Background
For Winter Break 2023-2024, our family visited Germany and Austria! This has been at the top of our family wish list for a few years. Planning this big multi-city trip was so fun. We saw Christmas markets, snowy villages, ice-skated in 3 cities, and loved loved loved train rides with gorgeous scenery. European travel is quickly becoming one of my favorite things with family-friendly towns, easy navigating with trains and so much history and beauty. Traveling internationally with kids can be daunting but with a little preparation and research and tips from other travelers, we had a successful trip!
This post covers our 2 day-trips from Munich to Nuremberg and Nueschwanstein.
Read all of our European Christmas Market posts at the following links:
Easy Day Trips from Munich by Train
Munich is a great spot to day-trip from. The main Munich train station, Hauptbahnhof, was well-labeled and easy to navigate. From our hotel, it was a quick trip to the main station and there were numerous options to various sites all around Germany and beyond. We generally booked tickets the night before and were able to get really inexpensive tickets. On the train, operators stopped by to scan our qr-codes and give us a receipt. We used the website Seat 61 to get some guidance but it was really straightforward. The Bayern ticket is a family ticket that is a great deal for unlimited travel in Bavaria (Munich and surrounding areas) on regional trains.
Day trip #1: Nuremberg
On one of our days in Munich, we took an all-day trip to Nuremberg. This city regularly makes lists of top Christmas markets in Europe and it lived up to the hype! The city transforms into a winter wonderland with its renowned Christkindlesmarkt, festive atmosphere, and gorgeous historical churches and buildings.
Getting to Nuremberg
Just an hour away by train from Munich, Nuremberg is the perfect day trip. It was really easy to find directions on google and buy a train ticket! Easy trip! The kids loved their kindle time and it was a beautiful trip.
Sightseeing in Nuremberg
From the train station, we walked towards the main Christmas market areas and oohed and ahhed at all the cute buildings and cobble streets. We passed by Frauentorturm, the old tower at the corner of the city walls and stopped briefly at St. Lorenz Church (Lorenzkirche) which is a gorgeous Gothic church from the 15th century.
We then headed to the central market square, Hauptmarkt. The Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche) is one of the most impressive churches in Nuremberg. At noon every day, the Männleinlaufen glockenspiel (a mechanical clock) puts on a display. Mechanized figures come out from just below the church clock, with princes dancing around the Holy Roman Emperor. The main square is also where the Christmas market is located. After watching the glockenspiel, we back-tracked towards the Children’s market
Christmas Markets!
Our next stop was back to the main Christkindlesmarkt. The main attraction is the Christkindlesmarkt, one of the oldest and most famous Christmas markets in the world. It dates back to the 16th century and boasts over 180 stalls selling traditional Christmas decorations, handcrafted gifts, and delicious treats like gingerbread, roasted chestnuts, and Nuremberg sausages. In the middle of the square is the Gothic Schoner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain), a replica of a fountain from the 14th century. I read a story that spinning the rings in the fence of the fountain three times brings good luck!
Our next stop was the Nuremberg Toy Museum or Spielzeugmuseum . The adults were interested in some of the nostalgic toys and displays. The kids were more interested in playing! On the top floor, there were several puzzles, wooden games, and fun play areas.
On the walk back towards the train station, we stopped for some yummy schnitzel at tucher mautkeller. On the train ride back, the kiddos read a little but also just rested after a big day. This was a really fun and full day trip. I’m so glad we were able to make the small side trip to experience the Christmas festivities. If you visit at non-Christmas times, be sure to look up other things to do as well such as the Nuremberg Castle, the DB train museum, dungeon tours and other historical sites like the Nazi grounds or trial areas.
Day Trip #2: Neuschwanstein Castle
If you’re interested in another fun day trip from Muncih, Neuschwanstein Castle is gorgeous!
Getting to the Castle
There are several bus tours that run with stops at multiple castles but we decided to take public transport. The kids love riding trains and reading books and we were able to follow google maps along the route and transfers. It did take about 3 hours from Munich Central station to get to where we were going so plan for a full day of adventure.
Castle Views!
Built in the 19th century by Ludwig II, King of Bavaria, Neuschwanstein is the most iconic castle in Europe. With its fairytale appearance, it served as an inspiration for Walt Disney’s logo. If you’ve ever done the Soarin ride at Disney, it flies over the castle! We took several trains and a bus to the cute little town and were immediately greeted by gorgeous views and cute shops.
We didn’t visit the inside of the castle but we did do an hour hike to the Neuschwanstein Castle bridge. We bought some hiking snacks and made our way to the bridge, also known as Marienbrücke. The hike took about an hour to the bridge and back. There is also an option for a horse-drawn carriage. The bridge is a must-see for any visitor to the iconic Bavarian castle. Situated directly behind Neuschwanstein Castle, offering breathtaking views of the fortress and the surrounding valley. It was a little crowded and not recommended for those with a fear of heights: Fun fact: Marienbrücke is rumored to be the place where King Ludwig II’s court composer, Richard Wagner, fell into the gorge while seeking inspiration for his opera Tristan und Isolde. However, there’s no historical evidence to support this claim. Lol
In the city, we grabbed a quick beer, pretzel, and ice cream snack before heading back to Munich. So was it worth it for the quick trip? I think so!
More Christmas 2023 Posts
Read all of our European Christmas Market posts at the following links:
