the Swedish occupation.

This occupation happened because of the Thirty Year’s War. The Marian Column is capped by a gold statue of the Virgin Mary, standing on top of a crescent moon as Queen of Heaven. This gold statute was made in 1590 and was originally situated in Frauenkirche.

Presently, the Marienplatz is overlooked by the Neues Rathaus (New City Hall) to the North and the Altes Rathaus (Old City Hall, a renovated gothic style city hall), a tower and ballroom) to the East.

In the new city hall tower, the inspiration for the Glockenspiel was drawn from the tournaments held on the square grounds in the Middle Ages, and it attracts millions of tourists every year.

Moreover, the pedestrian area between Marienplatz and Karlsplatz has many restaurants and shops. During the yuletide season, the Christkindlmark (Christmas market) opens up at the square, selling Christmas drinks, foods, gifts, and goods.

On your way to Marienplatz, other destinations, and attractions of Germany, you might encounter German jokes from the locals or the tourist guide that bring more joy to the tour.

See Related: Christmas Markets in Europe to Visit

Nepal Himalaya Pavillon

Address: Martiniplatte, 93109 Wiesent, Germany

This is an exhibition pavilion of the Nepalese that is now found in Hanover after the expo of 2009. A patron bought this pavilion, which was later rebuilt in Wiesent in the upper Palatinate district in the Regensburg district.

The Nepalese pavilion was set up in 2000 for the Expo 2000 held in Hanover from June to October 2000. About 178 nations and international organizations attended the Expo.

The pavilion has a 22-meter-high-tower with intricate carvings done by about 800 Nepalese artisans. The building was a major attraction amongst other pavilions at the World’s Fair and had about 3.5 million visits.

At the end of the exhibition, the pavilion was bought by the manufacturer Heribert Wirth. The building was later broken into separate parts and rebuilt into the original in Wiesent, Upper Palatinate. The building has been open to the public since July 15, 2003.

The operators reported that the building remains the only site where Hindus and Buddhists can be together in one structure. Different gardens surround it. There is also a tea house, a Nepalese carillon, and a large pond with a gigantic figure of Buddha.

Visitors and tourists can get access to the building from mid-May to October within opening hours. The revenues from this building are then forwarded to the Water for the World Foundation, and the money is used to provide water projects in the Third World.

See Related: Things to do in Konstanz

Schleissheim Palace

Address: 85764 Oberschleißheim, Germany

This palace comprises three palaces in a splendid baroque park in the Oberschleissheim village. The palace served as a summer house for rulers of Bavaria who belonged to the House of Wittelsbach.

There is the Old Schleißheim Palace, Lustheim Palace, and the New Schleißheim Palace. Schleißheim’s old palace began as a Renaissance-style country house alongside a hermitage established in 1598 by William V.

There are two courtyards within this palace known as Maximilianshof, the interior courtyard, and Wilhelmshof, the exterior. By order of William’s son Maximilian I, the structures were expanded between 1617 and 1623 by Hans Krumper and Heinrich Schön to create the supposed old palace.

Enrico Zuccalli built Lustheim Palace in 1684 – 1688 as an Italian-styled garden villa for King Maximilian II Emanuel and Austrian princess Maria Antonia, the first queen. Lustheim is situated on a circular-shaped island and functions as a point de vue at the end of the baroque-style court garden.

This palace has double stories with a mid-section overlooked by a belvedere that offers an extensive outlook of the neighboring countryside. The New Schleißheim Palace is situated between the other two palaces, and it was built between 1701 and 1704 because the elector was expecting the crown.

However, due to Max Emanuel losing Bavaria for a couple of years during the Spanish Succession War, the construction of this palace was halted.

Eventually, Joseph Effner expanded the structure to become a prominently remarkable Baroque palace in 1719–1726, but just the major wing was finished.

See Related: Things to Do in Berlin

Munich Residenz

Address: Residenzstraße 1, 80333 München, Germany

The Munich Residenz is situated in Central Munich, Germany, and it used to be the royal palace for Wittelsbach monarchs ruling Bavaria. It is the biggest city palace in Germany. The historic buildings that make up this building have 130 rooms and ten courtyards.

The three primary parts of the complex are the Alte Residenz (Old Residenz; toward the Residenzstraße), the Festsaalbau (toward the Hofgarten), and the Königsbau (close to the Max-Joseph-Platz).

The Festsaalbau has housed the Cuvilliés Theatre since rebuilding the castle after World War II ended. It also holds the Hercules Hall (Herkulessaal), which is the main concert arena for the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.

At the east flank is the Byzantine Court Church of All Saints (Allerheiligen-Hofkirche), which faces the Marstall – the old Court Riding School and royal stables.

