Ideal Bavarian Base

Nuremberg is a good CITY for a base. I stayed in a TOWN north of there - Lichtenfels that I enjoyed.

Munich seems too far south to be ideal?

Not sure whether this is a question or a comment, or what day trip destinations youu have in mind.

"Ideal" = 1 hour or less from your base, right? If you are considering Munich, you should use the DB railway site to determine what destinations will be available to you within a 1-hour train ride. Places that come to mind which MIGHT interest you and which MIGHT be within your travel radius...

Prien am Chiemsee (Herrenchiemsee Palace)
Augsburg
Landshut
Andechs
Landsberg am Lech

If you are thinking of destinations in the ALPS, then Munich is too far to the NORTH for a train journey of just one hour.

Nuremberg is in fact a near-ideal base for northern Bavaria. But prior to booking docheck the travel times to destinations that you think might interest you. Bamberg is certainly doable and probably would suit you.

We lived in Augsburg for four years and loved that city. Nuremberg is a good city, but Munich beats them all.

From Munich you can do trips to Salzburg/Berchtesgaden, Garmisch/Fussen, Augsburg, Nuremberg, Regensburg and more.

Second place, consider Augsburg. It is on the Romantic Road, which included some great medieval walled towns like Rothenburg ob der Taber, Dinkelsbuhl, Donauwurth and more.

You would need to expand your travel radius from Munich for some of geovagriffith's suggestions. Check the DB site for specifics... But maybe you will prefer those places and opt to either stay closer to them - or add more hours of train travel to your outings. Check them out.

I loved Nuremberg, and used it as a base for a four night stay in the area in 2022. It's idea for day trips to places like Regensburg, Bamberg; even Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The city center is lovely and very walkable, with a number of sights to visit. It is also very close to the train station, which makes it ideal for a base.

As stephen mentioned, it is a city, not a town, but it's a small city and very easy to get around in. I really enjoyed my stay there.

There's no one ideal base for Bavaria. Using public transportation, Munich and its fairly immediate surroundings is a sound choice for a week.

Lots to do in Munich itself. Russ provided you with a good list of places to visit within an hour or so. Chiemsee would be my top choice for a day trip.

A cruise on Lake Starnberg will provide distant mountain views. Andechs Abbey can be combined with a cruise on Ammersee.

Bad Tolz, Wasserburg and Murnau. Pleasant small towns with riverside or lakeside walks.

If you decide on a longer journey for a day, Lindau and Innsbruck are both about 2 hours away, direct train, a bit of Alpine scenery along the way.

A week in Nuremberg will give you easy, quick access to Rothenburg, Wurzburg, Regensburg, Iphofen, Amberg, Bayreuth.

A little further in different directions, but worth it, Coburg and Schwabisch Hall.

So it’s sounding like Nuremberg or Munich, depending on day trip plans are both strong in being appealing places to stay with good food, accommodations, convenience to trains, etc.

I always plan on a schweinshaxe or two (crispy pork knuckle). I don't like dumplings, I ask for bratkartoffeln on the side. You don't need to eat for three days afterwards.