Bavaria holidays

How to reach Bavaria

• Flight time: Flights to Munich, Bavaria’s main city, from London take around 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours.

• Transfer time: Munich’s airport, 35km north of the city, is connected to the Hauptbahnhof and Marienplatz by S1 and S8; trains run frequently, taking about 40 minutes. You can also take an airport bus, which takes around 45 minutes, or a taxi, taking around 30 minutes.

• Price: A single ticket on the S-Bahn from the airport to the city centre costs around €11.60. Airport buses cost approximately €11 one-way, while taxi fares range between €50 and €70.

Best time to visit Bavaria

With various attractions all year round, deciding when to take your trip to Bavaria will depend on your holiday priorities.

• April to June: For more settled weather with sunshine and comfortable temperatures, late spring is well worth considering. Temperatures range from 10°C to 20°C, rainfall is moderate (around 50–70mm) and there are around 7–9 hours of sunshine daily.

• July to August: High season, and accordingly most places are pretty busy. Temperatures climb to 25°C, sometimes higher, making it ideal for lake swimming, beer gardens and the region’s many festivals. Rainfall is usually low, around 60–80mm, and you’ll enjoy up to 10 hours of sunshine.

• September to November: Weather starts to cool, with temperatures ranging from 10°C to 18°C, but autumn is the ideal time for exploring Bavaria’s picturesque countryside and taking in Oktoberfest, which runs from late September to early October. The Germans don’t call the harvest season “goldener Oktober” for nothing.

• December to March: If you enjoy skiing or snowboarding, head to the Bavarian Alps, where snowfall is abundant, while the Christmas markets are the major attraction in cities like Munich and Nuremberg. Temperatures range from -5°C to 5°C, with around 30–60mm of rainfall; expect about 3–5 hours of sunshine daily.

Practical information.

• Spoken languages: German is the official language, although most people in Bavaria speak a good standard of English.

• Local habits and customs: Bavaria has many wonderful traditions, including beer, lederhosen and dirndls. While Munich is one of Germany’s most cosmopolitan cities, smaller towns maintain more conservative customs. To tip in a café, round your bill up to the next €0.50 or €1.

• Health and safety: Bavaria is an extremely safe region, with low crime rates. Healthcare is excellent, and you should carry a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for access to medical services if needed. Tap water is safe to drink throughout Bavaria.

• Currency: Germany uses the Euro (€), with credit and debit cards accepted in most restaurants and shops. However, it’s a good idea to carry cash for use in more rural areas.

• Getting around: Getting around Bavaria is relatively straightforward, with Munich’s suburban rail system extending far out into the surrounding countryside and the other major population centres linked to it by Autobahn and rail. Where train services end, buses take over, with services linking at least the most important tourist sites relatively frequently. Cycling is also a joy here.

• Electricity and plug types: Germany uses 230 volts AC, with standard European two-pin plugs. UK travellers will need a plug adaptor.

• Time zone: Bavaria follows Central European Time (CET), which is 1 hour ahead of GMT.

• Required travel documentation: UK travellers can visit Bavaria visa-free for up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

Best things to do in Bavaria

Bavaria has it all, from high culture to viticulture and beer to breathtaking scenery. Eastern Bavaria is dominated by rolling forests, and to the north Franconia is known for its vineyards and natural parks as well as beautifully preserved and atmospheric medieval towns.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• Kehlsteinhaus (Eagle’s Nest): Hitler hardly used it, but you’re sure to enjoy the breathtaking views from his famous mountain eyrie.

• The Donaudurchbruch at Kelheim: Glorious scenery, impressive architecture and delicious beer on an exceptional stretch of the Danube.

• Zugspitze: Germany’s highest peak, Zugspitze, offers awesome alpine views. Take a cable car to the summit where, on a good day, you’ll get views of four different countries.

The best districts

• Altstadt, Munich: A rich and vibrant metropolis with a seductive lifestyle: stroll Marienplatz, where you’ll find the famous Glockenspiel, or enjoy a stein of beer at one of the city’s many traditional beer halls.

• Bamberg: A charming historic core and distinctive smoked beer make this compact city a tempting spot to linger.

• Nuremberg Altstadt: The triumphs and tragedies of German history, from the monuments of the city’s imperial zenith to the still-recognisable reminders of the Nazi era.

• Augsburg: Renaissance architecture meets racy nightlife in Augsburg’s beautiful old town, whose splendour is testament to the city’s past wealth.

Museums

• The Bier & Oktoberfest Museum: Occupying a fine old burgher’s house, the exhibits chart the 5000-year history of beer production as well as explaining the origins of the Oktoberfest in the festivities surrounding the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig with Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen.

Parks and gardens

• English Garden, Munich: Check out the surfers in the fast-flowing river at the bottom of the garden on Prinzregentenstrasse, walk up for a Hofbräu beer and a sausage in the Chinesischen Turm, or lie naked if you dare in the nudist section in the middle of the garden.

• Herrenchiemsee: Set on an island in the “Bavarian Sea”, Mad King Ludwig’s unfinished homage to Versailles - complete with beautifully landscaped gardens - recalls the loneliness and flamboyance of Bavaria’s most memorable monarch.

