Day Trips. They’re like Travel’s shortcut to seeing as many places as you can, with the least amount of time required.

It is a method of travelling where, instead of evoking meaning and mindfulness into the way we orchestrate our route, we hightail it across town, trying to make as much of it as we can in 12 hours or less. It’s a good way of travelling when used sparingly, or as a means to recharge and put aside the grind of everyday life – but when overextended while exploring a brand new destination for the first time, this method of travelling almost always leads to Regret (you might want to read more about this here).

I went to Germany for the first time in my life in October 2021, armed with a personalized itinerary that covered 8 cities in 18 days (Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Heidelberg, Berlin, Hanover, Nuremberg, Munich). This itinerary was a result of my insatiable need to go everywhere and see everything; and in fact, if I had more time, I would probably have squeezed in a couple cities more (and gone on to regret it more). All this was due to the presumption that any city located 1-2 hours away from my base destination could be encapsulated into a ‘Day Trip’. And now, four months on and plenty of anguish later, all I can say is, don’t. Don’t do it. No matter how many articles you come across that tell you you can, rushing through an entire city’s worth of experiences in a single day is just not worth it. Especially in a country like Germany where every city is so uniquely multi-layered and abuzz with its own locality, every attempt at a scramble is an attempt to rob yourself of yet another formative moment where you could have seen, felt, and learned so much more.

Personally, if I had a chance at a do-over, I would probably have dropped half the cities on my list and centred my 18 days around the ‘Less is More’ rule instead: Less places, more experiences. In fact, since coming back, I have made countless half-jokes about how if I’d known, I would have just spent the entire duration of my trip fully soaking in the magic of Bavaria – but of course, hindsight is always 20/20; and as such, here we are, you on my 2740-odd word article, finding out why some cities in Germany just aren’t worth compressing into a day trip.

DON’T DO A DAY TRIP TO: DUSSELDORF

In puzzling together an itinerary for a continent I’d spent the least amount of time in my life exploring, I cleverly limited searches to the garden variety ‘Things to Do in xxx‘, copied and pasted over stuff that kept showing up, paid heed to little else, and confidently presumed that I was set. I could get away with A Day In Dusseldorf.

The Alstadt, the River, Königsallee, Carlsplatz. I pretty much stuck to Dusseldorf’s top ten hits and did not expect that there might be anything more. Somewhere along the way, the Universe even extended its pity for my shortsightedness and proposed a more experiential direction by way of Kaiserwerth (i.e. I chanced upon it on a random blog); and even then, the cogwheels didn’t turn and nothing clicked and it didn’t occur to me that maybe there were more of such off-the-beaten-track places in Dusseldorf that I should look into and maybe, I should reconsider the content/span of my itinerary.

I just simply looked at Kaiserwerth, felt moderately intrigued, and thought, what a pretty little place- and just 20 minutes out of the main city too; how convenient and most importantly, how very squeezable into my already-snug itinerary!

Centuries of old-world charm, tucked away in a small little sleepy suburb with more medieval magic than I could ever imagine – a small, historic world in itself; and it turns out I didn’t even have more than an hour’s worth to explore at ease before I had to leave.

For me, Kaiserwerth was concealed, and off-the-grid, and extraordinary; a snippet of what I’d essentially imagined my time in Germany to be. Slow, mindful, rested. A place where the landscapes speak and we simply listen. Where the luxury of personal space was central to the promise of any expedition I undertook. And yet, the reality was that I could barely even skim the surface of it before I had to leave. There were horses grazing fields that I didn’t have time to get close to. Rows upon rows of beautiful houses that I couldn’t even spare seconds to take a shot of. I managed to make it to as far as the ruins of Kaiserpfalz, and then, that was it. I literally just saw it, and had to leave. Didn’t have time to go past its facade; let alone explore its once-magnificent stronghold now reduced to a crumbling mosaic of humbled brickrocks. Didn’t have time to let my mind run wild with imagination about the history that echoed within its walls, to wonder about the ghosts of the dignitaries who once lived there.

Needless to say, I also completely missed the Schloss Benrath, so pink and so decidedly Wes Anderson in its stature and such a picture of cinematic isolation.

All because I’d looked at my day, saw a bunch of things geographically positioned in arm’s length of one another; and assumed that it could all be easily covered in a day.

