Munich + Salzburg + Berlin 7 Days

Activities

1. 10:00 Marienplatz + Glockenspiel (11 AM, noon, 5 PM) 1 hour

   Munich's central square since 1158. The New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus, 1909) hosts the Glockenspiel — 32 life-sized figures animate at 11 AM, noon, and 5 PM (March-October only). Free.

   Cost: Free TIP: Arrive 5-10 min before the clock show for a clear viewing spot. Climb the tower elevator ($5) for the Old Town panorama.
2. 11:30 Frauenkirche + Viktualienmarkt 1.5 hours

   Frauenkirche (1494) is Munich's twin-domed cathedral — 99m onion-dome towers visible across the city. Free entry. Viktualienmarkt (1807) is the 140-stall open-air food market 5 min from Marienplatz with a central beer garden.

   Cost: Free (food $5-15) TIP: Münchner Suppenküche soup stall is the locals' lunch ($8-12). Viktualienmarkt closed Sundays.
3. 13:30 Lunch at Augustiner-Keller or Bratwurst Glöckl 1.5 hours

   Augustiner-Keller (1812 beer garden, $20-35, April-October) or Bratwurst Glöckl (1893 tavern, Frauenkirche, $18-30) for the canonical Bavarian lunch.

   Cost: $18-35/person TIP: Reserve recommended for weekends. Maß (1L) Augustiner beer $7-8.
4. 15:30 Englischer Garten + Eisbach surfers 2.5 hours

   375 hectares (larger than Central Park) of free park. Eisbach River wave hosts surfers year-round + 24/7 (no time slots — just watch them ride). Chinesischer Turm beer garden seats 7,000.

   Cost: Free TIP: Walk from Universität U-Bahn or Münchner Freiheit. Sunset is the photographer's hour at the Monopteros temple.
5. 18:30 Hofbräuhaus dinner (1589) 2.5 hours

   World's most-famous beer hall. 4,000 seats across 3 floors + outdoor garden. Bavarian classics $15-30, Maß (1L) Hofbräu beer $7. Live oompah band most evenings.

   Cost: $30-55/person TIP: Walk-in works outside Oktoberfest. Long wooden tables are communal — sit anywhere with empty seats. Cash + card.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:30 Pinakothek museum quarter 3.5 hours

   Alte Pinakothek (€7, medieval-18C, Rubens + Dürer + Vermeer) + Neue Pinakothek (€7, 19C, Van Gogh + Monet + Manet) + Pinakothek der Moderne (€10, 20C). Day Ticket €13 covers all three.

   Cost: $14 day ticket TIP: Sunday €1 entry per museum (the budget-traveler hack). English audio guide €4. Closed Mondays.
2. 13:30 Lunch in Maxvorstadt 1.5 hours

   Maxvorstadt district has dozens of trendy cafés + small restaurants steps from the museums.

   Cost: $18-35 TIP: Café Reitschule (canal-side terrace) or Schmock (modern Bavarian) are the locals' choices.
3. 15:30 BMW Welt + BMW Museum + Olympiapark 3 hours

   BMW Welt (free, futuristic showroom + new-car delivery center) + BMW Museum ($10, 100 years of BMW + iconic models) + Olympiapark (1972 Olympics, free entry to the park).

   Cost: $10 (Museum only) TIP: U-Bahn 'Olympiazentrum', 5 min walk. Combined ticket $13 + BMW Plant Tour $9 for assembly-line access (pre-book online).
4. 19:00 Augustiner Bräustuben (1812) or Hirschgarten (world's largest beer garden) 2.5 hours

   Augustiner Bräustuben — the brewery's adjacent hall, locals' favorite ($22-38). Or Hirschgarten — 8,000-seat beer garden in a royal hunting park, deer visible behind the fence ($18-35).

   Cost: $22-45/person TIP: Hirschgarten is self-service — queue for Hendl + Brezn, find a long-table seat. Bring your own food allowed (only beer must be bought).

