In late May 2023, we spent 3 days in Munich. We only explored the city for one day, while the other two days were dedicated for day trips to Salzburg and the Neuschwanstein Castle. We also ended up taking the train from Munich and completed our week trip in Budapest and Lake Bled. For the full itineries on those trips, visit the link to my post on Budapest or post on Lake Bled.
I share below how we mapped our Munich portion below.
Itinerary for 3 Days in Munich
Transportation/Car Seat Rules
Germany is strict about carseats laws. It was helpful to us to rent a car as soon as we landed from the airport, along with two carseats. We were able to take 2 day trips and the remainder of the time we stayed in a central area where I was able to walk around with the kids quite a bit.
Where to stay in Munich
We based ourselves in Munich and stayed at the Le Meridien, which I really enjoyed! it was walking distance to a great city center full of stores and restaurants. This hotel is also across a train station, so it was an easy walk for when we wanted to train to our final destination.
What to do and eat in Munich
1 day to explore Munich:
Our one day in Munich was quite relaxing versus ‘touristy’. We walked around the city center, shopped, and ate. Two activities we meant to do, but because of some logistics, we were unable to make work, were the BMW Museum and the English Garden. Both sites are definitely on our list for next time!
There is a large Afghani population that immigrated to Germany and opened many restaurants. Afghani food happens to be my absolutely favorite cuisine, so we excitedly ate and tons of Afghani and Turkish restaurants for most of our meals. Our favorites were: Hindukush, Mawlana Street Food, and Turkitch Kofte & Kebap.
1/2 day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle:
Driving distance from Munich: 2 hours
Similar to other travels with kids, a day trip to Newuschwanstein Castle has to be tailored to your specific family. We rented a car directly from the Munich Airport and drove to the castle. We only had a few hours in the area, and we opted to take it slow and, while we enjoyed the view of the castle from below, we explored the lake nearby and ate in the restaurants nearby.
If we had more time, I might have had us take a horse carriage up to a higher point for views or hike a bit more around the lake; however, with our kids ages and the fact that we did this trip on a ‘travel day’, we were content with what we were able to.
1/2 day trip to Salzburg:
Driving distance from Munich: 2 hours
We did the following activities during our afternoon in Salzburg and highly recommend the same!
- Browse the Salzburg Old Town: Browse the town, shops, and grab gelato at Eis Grissler.
- Visit the Fortress Hohensalzburg: You can take a cable car up to the top and get a great view of the city! The kids loved riding the cable car and running around. If we had more time, we might have opted to eat at the restaurant on the top.
- Visit Mirabell Palace and Gardens: Mirabell Palace is a beautiful Baroque palace surrounded by stunning gardens. The gardens feature colorful flower beds, fountains, and statues, providing a picturesque setting for toddlers to explore. They can run around the open spaces, enjoy the playful statues, and recreate photos where scenes from the Sound of Music were filmed.
- Visit the Birth Place of Mozart: We only visited the outside of the Birth Place of Mozart house, although people are permitted to tour the house during particular hours.
We loved our time in these Eastern European cities, as did our children – in particular we loved Salzburg!