The 10 most beautiful towns in Bavaria

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In my last post, why showed several adorable villages all over Germany. However, because Bavaria is such a beautiful state and has so many towns and villages that deserve a shoutout, this post will be all about the most beautiful towns and villages in Bavaria.

This post can also work as inspiration for your next road trip around Germany. If you want even more inspiration you can check my post about the adorable towns in the other German states or my unforgettable 9 days road trip to the south of Germany. Because of the proximity of some of the cutest villages in Bavaria to Austria, you may also want to add some of these towns and villages to your next Austrian Roadtrip. In this blog post, you can also find my perfect one-week round road trip around Austria.

Overview

Bavaria
Rothenburg ob der Tauber
How to get to Rothenburg ob der Tauber?
What to do in Rothenburg ob der Tauber?
Lindau
How to get to Lindau?
What to do in Lindau?
Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden
How to get to Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden?
What to do in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden?
Berchtesgaden
How to get to Berchtesgaden?
What to do in Berchtesgaden?
Bamberg
How to get to Bamberg?
What to do in Bamberg?
Bayreuth
How to get to Bayreuth?
What to do in Bayreuth?
Mittenwald
How to get to Mittenwald?
What to do in Mittenwald?
Füssen
How to get to Füssen?
What to do in Füssen?
Miltenberg
How to get to Miltenberg?
What to do in Miltenberg?
Oberammergau
How to get to Oberammergau?
What to do in Oberammergau?
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Bavaria

Bavaria is a beautiful German state located in the southeast part of Germany. This is the biggest state by area which also explains why it has the majority of the cutest towns in Germany. However, what makes several of these towns that beautiful is their location. Bavaria includes most of the German Alps, and that beautiful natural landscape added to the beautiful man-made buildings, most of these towns really special.

The biggest cities in the state are Munich, Nuremberg, and Augsburg, however, I won’t talk about them in this post since it focuses on the most beautiful towns in Bavaria.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber

This is probably one of the most famous towns on this list. It is a well-known fairytale-like village where many tourists stop, especially if they are driving through the Romantic Road. The town is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its well preserved medieval architecture.

How to get to Rothenburg ob der Tauber?

The closest airports to Rothenburg ob der Tauber are the Nuremberg airport and the Stuttgart airport. The Nuremberg airport is 1h30 away from Rothenburg ob der Tauber by car or by train.

The Stuttgart one is a bit further away, especially if you are planning to take public transports and not drive. Driving it is around 2 hours away while by public transports it is almost 4 hours away.

Another option to consider is to go to the Munich airport. By car from there, you’ll spend 2h30 on the road. You can rent a car at Munich airport, besides other places around the city. If you choose to go by public transports, be aware that you’ll spend also almost 4 hours getting there. You can also take part on a tour from Munich to Rothenburg of der Tauber.

What to do in Rothenburg ob der Tauber?

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is one of the most beautiful towns in Bavaria because it looks like it came out of a fairy tale book. Because of this, one of the most enjoyable things to do in the town is to wander around and get intentionally lost in the town’s alleys. You can also hire a private guide to show you around!

When you get to the Plonlein you will be amazed by the postcard-like view of the town. Get here early because, since this is the most famous view of the town, it can get crowded.

This is one of the German towns that still have medieval walls where you can climb and walk around to see a unique 360 degrees perspective of the town. You can find stairs to the wall at the entrance of the town.

In Rothenburg, you can visit the Christmas museum or buy Christmas decorations all year round. However, if you go there at Christmas time, don’t forget to explore the Christmas market, a tradition with more than 500 years of existence.

Lindau

Lindau is a beautiful town located by Lake Constance (Bodensee in German). This lake connects three beautiful countries (Germany, Switzerland and Austria) and is mostly on the state Baden-Württemberg. However, in Lindau, the state of Baviera also has a little bit of shore.

How to get to Lindau?

