Bavaria

Bavaria is often defined by its castles, painted villages and dramatic Alpine scenery, but its design story is considerably richer. Munich’s grand boulevards, Jugendstil architecture and Modernist landmarks contrast with timber farmhouses, historic spa towns and mountain villages further south. From the foothills of the Alps to Franconia in the north, a new generation of architects is reinterpreting regional traditions through timber, stone and beautifully restrained contemporary design, proving that Bavarian architecture can look forward without abandoning its roots.

Food and drink are inseparable from Bavarian culture. Historic beer halls, village Wirtshäuser and Munich’s famous beer gardens remain essential, while regional cooking changes as you travel through the state. Traditional dishes, Alpine cheeses and local produce increasingly share the table with ambitious contemporary restaurants and a younger generation of chefs working closely with farmers and producers. Beer may dominate the popular image, but Franconia’s distinctive wine culture offers an entirely different side of Bavaria.

Bavaria’s most interesting hotels reflect this balance between tradition and reinvention. Grand city hotels, historic inns, converted farmhouses and architect-designed Alpine retreats offer very different interpretations of regional hospitality. At DNA Hotels, we curate the places where architecture, food, craftsmanship and landscape come together—hotels that reveal a Bavaria extending far beyond the familiar clichés of castles, beer and Lederhosen.