Bavaria/Salzburg + 2 day trips

Let's see. I've spent close to a month, lifetime, in Munich. The first time I took my wife there, we spent 4 nights, 3 entire days, plus partial day on either side. We did not go to Dachau and we did not go to Füssen (we had already seen Neuschwanstein earlier in the week when we were near it). We took a day trip to Salzburg. There are far more things to see in Munich than you can do in three or four days. I only saw Deutsches Museum on my 23rd day in Munich and Dachau on my 24th.

There is so much to see in and around Marienplatz (Marienplatz, Fußgangen zone, Rathaus, Residenz, Frauenkirche, Isartor, Hofbräuhaus, Viktualienmarkt, Stadtmuseum München). We spent part of another day going to Nymphenburg.

That seems a little ambitious to me. I spent 3 nights in Munich, doing a day trip to Dachau and a day trip to Salzburg. That left me with very little time to see anything in Munich besides the Marienplatz area.

Why do you want to be in Munich, go to Salzburg to spend a night and then return to Munich? Is there some way you can go to Salzburg either before or after Munich? You would spend less time traveling and checking in and out of places that way.

On a related note, i was thinking of going to Dachau on that last day before my night train out of Munich. Would it be reasonable to leave Salzburg in the morning with the Bayern Ticket arrive in Munich then take a trip to Dachau using the same ticket and be back at Munich Hptbhauf by 8 or 9 at night? That would leave the first day in Munihc, the second day at the castles and then salzburg etc..

"Would it be reasonable to leave Salzburg in the morning with the Bayern Ticket arrive in Munich then take a trip to Dachau using the same ticket and be back at Munich Hptbhauf [Hauptbahnhof or Hbf] by 8 or 9 at night?"

I think that would work. It takes about 2 hours from Salzburg to the Hbf, then another 38 min from the Hbf by S-Bahn to Dachau station and the bus (#726) to the memorial. The S2 (direction Petershausen) leaves the Hbf every 20 min, the bus leaves Dachau station about 10 min after the S-Bahn arrives). There are guided tours (€3, 2½ hrs) at 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM and you can rent audio guides (€3,50 anytime). It takes about 45 min by bus and S2 back to the Bahnhof.

However, I still think you are shorting Munich. I'd drop either Salzburg or Füssen, and I think Neuschwanstein is too much of an icon to be missed. You are also not going to Berchtesgaden (near Salzburg), Oberammergau, Garmisch, Mittenwald, Rothenburg, or Nürnberg. You can't see everything in a short time. Don't try.

Well this is my niece's first trip to Germany/France, that munich idea might seem rushed, but I think she will enjoy Salzburg alot, and she has said she does want to see the Castle and Dachau, so at least that will give me that first day in Munich for the first day and night.

Having been to Munich and Salzburg for a few days each before, I am bringing my grown kids 2 nites to each city in May. There are great side trips from both cities. the ones you mentioned from Munich are good, but in Salzburg a side trip to Bergtesgarden, or even to Hitler's Eagles nest are great. I am in love with Salzburg and plan on a day there visiting the churches, castles and the old city late in the day/night. I stayed in the old city before and it is a wonderful experience...but a room with a view from across the river looks good to me also. Have a great time! oh, and if the weather is not great one day I will go to the salt mines out of Salzburg as my co-workers say it was a great experience for the high school and college students they went with before.

One other point I ran into when planning my visit was that I wanted to bring them to Dachau....but they are closed on Mondays I am told...so check any place in either Rick's book or on-line for any days of the week a place may be closed....I noticed a lot of museums (if they close any day) close on Mondays...

Anytime in Bavaria is great. Salzburg is my favorite smaller, old city. And a trip to King Ludwig's castles is a must - even more than Dachau, I think. Lee, who posted already for you, is THE German transport expert on this site. Do whatever he suggests exactly how he suggests it - you will save yourself a headache. Munich is a city you will want to return to another trip. If you can not have to travel back there in this trip you can spend more time in Salzburg or the park around the Eagle's Nest or we even went to the Austrian Lake District but that would be too much for you this trip. Much of the greatest to see in Munich is centralized. I remember at least three old cathedrals a stone's throw from each other in the center of the old city. There is an old palace also near there with the wealth of the Bavarian royalty housed in it- beautiful. Does anyone remember the name?