How to see the best of Bavaria in a long weekend

Favored as a winter destination for its abundant snowfall, winter sports, and Christmas markets, Bavaria also has plenty to see and do in warmer weather, from dense forests, towering mountains, and Alpine lakes to fairytale castles and medieval villages. As the snow melts and spring blooms, take a weekend road trip through southeastern Germany to discover the best of this enchanting region.

Use Munich, Bavaria’s capital and the gateway to the Alps and Southern Germany, as your starting point. Even if you only have a few hours to spare before hitting the road, grab breakfast at Cotidiano in the trendy Gärtnerplatz district (don’t miss the pretzel croissants), then check out Marienplatz, a central square that’s been the heart of Munich since 1158. Time your visit to the Rathaus-Glockenspiel clock show, which happens every day at 11 a.m. and 12 p.m., to hear the 43 bells chime and watch the 32 life-sized figures re-enact two stories from the 16th century.

Afterward, hop in the car for a picturesque drive along the Romantic Road, Germany’s oldest tourist trail. The 285-mile route includes 29 charming towns, but you’d need four or five days to see them all. Since you only have a long weekend, follow the road for just 90 minutes to the straight-out-of-a-fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle.

Built in 1869 on the edge of the Ammergebirge nature reserve, the home of King Ludwig II of Bavaria is said to have been the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty’s castle. Today, visitors can tour 14 of the castle’s many rooms, including the throne room, the king’s bedroom and dressing room, and a grotto that leads to a conservatory, or sun room, with views of the Alpine foothills. (Note: you can only get inside as part of a tour, so be sure to book your tickets ahead of time.)

After lunch at the on-site cafe, Bistro im Schloss Neuschwanstein, drive across the Marienbrücke bridge to the other side of the gorge or rent a rowboat from the Alpsee Lake boathouse (open May to October) to get the best views of the castle’s exterior.

End the day in total luxury at Königliche Kristall Therme, a sauna and spa with views of the castle. You can simply relax with a soak, or indulge with a massage, facial, or body treatment. The spot also has two restaurants, so get dinner there, then make the three-minute drive to Hotel Helmer to sleep in view of the castle and surrounding mountains.

After breakfast at your hotel, get back on the road for a two-hour drive to the medieval town of Nördlingen. There, you can climb the 350 steps to the top of the 295-foot-high Daniel Tower in St. George Church for breathtaking views of the walled city below. If you’re lucky, you might also get to meet Wendelstein, the adorable cat who guards the tower.

Next, wander along the tops of the walls around Nördlingen to see the five historic gates and take in bird’s-eye views of the town and countryside. You can access the walls at the Reimlinger Tor gate and the entire loop is a little over 1.5 miles.

Break for a lunch of cheese spaetzle at Wengers-Brettl in the heart of town, then meander around town to take in the many traditional houses and buildings. Note the painted windows high up on many structures—in medieval times, windows suggested wealth, so the more you had, the richer you appeared. Also look for guild signs above doorways to understand each building’s original purpose; you’ll find old tanneries, bakeries, and more.

For dinner, enjoy a hearty meal at the Michelin-starred Meyers Keller. Here, award-winning chef Jockl Kaiser and his wife, Evelin, serve three- to seven-course tasting menus, full of regional dishes like pink venison saddle with enoki and shiitake mushrooms, and pigeon with corn purée. Ask to visit the beer cellar, where culatello hams hang to mature.

When you’ve had your fill, check into the nearby 2nd Home Hotel for the night. Rooms feature lots of natural wood with leather, concrete, and steel accents; the cozy lobby (called the “living room”) transforms into a piano bar come evening, and the sauna has views of the Swabian Alps.

Eat a quick breakfast at the hotel, then head to picturesque Regensburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the oldest cities in Germany. Located right on the Danube River, it’s a study in contrasts—on one hand it’s a well-preserved medieval city, on the other it’s a college town with trendy restaurants and bars.

Go first to the Thurn und Taxis Palace, a former Benedictine monastery that is still home to German nobility today. You can tour many of the magnificently furnished chambers as well as the cloisters in the oldest part of the monastery. Be sure to check out the Treasury, where you can view jewelry and furnishings from a collection valued at over $1 billion.

For lunch, pair local beers with beef broth and pancake strips at Weissbräuhaus. Then walk around Regensburg to see the city’s famous murals, like the enormous depiction of David and Goliath painted in 1573 on the side of a building on Goliath Street. Or, take a street art tour to appreciate the work of living artists, like German street artist Andre Maier who has created many works throughout the city, including a five-story-high mural of a woman and dog in the courtyard of the Hotel Münchner Hof.

Come evening, dine at Gaststätte Röhrl—the world’s oldest restaurant, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The spot has been serving hearty Bavarian fare since 1658, but the building itself is even older, believed to have been built as early as 1050. Order favorites like the schnitzel, German potato salad, and strudel and, if the weather’s pleasant, enjoy them outside in the lovely beer garden.

Spend the night at the fashionable Hotel Luis, home to spacious rooms decorated in mid-century style. It’s just a short walk from the town center, so you’ll be centrally located for exploring the next morning before heading back to Munich.