Mini Guide – Autumn in Bavaria

Visitors flock to Munich for Oktoberfest, but those who spread their wings a little further find medieval villages, forests of autumnal golds and cities waking from summer slumber

History

Fairytale Castles

Southern Germany is famed for its castles and two of the most fantastical are near Füssen, below the Bavarian Alps. Start at Schloss Neuschwanstein (above), King Ludwig II’s 19th-century pile, also the model for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty castle. Next, hop across to the Neo-Gothic Schloss Hohenschwangau, where Ludwig grew up.

Wieskirche

In 1730, a farmer in Steingaden witnessed the miracle of his Christ statue shedding tears. Pilgrims poured into town in such numbers over the next decade that a new church was built to house the weepy work. The Wieskirche is Unesco-listed and one of Bavaria’s best-known Baroque churches. Inside the circular structure, eight white pillars are topped by gold capital stones and swirling decorations.

Romantic Road

From the vineyards of Wurzburg to the foot of the Alps, the 250-mile-long Romantic Road is a popular journey through southern Germany that ends at Ludwig II’s crazy castles. The route can be done by tour bus, but a car will give you more flexibility to see the ostentatious palaces, Bavarian churches and chocolate-box medieval towns and villages, such as Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

Outdoors

Bavarian Forest National Park

The dreamy haze of the Bavarian Forest National Park extends for around 24,250 hectares along the Czech border. Its thick forest is home to deer, wild boar, foxes, otters and birds, and is crossed by marked hiking and cycling trails. For information, go to the park’s website or the visitor centre close to Neuschönau village.

Berchtesgaden National Park

Berchtesgadener Land is a lovely district steeped in myths and legends. At its heart is this reserve harbouring some of Germany’s best hiking trails, and the pristine Königssee lake. The area also has darker associations in the form of the Eagle’s Nest, a mountaintop lodge built for Hitler; Eagle’s Nest Historical Tours runs informative visits. For hiking routes in the area, visit the national park office.

Zugspitze

Germany’s highest peak (2,962m) exerts its siren call on hikers in summer and skiiers in winter, but year-round it’s possible to summit the mountain via train and cable car. The trip starts in Garmisch on the Zahnradbahn, which chugs along the mountain base to Eibsee – a forest lake. From here, the Eibsee-Seilbahn cable car swings to the top. The Gletscherbahn cable car then takes you to the Zugspitze glacier, from where the cogwheel train heads back to Garmisch.

Urban Life

Munich

Germany’s unofficial southern capital is a flourishing success story that revels in its own contradictions. Its walkable centre retains a small-town air but holds some top sights, especially the Kunstareal (art district) – an entire neighbourhood of great museums including the Pinakothek galleries. But be warned: during Oktoberfest it seems the whole world descends on the town.

Nuremberg

Bavaria’s second-largest city is an energetic place with intense nightlife and beer as dark as coffee. It has a hulking medieval fortress (the Kaiserburg) and a long artistic heritage: Albrecht Dürer was born here and his house has become a museum. The Nazis later used Nuremberg as a platform for their activities; the former main parade ground is now a documentation centre.

Bamberg

A beautiful architectural masterpiece with an almost complete absence of modern eyesores, Bamberg’s Altstadt (Old Town) is a Unesco World Heritage site. The town is bisected by rivers, canals and medieval streets. There are pavement cafes, pubs and 10 breweries that cook up Bamberg’s famous smoked beer; try Klosterbräu, the city’s oldest brewery.

Bavaria Essentials

Transport

The Bavarian countryside is ideal for roadtripping; bus travel is also possible, but services peter out in the evenings and at weekends. The Bayern-Ticket is a good deal, offering a day of unlimited travel on Bavaria’s regional and local transport (including suburban trains, trams and buses).

Where to Stay

Although traditional looking from the outside, Hotel Sonne in Füssen’s Altstadt offers an unexpected design-hotel experience within. Themed rooms feature swooping bed canopies and artworks.

Munich’s La Maison is retro and immaculate in shades of imperial purple and grey. Its rooms flaunt heated floors and jet-black washbasins, and the pillows are perfectly plumped.

Burg-Hotel has 17 elegant rooms built into Rothenburg ob der Tauber’s walls. There’s a spa, a cellar with a Steinway piano and valley views from the breakfast room.

The Know-How

The Bavarian Plate – Eating in Bavaria is a seasonal affair; autumn dishes include mushrooms, pumpkin, game and zwiebelkuchen (onion tart).

– Bavarians use all parts of the pig. Look for rippchen (ribs), züngerl (tongue), schweinshaxe (knuckle) and wammerl (belly).

– Try Villa Mittermeier in Rothenburgob derTauber for great food, or Vinzenzmurr, a butcher and deli with outlets in Füssenand Munich.

– Bavaria’s flagship sausage is the veal weisswurst. In eastern Bavaria and Franconia the smaller, spicy bratwurst rules. In Nuremberg, Bratwursthäusle is an inn that sets the standard for sausage.

– Kartoffel (potato) is served as salzkart offeln (boiled), bratkart offeln (fried) or kartoffelpüree (mashed). Sauerkraut (pickled cabbage) is also a common side order.