Germany is a popular destination among Slovenian travelers. Anyone who has visited this beautiful and orderly country will definitely return there. In addition to natural attractions, Germany also offers a rich historical and cultural heritage. This country invites both nature and sports fans as well as art lovers. Everyone will discover in it the mosaic of attractions that means the most to them. This time we went on a family adventure through Bavaria, a family road trip!
Why Germany?
The federal state of Bavaria is the closest for Slovenian tourists, which is why it is probably also the most frequent holiday destination. From Ljubljana to the Bavarian capital of Munich, we travel on good roads 400 kilometers of maintained highway, for which we only need a 4-hour drive. Of course, if the traffic conditions are normal and we don't go on the trip during the peak of the tourist season. Another tip - the use of the motorway in Germany is free for private vehicles. So there are more than enough reasons to explore the beauty of Germany at your next opportunity.
We are for this time traveling through Germany booked 5 days and planned a circular tour of Bavaria (Munich - Legoland - Ulm - Lake Constance - Neuschwanstein Castle - Garmisch Partenkirchen). Yes, there was not much time, but it was just right to feel the pulse that this country radiates.
Munich (day 1 and 2)
Since we didn't have the opportunity to travel as much as we would have liked in the last year and a half and we already honestly missed the pulse of the big city, we chose the starting point of our trip Munich. The city offers many attractions, but since we only had time for a day and a half, we decided to see them this time Marienplatz in the city center, BMW Welt, Olympiapark, Allianz Arena and Hellabrun Zoo. It is more than obvious that we adapted most of the attractions to our 6-year-old traveler.
Video: Roadtrip Germany – Part 1: Munich
Mary's Square it is a place where you feel how the city breathes. A long shopping street leads to it, where members of many nationalities meet, who have found their home right in the Bavarian capital due to Germany's open migration policy. Since Henry the Lion founded Munich in 1158, Marienplatz has been the center and heart of the city. It was named after Mariensäule, which was erected on the square in 1638 to celebrate the end of the Swedish occupation. Today, Marijinem trg is marked by the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus) and the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus).
Since the boys in our family are more than open about our love for cars, our next stop was – BMW Welt – a logical decision. BMW Welt is a showroom with the current model line of BMW cars and motorcycles and the other two brands of the BMW group, Minis and Rolls-Royces. In addition to the exhibited models, BMW Welt is dedicated to the special collection of ordered vehicles. Customers who pick up their ordered cars get a specially staged experience where they wait for their new car in a huge glass-walled hall and their car is raised from the lower levels on circular lift platforms. A really interesting experience, which we also added to our "wish list". Currently, at BMW Welt, we also had the opportunity to see the new BMW X3 and the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé, which would be "co-stars" alongside Scarlett Johansson in the film Black Widow. Admission to BMW Welt is free.
It is located in the immediate vicinity of BMW Welt Olympic Park, which they built for 1972 Summer Olympics. The park, unlike the vast majority of Olympic facilities around the world, is still fully alive today and serves as a venue for cultural, social and other events. It is located in the middle of the park olympic lake, around which they spread Olympic stadium, Olympic hall, swimming center, ice hall, velodrome, Olympic village and Olympic tower. The park is an excellent example of efficient and thoughtful construction of sports facilities that serve their purpose even 50 years later. If you want to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city, go for a walk in its green areas. We were limited in time and already a bit tired, so we decided to see the park from a bird's eye view - from the Olympic tower, which measures 291 meters in height. From there, the view extends over the entire park and Munich and its surroundings. Take the elevator to a height of 190 meters, where you can admire the architectural design of the Olympic Park from the viewing platform. For this view, you will pay 9 euros for an adult and 6 euros for a child older than 6 years.
The next attraction on our list was the zoo, but we realized that due to the school holidays in Bavaria, it is necessary to book tickets at least one day in advance through the website. At this point, it is good to point out that due to the current situation due to the coronavirus, tickets for museums and other attractions often need to be booked in advance. Therefore, yours you plan your vacation well and secure entry to your favorite attractions on time.
