Bavaria!!

Germany is made up of 11 regions, Bavaria is probably the most known of them.  It's nestled in Germany's bottom right corner and it is absolutely beautiful!  This is the area that I have spent the most amount of time while I was there visiting Würzburg, Nuremberg, Munich, Dachau, and Füssen (the train stop for Nueschwanstein though it's located in Schwangau about three miles away).  I love spending time in Bavaria because it's scenery is the prettiest and is the embodiment of Germany.
Here is a few of my favorite places and things to do there.

Munich

The home of BMW and the largest city in Bavaria has lots to see and do and can be budget friendly!

BMW Welt (World)
This place is essentially heaven on earth for me because I couldn't love BMW more.  It's right off the Olympic park U station.  You. Cannot. Miss. It. Both literally and figuratively.  You will see the large cylinder building with the logo atop of it and the impressive building where they show all their cars including the Mini Cooper and Rolls Royce (both part of the BMW Group).  You can get into the cars (they are even on! Why? I don't know but it's cool) but not the Rolls, it has a fence around it... I wonder why...Anyways, there's a gift shop and upstairs is the new sustainability BMW i, there new electric car.  The best part of this place is that it's FREE!  You can take tours and in English for about 7 Euros.

HofBraüHaus
This gigantic restaurant and beer hall is an absolute must.  Allison and I basically lived here.  The beer comes standard in a liter and the food is delicious and reasonably priced.  We liked it because of the atmosphere-there is a polka band and it's great for people watching.  You will find the most Americans here to have conversations with because there are no small tables, they are long and invite lots of different groups to sit together.  You must try their Radlers (Beer and Lemon Lime soda-my favorite), pretzels with their grainy mustard, wieners, Bavarian meatloaf, basically eat as much as you can there! GO GO GO!!!

Englisher Garden
It's huge and absolutely gorgeous!  It is perfect for a hot afternoon to sunbath on it's giant lawns, take in the mini stream with waterfalls, they even have surfing.  No joke, people with their surfboards come and ride the rapid stream that runs through the park.  It's fun to watch.  The park also has a huge beer garden in the middle of it.  Win/Win!

Marion Platz


This is essentially the towns center with town hall right in the middle.  Lots of shopping and restaurants.  In my personal opinion it's the prettiest part of the city.  The couple of blocks that encompass the area are truly beautiful with huge fountains and Gothic architecture.  We were fortunate enough to be there during Munich's birthday celebration so it was very busy with lots of music and dancing!  If you are interested in that, go during the middle of June!

Würzburg

We went here because it is the home of our College German teacher.  It's surrounded by vineyards and filled with many churches.  More than 80% of the city was destroyed during WWII but you wouldn't know it.  It's perfectly restored.  The main physical attraction is the Residence, the palace in the middle of Würzburg.  Definitely take a tour, I think it's less than 10 Euros and it's worth every cent.  If you don't want to, take a look around the Residence for they have a spectacular garden that is free to the public.  In the summer they have a Mozart Festival that is played in the Residence and they also have a huge wine festival.  Also wander up to the Fortress and take the city in! The view is extraordinary.  It's free to get in if you walk, pay if you park.

Nuremberg

A pretty little city!!  It has a lovely old city or Altstadt that I find most enjoyable to see outside at one of the many beer gardens and people watch while eating world famous Nuremberg sausages.  I like eating and I especially like people watching so doing this makes for a very lovely evening in the late spring.  After dinner, take a walk around, get some chocolates and walk to the city beach.  Yes, beach, in the middle of the city.  They bring in tons of sand and set up lots of drink huts, pools, music and beach chairs to enjoy the atmosphere.  During the day go to the Nazi Rally Grounds.  I majored in History so naturally I was drawn to these massive grounds.  There is a museum and I suggest you go to it.  They have little head sets you can rent for dirt cheap and listen to all the different exhibits.  It tells a very sad tale but important and well done.  You must go there, even to just walk around. There are big posts located around the grounds in German and English so no worries on the language barrier if you don't know any German.

Dachau

This is the location of the first concentration camp in Germany located not even a half hour away from Munich. From the train station you get on a the designated bus that takes you there.  It doesn't cost a thing to walk around but you won't get much out of that.  You can rent a handheld listen device for less than 5 Euros at the visitors center and it will explain the exhibits in the museum and the different areas located all around the grounds.  Like the Rally Grounds Museum it's well done.

 If you are hungry before or after, you go to the camp go across the street from the train station to the deli there.  Delicious sandwiches, salads and pastries!! Yummmmyyyy!!

Füssen and Neuschwanstein will be a separate post because there is lots and lots of information plus a ton of pictures that are more beautiful than the last!