To get to Lindau you can take a train from several major cities such as Munich, Stuttgart or Zurich. As a result, you can choose which of these airports is better for you.

From Munich to Lindau it will be around 2h30 by train and 2 to 2h30 by car. From Stuttgart, the trip is a bit longer by train, taking around 3 hours but around the same by car. From Zurich, by train, you’ll take 2 to 2h30 and by car a bit less.

You can also get to Lindau by ferry from some of the other towns around the lake, including some in Austria and Switzerland.

What to do in Lindau?

Because of the location of this town, you can have great fun by the lake, especially in the Summer. Lake Constance is also a great to walk. While you are walking near the lake, stop at Lindau Harbor and appreciate the view of the Bavarian Lion statue that guards the Harbor since the 19th century. The lighthouse that you see right in front of the lion is also from the 19th century, however, on the edge of the port, with its yellow top and brightly coloured roof tiles you can see the old lighthouse, dating from the 13th century.

To fully enjoy everything that lake Constance has to give you, such as its islands and views, you can hop on a boat and enjoy a boat cruise on the lake. There are plenty of options to choose from.

In Lindau, you can also practice some water sports such as windsurfing, sailing, or paddle-boarding or even swimming, diving and fishing.

Another unmissable thing to do in Lindau is to wander the narrow cobblestone streets of Lindau Island, the historic centre of Lindau and appreciate every architectonic detail and painted wall.

Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden

Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden is a beautiful village located in the German Alps

How to get to Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden?

The closest airport to the village is the Salzburg airport, 40 km away, however, this airport is not the biggest one and international flights are rarer than in bigger airports such as Munich. Another issue is that you don’t have trains connecting the two places and you’ll need to go by bus. This is still the quickest way to get to the village since it will only take you around 2 hours, and if you have a spa card, you can get around the region in buses for free.

What to do in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden?

The most famous thing to do in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden is to see St. Sebastian’s Church. A beautiful white church with an incredibly picturesque view of the mountains and a stream that passes on its side. This is the postcard-like image that everyone has in mind when they think about Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden. However, there are many other things that you can do in the village such as exploring nature.

Something incredible that you may be interested in exploring is the Wimbachklamm Gorge with a wooden path for you to hike easily through the gorge.

Another natural spot that you may want to explore is the beautiful Hintersee, a clear water lake surrounded by the Alps with amazing views.

If you are thinking about staying the night in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden, don’t forget to look up and appreciate the incredible night sky! Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden is quite far from any bigger town or city which means that the sky looks incredible at night.

Berchtesgaden

This beautiful town is also on the picturesque alpine town with incredible mountains and views all around, all year round. This town is quite close to the Austrian border and is surrounded by this country on three sides.

How to get to Berchtesgaden?

In Berchtesgaden, you have a train station that is well connected to Munich and Frankfurt. From Austria, you can also travel by train from Salzburg to Berchtesgaden. As a result, any of these three airports may be a good option for you to travel to.

From Munich, you will spend around 3 hours on a train and 2 to 2h30 by car. From Frankfurt, the trip is way longer and probably not worth it… When I say way longer I mean around 7 hours by train. Salzburg is by far the closest option, taking 45 minutes by bus and 1h30 by train to get to Berchtesgaden.

What to do in Berchtesgaden?

Berchtesgaden, as well as Bad Reichenhall, are very famous for their salt mines. Because of this, you should visit the salt mines. This salt mine has opened in the 16th century but the salt extraction has started way before in the town-

If you are all about the incredible panoramic views or German history you should visit the Eagles Nest, where you can also get from Munich, besides Salzburg. This is an Alpine chalet that was meant to be a gift for Hitler in 1939. If you hike 100 meters above the chalet, you’ll find a cross from where the typical photographs of the valley and the chalet are taken.

Another beautiful stop is the Königsee or King’s lake. This lake is an incredible emerald fjord surrounded by the Alps. This is also Bavaria’s deepest lake and one of the most famous. A big attraction in this lake is the Church of St. Bartholomä with red domes that contrast beautifully with the landscape.

