7-Day Germany Itinerary: Berlin, Munich & the Romantic Road

Fly into Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER). The S-Bahn connects to the city centre in 30 minutes (€3.80).\n\nDay 1 — Cold War History and the Wall: Start at the Brandenburg Gate — the most iconic symbol of Berlin and German reunification. Walk east along Unter den Linden to the Berlin Cathedral and Museum Island (a UNESCO World Heritage Site with five world-class museums — the Pergamon Museum alone is worth a full day). Then visit the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe — a powerful and sobering installation of 2,711 concrete slabs.\n\nAfternoon: the East Side Gallery — the longest remaining section of the Berlin Wall (1.3km), covered in murals by artists from around the world. Then explore Kreuzberg — Berlin\'s most diverse and creative neighbourhood, with excellent street food, independent shops, and the Turkish Market on Maybachufer.\n\nDay 2 — Museums and Nightlife: Spend the morning at the Pergamon Museum — the ancient Pergamon Altar, the Ishtar Gate of Babylon, and the Market Gate of Miletus are among the most extraordinary ancient artefacts in the world. Afternoon: explore Prenzlauer Berg — a beautifully restored 19th-century neighbourhood with tree-lined streets, independent cafes, and the Mauerpark flea market (Sundays only).\n\nEvening: Berlin has one of the world\'s greatest nightlife scenes. The Mitte and Friedrichshain neighbourhoods have excellent bars and clubs. Berghain (if you can get in) is the most famous club in the world — the queue starts on Friday evening and the club runs through the weekend.

Take the ICE high-speed train from Berlin Hauptbahnhof to Munich Hauptbahnhof — journey time approximately 4 hours, fares from £30–£80 booked in advance on Deutsche Bahn (bahn.de). The train is comfortable, punctual, and far more convenient than flying.\n\nArrive in Munich and check in. Munich is the capital of Bavaria — a city of beer halls, baroque churches, world-class museums, and easy access to the Alps and the Bavarian countryside.\n\nAfternoon: Explore Marienplatz — Munich\'s central square, dominated by the Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) with its famous Glockenspiel carillon (chimes at 11am and noon). The Viktualienmarkt — a daily food market just south of Marienplatz — is excellent for Bavarian cheeses, sausages, and fresh produce.\n\nEvening: The Hofbräuhaus — Munich\'s most famous beer hall, founded in 1589. Enormous, loud, and touristy, but a genuine Munich institution. Order a Mass (one-litre stein) of Hofbräu lager and a plate of Schweinshaxe (roasted pork knuckle).

Day 4 — Palaces and Museums: Visit the Nymphenburg Palace — the summer residence of the Bavarian royal family, with a baroque facade, ornate state rooms, and beautiful formal gardens. Then the Deutsches Museum — the world\'s largest science and technology museum, with extraordinary exhibits on everything from mining to space travel. Allow at least half a day.\n\nAfternoon: the English Garden (Englischer Garten) — one of the world\'s largest urban parks, larger than Central Park in New York. The Chinese Tower beer garden in the park is a Munich institution — order a Masskrug and a pretzel and watch the world go by. Surfers ride a standing wave on the Eisbach river at the park\'s southern entrance — a uniquely Munich sight.\n\nDay 5 — Day Trip to Neuschwanstein: Take the train from Munich Hauptbahnhof to Füssen (2 hours, €27 with Bayern-Ticket) and then a bus or taxi to Neuschwanstein Castle — the fairy-tale castle that inspired Disney\'s Sleeping Beauty Castle, built by the eccentric King Ludwig II in the 1870s. The interior is extraordinary — every room is a fantasy of medieval romance. Book tickets online well in advance (they sell out months ahead in summer).\n\nCombine with the nearby Hohenschwangau Castle (Ludwig\'s childhood home) and the Alpsee lake for a full day in the Bavarian Alps.

Rent a car or take the Romantic Road Bus (operates May–October) for a day along Germany\'s most famous scenic route — a 350km road through medieval towns, baroque churches, and rolling Bavarian countryside.\n\nRothenburg ob der Tauber is the highlight — a perfectly preserved medieval walled town that looks like it has barely changed since the 16th century. Walk the town walls, visit the Medieval Crime Museum, and try a Schneeball (a traditional pastry unique to Rothenburg). The town is extremely popular with tourists but genuinely extraordinary.\n\nDinkelsbühl — another beautifully preserved medieval town, slightly less visited than Rothenburg and arguably more authentic. The St George\'s Minster is one of the finest late-Gothic churches in Germany.\n\nAugsburg — Bavaria\'s third-largest city, with a magnificent Renaissance town hall, the Fuggerei (the world\'s oldest social housing complex, founded 1516 and still inhabited), and excellent restaurants.

Morning: The Marienplatz area is excellent for a final morning — the Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Lady, with its distinctive twin onion domes, the symbol of Munich), the Asamkirche (a tiny but extraordinarily ornate baroque church), and the Residenz (the former royal palace of the Wittelsbach dynasty, with 130 rooms open to visitors).\n\nLunch: A final Bavarian lunch — Weisswurst (white veal sausage, eaten before noon by tradition, with sweet mustard and a pretzel), Obatzda (a Bavarian cheese spread), and a Weissbier (wheat beer).\n\nDeparture: Munich Airport (MUC) is 40 minutes from the city centre by S-Bahn. Excellent connections to UK airports with Lufthansa, British Airways, easyJet, and Ryanair.\n\nRail tip: Buy a Bayern-Ticket (€29 for one person, €6 per additional person up to 5) for unlimited travel on regional trains and buses across Bavaria for one day — excellent value for day trips to Neuschwanstein, Salzburg, or the Alps.