Question about things to do in and outside of Munich

For Salzburg, we used the RS guide walking tour and we did the Panoramic Sound of Music tour which took us out into the mountains and to the wedding church. There will be food at the market.

For Munich, we again used the RS guidebook walking tour. We really enjoyed Nymphenburg Palace ( www.schloss-nymphenburg.de) We took a day trip Neuschwanstein and Hohenswangau. We enjoyed it, it was a beautiful trip into the Alps. If you do Neuschwanstein, also do Hohenswangau which provides much more history and context for both castles. We mostly ate at the beer halls. We went to the Hofbrauhaus, which was quite busy, but enjoyable enough. There was a traditional band which made it fun. We really liked Augustiner beer hall just off the Marienplatz.

Thanks to you both for sharing about your trips! I appreciate your responses and also will check out the link you sent to get more details! Rhonda

Remember sunrise is about 8 am and sunset is about 4:30pm. Most day trips will end after dark.

The Bavarian Palace Administration website can be very valuable:

https://www.schloesser.bayern.de/englisch/palace/index.htm

For Nuremberg:

https://museums.nuernberg.de/nuremberg-municipal-museums/

Also side trips to: Garmish-Partenkirchen/Zugspite, Regensburg, and Augsburg can be a lot of fun

Building on Nick B in Garmish is the https://www.partnachklamm.de/en Partnach Gorge. We were there last year in December and it was a highlight of our trip. Plus as you walk there you see the Winter Olympics Stadium and ski jump.

We also enjoyed a day trip to Regensburg and we took in the Thurns and Taxis Christmas market.

Most of the daytrip options from Munich mentioned above will require a minimum of 3.5 - 4 hours for round-trip transportation. Once you arrive, you will then want to transport yourselves elsewhere (and back again.) You can figure roughly 5.5 hours on trains/buses that day for Munich - Füssen - Neuschwanstein bus stop and back. The Zugspitze (Munich > Garmisch-Partenkirchen > Zugspitze), even if the weather is nice, would require a similar amount of time, more than half the daylight hours on a December day.

Salzburg round trip is close to 4 hours round-trip. Nuremberg might take 4-5+ hours if you are taking advantage of the Deutschland-Ticket or a Bayern Ticket (low-cost pass options) for use with regional trains. Travel time to Nuremberg can be cut in half with the ICE trains at greater expense (two one-way tickets per person) but might possibly affordable if you can secure the super-saver fare prices at DB.

Regensburg is a little more manageable at 3 hours round trip.

All the above travel times are based on departure from Munich's central station. Your travel time will increase if you require a bus or subway trip from and back to your accommodations, I would probably add half an hour for the trip and the transfer.

Additional daytrip options:

Augsburg is an attractive and interesting city on Germany's Romantic Road and a much simpler train outing - about 85 minutes round-trip. The Christmas Market there is daily.

Landsberg am Lech is a smaller old-world Romantic Road town; figure slightly less than 2 hours round-trip. You will find two pages of photos at the linked page. It has a daily Christmas market as well.

Munich unfortunately is a less-than desirable base town for some of the popular places people want to visit in Bavaria. Staying a night or two in these places is usually a better choice if you have the option, but if you are tethered to Munich, I suggest that you investigate Augsburg and Landsberg to see if they interest you; as for the more distant options, I suggest choosing just 1 or 2 of those - whichever one(s) you find most attractive.

In Munich: Nymphenburg Palace is an interesting place to pick up on some history. Arts, opera, music... only the local arts calender for December knows for sure.

Thank you very much for your responses and especially the length of travel time outside of Munich. Rhonda

Let me echo the recommendations to utilize the RS walking tours in Munich and Salzburg and to day trip out to Andechs. If the weather cooperate take the bus to Andechs and then walk back (downhill) to catch the S-Bahn back to Munich. You can walk both ways as well.

I second the Andechs suggestion. It's a pretty nice bus ride from Tutzing. Very steep walk uphill, hope that's not a problem. Just on the left as you leave the bus area is a nice restaurant for lunch or dinner. A better meal than the outdoor biergarten. Gift shop on the right is also a good place to find small gifts. Be sure to go into the church. Very interesting areas to walk around,

In 10 days in Munich you will find lots of good eats. We normally eat a lot of meals in the various bierhalls. I think someone mentioned the Hofbrauhaus. Sure, it's a tourist attraction, but it is really friendly, and a lot of fun. Food is ok, beer is excellent.

1:Andechs Monastery on Lake Ammersee

About 1 hr by Public Transport from Munich Central Station to Herrsching am Ammersee then by bus to Andechs Monastery
or
45min by car

2.Villages on Lake Tegernsee and their Christmas Markets

Markets are open only on special dates check link above

direct train connection from Munich Central Station 1hr 15 min

or 1hr by car

Check connections for both trips here

Thanks again for additional tips of places to see and transportation tips. Appreciate all your help. Rhonda