Things to Do in Bavaria, Germany: City Guides

Bavaria is Germany’s largest state, a landlocked region of rivers, forests, mountain borders and historic cities. The best things to do in Bavaria range from exploring Munich and Nuremberg to discovering smaller towns shaped by Roman Catholic traditions, Franconian and Swabian identities, and centuries of changing political history. Neywo offers free audio guides for 14 cities in Bavaria, with 1,630 narrated places in total across 53 walking tours.

What to see and do in Bavaria

Bavaria is too large to understand through a single city. Its identity has developed through several regional traditions, including Old Bavaria, Franconia and Bavarian Swabia. The cities below offer different ways into that history.

Munich

Munich is Bavaria’s capital and largest city, as well as one of its major urban and economic centres. It is a natural starting point for a Bavaria travel guide, with landmarks such as the Glyptothek, Frauenkirche, Nymphenburg Palace and the Theatine Church. The city is also closely associated with Oktoberfest, one of the region’s major festivals and a vivid expression of Bavaria’s culture of food, drink, traditional dress and shared celebrations.

Explore more landmarks with the Munich audio guide, which covers 580 narrated places.

Nuremberg

Nuremberg is one of Bavaria’s major cities and an important place to encounter the region’s northern, Franconian character. Its narrated sights include Kapelle Johannisstraße 59 in Nürnberg, St. Egidien, St. Sebald and St. Sebaldus. The city is a strong choice for visitors interested in historic churches and urban heritage.

The Nuremberg guide includes 257 narrated places.

Regensburg

Regensburg is another major Bavarian city, with a rich collection of religious and historic buildings. Highlights include Regensburg Cathedral, the Basilica of the Nativity of Our Lady, St. Emmeram’s Basilica and the Goldenes Kreuz. Its position on the Danube also connects the city to one of Bavaria’s two major rivers.

The Regensburg audio guide covers 141 narrated places.

Würzburg

Würzburg offers a different view of Bavaria through its major architectural landmarks. The Würzburg Residence, Gartenpavillon, Wurzburg Cathedral and Spitäle are among the places covered by Neywo. The city belongs among the best towns to visit in Bavaria for travellers exploring the region’s historic urban centres and religious architecture.

Discover the city with the Würzburg guide, with 126 narrated places.

Augsburg

Augsburg is one of Bavaria’s major urban centres and a city with a substantial collection of historic sights. Its highlights include Augsburg Cathedral, Lutherstiege, Schaezlerpalais and Fuggerei. The city is particularly useful for understanding Bavaria beyond Munich, with landmarks that reflect its religious, civic and architectural history.

The Augsburg audio guide includes 154 narrated places.

Bamberg

Bamberg is one of the best towns to visit in Bavaria when you want to explore a concentrated group of historic landmarks. The city’s narrated places include Bamberg Cathedral, Michaelsberg Abbey, Burg and Villa Dessauer. Its sights reflect the importance of religion, historic institutions and local urban identity in Bavaria.

The Bamberg guide covers 99 narrated places.

Bayreuth

Bayreuth is associated with both music and historic architecture. The Bayreuth Festival Theatre and Margravial Opera House are among its principal narrated places, alongside Ordenskirche St. Georgen and the Deutsches Freimaurer-Museum. It is a good destination for seeing how cultural institutions and courtly buildings form part of Bavaria’s regional story.

Neywo’s Bayreuth guide includes 50 narrated places.

Passau

Passau stands among Bavaria’s important historic cities, with St. Stephan’s Cathedral, Passau, St. Michael’s Church and St. Paul in Passau among its narrated sights. Its location on the Danube makes it part of the river landscape that helps define the state.

The Passau audio guide covers 55 narrated places.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen

Garmisch-Partenkirchen introduces Bavaria’s mountain setting. The local highlights include King’s House on Schachen, Museum Aschenbrenner, Museum Werdenfels and the Richard-Strauss-Institut. The town is a useful choice for travellers who want to combine cultural attractions with Bavaria’s higher-elevation landscapes.

Explore the area with the Garmisch-Partenkirchen guide, which features 13 narrated places.

Kempten

Kempten offers a view of Bavaria’s ancient and religious heritage. Its narrated sights include Kempten Abbey, Rotes Haus, St. Lorenz Basilica and St. Mang. The city lies in the Bavarian part of Swabia, where Swabian German is part of the region’s linguistic and cultural texture.

The Kempten audio guide covers 44 narrated places.

Memmingen

Memmingen is another destination in Bavarian Swabia. Its highlights include St. Martin, Augustinerinnenkloster Memmingen, Our women and the Antoniter-Museum. These places offer a compact way to encounter the religious buildings and local institutions that appear across Bavaria’s historic towns.

The Memmingen guide includes 35 narrated places.

Rothenburg

Rothenburg is among the best towns to visit in Bavaria for travellers interested in historic streets and buildings. Neywo’s narrated places include St. James’s Church, the Franciscan Abbey, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Heilig-Geist-Spital in Rothenburg and the Schäfertanzmuseum.

The Rothenburg audio guide covers 41 narrated places.

Miltenberg

Miltenberg lies among Bavaria’s smaller historic destinations. Its narrated landmarks include Würzburger Tor, St. Jakobus, Kühtor and Mainzer Tor. The town is also connected to the Main, one of the state’s major rivers.

Discover its sights with the Miltenberg guide, with 27 narrated places.

Tegernsee

Tegernsee is the smallest of the Bavarian destinations covered by Neywo, with eight narrated places. Its highlights include the Olaf-Gulbransson-Museum Tegernsee, Museum Tegernseer Tal, Tegernsee Abbey and Neumüller Kapelle. The town offers another perspective on Bavaria’s combination of cultural institutions, religious heritage and varied landscapes.

Bavaria’s history, culture and landscape

Bavaria’s story reaches back to Celtic settlement in the Iron Age and Roman rule, when the territory lay within the provinces of Raetia and Noricum. A Duchy of Bavaria emerged after the Roman Empire collapsed, and the region later became part of the Holy Roman Empire. Bavaria gained the right to take part in choosing the emperor in 1623 and became a kingdom in 1806 after the Holy Roman Empire dissolved under Napoleon.

The monarchy ended after the First World War, when Kurt Eisner proclaimed the People’s State of Bavaria. The modern state was established after the Second World War and became part of West Germany. This long history helps explain the strength of Bavarian identity. The official name, the Free State of Bavaria, reflects that distinct sense of self.

Traditions remain visible in everyday culture and special occasions. In Old Bavaria, traditional dress known collectively as Tracht includes Lederhosen for men and Dirndl dresses for women. Bavarian is a group of German dialects spoken in Bavaria and Austria, while Swabian German is common in the Bavarian part of Swabia. Across the state, local identities remain important within a broader Bavarian culture.

The landscape is equally varied. Bavaria borders Austria and the Czech Republic, as well as Switzerland across Lake Constance. The Danube and the Main cross the state, while the Bavarian Forest and Bohemian Forest form much of the borderland along the Czech frontier. Climate changes with elevation, and higher areas are colder. Rivers, forests, mountains and changing weather all contribute to the character of the region.

Explore Bavaria with Neywo

Download Neywo to explore Bavaria with free audio guides for 14 cities, 53 walking tours and 1,630 narrated places in total. Narration is available in 11 languages. The app tells the story of each place as you reach it, at your own pace, with no group and no schedule.