Historical monuments

• Neuschwanstein Castle: “Mad” King Ludwig’s maddest creation combines Wagnerian inspiration with a superbly dramatic Alpine site to create a romantic fantasy from the age of chivalry.

• Wieskirche: Nowhere better pairs the élan and excess of Bavaria’s heavenly church interiors than the magnificent Wieskirche.

• Würzburg Residence: UNESCO World Heritage Site that is quite simply a masterpiece of baroque architecture.

Day trips in the area

• Murnau am Staffelsee: With its neat facades, busy cafés and picturesque setting on the fringe of the Ammergauer Alps, this classic Alpine lake resort is set back 500m from the shores of the Staffelsee.

• Berchtesgadener Land: Shaped like a figure of eight and pushing south deep into Austria’s Salzburger Land, the compact territory of Berchtesgadener Land is dazzling in its scenery and chilling in its reminders of the Third Reich’s elite.

Activities for families in Bavaria

Such are the possibilities for family-oriented activities on your Bavaria holidays that you could spend weeks here and still not exhaust all the options.

• Danube Boat trips: In the summer months, the tourist boats of Wurm & Köck depart Passau’s Danube quays on a variety of excursions long and short, from 45 minute sightseeing trips around the confluence of the three rivers to lengthier cruises downstream to Linz.

• Aquariums and zoos: Munich’s Hellabrunn Zoo aims to present animals in a more naturalistic setting than in most city zoos, with relatively large enclosures; its main attractions include the giraffe savannah and the polar bear compound.

• Castles: What kid doesn’t love a castle to scramble around in? Bavaria has loads of them, from the theatrical majesty of Neuschwanstein to Mad King Ludwig’s unfinished homage to Versailles at Hohenschwangau.

Free things to do in Bavaria

Whilst holidays to Bavaria aren’t necessarily that cheap, there are all kinds of ways of saving money.

• Christmas markets: Christmas cheer the way it’s been for centuries, Bavaria’s seasonal markets are simply magical. Munich’s Marienplatz market is wonderfully atmospheric and great for handicrafts, but Münchener Freiheit is more relaxed and has better food.

• Free events and festivals: Of course there is Oktoberfest, but less well-known is the Gäubodenfest in Straubing, which takes place over 10 days in August. Bavaria’s second-biggest folk festival, it kicks off with a procession in which brass brands and traditional peasant costume are much in evidence.

Nature and outdoor activities in Bavaria

The Bavarian Alps are one of Europe’s great playgrounds, and whether you’re here in summer or winter, you’ll simply not have enough time to pack in all the activities on offer.

• Skiing: Whether enjoying the views from the Zugspitze’s high-altitude pistes or cutting a dash on the Kandahar run, skiing at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany’s biggest winter resort, is a memorable experience.

• Hiking: There’s glorious hiking in Bavaria, but top dog is Kolben Sesselbahn, where the Königssteig hiking trail heads east below the ridge for roughly 5km towards the Kofel before descending to the valley south of Oberammergau, though there’s also an easier path that descends to the valley from the Kolbensattelhütte at the top of the chairlift.

• Cycling: Bavaria’s countryside is crisscrossed with well-maintained cycling routes, but the finest is the Chiemsee Uferweg cycle route, which circuits the lakeshore for 70km, sticking close to the shore and in many places passing suitable bathing spots. You can rent bikes from Fahrradhaus Prien, Hallwanger Str. 22.

• Nature watching: The Bavarian Forest is a low range of mountains and pine forests that extends over the Czech border and harbours deer, otters and pygmy owls - go try and spot ‘em.

Local dishes in Bavaria

Bavaria, the land of beer-hall-and-Lederhosen cliché, comes good with a no-nonsense pig-fest, typically great hunks of Schweinhaxe (roast knuckle) and Rippchen (roast ribs). This is also the sausage capital of Germany - and the beer is of course legendary.

Some typical dishes

• Weißwurst: Bavaria’s signature white sausage, typically consumed as a breakfast dish and eaten with sweet mustard and pretzels.

• Schweinshaxe: A huge crispy knuckle which could grace a medieval banqueting table, usually served with potato dumplings or sauerkraut.

Street food

• Bratwurst: The common or garden sausage served countrywide, this varies by region, but Bavaria’s are finger-sized and usually made of finely minced pork and marjoram.

Meat dishes

• Wiener Schnitzel: A Bavarian favourite, this breaded and fried veal or pork cutlet is served with potato salad or fries.

• Leberkäse: Similar to meatloaf, this thick-set baked loaf is a heavenly combination of finely chopped pork and beef.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Steckerlfisch: Grilled fish (usually mackerel or trout) on a stick, most often served at beer gardens or festivals like Oktoberfest.

Sweets and desserts

• Bayerische Creme: A creamy dessert flavoured with vanilla and served with fruit compote.

• Apfelstrudel: Bavaria’s take on the classic apple strudel, this dessert is made with flaky pastry, spiced apples and often served with whipped cream or vanilla sauce.

Local drinks

• Beer: Bavarian beer specialities include Augustiner, Paulaner, Franziskaner and Löwenbräu; the Erdinger and Schneider brands are also popular, though they are brewed outside the city.

• Schnapps: High-proof Schnapps spirits come in a range of regional flavours which rival that of beer: the most common variety in Bavaria is Kirschwasser (cherry Schnapps).