Bavaria Cities Map & Travel Guide

Find the Best Bavarian Cities to Visit



Bavaria, the southeast corner of Germany, could take months to fully explore

Bavaria forms the largest state or region within Germany. The capital of Bavaria is Munich. Over 12 million people live in Bavaria.

Bavaria is a great place to explore. It's dense with things to do, from trekking to the famous castles Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau near Füssen, to visiting the compelling city of Munich and the somber remains of Dachau. You won't be bored spending a few weeks in Bavaria.

There are airports near Nuremberg and Munich. Munich airport is considered one of the best in Europe.

Bavaria Cities Map

Germany tourist cities map

Bayreuth is the capital of Upper Franconia. A typical Bavarian market town with the town hall smack in the middle, Beyreuth is perhaps best known as the residence of Richard Wagner, who moved to the city in 1872 and stayed until his death in 1883. Margrave's Opera house is considered to be one of the finest Baroque halls of Europe. The Bayreuth Festival is a yearly celebration of Wagner's works that take place in the Bayreuth Festpielhaus. The Ticket Office.

Wurzburg is a vibrant university town surrounded by vineyards with many architectural splendors.

Nurnburg or Nuremburg is the second largest city in Bavaria, located 105 miles northwest of Munich. It is a very attractive medieval walled city, and has a very famous Christmas market (Christkindlesmarkt). It is a fine, compact city for walking.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is everyone's favorite Romantic Road destination, and Germany's best-preserved walled town, according to Rick Steves. Medieval torture aficionados will enjoy the Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum.

Dinkelsbuhl is smack in the center of the Romantic road. It's a good shopping town with lots of artist's studios, a very evocative walled city; you can patrol with the night watchman.

Regensburg - The medieval town of Regensburg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Bavarian Jazz Festival takes place here in summer, usually in July.

Passau is a university town in a beautiful setting at the junction of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz Rivers. In antiquity Passau was an ancient Roman colony and became the largest diocese of the Holy Roman Empire. Later it became known for its sword manufacturing. The organ in St. Stephens Cathedral has 17,774 pipes, according to Wikipedia.

Augsburg has a "rich history dating back to the Roman empire. Dubbed both "The Renaissance City" and "Mozart City", it has been an important center of trade down through the ages. During the Renaissance, Augsburg was a main cultural center which is reflected in the fine Rococo architecture in the city."

Munich is the major city to visit in Bavaria.Plan on at least 3-4 days here. You can take a day trip to Dachau from Munich. You can take a longer day trip to visit Neuschwanstein and Linderhof Castle

Altötting is famous for the Gnadenkapelle (Chapel of the Miraculous Image), of one of the most visited shrines in Germany. The heart of King Ludwig II of Neuschwanstein fame is here in an urn. You don't want to miss that.

Oberammergau is famous for its passion play, but for shoppers it's the place to buy wood carvings. Winter sports are big here, as well as at nearby spa town Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Füssen, the highest town in Bavaria, is the closest town with a railway station to tourist must-see castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau. You can get a bus to the castles. Füssen is but three miles from the Austrian border, and an interesting place to spend a night.

King Ludwig II fans might also want to visit his homage to Versailles, Herrenchiemsee Palace, southeast of Munich and built on an island in the middle of Bavaria's largest lake, the Chiemsee.

Inside the palace you'll find the Ludwig II Museum. The "royal residences" of Neuschwanstein Castle, Linderhof Palace and Herrenchiemsee Palace are represented and you'll learn of Ludwig II's other building projects. A short way from the palace is the Monastery Herrenchiemsee, a former Augustinian monastery built in the 17th century, now a museum.  

Herrenchiemsee Palace
Herrenchiemsee Palace and Tourists in the off season

Where to Stay in Bavaria

Over 600 user-rated places to stay in Bavaria are listed at Booking.com. The average price of a hotel for the night is $123.

Since Bavaria is a place where the rural countryside is a compelling reason to visit, you may wish to spend some time seeing it by booking a vacation rental property, from a modest cottage for two to a larger estate for the family. VRBO lists many vacation rentals in Bavaria.

Getting Around Bavaria: Typical Journey Times Via German Trains

Travel on weekends is usually quite a bit cheaper than during the weekdays. Off-peak trains are cheaper than morning and evening trains taking people to work or to meetings in other cities.

Germany's main hub stations are Berlin Hbf, Köln Hbf (Cologne), München Hbf (Munich) and Frankfurt Hbf. HBF stands for Hauptbahnhof, the central, main station.

Bavaria Weather and Climate: When to Go

Germany's weather is primarily temperate. Munich's temperature, for example, is more moderate than you might expect, the lowest average low occurs in January at 22 degrees F. The highest high occurs in July at 76 degrees F. There is measurable precipitation (wet days) more than half the days of the year for a total rain of nearly 40 inches. [Munich historic averages]

Germany is a good place to go in summer, when Italy, France and Spain swelter. But the best time to go to southern Germany may well be autumn, when the colors are brightest and the wine is being harvested. This is the time for festivals celebrating wine and the harvest.

Click on a destination on the Germany Weather and Climate Map to find historic temperatures, rainfall, and tourism suggestions for Germany's top destinations.

Travel Tips for Germany

About getting around on Germany's fast roads, the German Way has some ovservations.

The autobahn has a “suggested” speed limit of 130 km/h (80 mph), a suggestion widely ignored by many Mercedes and Porsche drivers. They may suddenly appear out of nowhere, close behind, blinking their brights to move you out of their way. Not even gasoline priced at double the North American rate can make most German drivers slow down. -- Driving in Germany

Tipping

While service is included in the bill and three percent of Germans don't tip at all, waiters and other providers of service are generally tipped 5-10% for good service. Far an informal meal, Germans might round up the bill to the nearest euro and add a couple of euros more.

rail map showing train lines

Rail Map of Germany

Find your way around Germany on the train.

hermitage vineyard jaboulet

Hermitage Vineyards

Stunning views come into view as your train pulls into Tain L'Hermitage.

Neuschwanstein Castle

Neuschwanstein Castle

Visit Newschwanstein Castle and its beautiful surroundings  in Bavaria.


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Page modified: February 03 2025.