Are Bavarians friendly to travellers : My Honest experience

Before travelling to Bavaria, I came across mixed opinions online. Some travellers described Bavarians as friendly but reserved, while others shared stories of racism and discrimination.

Naturally, I was curious to see what my own experience would be.

My mother and I spent six days travelling across Bavaria, visiting Munich, Berchtesgaden, Königssee, Dachau and several smaller towns.

As Indian travellers, we met a few kind and helpful people during our trip.

However, we also experienced several bitter incidents in Bavaria that left us shocked and wondering whether we were being treated differently because of our ethnicity.

So, are Bavarians friendly? There isn’t a simple yes or no answer.

In this article, I share exactly what happened during our trip, how Munich compared with the rest of Bavaria, and whether I believe these incidents reflect the region as a whole.

My aim is not to stereotype Bavarians or discourage anyone from visiting.

Instead, I want to give travellers an honest account of our experience so they can make informed decisions and know what to expect.

Quick answer : Are Bavarians rude?

Most Bavarians weren’t friendly towards us as Indian travellers. I would not describe all Bavarians as racist.

Of all the ten European countries I have travelled to, I experienced more uncomfortable incidents in Gaermany’s Bavaria than anywhere else.

I faced racist comments and behaviour such as locals refusing to sit next to us, shooing us away, and telling us to “go back where we came from”.

Munich, however, felt noticeably more international and accepting than some of the smaller towns we visited.

These experiences are personal and cannot represent every Bavarian.

They were significant enough that I wanted to share them honestly, so other travellers know what to expect when visiting Bavaria in Germany, a region famous for its gorgeous lakes, mountains and fairytale castles.

Why I Don’t think Bavarians are friendly

1. Schoolchildren refused to sit next to us in Bavaria

Our first uncomfortable experience in Bavaria happened on the very day we entered the region from my favourite place in Austria, Salzburg.

While travelling by bus to Königssee via Berchtesgaden on bus 814

At approximately 7:15, our trusty Austrian post bus breezed past the borders.

Just like the usual drill between Schengen countries, you never really realize when you’ve crossed over.

A group of schoolchildren got on in the small Bavarian village of Marktschellenberg.

My mother offered one of them the empty seat beside us, but they refused, which is perfectly understandable.

Children need to be careful around strangers. Instead, one child asked us not to speak to them in English and placed his books on the empty seat.

Undeterred by their suspicion, my mother persisted, waving her hand at one of the kids and kindly saying, “Come on, it’s alright, you can sit here. You’ve got quite the hefty bag there.” But, the response was a resolute “No.”

When the bus became less crowded, many of the children chose to sit beside white passengers instead of us.

The kid, with an air of caution, pleaded, “Please don’t talk to us, and I won’t be sitting next to you.”

And he unloaded all the books he had on that empty seat, with a bang.

It may have been a misunderstanding, but to us, it felt intentional that they chose white or German-looking passengers over us.

It was a shocking welcome to Bavaria, especially after nearly two weeks in Austria, where people had been much more welcoming.

2. The café staff at Berchtesgaden watched our every move.

After the bus journey, we stopped at a café in Berchtesgaden while waiting for our bus to Königssee.

Since we had some time to spare, we thought we might as well have breakfast.

As soon as we sat down with two cups of coffee, pretzels and croissants, one of the staff members came to us and said something

She sternly remarked, “Just so you know, you’re supposed to return the plates to the counter, alright?”

While we may not be European locals, we’ve managed to pick up a thing or two about restaurant etiquette along our adventurous journey.

I politely replied that we knew the rules and would return the plates ourselves. However, she still didn’t seem pleased.

Soon after, another employee joined her, and both of them kept watching us throughout our visit.

Nothing else was said, but the constant staring made us feel uncomfortable.

We left the café wondering whether we were simply overthinking the situation or whether we were being treated differently because we were Indian.

But I really felt,human Gazing – an another variant of racism in Bavaria.

3. An elderly Bavarian told us to “go back”

Later that day, we boarded another bus from Berchtesgaden to Königssee.

Before boarding, we quickly stepped out to buy face masks, which had suddenly become compulsory on public transport. We returned within a couple of minutes, well before the bus was due to leave.

As we got back on the bus, an elderly man carrying a basket looked at us and muttered, “Your kind of people always create trouble.”

Those words immediately upset me because we hadn’t delayed the bus or caused any inconvenience.

I asked him what he meant, but instead of explaining himself, he became even angrier and repeatedly shouted, “Go back! Go back!”

My mother was deeply hurt by the incident and wanted to cancel the rest of our trip and return to Austria instead of continuing to Munich.

It took a lot of convincing before she agreed to continue our journey.

4. We were made to feel unwelcome for not speaking German

One of the highlights of our trip was the beautiful Königssee Lake.

When you get to the “postcard perfect” St Bartholomew cathedral by boat, the boatmen play the bugle, and it echoes.

The bugle session will be done once the captain explains historical and scientific facts about the lake in 100% German.

After the boat ride, I approached the captain to ask about the next boat schedule.

He seemed surprised that I hadn’t understood the announcements he had made earlier about the boat timings.

He asked, “So, you only heard the bugle? You didn’t understand a single word I said about the history and geography of Königssee?”

I apologised and explained that I didn’t speak German and was visiting Bavaria for only six days.

Instead of answering my question, he told me that I should make an effort to learn German when visiting the country.

I completely respect Germany’s language and culture, but as a tourist on a short holiday, learning German before my trip simply wasn’t possible.

