This list is taken from showing various visitors around and personal experience with their reactions…as well as looking back at my own first-time experiences with these places.

(I’m NOT going to include Neuschwanstein or Salzburg, as those are the most common ones…and let’s face it, you’re gonna go there anyways)

1. Linderhof Palace, Ettal Monastery, and the Eibsee:  All three of these are easy to do in a day, and makes for one of the highlights of anyone’s visit to the area.  The down side is, you need a car.

Linderhof

Ettal Monastery (and awesome brewery)

the Eibsee

2. Regensburg, including Walhalla:

3. Herrenchiemsee:

4. Landshut, the ancient capital of Bavaria:

Trausnitz Castle, Landshut

5. Augsburg: