Bavaria Travel Itinerary: the best from Munich to Salzburg

Difficulty

348 miles/560 km

Distance

6 - 8

Recom. Days

Culture

Trip type

Image of Indie Campers freelance travel writer Jenn Zajac, outside a cafe.
Jenn Zajac

Ice coffee-addicted, pun-loving, Oxford comma-embracing writer. Currently based in beautiful Bali after too many winters in Boston and London. Specializes in crafting content for hotels and travel.

Bavaria Travel Itinerary

Bavaria road trip map itinerary

Google Maps

Zipping around on the Autobahn is quick and efficient, so rent a campervan and set out from Munich to explore on this one-week Bavaria Travel Itinerary. Germany’s southern border is dotted with pastoral villages and clifftop castles, with many of the country’s most scenic campgrounds.

You’ll visit important historic sites like the moving Dachau Concentration Camp and fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle. Discover classical music just over the border in Salzburg and unwind on pristine Lake Chiemsee.

Throughout your Munich road trip, be sure to sample authentic Bavarian foods like Weisswurst (white sausage), Kaiserschmarrn (scrambled pancakes), and Käsespätzle (mac and cheese).

Schwangau is Germany's most iconic castle and a must-see on this Bavaria travel itinerary
Pick-up in
Munich Pick-up center
1

Take time to remember and reflect in Dachau

Basing yourself at one of Munich’s many surrounding campgrounds, a visit to Dachau is an important pilgrimage, though indeed a solemn experience. Established in 1933, Dachau was one of the first Nazi concentration camps.

Nowadays, the site has been transformed into an incredibly moving museum and memorial. Though once a place of unspeakable horror, Dachau today serves as a sobering reminder of the past, so that history does not repeat itself.

Pay respect in Dachau on this Bavaria travel itinerary

Give yourself a few hours of your Bavaria travel itinerary to explore the site unrushed and let its stories sink in. When you’re ready, leave your campervan back at the campsite, hop onto public transit, and treat yourself to a more light-hearted evening back in Munich.

The city’s many lively beer gardens beckon! One of our favourites is Augustiner-Keller, a buzzing Biergarten within staggering distance of Munich Central station.

Visiting

Dachau

1

Recom. Days

Main route

25 miles

from our Munich pick-up center

40 min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site

Nazi concentration camp turned museum and memorial

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Eat at

Augustiner-Keller

$$

Classic Bavarian beer garden in Munich

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Parking

Carpark Cristal

$$

Next to Munich Central train station

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Stay at

Campingplatz München-Obermenzing

$

Convenient to Dachau & Munich centre

2

Schwangau’s fairytale castles and beer-brewing monks

Plan to arrive in Schwangau early, as its most popular attraction draws huge crowds of tourists year-round. The enchanting Neuschwanstein Castle is worth it, though.

Perched on a hilltop high above the Bavarian Alps, it looks like something straight out of a fairytale, because well, it is! The iconic limestone façade and deep blue turrets served as Walt Disney’s inspiration for Sleeping Beauty’s castle at Disneyland.

The Castle of Schwangau is a must-see on this Bavaria travel itineary

Make sure you have at least a full day to see the castle and use the next day to add some interesting detours to your Bavaria travel itinerary. If time allows on your way to Salzburg, visit Linderhof Palace, another rather ostentatious abode of King Ludwig II’s.

Otherwise, park your campervan in the charming village of Ettal and explore the Benedictine monastery with its elaborate, frescoed dome. Strangely enough, the monks who lived here brewed their own beer, which you can still sample (responsibly) in the abbey’s liqueur distillery.

Visiting

Schwangau

2

Recom. Days

Main route

78 miles

from Dachau

1h40min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Schloss Neuschwanstein

Famous hilltop castle, right out of a fairytale

Ettal Abbey

Benedictine monastery with frescoed dome

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Eat at

Restaurant Hirsch

$$$

Bavarian cuisine in a fairytale hotel

Ettaler Mühle

$$

Authentic biergarten near Ettal Abbey

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Parking

Parkplatz Ettal

$

Convenient place to stop in Ettal

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Stay at

Camping Brunnen

$$$

Lakeside campground close to castle

3

The hills are very much alive en route to Salzburg

Driving east on the famous Autobahn, you’ll reach Austria in no time. The attractive city of Salzburg is just twenty minutes from the border, with Alpine mountains to the south and the Salzach River running through its centre.

The left bank contains Salzburg’s medieval Old Town, watched over by the imposing hilltop fortress, Hohensalzburg. On the right bank, you’ll find the captivating Mirabell Palace and its opulent gardens, one of many Salzburg filming locations for The Sound of Music.

A classic stop on any Bavaria travel itineary is Salzburg

Pick up a Salzburg Card from the tourism office and skip the queues at most major museums and attractions. There is much to explore here, so plan on staying put for a few days to get your fix of baroque architecture, classical concerts, and stunning Alpine views.

Visiting

Salzburg

3

Recom. Days

Main route

112 miles

from Ettal near Schwangau

2h15min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Festung Hohensalzburg

Take the funicular uphill for panoramic city views

Schloss Mirabell

Made famous by a certain movie-musical

Mozart’s Birthplace

Once the composer’s home, now a museum

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Eat at

Bio Burger Meister

$

Budget-friendly burger joint

Augustiner Bräu

$$$

Traditional Austrian tavern & brewery

Afro Cafe

$$

Cool and colourful African cafe

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Parking

Park Garage Linzer Gasse

$$

Garage by Kapuzinerberg Park

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Stay at

Camping Panorama Stadtblick

$$

Sweeping Alpine views, close to town

4

Bavaria’s largest lake and a dreamy castle in Chiemsee

Zipping back towards Munich, the final stop on this Bavaria travel itinerary is the stunning Lake Chiemsee. Nicknamed the “Bavarian Sea” on account of its enormous size, Chiemsee is a popular overnight trip from Munich with a charming nearby town centre and multiple lakeside campgrounds.

On the largest of the lake’s three islands, you’ll find the extravagant Herrenchiemsee Palace, another castle built by the vain King Ludwig II. Styled after Versailles, the palace remains unfinished and has since been transformed into a museum and gallery.

The perfect final stop to your Bavaria travel itineary is the Chiemsee

All accessible by a quick ferry ride, the lake’s islands also contain a Benedictine monastery, beer gardens, and multiple scenic nature trails. After an adventure-packed road trip, you’ll enjoy relaxing and admiring stunning views of the shimmering Chiemsee lake.

Rest well and in the morning, stop in the nearby town of Prien for a hearty breakfast before you bid Auf Wiedersehen to Bavaria and head back to Munich.

Visiting

Chiemsee

1

Recom. Days

Main route

44 miles

from Salzburg

55 min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Schloss Herrenchiemsee

Sumptuous island palace in the middle of the lake

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Eat at

Schlosswirtschaft Herrenchiemsee

$$$

Island eaterie with lake views

Cafe NOVA

$$

Casual coffee and breakfast spot in town

RV icon

Parking

Parkplatz am Bahnhofplatz

$

Convenient parking in town centre

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Stay at

Panorama Camping Harras

$$

Lakeside location and nice facilities

Drop-off in
Munich Pick-up center

62 miles

from Chiemsee

1h20m

drive