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:00 Neuschwanstein day tour 10 hours (door-to-door)

   Guided day tour $90 includes pickup + Hohenschwangau (Ludwig's childhood home) + Neuschwanstein entry + Marienbrücke photo bridge + Linderhof or Oberammergau. Alternative: DIY by train to Füssen (2h + bus to castle).

   Cost: $80-150/person TIP: Pre-book 1+ week ahead. Comfortable walking shoes mandatory (uphill to castle). Bring water + sun hat in summer.
2. 10:30 Neuschwanstein Castle (1869) 2.5 hours

   King Ludwig II's fairy-tale castle that inspired Disney's Cinderella castle. €20 entry. Marienbrücke (the iconic bridge view) is a 10-min walk uphill from the castle.

   Cost: Included or $22 entry TIP: Marienbrücke is the canonical Instagram shot. Photography inside the castle is forbidden.
3. 13:00 Lunch at Hohenschwangau or Oberammergau 1.5 hours

   Bavarian-village lunch — Schweinsbraten + Knödel + local beer.

   Cost: Included or $22-40 TIP: Hotel zur Brauerei (Hohenschwangau) for solid Bavarian fare.
4. 15:00 Schloss Nymphenburg (return to Munich) — optional 2 hours

   1675 Bavarian royal summer palace. 200 hectares of baroque gardens + canals. $11 combined ticket. Tram 17 from central.

   Cost: $12 TIP: Skippable if you're tired. Marstallmuseum (royal carriages) is the highlight.
5. 19:00 Farewell dinner — Atelier (★★★) or EssZimmer (★★) 3 hours

   Atelier (★★★ Bayerischer Hof, chef Jan Hartwig, $275-440) or EssZimmer (★★ BMW Welt, panoramic views, $200-330). Both reserve 1+ month ahead.

   Cost: $200-440/person TIP: Jacket required. Cash + card. Wine pairings add $150-250.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:30 Munich → Salzburg train (1.5-2h) 2 hours

   ICE/EuroCity 1.5-2h, €30-50. ÖBB or DB Navigator. Hauptbahnhof to Salzburg Hbf direct.

   Cost: €30-50 ($32-54) TIP: Sparpreis advance fare 50% cheaper than walk-up. Bayern Ticket €25 valid for unlimited Bavaria + Salzburg regional travel for up to 5 people.
2. 11:00 Check in + Mozart's Birthplace (Mozart Geburtshaus, 1756) 2 hours

   Mozart's actual 1756 birthplace at Getreidegasse 9. Now a museum with original instruments + manuscripts. €13.50.

   Cost: €13.50 ($14.60) TIP: Pre-book online to skip the queue. Mozart Wohnhaus (his later residence) is an additional combined ticket.
3. 13:30 Lunch at Stiftskeller St. Peter (803 — world's oldest restaurant) 1.5 hours

   Founded 803 AD inside St. Peter's Abbey — 1,200+ years of continuous operation, making it the world's oldest restaurant per Guinness. Mozart Dinner Concert evenings ($80-130). Lunch standalone $30-60.

   Cost: $30-60 / dinner concert $80-130 TIP: Reserve 1+ week ahead for lunch; 1+ month for Mozart Dinner Concert (Wednesday-Sunday evenings).
4. 15:30 Hohensalzburg Fortress (1077) 2.5 hours

   Central Europe's largest preserved fortress, built 1077. €16.30 (includes funicular up + 360° city views).

   Cost: €16.30 ($17.60) TIP: Funicular vs 30-min uphill walk — take funicular up, walk down via the cliffside path.
5. 18:30 Mirabell Palace + Sound of Music locations 1.5 hours

   Mirabell Gardens (1606, the 'Do-Re-Mi' filming location, free) + Mozartplatz + Residenzplatz + Getreidegasse evening walk.

