Munich
Transport, the old town, museums, beer culture and day trips are easy to combine. Munich works well as a first base.
Short video · Germany
Germany: five places
See Munich, Freiburg, Schliersee, Tegernsee and Königssee in 90 seconds. Choose Chinese or English audio.
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Sources, licences and transcripts
Freiburg footage: Kauko Helavuo, CC BY 3.0, edited. Other footage: Marlon Castor, Memory Lane, Nirjhar Basak and Fich View Studio under the Pexels License; holzijue under the Pixabay Content License. Read the full source list.
Why Germany?
Cities, lakes and the Alps can fit into one trip
You do not need to see the whole country on a first visit. Start in Munich, then choose a lake, the mountains or a castle. Add Freiburg and the Black Forest region if you want a different side of Germany.
Main destinations
Good places for a first trip to Germany
Freiburg
The city is small enough to explore on foot and is a useful starting point for the Black Forest and south-west Germany.
Bavarian lakes
Schliersee, Tegernsee and Königssee offer lake views, easy walks and mountain activities.
The Alps
Mountain weather changes quickly. Check the route and difficulty, and do not confuse normal sightseeing with a hard mountain hike.
Simple route
A five to seven day first trip
Days 1–3
Stay in Munich, see the old town and keep one day for a trip outside the city.
Days 4–5
Choose Schliersee, Tegernsee or Königssee. Do not try to fit all three lakes into one day.
Days 6–7
Continue to Freiburg, or take a train from Munich to Switzerland or Austria.
Before you travel
Transport, Sundays and payment
Transport
Check long-distance trains early. Regional trains and buses are useful too, but leave time for delays and connections.
Sundays
Many normal shops close on Sundays. Stations, airports, some convenience stores and restaurants may stay open.
Payment
Cards are common, but small shops, markets and public toilets may still require cash.
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