BY INDER RAJ AHLUWALIA
( THE WRITER IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED , MULTIPLE AWARD – WINNING TRAVEL JOURNALIST AND AUTHOR)
NEW DELHI | 22 MAY 2025
There’s this saying that “Bavaria is either far ahead of the times, or far behind!”
You can make whatever you like of this. The truth is that it’s both! Frothy, fun-filled, and scenic, Germany’s year-round holiday destination’s tourist attractions read like holiday-brochure copy, with outdoors fun and culture providing a heady mix of everything tourists seek. And it is available round the year.
Bavaria has it all. There’s tranquility in magnificent surroundings, action, plenty of beer and fun and frolic. Twice blessed by nature, the region boasts idyllic lakes, mountains, limestone cliffs, stalactite caves, quiet river valleys, and those famous castles in the forests. The villages and towns seem stuck a bit in the past-Franconia with its legacy of Richard Wagner, and Wurzburg, Bamberg, and Regensburg, that boast architectural treasures and art in abundance.
And the medley of local images range from women in dirndls and men in styled jackets thronging beer gardens and gracing continuous festivals, to imposing churches and stately homes that hark back to the pomp and glory days of the rococo and baroque eras.
I made the perfect start. The dream castles of King Ludwig 11, Bavaria’s fairy tale king do ample justice to their descriptions. Hidden in the seclusion of the mountains, King Ludwig 11 built two of his castles, Linderhof and Neuschwanstein.
Linderhof castle is built in French rococo style with a fantastic grotto and the Moorish Pavilion, a museum in its own right. Rising sheer out of a hill, Neuschwanstein looks anything but real. But real it is, with a beautiful main hall, galleries with priceless paintings of the ‘crazy king’, and chamber rooms.
The heart and centre stage of Bavaria is Munich, the regional capital and an international metro with a passion for progress, growth and style.
Munich’s charms unfold like the layers of an onion. I started out at the Marienplatz, the city’s vibrant heart, a cheerful jumble of trendy boutiques cum souvenir outlets, cafes and bars. Though historical sites dot the city, my pick would be Baroque architectural-style monuments like the magnificent Nymphenburg Palace, a stunning building set in beautiful gardens, and Old Peter and ‘Asam Kirche’ churches.
There’s this famous Bavarian saying: ‘There’s no harm in a festival ending, provided another one starts immediately.’ This is local gospel. Munich hosts them all. Small, zestful festivals set the tone for the internationally known Faschingszeit and Oktoberfest.
Now it was time to move on and discover other notable towns. The next day found me at a true delight. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bamberg’s beautiful cathedrals, churches and palaces that stare down at the Old Town, give it picture-book charm and world-renowned beauty!
I discovered the local attractions on foot and took in the stunning view from the rose garden by the side of the cathedral. Clustered in harmony are courtyards, churches, palaces, towers, gables, squares, and alleyways. Mighty structures nestle alongside tiny ones, making Bamberg’s fabled architecture a fine mesh of Gothic, Baroque, Romanesque and Renaissance.
Monuments and heritage apart, Bamberg’s also famous for its Franconian cuisine and ‘smoked beer’ (‘Rauchbier’). Enjoying rauchbier in ‘Schlenkerla’, the most visited, most original, and most savory local Smoked Beer Fountain, I got an authentic taste of this famed drink.
Time to move on again! Boarding the speedy ICE Express, I arrived in the charming medieval city of Regensburg, which straddles the fast-flowing Danube, with its signature structure – the Stone Bridge.
From picturesque old alleys I stepped into squares and wide streets flanked by patrician castles and palaces, took a ferry cruise on the river, and then backtracked to see the cathedral. It was sheer bliss.
Local fare includes the best of Franconian cuisine. All roads lead to the Historical Sausage Kitchen, an 850 years old institution famed for its sausages, potato soup and saurkraut. Seconds away is Dampfnudel-Uli, the famous café serving its legendary steam pastry with vanilla sauce. One bite, and I believed all the hype and praise heaped on this famous pastry.
As often happens on pleasant holidays, time flew and had gone in a blur. While there was still much to be seen, my week-long ‘Bavarian break’ had been a pristine sojourn.
The Facts:
Munich is Bavaria’s capital, with air and rail connections with several major European and world cities.
All Bavarian towns have adequate hotel and travel infrastructures and tourist offices with useful literature.
Ideally, one needs a week to discover the state. The most convenient way of getting around is by train.
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