Don’t forget to also explore Berchtesgaden old town because the architecture, and especially the painted walls of the houses, are beautiful.

Bamberg

This is one of the Bavarian UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This is because of the beautiful architecture and the preserved heritage that exists in the town.

How to get to Bamberg?

Getting to Bamberg is relatively easy because it is well connected to bigger cities, such as Nuremberg and even Munich and Berlin. From Munich, you’ll have to travel by train for 2 hours while from Berlin it will take 2h30 by train or 5 hours by bus. The closest airport, however, is Nuremberg’s. From here you’ll only need to travel 40 minutes by train. This last option is also much cheaper if you can get a fly to Nuremberg.

What to do in Bamberg?

The most famous building to see in Bamberg is the old town hall. This building is located above the Regnitz river, across two bridges. Besides that this building has several architectonic styles. On one side, you can see a yellow timber-framed part while on the other you can see an example of the beautiful bavarian painted facades.

Another place to visit is the Little Venice of Bamberg, by the river, where a row of half-timbered houses from the 19th century are located. These houses originally belonged to fishermen.

Around the city, you can also see several houses with beautiful murals on their walls. Besides that, spread around the city you can also see outdoor artworks and follow the sculpture trail to discover them all. Be sure to participate in a free walking tour to learn all about the secrets of Bamberg, or in a gastronomic tour through the city center.

Bayreuth

TThis is a medium-sized town in the north of Bavaria that is mostly famous for its annual festival. At this festival, you can listen to operas composed by the 19th-century German composer Richard Wagner. This composed lived in the town for a while and started to build the Bayreuth Festspielhaus.

How to get to Bayreuth?

The Bayreuth train station is located around 1km away from the city centre. Besides that, no long-distance trains stop in the town but several regional trains stop there.

The nearest airport is Nuremberg’s, however, most of the people travel to Bavaria through the airports of Munich and Frankfurt. From Munich, you’ll spend 2h30 on the trains to get to Bayreuth. From Frankfurt, you’ll spend 3h30 by train or 4h by bus. And from Nuremberg, you’ll only spend 1 hour by train.

Several buses stop at the town (but you’ll have to walk a bit to the city centre or to catch another bus to the city centre).

What to do in Bayreuth?

For 30 days in the Summer (from July to August), you can experience the Richard Wagner Festival, which is a huge attraction in the town. Despite being quite calm the rest of the year, the town has incredible baroque and rococo architecture to appreciate.

Some of the incredible buildings that you can explore in Bayreuth are the Hermitage Castle, the Festspielhaus, where the music festival is held, and the New Castle.

Because of the importance of music in the city, you can go see a musical theatre at the Festspielhaus or to the Markgrafliches Opera House. The opera house is inclusive a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2012.

Mittenwald

This is one of the cutest towns in Bavaria. This one is quite a small town and is famous for its tradition of violin making.

How to get to Mittenwald?

Mittenwald has a stop on the Munich-Innsbruck railway. The trip from Mittenwald to Innsbruck is quite scenic if you are interested in also visiting Innsbruck. From Munich to Mittenwald you’ll spend 2 hours by bus or by train.

What to do in Mittenwald?

Because of the violin-making tradition, one of the most famous places to visit in Mittenwald is the Violin Museum. In this museum, there are also violins being made in the present day.

Another famous thing to do in this region is to explore the Leutaschklamm (Leutasch Gorge) and hike this trail. There are many more trails that you can hike in the region since it is in the middle of the Alps.

The town itself is also extremely beautiful because of the paintings that you can find in the facades of the houses that are so typical of the region.

Füssen

Füssen is an adorable town most famous for its Castle, the Neuschwanstein Castle, probably the most famous castle in Germany. Most of the tourists, however, just go visit the castle and not the town, making it one German hidden gem. Because this town is close to the Austrian border, you can also easily visit it from the Tyrol region, a popular Austrian destination.

