Intro
Munich – „Weltstadt mit Herz” (world capital with a heart) as it is often called is already worth the journey for itself. So many sights, historical places and museums waiting to get discovered by you. Plus the green lung of Munich – Englischer Garten – is ideal for cycling tours or a quick sunbath in between all the activities.
Munich has also a great culinary variety and some of the traditional restaurants as the Hofbräuhaus are world famous. Throughout the year Munich hosts varies colourful festivals and events with the Oktoberfest as the most outstanding.
For a Munich Tour with a twist away from the common path, see also my Blog:
Some well-known sights and locations as the Zugspitze in Garmisch, the castles of Neuschwanstein and Linderhof or the picturesque Königsee in Berchtesgaden have made it in many shiny tourism brochures all over the world.
If you like to know more about the region of Berchtesgaden or another famous Bavarian town, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, please check my following other Blogs:
In this Blog post I like to introduce to you some not so common areas around Munich, where we as locals are enjoying our leisure time. Maybe they are a bit less spectacular than the others, but for this they are more original and less crowded plus for sure same picturesque.
All the suggested places can be reached via the general german railway system. All necessary information you will find on www.bahn.de You can also book your tickets directly online through this website.
For a better flexibility my recommendation would be to hire a car, as all these regions are really beautiful. You will find many places on the way which are worth to make a stop.
1. Kuhflucht Waterfall (www.farchant.de/erleben/kuhfluchtwasserfaelle-walderlebnispfad)
What to experience/do:
- Start at the village of Farchant, surrounded by a picturesque mountain panorama.
- Walk through the varied forest adventure trail (Walderlebnispfad).
- Follow the signboards to the waterfall. It is a relatively easy hike along the mountain stream for around 30-40 minutes. This trail is named “Königsweg” (kings way) after König Max II, who visited the region on the 7th July 1858.
You will reach a wooden bridge across the bottom pool of the waterfalls.
If you are not afraid of heights, you can follow the steep steps after the bridge. They will lead you to a very spectacular viewing point, from where you can have a glimpse into the narrow gorge.
Here would be usually the turning point unless you want to make it a full-day excursion with a demanding hike to the Weilheimer Hütte. However this is a 4-5 hours tour and only for experienced hikers.
Otherwise make your way back from the viewing point with a break for a snack and a dip in the icy water.
Where to eat:
- There are no food options directly along the hike, so it is advisable to bring some snacks along with you.
- After the hike you have various restaurant options in the village of Farchant. We opted for an Italian restaurant with a nice terrace, Ristorante da Nico www.pizzeria-nico.de
- For all of you with a sweet tooth don´t miss to indulge in some delicious ice cream @ Eiscafe Bella (https://de-de.facebook.com/EiscafeBella/).
2. Hermitage of Birkenstein (www.maria-birkenstein.de)
What to experience/do:
- Birkenstein is a famous pilgrimage location and the small chapel is stunning from the inside. Nuns from the nearby monastery are selling various religious items and souvenirs in a small shop beside the church. Birkenstein is the place of my baptism, so I am coming frequently back there. During the summer month some of the public church masses are held in an open-air area, as the chapel itself is very small and can only hold a few people.
- Start your visit from the village of Fischbachau beneath Birkenstein. A broad road is leading you up to the chapel – I recommend to take the small detour over the Kalvarienberg opposite Birkenstein with its massive three crucifix. You have a fantastic view over there onto the hermitage as well as the surrounding mountains.
- After your visit to the chapel you can go on a very nice hike from Birkenstein to Greisbach. This is an easy hike through forests and blooming grassland inclusive of a spectacular panorama. In Greisbach you can either take the same way back or you opt for the full round tour coming back through the river valley of Leitzachtal.
