Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Perching at the Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden (
Click here
) to enjoy show-
stopping Alpine vistas
Striking a trail through the tranquil wilds of the Bavarian Forest (
Click
here
)
Going full circle around the town walls of quaint Dinkelsbühl (
Click here
)
Messing around on the waters of the achingly picturesque Königssee (
Click
here
)
Revisiting Bavaria's Nazi past in Nuremberg (
Click here
)
Going frothy at the mouth in the hundreds of superb beer gardens, brewer-
ies and brewpubs across the region (
Click here
)
History
For centuries Bavaria was ruled as a duchy in the Holy Roman Empire, a patchwork of
nations that extended from Italy to the North Sea. In the early 19th century, a conquering
Napoleon annexed Bavaria, elevated it to the rank of kingdom and doubled its size. The
fledgling nation became the object of power struggles between Prussia and Austria and, in
1871, was brought into the German Reich by Bismarck.
Bavaria was the only German state that refused to ratify the Basic Law (Germany's
near constitution) following WWII. Instead Bavaria's leaders opted to return to its pre-war
status as a 'free state', and drafted their own constitution. Almost ever since, the
Land
(state) has been ruled by the Christlich-Soziale Union (CSU), the arch- conservative party
that is peculiar to Bavaria. Its dominance of the politics of a single
Land
is unique in post-
war Germany, though Bavarian state elections in 2008 saw the party lose 17% of its vote,
forcing it to enter a coalition with the FDP. Its sister party, the CDU, operates in the rest of
the country by mutual agreement.
Getting There & Around
Munich is Bavaria's main transport hub, second only to Frankfurt in flight and rail con-
nections. Rail is the best way to reach Munich from other parts of Germany, and the best
means of getting from the Bavarian capital to other parts of Bavaria. Air links within Bav-
aria are much less extensive.