How to get to Füssen?

You can easily get to Füssen from Munich. This trip will take you around 2 hours by train, and you can catch this train every 2 hours. Füssen is the last stop of the Romantic Road when you come from Augsburg. You can also get to Füssen by bus. You can catch one of the Neuschwanstein tour buses, near the Munich main station, for example, or be part of a day-trip that also starts in Munich.

What to do in Füssen?

This town can easily be explored on foot and you can start your exploration at the historic part of Füssen, in the old town, founded in the roman empire. Here you can see many middle ages’ buildings, the town hall, the city gate, and the remains of the fortress.

Some other important areas of the town to visit are the Monastery of St. Magnus, a 12th-century monastery quite noticeable in photos of the town and the market square.

As I mentioned, one of the most famous things to explore in the town is the castles that surround it, in particular the Neuschwanstein castle and the Hohenschwangau Castle.

You can also explore Alat Lake, one of the most beautiful natural attractions of Füssen. This lake has a beautiful purple hug because of the photosynthetic purple bacteria that give oxygen to the water. Another thing to explore is the Waterfall on the Leh River, an artificial waterfall that looks like steps for the water and arose during the construction of the dam.

Miltenberg

This town is a beautiful town in Bavaria full of adorable half-timbered houses and incredible views of the river Main.

How to get to Miltenberg?

This town is quite close to Frankfurt, and you’ll only need to spend around 1h30 on your train trip (however you need to change trains in Aschaffenburg. This is the closest airport to the town and since it is one of the biggest in Europe you should be able to fly there.

What to do in Miltenberg?

The most amazing thing to do in Miltenberg is to explore the beautiful narrow alleys lined by the half-framed medieval houses. These houses are truly well preserved and quite colourful. Of these, the most impressive ones can be seen in the Alter Marktplatz (Schnatterloch) where you can see an adorable cobblestone square surrounded by big colourful half-timbered houses.

One particular building that catches your eye is the Zum Riesen, one of Germany’s oldest inns and one of the oldest continuously operating hotels in the world. This building dates from the 15th-century and had several famous guests over the years. The building has also been renovated several times along the centuries.

In the main street of the town (Hauptstrasse) you can also see several beautiful buildings such as the Altes Rathaus and the Miltenberg’s newer Rathaus. Another two famous buildings in the town are the Würzburg Gate and the nearby Johanniskirche that also deserve a stop and contemplation.

Oberammergau

This town is most famous for its Passion Play staged every 10 years, and for the “Luftmalerei” (the famous mural art in the buildings of the south of Germany and Austria).

How to get to Oberammergau?

You can get to Oberammergau from Munich by train in two hours. This means that it isn’t too hard to get to the town and explore all its beauty.

What to do in Oberammergau?

As I mentioned, Oberammergau is famous for its Passion Play that occurs every 10 years since the 17th century. Around 2000 local people (that must be born in the town or lived there for 20 years) recreate the life of Jesus. The next play will be in May 2022 because it had to be delayed from 2020.

Besides that, the town is very beautiful by itself, the town is super picturesque because of its location, in the Alps, its history and its culture. If you are not in the town when the plays are occurring or that type of activity doesn’t interest you, you can just appreciate the beautiful Lüftlmalerei on the houses.

Because of its location, there are several activities to do outside such as climbing Kofel, a rocky peak just a kilometre away from the town, hiking and cycling in the numerous trails around Oberammergau or even ride the Oberammergau Alpine Coaster luge.

In Winter, you can also enjoy winter activities in the town such as winter sports like skiing and Horse and Sleigh rides.

Have you ever been to any of these towns? Do you have any tip or trick that you can give to anyone that is thinking about visiting them? Have you been to any other adorable Bavarian town that you loved? Did this blog post inspire you to travel to one of these towns? Leave your opinions below, I would love to read them!