Munich, Salzburg & Bavaria - Easter Weekend Itinerary

Hi,

We are from the NYC area and have flown NJ to Munich many times, even in winter. We pick up a car (we rent through www.gemut.com) and drive to Berchtesgaden area. About 2 hours or so.

Ok. If driving, which is easy as here in the States, I’d base right next to Berchtesgaden at the Pension Mayringerlehen. It’s our favorite, plus a toddler is going to love all the animals, goats, cows, chickens, etc. This is 10 minute drive to Berchtesgaden and a 30 or so minute drive to Salzburg. After leaving the airport, stop at a gas station/rest stop on the highway and buy the Austrian Vignette. This is a sticker for the car windshield that you need to have to drive on Austria’s highways. Cost is 9Euro for a sticker good for 10 consecutive days, the cheapest, shortest, option available.

www.mayringerlehen.de

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pjbassplyr/albums/72157646627881107
https://www.flickr.com/photos/pjbassplyr/albums/72157646958077741

Another alternative would be the Guesthouse Friedwiese in Schonau am Konigssee. Just a few minutes outside Berchtesgaden.

http://www.friedwiese.de/enska/isl.htm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pjbassplyr/albums/72157646728498066

For our visits to Salzburg, we drive and then park in the massive, underground parking garages right by the old town pedestrian zone.

https://www.mein-contipark.at/parkplatz-finden/parken-in-salzburg/tiefgarage-altstadtgarage-a-salzburg--ci3cp112518681

If you're going directly to Salzburg from when you land in Munich, take the train. You can basically pick it up right at the airport. (Airport to main station, change to Salzburg, 2.5 - 3 hours and you're there.) Forget Hallstadt, you won't have time. Salzburg is plenty for 2 days. Personally, I wouldn't bother with a day trip to Fussen either. Take the kid to Schloss Nymphenberg and the English Gardens where he can run around. Both are better than Neuschwanstein Castle (which is very over rated). If you have to do that you can get a tour from Munich with will do the castles, to include Linderhoff and Oberamergau in one day by bus. I wouldn't do it with a kid that age though. If you have to get out of Munich, I'd suggest a day by train (and maybe overnight) to Nuremberg. Your son might enjoy the Train museum there. and in April it's a really nice place to walk around. The old city is just across the street from the main train station, and it's an easy walk up to the castle.

I should have added this - take the boy to the Science Museum in Munich. Trust me, he'll love it.

For Fuessen and Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, Ettal, Zugspitze, etc. These are within an hour of each other. The Zugspitze can also be accessed from the Austrian side in Ehrwald. Maybe 30 minutes drive from Fuessen. I wouldn’t do two day trips to the area. Stay 2 nights in Fuessen of Mittenwald or Garmisch. It’s gorgeous alpine scenery. A cheaper and almost as good cable car trip is the Karewndelbahn in Mittenwald, or maybe the Tegelbergbahn right by Neuschwanstein.

In Fuessen, we stayed twice at:
www.hotel-hechten.com

Paul

Just to add, Ludwigs Herrenchiemsee Palace is wonderful and includes a short, 20 minute scenic boat ride, as it’s on an island. This is located pretty much directly off the highway halfway between Munich and Berchtesgaden/Salzburg. An hour from either location. Allow about 2 or 3 hours total for the entire visit. Boat rides, level walk to the palace, tour.

Paul

It's very easy to train to Salzburg from the Munich main station, less than 2 hours and not expensive and there's plenty to do in Salzburg without a car (it's a very compact town). That said, some of the big attractions in the area, namely the salt mine, Eagle's Nest, Koeningsee, and Berchtesgaden are easier reached with a car. So it really depends what you want to do in the area. I wouldn't bother trying to go to Halstatt with such limited time. Do the much-closer Koeningsee for similar scenery.

As far as Easter goes, your plans look pretty good. You need to remember that Friday, Sunday, and Monday all shops except for convenience stores and stuff at train stations, and souvenir shops in touristy places, will be closed. Some museums will be closed on those days but not most. Check online to make sure! Salzburg is touristy enough that most things should be open on Good Friday, but be careful and double-check before you make plans. You won't have any trouble entertaining yourselves in Munich on Easter Sunday, many restaurants and museums will be open. Just don't forget that Monday is also a holiday and stores will be closed, but not the castles or anything else a tourist would likely want to do.

All VERY helpful for our thinking -- thanks to the folks who have weighed in so far!

I agree that Fussen is highly overrated and should be skipped. The lines drove us crazy the last time we were there, and I'm sure not a favorite activity for a two year old. The tour of the Neuschwanstein Castle is only 20-30 minutes, and is just not that exciting, especially when you've stood in line three times that long just getting there: lines for tickets, lines for timed entrances, lines for the bus or horse carriage, lines for bathrooms.

We were in Salzburg for Easter 2018. It was glorious, and went to the Cathedral for Easter services, and we're not religious. The orchestra, the choir, the art , the church bells were incredible. Just get there early enough for a seat [maybe 20 minutes early ], and stay as long as the toddler tolerates. It will be worth it.

Many of the cities have Easter Markets, which were a lot of fun.
In Salzburg, the sites, restaurants, and limited shops were open Easter Sunday and Monday.

Safe travels!

Good Friday is not a public holiday in Austria, so everything will be open as normal.

Overall you are trying to do way too much with a 2 year old. Way too much.