Day Trips from Munich

Day trips from Munich reach King Ludwig II's palaces, the peaks of the Bavarian Alps and, just across the Austrian border, Salzburg. Nuremberg and walled Rothenburg make longer days, while the Dachau memorial is a short train and bus ride away. Our 2026 catalogue holds 36 day trips and tours from Munich, all of them to the places on this page.

We would start with how far you are willing to ride, because a morning at the memorial and a day in Rothenburg are very different outings. Then let the mood decide: a fairy-tale castle, a mountain view, a city of music or a place of remembrance.

Travellers have left more than 33,472 reviews on the trips shown here, with an average rating of 4.7 out of 5.

Of the trips shown here, the one with the most reviews is "From Munich: Neuschwanstein & Linderhof Castle Full-Day Trip", with more than 16,976 reviews and a rating of 4.6 out of 5.

Under half an hour away

Dachau is 11 minutes from Munich on the direct regional train, and a local bus covers the last stretch to the memorial. The visit still leaves the rest of the day for the city.

An hour or so by train

Lake Chiemsee is about an hour away by direct train to Prien, where a vintage steam tram runs down to the ferry. The Zugspitze means about 1 hour 25 minutes by train to Garmisch, then a cogwheel railway or a cable car to the top.

About two hours each way

Salzburg is under two hours east of Munich by direct train. Nuremberg takes about as long on the ICE. Neuschwanstein needs up to two and a half hours by coach, and by rail you change to a local bus at Füssen.

Two and a half hours or more

The Eagle's Nest is 2 hours 30 minutes or more away by coach, and a special mountain bus covers the last stretch. Rothenburg ob der Tauber takes more than three hours by coach.

King Ludwig II's palaces

Neuschwanstein suits dreamers, romantics, families and first-time visitors to Germany. It looks lifted from a storybook, and it inspired Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle. From the village, a steep walk or a horse-drawn carriage leads up to the gate, a climb to plan for on our Neuschwanstein Castle tours from Munich.

Castle lovers, families and anyone after a slower pace will like Lake Chiemsee. On the island of Herrenchiemsee, Ludwig built his last and grandest palace as a homage to Versailles. You reach it by boat, away from Neuschwanstein's crowds.

If it comes down to Ludwig's two palaces, travellers have been happier on the lake: our Chiemsee trips average 4.8 out of 5, Neuschwanstein 4.7.

Second World War history

Dachau, the first Nazi concentration camp, is for history buffs, researchers and mature travellers. The memorial is quiet and emotionally heavy, with museum exhibits, rebuilt barracks and the crematorium. Lying about 25 km from the centre, it is within easy reach on our Dachau tours from Munich. If you want to hear from others first, 6,841 travellers have already left reviews of ours.

Old towns, music and food

Salzburg suits classical music fans, art and architecture lovers, foodies and relaxed strollers. Mozart was born in this walkable Baroque city, and fans of The Sound of Music will find its filming locations here. Our day trips from Munich to Salzburg fit a complete city into one day.

Nuremberg is for history buffs, foodies and efficient travellers. An imperial castle looks over the rebuilt old town, while the Nazi rally grounds and the war-crimes trials tell its darker story. Foodies come for Nürnberger Rostbratwurst and the old markets, so look for free time when you compare our day trips from Munich to Nuremberg.

If you want a wider choice of trips, lean towards Salzburg: we list 7 there and 3 for Nuremberg.

Romantics, photographers and fairy-tale fans happy to trade a long ride should look at Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Intact medieval walls ring its half-timbered houses and cobbled lanes, and a Christmas village opens all year.

High in the Alps

The Zugspitze, Germany's highest peak, is for nature lovers and thrill-seekers. Clear days show more than 400 peaks. Cloud or fog hides everything, so we would check the forecast the evening before. Travellers who went up with us rate the day 4.7 out of 5.

Nature lovers, panoramic photographers and Second World War history buffs head for the Eagle's Nest. A brass lift through the rock takes you up to Alpine views and a building made as a birthday gift for Hitler. It opens only from about mid-May to October, so check the season before you book our Eagle’s Nest & Berchtesgaden tours from Munich.

The journey is what we would compare first: coaches drive slower than cars, and the roads to Salzburg and the Eagle's Nest cross into Austria. On the A8 towards Salzburg and Berchtesgaden, Friday afternoons and weekend mornings can add one to two hours.

Table data is indicative and comes from the GuruWalk catalogue. Each activity's current details, including availability, are the ones shown on its listing when you book.