We usually do one big trip a year, but in 2018 we decided to add a winter adventure. Stop number one: Munich, Germany! Although very cold for two Southern California natives, the city was breathtaking. Full of Christmas markets, beer, snow, beautiful architecture, and, well, more beer. The highlight of our trip was staying with our friends whom we met while in Spain the previous Spring. We were fortunate enough to stay with one of them and we were treated to some great local spots. From Munich we did two day trips to the Neuschwanstein Castle and Salzburg, Austria.
The Christmas Markets were one of the main reasons for us taking a trip in December. Jenny LOVES everything about the season and she couldn't wait to see these. The markets we visited were located at Marienplatz, Odeonsplatz, the Chinese Tower and also Rindermarkt & Viktualienmarkt (which are both off of the Marienplatz spot). Filled with delicious food, detailed hand crafted trinkets and stunning Christmas trees, Jenny was in heaven. And we can’t forget to mention the Gluehwein which is a must for staying warm.
The Englischer Garten was the perfect place to spend an afternoon. Here you can find the Monopteros which was absolutely beautiful and a great lookout point for the city. We stumbled upon the Chinese Tower Christmas Market which had the same charm as the other markets we visited and was also very family-friendly with games & crafts for kids. Before we left the park we found the city surfers! Every day of the year you can find a handful of surfers catching waves on the Eisbach.
If you love football and have a chance to see an FC Bayern Munich match, DO IT. This was our first european football game and the energy in the Allianz Arena was phenomenal. We had so much fun chanting (even though we didn’t know the words) and cheering with the fans when our team scored. The night ended perfectly with Bayern Munich winning 3-0 which meant the team would improve their standing in the Bundesliga.
From Munich, we took a quick day trip by train to the Neuschwanstein Castle. Unfortunately we left too late in the day to be able to go up to the castle (darn jet lag), but it was still a fun little trip. The train ride to Füssen was about two hours each way and we traveled through the beautiful Germany countryside. The castle sits in the mountains over the little town of Hohenschwangau. We definitely recommend this day trip, but make sure to leave early in the morning.
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