Recommended Time Spent: At least 2 full days.
Actual Time Spent: Less than 12 hours.

DON’T DO A DAY TRIP TO: COLOGNE

Do not believe anyone who tells you that the Dom is all there is to Cologne.

The Dom may be central to all of Cologne’s sights and sounds, but it is definitely NOT all there is to Cologne. And unless you’re coming all the way to Cologne to see the Dom and only the Dom (which is a waste, if you ask me), it’s hard to fathom how a day is possibly enough. Cologne is, ironically, a springboard into other smaller day trips (day trips that are actually feasible and not overwrought with stress and anxiety); and if you’re attempting to pull off an itinerary that is full without being frenetic, you might want to seriously consider setting down your bags for a few days first before zooming out elsewhere. Examples of day trips worthy of consideration are Königswinter where you can stop by the legendary Schloss Drachenburg (the very inspiration for Disney’s Cinderella Castle); insanely picturesque Monschau; or maybe even Brühl where you can check out the two UNESCO World Heritage-certified Augustusburg and Falkenlust Palaces (although, give it a skip if you feel like you might be starting to experience castle fatigue).

As a general rule, avoid Cologne Day Trip suggestions you recognize to be prominent places, cities (Frankfurt, Dusseldorf… 🤦), or even places outside of Germany. There is an endless trove of places within Germany itself just waiting to be discovered, it is strange to imagine the necessity to skip borderlines just to mildly skim the surface of another country- unless of course, you live in Germany; or are just fully content with turbotouristing.

Recommended Time Spent: I would personally spend at least 3 days, but it really depends on what’s on your mind.
Actual Time Spent: Less than 12 hours.

DON’T DO A DAY TRIP TO: FRANKFURT (SORT OF)

Speaking of Frankfurt..

If I could be perfectly forthright, I would say Frankfurt is actually one of those places you can see in a day – provided you’re intending to cover only the main bits like the central square (Römerberg) and its surrounding quarters and nothing else more. You’ve got so much within walking distance (plus it’s an enjoyable walk too); and if you time yourself well, you will still be able to get a good sense of Frankfurt’s historic lure and old-world feel without having to go too out of the way to do it (once again, this is said on the provision that you’re only intending to cover the main bits).

That said, if you’re visiting Frankfurt anywhere between Thursdays to Sundays, consider stretching your Frankfurt hop into a 2-day affair, to experience a little local weekend charm a la Frankfurt style. Plenty of things happen in this city closer to and over the weekends; and many places come abuzz during this time with a heady mix of hustle and bustle, plenty of which can be attributed to open-air market places (like flea markets and farmers’ markets) and their usual prismatic display of Germanic sights, sounds, smells, and senses.

Don’t worry about your itinerary being too loose as a result of this extension. Plenty of secondary main bits remain to be explored on the outerskirts of the main centre that will make this additional day worthwhile, including the Old Jewish Cemetery; a plethora of quality museums like Städel, the Natural History Museum, DialogMuseum (a museum that recreates for visitors the experience of the visually impaired); and even some pretty vibey neighbourhoods like Sachsenhausen, Bockenheim, Bornheim (and more!).

Recommended Time Spent: 2 days for a full experience.

Actual Time Spent: 6 days, 4 of which were expended on day trips out of Frankfurt.

DON’T DO A DAY TRIP TO: NUREMBERG

Like Frankfurt, Nuremberg is good for a day – but better with two. If it’s Christmas season, you might even want to roll that to three, because Nuremberg is home to one of the world’s oldest and most iconic Christmas markets: the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt; and it’s not the kind of place you’ll be happy spending just a day or two at.

Of course, even without the magic and whimsy of Christmas lacing your Nuremberg stay, this magnetic city is still worth more than a day’s trip of your time because, well, because it’s magnetic. Nuremberg is one of those rustic European cities that is big and old and feels like it belongs to another time and place (in the best sense possible), and it just doesn’t feel like the kind of place anyone should rush through. It is packed with as much folklore as it is with remnants from the Third Reich, and it is sealed with just the right edge of modernity to deem it one of the most monumental strolls back into history’s yesteryears.