The full round tour is an easy hike, however with 14 km quite long. For all details check: www.fischbachau.de/a-premiumweg-leitzachtaler-bergblicke-in-fischbachau
- Further hiking trails in this area for all levels you can see on www.fischbachau.de
Where to eat:
If it comes to culinary delights, there is actually only one place to recommend – the Winklstüberl (www.winklstueberl.de). This family-owned Cafe is already an institution and people are coming from far away to indulge in their heavenly cakes. They do offer a full menu as well, but you haven´t tried Winklstüberl if you haven´t feasted on one of their cream loaded cakes.
3. Entenlochklamm (www.chiemgau-wandern.de/content/achental/schmugglerweg)
What to experience/do:
- The Entenlochklamm is a fantastic gorge in the picturesque borderland of the Chiemgauer Alpen area south of Munich and Austria.
- Best is to come here by car, as the departure point of this hike is a bit remote in the small village of Schleching. Park your car at the chairlift station of Geigelstein.
- Follow the hiking signboards to the Entenlochklamm. This trail is also known as the old smuggler route (Schmugglerweg Nr. 29). En route you will pass the old border signboards.
- After approximately an hour walk through a dense and almost mystical forest the path will make a steep fall to reach down to the gorge. At the bottom you can cross the Tiroler Ache and Entenlochklamm on an iron suspension bridge. Within 2021 a new project with a second suspension bridge and various viewing points will be accomplished.
- On the other side have a rest on the flat pebble shore, observing the gurgling water of the stream running by. Further up you can visit the pilgrimage chapel of Maria Klobenstein.(www.tirol-infos.at/kitzbuehel/wallfahrtskirche-maria-klobenstein.html)
Where to eat:
- Beside Maria Klobenstein the restaurant Gasthaus Klobenstein (http://www.gasthaus-klobenstein.com) is taking care of the hungry hikers.
4. Chiemsee on bike (www.chiemsee-alpenland.de)
What to experience/do:
- The Chiemsee is a popular fresh water lake south of Munich. Due to its size it is often called the “Bavarian Sea”. On bright sunny days the contrast between the deep blue lake and snow-covered mountain tops in the background is simply spectacular. Thanks to this stunning scenery plus the famous island of Herrenchiemsee with the unfinished castle of Ludwig II the lake became a very famous tourist destination.
- But as I didn’t want to talk about the mainstream attractions in this Blog, I would recommend another way of exploring this fantastic lake to you – by bicycle.
- There are various bike rental stations around the lake, but I would suggest to start the tour in Prien. You can rent for example from www.chiemsee-kaufmann.de/de/fahrradverleih/fahrradverleih-am-chiemsee.htm or www.fahrradhaus-prien.de
- The tour around the lake is around 60 km and apart from some exceptions (the side where the highway A8 is crossing) goes always directly along the lake. It passes through nice villages, untouched nature reserves like a bird sanctuary and offers various possibilities for a swimming stop.
- Of course you can take it from the sportive side and complete this tour in around 3 hours, but I would suggest to plan for a full day to fill in various stops.
Where to eat:
This tour also doesn’t come short on culinary delights and you have many possibilities en route to pamper your cravings.
I always start the tour in Prien anti-clockwise around 10.30 hrs, so the bit boring part on the highway side comes first. With this routing lunch time is perfect for a place around Chieming. My favorite spot is the Italian restaurant Al Dente (www.aldente-chieming.de) – not only the food is fantastic here, but also the view over the lake and mountains.
Pedalling further, coffee time takes place in the picturesque garden Cafe Malerwinkl (www.hotel-malerwinkl.de).
And just before I reach back to the rental station I usually can´t resist to stop at the Fischhütte Reiter (www.places.bayern-online.de/chiemsee-chiemgau/prien/fischhuette-reiter-osternach) for freshly caught lake trout or the local “Renke”.
