South

Start your visit in Verona with a visit to Centro Internazionale di Fotografia Scavi Scaligeri or the Biblioteca Capitolare, the oldest operating library in the world. Then, take a tour focusing on Dante Alighieri in Verona or enjoy the beautiful Giardino Giusti, considered to be one of the most beautiful Italian gardens of the late Renaissance period. Then, enjoy a snack at Caffè Wallner or maybe an ice cream. If you’re interested in medieval and Renaissance art, then go visit Museum Castelvecchio. Contemporary Italian art can be found at Galleria d’Arte Moderna Achille Forti. If you’re looking for more movement or an adrenaline rush, take a rafting tour on the Adige River! Then, in the evening, after a great meal at the vegan restaurant La Lanterna or at Osteria a la Carega, popular with musicians, artists and students, explore the student district of Veronetta. Or alternatively, attend an interesting concert at the ancient Roman arena.

There is a direct connection every two hours to the next stop on your journey: Innsbruck (travel time: 3 hours and 35 minutes).

First make your way to Bergisel Ski Jump – it offers not only a fantastic view across the city, but is also an architectural highlight in its own right as it was designed by the architect Zaha Hadid.  Right next door you can see the 1,000 square metre Tirol-Panorama, which tells the story of Tirol’s struggle for freedom. Then stop over at the haepinest café, or sample one of the dishes at Futterkutters (which also serves vegan and vegetarian food)– all without any plastic! If you’re interested in architecture, head for Adambräu, home to the Tyrolean Architecture Center, which organises regular exhibitions and lectures on architecture, art and design. At Endlich Store, shop around for a unique souvenir produced by local artists and designers. If you still have some energy, you could go and discover Innsbruck’s Street Art. In the evening, take a walk by Bäckerei, where there is always a wide range of concerts, exhibitions, lectures, plays and much more. Or grab a beer and enjoy some live music at Montagu.

Use one of the direct connections that leave every two hours for Munich (travel time: 1 hour, 46 minutes).

The Bavarian state capital has a lot to offer, so don’t waste any time before heading out for MUCA, the Museum of Contemporary and Urban Art, or Haus der Kunst, which presents revolving exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. You can see art by young local artists at Art:ig Galerie, or take a detour to Bahnwärter Thiel, which is not only a must-see because of all its graffiti, but also because of the studios housed in shipping containers and the many cultural events that take place there at regular intervals. If you’re interested in television and film, you should definitely take a tour of Bavaria Filmstadt and see the original film sets there. If you happen to be in Munich on a Friday or a Saturday, be sure to check out the Flea Market at the Olympic Park –if not just to get an impression of the Olympic architecture. You can then relax with some coffee and cake at  Gartensalon, or take a swim in the Isar River. If you’ve always wanted to surf, you can try it out on the Eisbach standing wave. Or maybe you’d prefer to just watch others… Right next door you can find Fräulein Grüneis, a former toilet building that now boasts tasty cakes! If you feel like doing some more shopping, why not pass by Sodala to pick up some regional beers, lemonades and other drinks, or  DearGoods, which offers ecological, vegan and fair trade clothing. Round off the day at Alte Utting, a former pleasure boat on a railway bridge, complete with a cultural programme and beer garden!

Several trains leave every hour from the Munich main station to the next stop on your journey: Nuremberg (fastest travel time: 1 hour, 2 minutes).

Set yourself up for the day with a tasty breakfast at Café Mainheim. And for a taste of medieval flair, head over to Handwerkerhof Nuremberg or Weissgerbergasse, where you can admire historic half-timbered houses nestled between small shops. While you’re there, enjoy some ice cream at Die kleine Eismanufaktur. Discover more relics of medieval times on a guided tour of the historical rock-cut cellars. Inform yourself on a different aspect of history at the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds, the Memorium Nuremberg Trials exhibit or at the WW II Art Bunker, where the art treasures from Nuremberg were deposited during the Second World War. If you’re more interested in art, you’ll find what you’re looking for at Neues Museum, the Albrecht-Dürer House, Kunsthalle Nürnberg or Kunstvilla, and the Museum for Communication is also well worth a visit. Following that, go on a tour of discovery through the creative and artistic district of Gostenhof and enjoy a cup of coffee at Machhörndl while you’re there. Or you might want to check out St. John‘s Cemetery, which was selected in 2013 as the most beautiful cemetery in Germany. Be sure to visit the grave of Alfred Dürer and then take a break at Hesperidengarten coffee shop. Take a 50-minute train out of Nuremberg to see the Glass Cathedral in Amberg, which is the last work of Walter Gropius, founder of the Bauhaus movement. If you have another day, then take a trip to Amberg! Once back in Nuremberg, you just have to try a few Nuremberg Rostbratwurst sausages; vegans and vegetarians will probably prefer to go to Mischbar or The Green. In summer, sip a cocktail on the sandy beach on the island of Schütt or attend a concert at the ruin of St. Catherine’s church.

The train from Nuremberg to Weimar runs every hour (fastest travel time: 1 hour and 31 minutes). You have now reached the end of your journey – and are about to start experiencing the next exciting highlights!