How to Make the Most of a Quick Munich to Augsburg Day Trip

Take a day trip from Munich to Augsburg. Discover Augsburg Germany in a day. Spend on day in Augsburg. Find out about things to do in Augsburg.

While there are plenty of things to do in Munich, on a recent trip to Bavaria in Germany, we decided to go a bit further afield and travel from Munich to Augsburg, a medieval town less than one hour from Munich by train from Munich Hbf to Augsburg Hbf on Deutsche Bahn. 

Even if you only have a few days to spend in Munich, a day trip to Augsburg is a diversion I recommend.

We arrived and quickly set out on a walk to familiarize ourselves with the town.

Walking Augsburg

Old and decaying fountains contrasted with brightly colored modern signposts. We walked down Augsburg’s main shopping street past Dies and Das.  

My German isn't great but I could quickly determine that it meant 'this and that'. We passed medieval buildings covered in paintings. Grand fountains were situated in the middle of the road. 

Impressive entrances offered a hint at the world within. Maximilianstraße is the heart of Augsburg and while the street changes names a couple times as it runs it's course, it is anchored at both ends by churches including the impressive 11th century Augsburg Cathedral. 

We wound our way through Milchburg and enjoyed the jaunty statues on the sides of some of the buildings. We emerged at the Rotes Tor (Red Gate). We discovered a small water channel emerging near the gate and decided to follow it and see where it led. 

We popped out between a hospital and apartment complex and watched the water flow vigorously before giving up the pursuit in favor of finding something for lunch.

Lunch at Cafe am Milchberg

We allowed ourselves to be lured into Cafe am Milchberg based on the promise of hearty German fare. They had a traditional menu but also pictures of each item in a wooden box on the table. 

We ordered a small beer plus goulash with lovely homemade bread. We also ordered what turned out to be a HUGE plate of spätzle and pork. It was a delicious meal that would sustain us for the rest of the afternoon.

Augsburg Town Hall - Golden Hall

Augsburg's Rathaus is known for its lavish golden hall, probably the most popular of the tourist attractions in Augsburg.  We decided to pay the admission fee and check it out.  

The trip to see Augsburg City Hall was well worth it.  Circular and oval paintings were embedded into the golden ceiling. The walls were ornately carved and covered in gold. 

The main golden hall led off into another room with a magnificent carved wood ceiling. Grotesque paintings subtly looked back from the wall. 

We enjoyed sweeping views outside the historic Rathaus window. We descended back onto Maximilianstraße to Augsburg Cathedral. 

We entered through a massive wooden door. The towering stained glass windows were particularly impressive. We ducked into a small chapel and were amazed at the pink marble surroundings. 

We admired a gallant figure looking at us from the church wall before heading back outside. We wandered back to Augsburg Rathaus Square and then down toward our final destination, Europe's first housing project - the Fuggerei.

SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Looking for other day trip ideas from Munich? If you are visiting in the winter, see two sides of Nuremberg; the uplifting Nuremberg Christkindlmarkt and experience a darker history with a visit to the Nazi documentation Center. Alternatively, check out the less touristy Christmas markets in Regensburg. You could also head to Austria and spend a day in Salzburg, birthplace of Mozart and The Sound of Music.

The Fuggerei

We ended our day in Augsburg at the Fuggerei, the world's oldest housing 'project'. Founded in the early 1500s by Jakob Fugger, the social housing complex is still in use by those in need but also serves as an Augsburg tourist attraction. 

Various saints and other Catholic icons are embedded in the walls. We spotted the old water pump for the complex. 

We continued along the lane past ivy covered houses. Lovely fountains stood in the center. A museum detailing the history of the complex sits in an old World War II bomb shelter.  

The complex also showcases a unit preserved as it would have been when the Fuggerei was built and another that shows how modern residents live.  

We finished our tour in the courtyard where we devoured a Sacher torte that we bought at Cafe Eber near the Rathaus. There is nothing like a spot of chocolate to bring a weekend citybreak to a close.

SIDEWALK SAFARI SPOTLIGHT: Looking for other short city break destinations to visit in Germany? Have you considered: spending a weekend in Frankfurt (plus discover things to do in Mainz) with day trips to Heidelberg and Speyer?  discovering all the cool things to do in Hamburg, Germany's gritty port city in the north? visiting the former east Germany starting with 2 days in Berlin followed by a day in Leipzig and 2 days in Dresden?  making the most of one day in Dusseldorf? Interested in other city break ideas in Central Europe beyond Germany? Have you thought about: spending a fascinating (and delicious!) 2 days in Budapest? heading to Austria and making the most of your city break with an Innsbruck Card or Salzburg Card? visiting one of Poland's vibrant cities? Perhaps you're up for a weekend in Krakow or 48 hours in Warsaw (full of amazing Warsaw food!). If you are looking for something more off-the-beaten track, why not check out things to do in Poznan or Bydgoszcz Poland? Tricity Poland with a focus on Gdansk also makes for a great weekend away. You can even go gnome hunting in Wroclaw! a bracing visit to Brno and Bratislava in winter?

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