Germany: ich komme, ich komme!

Made some plans for a vacation in Germany later this spring. Southern Germany, mostly, or at least I am flying to Munich. I've been to Germany twice before, once for a business trip in Saarbrucken and Frankfurt, and once on vacation in Karlsruhe (not actually vacationing in Karlsruhe, just checking out the city on the way from Luxembourg to Brussels). I did not like Frankfurt much, and Saarbrucken and Karlsruhe even less, but I absolutely loved everything that I've seen from the windows of the train and the car in between the cities. I want to see more.

See, that's the problem with Germany. Our boys (here I mean both Russians and Americans) and girls (in case of Russians, anyway) have bombed all the big cities in Germany to the ground so well that they have no proper old buildings left at all, and all the interesting architecture is in small towns, therefore one needs a car, which is a pain in the ass. On the other hand the countryside, or at least what I've seen of it, is some of the loveliest I've ever seen (the only serious competition being the Dutch and Belgian coasts, for which I have a very soft spot, and Valais Alps, which are, well, Alps).

Frankfurt was restored after the war with boring modern buildings. I used to think all the bombed-out cities are like that, but then I read somewhere that Vienna had been bombed to the ground and then restored to its former glory, and Vienna is indeed very beautiful, so I have high hopes for Munich, too. At least I've seen nice pictures of it.

Would be nice to hear German again, too. I like the sound of it, especially as spoken by Austrians but I think Bavarians will do.

If anyone has any advice on what to see around Munich (say, within 200km) I'll be glad to hear it. Do not limit the advice to Germany, Austria is right there too and I like it very much. I like seeing all the kinds of cathedrals and castles and nice old streets and suchlike. Can see some nature, too, but not too much. Mountains are nice. I might visit an art museum if somebody drags me there, and this time someone surely will.

I don't expect this trip to be a very rewarding gastronomical experience, but I'll at least try some local sausages. As long as I don't have to eat sauerkraut. Advice on good local things to eat is welcome too.