So there is only one left on our list of Munich attractions Allianz Arena, the home stadium of soccer giant Bayern Munich. Due to its exterior, it is affectionately called a rubber boot - Schlauchboot. Guided tours of the stadium must be booked in advance, as the number of visitors is limited due to the corona measures.
Advice
Munich is very well organized public transport, so you can park your car quietly at the hotel and see the city by trams and subway. A family ticket for unlimited daily use costs 15 euros, which is much less than what you would pay for parking.
We made a reservation in Munich via Booking.com Europa Hotel. When choosing a hotel, we wanted it to be close to the center and other attractions we intend to visit, to have free parking available, which is often difficult to find in larger cities, and to have a rating of more than 8.5 on Booking.com. We are very satisfied with our choice of hotel and we recommend it!
Legoland (day 3)
The third day of our roadtrip was dedicated Legoland amusement park, located about an hour's drive from Munich. This is a paradise for young and old Lego fans. From adrenaline-pumping trains, 4D cinema, water attractions to architectural landmarks built from blocks – it's fun for the whole family.
Tickets make a reservation on the website, as this will ensure your entry and even save some money. If you want to make the most of what Legoland has to offer, we recommend Express Pass ticket. With it, you'll skip all the queues and make your Legoland adventure even better.
Ulm and Lake Constance (Day 4)
Ulm was an unknown place for us, but we went there after a recommendation. And we can say without hesitation that we would be sorry if we didn't turn into it. Ulm is a city in the German federal state of Baden-Württemberg and lies by the river The Danube. Around 120,000 inhabitants live in it, and it is rich in history and tradition. In Ulm, we visited two of the biggest attractions. She is the first Gothic Church (Ulmer Münster) with the tallest bell tower in the world, which is as high as 161.53 meters. Another interesting thing is the old fishing quarter, which is located by the water, which is why many call the city "German Venice". Otherwise, Ulm is also known as the birthplace of Albert Einstein. We absolutely fell in love with this city and will definitely be back soon.
On the same day, we left Ulm to Lake Constance. It is characterized by the fact that it connects three countries - Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Of course, we stayed in the German part and had a look Lindau Island with a magical old town and a picturesque harbor. Lake Constance is the third largest freshwater European lake by surface area, after Lake Geneva and Lake Blatno. It is 63 kilometers long and almost 14 kilometers wide at its widest point. The Bodensee-Radweg cycle path, which is 261 kilometers long, is arranged around the lake. The lake is also a meeting point for hikers and pilgrims, as there are several pilgrimage routes around it.
Unfortunately, we only stayed there for a few hours, but we would have had no problem spending a week there. Our final destination for the day was the small town Füssen.
Neuschwanstein Castle and Garmisch – Partenkirchen (Day 5)
Right next to the town of Füssen lies the most picturesque Neuschwanstein Castle, which Louis II had built. Bavarian. His obsession with building the castle led him to run out of debt, resulting in the castle not even being completed during his lifetime. Louis II. Bavarski lived there for only 11 days when he died in 1886 under mysterious circumstances in the shallow water of a nearby lake. The castle has survived both world wars and is today a global symbol of the romantic period, which is more than obvious from its exterior.
Since we visited the inside of the castle a few years ago, we decided to just wave at it from the valley this time. But we definitely recommend that you see it and feel this romantic soul of the last Bavarian king.
From here we drove to our last point of travel in Bavaria - to Garmisch Partenkirchen. The route took us through the beautiful German countryside, which gives the feeling of driving on a golf course. Because the vast grassy areas are extremely well-kept, mowed and not overgrown. Almost the majority of large farms are environmentally conscious and obtain their energy from solar cells on the roofs of their homes. Here you can feel the respect for tradition and family heritage, which is a special value for Germans.
And what could be better than to end the holiday on the highest peak of Germany. Zugspitze with a height of 2,962 meters rises to the south of the town Garmisch-Partenkirchen on the border between Germany and Austria. We took the Zugspitze gondola to the top. The return ticket for a family of three cost us 135 euros, but the view of the Alps and the pre-Alpine valleys outweighed the "investment". Mainly because we were lucky to get to the top of the mountain on a beautiful summer sunny day. Maybe next time we'll go on foot, as there are two, otherwise challenging, hiking trails leading to the top.