Special Tip:
If you just want to have a nice walk or a swim during summer and the Chiemsee gets too crowded, check out the nearby “Eggstätter Seenplatte”. This is an area of various smaller and bigger moor lakes, however not all are fully accessible. More information you can find on www.chiemsee-alpenland.de/entdecken/alle-sehenswuerdigkeiten/eggstaett-hemhofer-seenplatte-77d90e58f2
5. Schliersee – Hiking tour to Kreuzberg and Gindel Alm (www.schliersee.de)
What to experience/do:
- Schliersee is a picturesque lake surrounded by a fantastic mountain panorama. The lake itself is perfect for a swim or a lakeside lunch or dinner during summer. There is also a very nice and easy tour around the lake, which can be done in approximately 2 hours.
- However here I would like to introduce to you a medium hiking tour, for which good trekking shoes and a basic sportive condition is required.
- The hike starts at the countryside hotel of Hennerer Hof (www.hennerer.com). After your hike it is a nice place to enjoy some snack lunch or cake and buy some of their organic farm products in the shop.
- If you come by car there is a paid-parking area nearby the Hennerer Hof. By train the next station is directly in the village of Schliersee and it is an additional 3.4 km walk to reach this departure point.
- From Hennerer Hof there are various signs for different hiking trails. Follow the sign to Kreuzbergalm, which you will reach in around 60 – 90 minutes’ walk. First the trail goes along a river through nice forest land. After a while it is getting on a steeper trail, which already offers very nice views on the Schliersee valley below.
- At the Kreuzberg Alm you can buy some food and enjoy it on the meadow in front of the cabin with fantastic views to all sides.
- It is another 45 minutes to reach further to the Gindel Almen (consisting of 3 cabins in total). The first part is a quite steep trail, but relatively short. Afterwards you reach a kind of meadow plateau from where you have a breath-taking view…..on clear days as far as Munich. The cabins are a nice location for another pit stop before the descend back to the departure point.
- The way down from the Gindel Almen to Hennerer Hof is around 45 minutes on a wide forest road.
Where to eat:
- As mentioned above you have various options for a snack en route.
- For a proper meal after your hike I would recommend the Hofhaus am See (www.hofhaus-am-see.de) or for home-made cakes and traditional snacks (Brotzeit) the Cafe Milchhäusl (www.milchhaeusl-schliersee.de).
6. Landsberg am Lech (www.landsberg.de)
What to experience/do:
- Munich has many other famous tourist cities around like Nürnberg, Augsburg, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and even a day-trip to the Austrian city of Salzburg is a popular destination for visitors of the Munich region.
- However the small jewel of Landsberg am Lech is hardly known among foreign visitors.
- With only a distance of 70 km from Munich, it is easy accessible via car or train.
- You can experience a very picturesque Old Town there with cobble stone streets and colourful traditional houses like for example the town hall building. The town is still partly surrounded by an ancient stone wall inclusive of some massive entry gates and viewing towers.
- The Lech river cuts directly through the city and the so-called “Lechstufen” are a popular meeting place as well as the symbol of the city. Around the river shore many nice restaurants and cafe’s are inviting visitors for a seat on their outdoor terraces.
- Once you are done with the city sightseeing the nature reserve Lechpark Pössinger Au is just a few meters away. This tranquil forest park beside the Lech river is perfect for a walk away from the crowds. Kids will enjoy the forest adventure trail and the wild boar enclosure. Occasionally wild deer can be spotted in the forest as well.
Where to eat:
- For home-made cakes “grandma style” try the Cafe Lauterbach (www.cafelauterbach.wordpress.com) or for a more modern twist the Cafe Chapeau (www.chapeau-landsberg.de).
- To indulge in some traditional and regional German food have a look at Hexenturm (www.restaurant-am-hexenturm.de), Wirtshaus am Spitalplatz (www.wirtshaus-am-spitalplatz.de) or Fischerwirt (www.fischerwirt-landsberg.de)
I hope this Blog gives you some new travel inspirations – so enjoy exploring Bavaria away from the crowds! For any further questions on these or any other tours, please reach out to me at any time.
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