Introducing Bavaria
The largest state in Germany, Bavaria (Bayern) is well endowed with natural riches: snowy Alpine peaks, rushing streams and velvety forests that stir the romantic soul. Bolstering Bavarian pride yet more is a wealth of historic buildings, arguably Germany’s best art museums, and an economy bigger than Sweden’s.
The old banking powerhouse, Augsburg, lies in Swabia. To the north the fabulous bishops’ cities of Nuremberg, Bamberg and Würzburg are part of Franconia, where locals don’t regard themselves as Bavarian. In the east, the Danube flows past the medieval stronghold of Regensburg towards the Italianate Passau, close to the rugged wilderness of the Bavarian Forest. The most popular route through Bavaria is the Romantic Road, a trail of walled towns and ancient watchtowers culminating in the world’s most famous castle, the sugary Neuschwanstein, near Füssen in the Bavarian Alps. The mountains have first-class resorts for hiking and skiing, incredible scenery and a wealth of beautiful frescoed villages. But Munich is Bavaria’s real heart and soul. It’s a stylish metropolis, a vortex of art and culture, yet a relaxed place that manages to combine Alpine air with Mediterranean joie de vivre. Wherever you go, be prepared for oceans of beer served with legendary, thigh-slapping hospitality.
Staunchly conservative, but with a flair for innovation, Bavarians see themselves as separate from the rest of Germany although, Bavaria actually embraces three peoples – the Bavarians, Franconians and Swabians. They still pine for an odd 19th-century monarch, Ludwig II, whose opulent palaces draw millions of visitors each year. Traditions are relished and earthy, and lederhosen-clad men still exist, quaffing frothy steins of beer to the strains of an oompah band.
Sights in Bavaria
Activities in Bavaria
Munich
Charming world village with great beer and designer shopping.
Tours in Bavaria
Nuremberg
Nuremberg (Nürnberg), Bavaria’s second-largest city and the unofficial capital of Franconia, is an energetic place where the nightlife is intense and the beer is as dark as coffee.
Bavaria destination guides
Regensburg
A Roman settlement completed under Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Regensburg was the first capital of Bavaria, the residence of dukes, kings and bishops, and for 600 years an Free Imperial City.
Hotels in Bavaria
Budget Hotels & Hostels in Bavaria
Guesthouses and B&Bs in Bavaria
Apartments in Bavaria
Bavarian Alps
Stretching west from Germany’s remote southeastern corner to the Allgäu region near Lake Constance, the Bavarian Alps (Bayerische Alpen) form a stunningly beautiful natural divide along the Austrian border.
Need to know
Entertainment in Bavaria
Garmisch-Partenkirchen
An incredibly popular hang-out for outdoorsy types and moneyed socialites, the double-barrelled resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen is blessed with a fabled setting a snowball’s throw from the Alps.
Shopping in Bavaria