The conversation ended abruptly, and I walked away feeling embarrassed rather than welcomed.

5. A group of young women laughed at me in Munich

Compared with the rest of Bavaria, Munich was much more welcoming. However, we still had one uncomfortable experience.

I was sitting on the steps outside the Munich Residence one evening, filming the lively square in front of me.

Without realising it, I pointed my phone towards a nearby loudspeaker, which caused an interference noise.

A group of young women nearby burst into laughter. At first, I ignored them, but they continued laughing and looking at me.

I walked over and asked, “I’m sorry if I disturbed anyone, but what’s so funny?”

Still laughing, one of them replied, “You don’t speak German? You didn’t know that phones interfere with the loudspeakers?”

I explained that it had happened by accident and that I already knew about phone interference. I also told them there was no need to laugh at someone for making an honest mistake.

They looked at each other, muttered something in German and continued laughing.

I walked away feeling disappointed. Until then, most of my unpleasant experiences had involved older people. In Munich, it was a younger group that left a bad impression.

6. Two Bavarian women called us “dirty” in Austria

Ironically, the worst incident involving Bavarians didn’t happen in Bavaria. It happened in the Nordkette cable car in Innsbruck, Austria.

As soon as my mother and I entered the cabin, two elderly women started covering their noses and pulled a young boy, who was probably their grandson, closer to them.

At first, we didn’t understand what was happening.

When I asked if there was a problem, one of the women replied, “I am Bavarian. You stink. Get off the cable car.”

We immediately denied her accusation, but both women continued shouting at us.

As the cable car reached the next station, they waved us away and yelled, “No Munich for you. No job for you. Dirty and stinky! Go back.”

My mother burst into tears. I was angry and humiliated, but I stayed calm and began arguing back.

Fortunately, the cable car operator, two Austrian men and a Dutch traveller stepped in to support us.

The operator warned the women to stop or he would call the police. It was only then that we learnt from the cable car staff that the women were not Austrian but German tourists from a nearby Bavarian village.

It was one of the most upsetting experiences of our trip.

At the same time, it reminded us that while those two women treated us with hatred, several complete strangers, especially the Austrians around us, stood up for us without hesitation.

Similar experiences shared by my friends and relatives facing racism in Bavaria

After returning home, I started talking to my friends and relatives about our experience in Germany.

To my surprise, several of them had their own stories to share.

My cousin, who frequently travels to Germany for work, told me that while returning to Stuttgart from Augsburg in Bavaria on a crowded train, the seat beside him remained empty even though people were standing.

He felt that many passengers deliberately chose not to sit next to him because he was Indian.

My aunt, who stayed in Munich for about a month, had a similar experience. She wears Indian saree or Salwar Kameez like my mum.

She was constantly stared in the city by folks with a disgusted look on their face

One of her neighbours genuinely asked whether India had rubbish bins. While the question may have come from curiosity rather than hatred, it showed how little some people knew about India.

I also spoke to an Indian family that has lived in Nuremberg for more than 15 years.

They told me that racism still exists and that their children have occasionally been blamed for things they didn’t do.

On more than one occasion, they were told to “go back where they came from”.

Why Munich felt more welcoming than the rest of Bavaria

So, is Munich racist? Based on my experience, Munich was the least racist place we visited in Bavaria. 

Although we experienced one or two uncomfortable incidents in the city, it is much better than other smaller towns of the region

As Germany’s third-largest city, Munich is home to people from different cultures and nationalities.

During our time there, we didn’t experience the same hostility that we had faced in some of the smaller towns. 

Instead, people largely kept to themselves, and we felt much more comfortable walking around the city.

One thing I noticed while travelling across Bavaria was how proud many locals were of their Bavarian identity.

Whenever we asked shopkeepers, street vendors or strawberry sellers where they were from, they rarely just said “Germany”. Instead, many proudly replied, “I’m Bavarian.”

That strong regional identity stood out to me. Whether it was their accent, traditions or culture, many people seemed to identify as Bavarian first and German second.

Should tourists worry about racism in Bavaria?

Yes, you should be prepared for the possibility of a few awkward or unfriendly experiences, especially if you are a brown, non-white or non-German-speaking traveller, especially in smaller Bavarian towns and villages.

That said, these experiences shouldn’t stop you from visiting Bavaria. It is one of the most beautiful regions in Germany, and many travellers have wonderful holidays without facing any discrimination.

Go with an open mind, keep your interactions with locals to a minimum, be respectful of the local culture, and don’t let the actions of a few people define your entire trip. 

I genuinely hope your experience is much better than mine.

Is Bavaria still worth visiting if you’re worried about racism?

Yes, I would still recommend visiting Bavaria. Despite everything that happened, I don’t regret visiting. Bavaria is genuinely one of the most beautiful places I have travelled to. 

Seeing Neuschwanstein Castle in person was a dream come true. 

I loved exploring villages like Schwangau, taking a boat ride across the crystal-clear Königssee, and visiting the Eagle’s Nest high in the Bavarian Alps. 

The mountains around Berchtesgaden were simply breathtaking. 

Munich was another highlight.

In fact, I thought the jewellery collection at the Munich Residence was even more impressive than the one at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, and its vaulted fresco hall was simply magical. 

Visiting the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial was emotional and thought-provoking, and a place I believe everyone should visit at least once.

Would I have preferred to experience all of that without racism?

Absolutely. But those incidents didn’t take away from the beauty, history and culture that Bavaria has to offer.