The Munich Residenz castle, constructed in 1385, was the first part of the current Neuveste complex. The different rulers expanded the palace to make a bigger complex assembled over several courtyards from these structures.

Under King Ludwig III, who ruled from 1913 to 1918, modern technical additions such as lighting and central heating were fixed up in the palace.

When the monarchy ended in 1918, the residence was disbanded as a government seat and became an interior design museum opened to the public in 1920. World War II came, and most of the upper palace story and multiple ground-floor vaulted rooms were destroyed.

See Related: History of the Cuckoo Clock

Danube Gorge

Address: Asamstraße 22, 93309 Kelheim, Germany

The Danube Gorge is located close to Weltenburg and is pronounced Donaudurchbruch bei Weltenburg in German. It is a narrow part of the Danube Valley in the Lower Bavaria county of Kelheim.

This place has been regarded as a rich natural reserve as well as a geotope. This valley part is officially called Weltenburg Narrows (Weltenburger Enge).

The Weltenburg Narrows is found between the Lower Bavarian section of the River Danube and lies between two beautiful towns: Weltenburg Abbey and Kelheim. This natural reserve covers about 560 hectares, about 400 meters wide and 5.5 kilometers long.

This natural reserve has existed since 1938, and it got the European Diploma on March 5, 1978. It is also part of the Natura 2000 network and a well-protected area of DE7136301, Weltenburg Narrows and Hirschberg, and Altmühlleiten.

Additionally, the area has a geotope no. 273R005. The Weltenburg Narrows was officially sealed by the Bavarian Minister for the Environment in 2002 as one of Bavaria’s most beautiful geotopes. The Danube Gorge was listed as one of Germany’s 77 outstanding national geotopes in 2006.

Falkenhof Schloss Rosenburg

Address: Schloßweg 7, 93339 Riedenburg, Germany

This castle is situated in Rosenburg, Germany. Here, the birds are presented twice daily at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Visitors and tourists witness firsthand the incredible skills of the castle’s birds of prey against the stunning background of the old preserved castle.

After the air show or even before, visitors are offered the chance to get more insight into the various birds of prey through a guided tour of the Falkenhof castle grounds. More information on falconry can be obtained from the castle museum.

As well as the history of birds of prey and falconry, the museum offers knowledge of native fauna. Tourists who wish to find out more about the history of Count Rosenburg and Count Risenburg will also find it in the museum.

At the Falkenhof Castle, falcons, vultures, eagles, and several local birds of prey are housed in the scenic courtyard throughout the season. Several of these bird species have gone extinct in the Altmühltal for decades, if not more. The current animals residing at Rosenburg all result from deliberate breeding.

Most were born at the breeding center specially established for this objective. In the Falkenhof Castle courtyard, visitors will find Eagle species such as the bald eagle, imperial eagle, predatory eagle, fish eagle, golden eagle, short-toed eagle, and European white-tailed eagle.

The species of Buzzards residing there include the eagle buzzard, common buzzard, blue buzzard (aguja), and king owl buzzard. The museum receives no state support or subsidy but is financed completely through visitor entrance fees.

See Related: Interesting Facts About Germany

Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site

Address: Alte Römerstraße 75, 85221 Dachau, Germany

Dachau used to be a concentration camp that opened on 22 March 1933 and was originally meant to accommodate political prisoners. The Dachau Concentration Camp is situated on the lands of a deserted munitions factory just northeast of the old town of Dachau, nearly 16 km (10 mi) northwest of Munich.

After Heinrich Himmler opened it, it expanded its objectives to incorporate forced labor and imprisonment of German, Romani, and Austrian Criminals. Jews and foreign nationals in countries occupied or invaded by Germany were also sent to this camp.

This became one of the largest and most important concentration camps during this era and escalated to include almost 100 sub-camps, which were mainly Arbeitskommandos or work camps located all over Austria and South Germany.

In April 1945, the principal camp was invaded and liberated by American forces. Before the liberation, prisoners existed in a constant state of fear of terror detention and cruel, inhuman treatment such as floggings, pole or tree hanging, standing cells, and standing at fixed attention for overly long lengths of time.

Thirty-two thousand deaths were documented to have happened at Dachau, and thousands more are undocumented. About 10,000 prisoners out of the 30,000 at the camp were seriously ill when the camp was liberated. After the war was over, the Dachau grounds were used to accommodate SS soldiers awaiting trial.

The former concentration camp at Majdanek was built in July of 1940 and then used to detain ethnic Germans who were awaiting relocation. Finally, the facility was shut down in 1960. Several religious monuments in the Memorial Site today are available to visit.

