After spending 25 days in Germany and Austria, there are 7 things I recommend to every tourist who visits the area
We found so much to see, do, eat, and drink while exploring Germany and Austria.
Some of my favorite experiences were Oktoberfest in Munich and a spa day in Baden-Baden.
As an avid hiker, I enjoyed my time in the Black Forest and the German and Austrian Alps.
My husband and I recently returned from an almost monthlong trip to Germany and Austria.
Over the span of 25 days, we climbed mountains in the Alps, drank beer at Oktoberfest, visited castles and museums in Salzburg, and drank riesling on the Rhine River.
We had so many great adventures during our time abroad, but these are things I recommend to anyone visiting the area:
Treat yourself to a spa day (or two) in Baden-Baden.
The last thing I expected to find in a German town was a Roman-Irish bath — but Baden-Baden, on the northern edge of the Black Forest, is known for just that.
We spent a day at the thermal baths of Friedrichsbad, which had warm and hot air baths, thermal steam rooms, cold and warm pools, a quiet room, a cream service, and a reading room.
It's a nude spa, though it offers two days a week where swimwear is required. At first, being naked with a bunch of strangers threw us off, but once we got past feeling awkward, it was a unique, relaxing experience.
The next day, we also visited a nearby family-friendly thermal bath with hot and cold plunges and a sauna.
If you time your trip right, go to Oktoberfest in Munich.
We planned our trip for the fall for several reasons, but going to Oktoberfest in Munich was at the top of that list.
For our day at Oktoberfest, we arrived at the fairgrounds just as they opened. This gave us all day to visit multiple beer tents and throw back pints like we were in college all over again.
But the festival is more than just beer: It has live music, fried foods, and all sorts of rides. Our day was carefree and filled with good drinks, good food, and good times.
Consider challenging yourself with a tough hike in Berchtesgaden National Park.
My husband and I love taking long hiking trips on vacation.
I recognize that climbing mountains in the German Alps is not everyone's idea of a good time, but there are plenty of more accessible hikes in Berchtesgaden National Park for all skill levels, including the stunning Wimbach Gorge.
The best hike of our trip, however, was to Germany's highest waterfall. We scaled the cliffside using tree roots as handholds and footholds, dealing with rock scrambles, fallen trees, and slippery terrain the whole way up and down.
It's not for the faint of heart, but it's the most thrilling hike we encountered in Germany.
Don't miss the Eltz and Neuschwanstein castles.
Of the many castles we explored in Germany and Austria, my favorites were Eltz and Neuschwanstein.
The former is in the Rhine region of Germany and looks like it was plucked right out of a fairy-tale. A third of it is still in use by the descendants of the family who built it, so you can't take pictures inside, but you can learn its interesting history during the tour.
Neuschwanstein is perhaps the most famous German castle — it even inspired Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland. Since it's located in Bavaria, it's surrounded by dramatic scenery, including snowcapped mountains and a beautiful alpine lake.
Live out your favorite fairy-tales in the Black Forest.
If those castles aren't enough to satiate your need for fairy-tale magic, head to the Black Forest, which is said to have inspired the Brothers Grimm to come up with stories like Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, and Sleeping Beauty.
We went on multiple hikes in the Black Forest, which, despite its name, is one of the greenest places I've ever been.
The area felt lush and dramatic, with constant fog swirling around, occasionally revealing or concealing mountaintops, ancient ruins, and murky lakes.
Plus, while in the area, we got to try a hefty slice of Black Forest cake.
Take the Hungerburg funicular to the Alpenzoo — and then higher for amazing views of Innsbruck.
One of the best things we did in Austria was in Innsbruck, where we took the funicular up to the Alpenzoo (Alpine Zoo).
This zoo is built into the mountainside, so be ready for plenty of steep ascents and descents as you wander around. That's by design since it's home to animals who thrive on the mountainside. We saw bears, moose, marmots, otters, eagles, bison, ibexes, lynxes, and more.
After a few hours, we hopped back on the funicular and took it all the way to the snowy summit. Up there, we had sweeping views of Innsbruck below, which is surrounded on all sides by mountains.
Schedule time for a salt-mine tour.
We intended to hike to the Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden, but it was closed due to avalanche risk while we were there. Instead, we pivoted to a tour of the nearby salt mine, and it was a great decision.
Our guided tour was excellent. We loved taking multiple fun modes of transportation throughout, including a mine train, a funicular, a boat that crossed a brine lake, and, my favorite, multiple long slides that took us deeper into the mines.
Berchtesgaden isn't the only place in the area where you can explore salt mines — Salzburg and Hallstatt also have tours.
Honestly, my list could keep going.
Looking for even more things to do in Germany and Austria? Here are a few of my honorable mentions:
Spend an evening drinking local rieslings in Cochem while enjoying a view of the castle on the hill.
Go to a Mozart concert in the Marble Hall of Salzburg's Mirabell Palace.
Order schnitzel at a small mom-and-pop restaurant in Bavaria.
Hike around Lake Gosau (near Hallstatt) and take the path that branches off to see the greenest swamp you'll ever encounter.
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