7 nights in Munich/Salzburg/Berchtesgaden

Hi,

Your plan has 8 nights. Munich 3, Salzburg area 4 and 1 before returning home.

Neuschwanstein isn’t on the way from Munich to Berchtesgaden or Salzburg. Huge detour and way out of the way. Better to stop at Mad Ming Ludwig’s Herrenchiemsee Palace, direct and midway between Munich and Berchtesgaden and Salzburg.

https://www.herrenchiemsee.de/englisch/n_palace/index.htm

With a car, we LOVED our 7 stays in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden, especially our most recent in Dec. 2024 here…

https://www.urlaub-ramsau-bayern.de/

Quiet location. Very pretty and comfortable rooms, breakfast is very good and the owner/host is helpful and charming. The views from the rooms, the balcony, well, you feel you can reach out and simply touch the alps. This is a few minutes drive to Ramsau village and about 15 minutes to Berchtesgaden. Another 30 minute drive puts you in Salzburg. We’ve done a day trip from here to Hallstatt, had dinner in Salzburg before returning for the night.

Don’t miss seeing the village of Ramsau and St. Sebastian Church.

https://www.ramsau.de/en/attractions/our-village.html?rinfolayout=7

Don’t miss driving the Rossfeld Panorama Road.

https://www.rossfeldpanoramastrasse.de/en/

We can recommend the Park Hotel and the old town of Erding as a last night before flying home from Munich. Easy walk from the hotel into the charming old town.

https://www.bestwestern.de/en/hotels/Erding/Best-Western-Plus-Parkhotel-Erding/hotel?lang=English

Hi there, since you're going to have to be back near MUC for departure, why don't you pick up the car and head out of town immediately, that way you can end your trip in Munich & drop off the car at the airport? No need for a car in Munich. OR don't pick up the car until you leave Munich, if you prefer your plan. Public transport is amazing in and around Munich. Hope you have a great trip!! PS, Freising has the oldest continuously operated brewery in Germany - "Weihenstephan Bavarian State Brewery—the oldest continually operating brewery in the world—and stroll through the vibrant university show gardens."

Agree with the suggestions to go with public transportation within Munich and Salzburg. You are going to park your car at your hotel in both of those cities and not use it until you leave. Zero tolerance for drinking and driving. And there are some subtle differences between German and Austrian driving rules, permits, etc.

museum (focus on one) and beer

My top museum in Munich is the Alte Pinakothek.

Regarding beer, there are six major breweries in Munich. My top three spots are Augustiner-Keller and Biergarten, which is just past the Hbf; Paulaner am Nockherberg, has an excellent indoor restaurant; and Pschorr at the Viktualienmarkt. I also like Spaten, but tend to only drink it at Oktoberfest. I skip Lowenbrau and Hofbrau when in Munich.

There is also good beer in Salzburg. There, my top spot is Stiegl-Keller. With Augustiner Bräustübl and Die Weisse tied for second. Stiegl-Keller has the best food. Augstiner has a classic beer hall and garden. Die Weisse is noted for its wheat beer.

Have a great trip.

Weihenstephan Bavarian State Brewery-- Great idea for a beer geek. It's not far from the Munich airport. If you have an early flight out of Munich, you could do what we do. On your last full day in Munich, take the train to Neufahrn bei Freising, walk 50 yards to the Gasthof Maisberger. Check-in or leave your luggage at the desk, and then take the train on to Freising. From the train station, take a bus to the Weihenstephen Brewery. You do need to make an advance reservation for an English speaking tour. I think it was 15 Euros. After that, have a very nice meal at the Braustuberl restaurant. You'll do a lot of tasting at the end of the tour.

From Neufahrn, the next morning, walk 50 yards to the station, then the train to the second stop, the airport terminal.

In Munich, there's a Deutsches Museum, it's gigantic, would take a long time to see it all. A bit south of the Marienplatz is the Jewish Museum, maybe take an hour there. Or, take the U-Bahn north to Siegestor and see the White Rose Museum about students against Adolph Hitler (maybe an hour). From there you could walk to the Englisher Garten and have lunch.

You'll have awesome birthdays!

I was going to say pick up the car and head out of town and save Munich as the last stop, BUT many here don’t advise driving after an overnight flight. Me personally, I’ve picked up the rental car at Munich airport many times and driven 2 to 3 hours with no troubles.

IF you live in the U.S. I highly recommend reserving and renting the car through www.gemut.com

Before driving in Austria, buy a highway toll sticker (Vignette) at any gas station while in Germany. Cost is about $10 for a sticker valid for 10 consecutive days. This allows you to drive on highways in Austria without getting a big fine, ticket. Even if you don’t PLAN on using highways, it’s cheap “insurance” against a large fine, in case you do wind up on one.

Also, get an IDP (International Driving Permit) from AAA. Cost is about $25.