BMW Museum 

The BMW Museum is a must-see for car enthusiasts visiting Bavaria. Located in the company’s hometown of Munich, the museum traces the automaker’s history from its early days as a manufacturer of aircraft engines to its current status as one of the world’s leading luxury car brands.

Highlights of the museum include vintage models, racing cars, and concept vehicles. The BMW Museum is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 pm, Monday to Sunday.

Oktoberfest

The world’s largest Volksfest (beer festival), Oktoberfest takes place annually in Munich and is a must-see event for any beer lover. With over 6 million visitors, there are options to suit various interests, as it’s not just about drinking large quantities of beer. There are amusement parks, live music, and many activities for kids throughout the festival.

The festival runs for two weeks in September and features some of the best breweries in the entire world. The Oktoberfest dates back to 1810 when it was held in honor of the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.

If you’re looking for a fun and festive way to spend time in Germany, cross an Oktoberfest experience off your bucket list.

See Related: Best Hotels in Munich, Germany

Herrenchiemsee New Palace

Address: 83209 Herrenchiemsee, Germany

Herrenchiemsee is a group of several royal buildings situated on Herreninsel, the biggest island on the Chiemsee lake in Bavaria, Germany. Alongside the nearby isle of Frauenchiemsee and the unoccupied Krautinsel, they all make up the Chiemsee municipality, situated nearly 60 kilometers southeast of Munich.

The island was previously the location of an Augustinian monastery before King Ludwig II of Bavaria purchased it in 1873. Ludwig II had the grounds renovated into a living residence, and it became known as the Altes Schloss (Old Palace), the last and biggest of his building projects.

From 1878 forward, he arranged for the Neues Schloss (the New Herrenchiemsee Palace) to be built in the likeness of the Versailles Palace model. The Old Palace, also known as the Herrenchiemsee Abbey, is a Baroque monastery constructed between 1642 and 1731.

During the German Mediatisation, the Abbey became secularized in 1803, and the Chiemsee diocese was disbanded in 1808. The island was sold off, and different owners destroyed the cathedral and sold off the interior. The abbey was transformed into a brewery. King Ludwig II of Bavaria acquired the island in 1873.

The building of the New Palace started in 1878, and the King oversaw the construction progress as the new royal home was intended to be a Versailles homage and the king’s new private residence.

However, despite this intent, the New Herrenchiemsee Palace was never built to accommodate a royal household of over a thousand. The King could only enjoy the new palace residence for just a few days in September 1885.

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Hike through Partnach Gorge

The Partnach Gorge is a stunning natural wonder in Bavaria. It was carved in rocky boulders by the Partnach River in Garmischen-Partenkirchen over a thousand years ago. The gorge was deposited millions of years ago and is 699 meters (22393 meters) long.

Two trails lead to the river’s shore through vertical rock formations. The upper trail is the easiest, and the tunnels of the lower trail are just over a foot high as they traverse the 699-meter (22393-meter) river.

The Partnach Gorge is located in the town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. To get to the gorge, you can take a train to Garmisch-Partenkirchen from Munich or take a bus from the Innsbruck airport. Follow the indications from the Olympic Stadium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen to reach the gorge; it’s a 25-minute stroll. This is a great way to explore Bavaria through the great outdoors.

See Related: Best Things to Do in Bamberg, Germany

Passau and the Danube River

Passau is located between the Danube River and the Inn at the Austrian border. The city is famous for the flat-roofed 16th-century Italian-style houses connected to flying buttresses.

Other notable sights of the romantic Old Town, widely considered a beautiful townscape throughout the European Union, include the Oberhaus fortress, Mariahilf Church, and the lovely stairs leading to the two rivers.

The cathedral of St. Stephen is located at the Domplatz, surrounded by old Canon houses. This is renowned for being one of the world’s largest cathedral organs. The Late Gothic east part of the cathedral dates to 1407. The Baroque nave was built in 1678.

Plenty of boat tours are offered along the Danube River, which is a great way to see the beautiful half-timbered houses and the beautiful architecture in the Bavarian Alps. This is one of the most romantic things to do in Bavaria.

See Related: How to Spend Christmas in Germany

Eagle’s Nest

Eagle’s Nest was built as a mountaintop retreat for Hitler and gifted to him on his 50th birthday. It took around 3,000 workers two years to carve the precipitous six km-long roads. This was often a stomping ground for the Nazi Party.

Today, it serves as a restaurant and beer garden offering expansive views. The Eagle’s Nest is open to visitors in the summer and affords spectacular views of the Bavarian landscape. Eagle’s Nest is in the Bavarian Alps near the Berchtesgaden National Park. You can reach it by car or shuttle bus from the alpine town of Berchtesgaden.

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