Especially if you’re into exploring Nuremberg’s significance during the Third Reich, one day will be unquestionably insufficient. These sites are more often than not, not located within the main city area; and you really don’t want to come all the way here only to miss out on spots like the Nuremberg Trials Courtroom or the Nazi Party Rally Grounds (among many others).

For the record, I embarked on Germany completely clueless about Sundays (i.e. everything’s closed); and in an inopportune stroke of planning, scheduled my one and only day in Nuremberg to be on a Sunday. Nonetheless, I found the city to be completely enigmatic in its beauty and such a sanctuary of refinement for the soul, and I personally could not get enough of it. (Now think about how much more time I’d have needed if everything was actually open.)

Recommended Time Spent: 2 days, 3 days at least if it’s Christmas season.

Actual Time Spent: less than 12 hours.

DON’T DO A DAY TRIP TO: LITERALLY ANY LAKE IN BAVARIA

Did anyone ever make you believe that some lake or another was doable as a Day Trip from Munich? That it was only x hours away and all you have to do is get this ticket and hop on that train, and you’ll be able to do all the things you wanted at this lake that you read about on the internet?

Don’t.

Don’t even begin to believe them.

One of the greatest curses you can inflict upon yourself when travelling, is to expose your senses to a place so truly mesmerizing it simultatenously awakens and sedates something inside of you both at the same time; only to find that you do not have enough time to be in it.

Lake Eibsee was that for me.

Lake Eibsee (and I imagine, any other lake in the Bavarian region) is not the kind of place you scramble through, convince yourself that you’re here, and then call it a day. It’s the kind of place you come to slow down, to revel in the pleasure of nature’s bucolic allure, take in its curative waters as you look for some kind of antidote to the ills of modern life. If you’ve got a robust appetite for recreation or simply just slow travel, then these lake destinations are unrivalled; a rush-hour brisk walk just won’t do justice to the sense of timelessness that pervades here,

Coming from a country where this landscape isn’t commonplace for me all, it was all the more bewildering that I had to leave even before I got started. If I could do it all over, I would definitely have paid more attention to this leg of my Germany trip – or at least, lend it more time than one day trip‘s worth could possibly allow. There is an enchantment to the mountains there; and it’s a pity I’d hit, and missed.

This is going to come out equal parts poignant and ironic, but if I could give you just one piece of good advice when you’re planning your itinerary, it’s to please always take things that you read from travel blogs or social media with a huge pinch of salt. Regrettably, I took the unfortunate advice from a travel blogger*, who recommended purchasing the Bavaria Regional Ticket for a more cost-effective day trip to Lake Eibsee, and it was from this point that everything started to go down south.

The Bavaria Regional Ticket allows you unlimited rides within the Bavarian region for just €26, which essentially means you can get to Lake Eibsee from Munich for just €26 – all in a day. (When booked a la carte, this journey can cost you up to €80.) What she neglected to mention was that the Bavaria Regional Ticket also comes with a time restriction, and you are only allowed to travel between 9am and 3pm with it. Now, if you’re planning a day trip to Lake Eibsee from Munich using this ticket and even if you take the earliest train out and the latest train back, theoretically speaking, you only have 6 hours to work with (realistically, it’s even shorter because you have to make a transfer plus you’ll also have to coordinate the waiting times between the transfers). The train journey itself is about 2hours each way – so minus 4hours of travelling time, you will effectively be left with less than 2 hours to do anything when you finally reach Lake Eibsee.

*In fact, many travel bloggers resoundingly recommend the Bavaria Regional ticket for a visit to Lake Eibsee – all fail to mention the time restriction.

How is 2 hours possibly enough? Paddleboating, hikes, boat rides, strolling through the nearby town and farms? Forget about all of it if you’re intending to do any of these Lakes only as a day trip. Before you even get your bearings right, you’re probably going to have to head back; and it’s the worst feeling you’ll have to nurse that day.

And I really urge everyone to leave that Instagram bucket list behind too – here, the photos you take should be an outcome of your visit, not the very design that your entire visit is conceptualized on.

Recommended Time Spent: Speaking about Lake Eibsee in particular, I would spend least 3-4 days where I can have ample time to explore the town of Garmisch Partenkirchen, take a walk through the nearby farms, and even perhaps hop on a train trip up to the peak of Zugspitze! (gaaahhhhhh to all that I’ve missed.)
Actual Time Spent: Less than 2 hours.

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