   Cost: Free TIP: Mirabell Gardens at sunset is the Sound of Music shot. Even non-fans appreciate the baroque garden geometry.
6. 20:30 Dinner at Magazin (Michelin recommended) or Stieglkeller (rooftop) 2 hours

   Magazin (Michelin-recommended modern Austrian, $65-110) or Stieglkeller (rooftop overlooking Salzburg, $25-50).

   Cost: $25-110/person TIP: Reserve 1+ week ahead. Stieglkeller's terrace is the value-pick with the view.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 08:00 Salzburg → Berlin (flight 1.5h or ICE 6h) 3 hours (flight + airport)

   Flight Salzburg-Berlin 1.5h, $110-220 with luggage. ICE train via Munich 6h, $75-130. Flight is the right choice for time.

   Cost: $110-220 flight TIP: Book flight 2+ months ahead. Salzburg airport is small + easy.
2. 12:00 Berlin arrival + Brandenburg Gate + Reichstag 2 hours

   Brandenburg Gate (1791) + Reichstag dome (free but 6+ week advance reservation required at bundestag.de).

   Cost: Free + pre-reservation TIP: Reichstag dome reservation is mandatory and books out — secure 6 weeks ahead minimum.
3. 14:30 Museum Island — Pergamon or Neues Museum 3 hours

   Museum Island (UNESCO World Heritage). $20 day pass covers all 5 museums. Pergamon Altar + Neues Museum (Nefertiti bust) are the highlights.

   Cost: $20 TIP: Pre-book online. Pergamon is partly under renovation through 2027 — check current status.
4. 18:30 Dinner at Zur Letzten Instanz (1621, Berlin's oldest restaurant) 2 hours

   Berlin's oldest restaurant (1621). 400+ years of operation. Eisbein (pickled pork knuckle) + Sauerbraten. Merkel's known favorite. $35-55.

   Cost: $35-55 TIP: Reserve 1+ week ahead. Cash + card.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 09:30 East Side Gallery (Berlin Wall) 2 hours

   1.3 km preserved Berlin Wall section with 100+ graffiti murals (1990). Free, outdoor.

   Cost: Free TIP: U1 or U3 to 'Warschauer Straße' — 5-min walk.
2. 12:00 Mustafa's Gemüse Kebap (Kreuzberg) 1.5 hours

   Berlin's most-iconic döner kebab. €7-10. 1.5h queue at lunch. Mustafa's vegetable döner has changed Berlin's street-food scene.

   Cost: $8-12 TIP: If the queue is too long, Rüyam Gemüse Kebab nearby is the value alternative.
3. 14:30 Checkpoint Charlie + DDR Museum 3 hours

   Checkpoint Charlie (Cold War crossing, photo-stop only) + DDR Museum ($17 — daily-life in East Germany, interactive exhibits).

   Cost: $17 TIP: DDR Museum is the better history-lesson than Checkpoint Charlie itself.
4. 19:00 Farewell dinner — Tim Raue (★★ Asian-German modern) 3 hours

   Tim Raue (★★ Asian + German fusion, $165-275). Berlin's most-celebrated modern fine dining. Korean-friendly flavor profile.

   Cost: $165-275/person TIP: Reserve 1+ month ahead. Cash + card. Wine pairings add $80-130.

Meal Recommendations

Activities

1. 10:00 Tiergarten + Charlottenburg Palace 3 hours

   Tiergarten Park (free) + Charlottenburg Palace (1699, $13). Optional, depending on flight time.

   Cost: $13 TIP: U2 or U7 to Charlottenburg.
2. 13:30 Lunch — Curry 36 (iconic Berlin currywurst) 1 hour

   Currywurst $6-10 — Berlin's signature snack invented 1949. Counter-service only.

   Cost: $10-20 TIP: Cash only at Curry 36.
3. 16:00 BER airport departure 3 hours airport time

   S-Bahn S9 or FEX (Airport Express) €4.40, 30 min from central Berlin.

   Cost: €4.40 ($4.80) TIP: Arrive 2-2.5h before international flight.

Meal Recommendations