Birthday in Bavaria - 10 Days in Memmingen

This year, I celebrated my birthday a little differently: I packed my bags and flew to Germany to spend ten magical days with my parents in Memmingen. 🎈🧀🇩🇪

A warm welcome 💛

I landed on a sunny Friday afternoon and took a walk across the dreamy streets of Memmingen, all cobblestones and pastel facades. When I arrived at my parents’ house, I was greeted with the sweetest surprise: birthday balloons, cheese and grapes, hot dog appetizers, an iced coffee waiting for me, and a gift basket full of treats.

Later that evening, my mom brought out the amazing dinner she prepared and a homemade cake that was pure heaven: tiramisu without cocoa, but with layers of pistachio cream, white chocolate, creamy mascarpone, and a touch of lime. One bite and I knew… this birthday was going to be a good one.

Market mornings 🥖🧀

Saturday morning, we walked to the old town - just a short stroll from my parents’ place - to visit the farmers market. They have it every Tuesday and Saturday, and it’s an absolute paradise for food lovers: fresh fruits and vegetables, crusty breads, charcuterie, and of course… artisan cheeses.

We made sure to visit all the cheesemongers and came home with quite the selection: malt cheese, hay cheese, lemon pepper cheese, pecorino, and rosemary goat cheese. We also picked up fresh bread and a basket full of produce.

Farmers markets might be my new obsession - I can’t wait to explore some in Budapest this summer.

After the market, we stopped by the flea market, where my mom found the prettiest vintage platters. That evening, I arranged all our goodies into a beautiful cheese board, and my parents were amazed at how it turned out.

A fairytale castle 🏰

On Sunday morning, I made a cheese board to go and we headed out on a trip to Neuschwanstein Castle, one of the most magical places you can visit in southern Germany.

As you know, I’m obsessed with mountains (hence the location of my tiny house), and the scenery here was breathtaking. We took a horse carriage up from the town, walked to Marienbrücke for the famous panoramic view, and joined a guided tour inside the castle.

Pro tip: tickets sell out fast, so book well in advance, or try your luck before 9 am for possible walk-in spots (but it’s risky!).

Everyday joys 🌸

The rest of the week was slow and sweet: long walks with my mom, more farmers market trips, ice cream breaks, a kettlebell workout, home made matchas, endless romantic movies, and lots of home cooking.

One afternoon my dad surprised us with a badminton set, and we ended up playing in the park (and laughing the entire time). One evening I even borrowed my mom’s rollerblades for a sunset ride that I'd been waiting to do since last year. 🛼

A quick trip to Munich 🚗

On Thursday, I rented a car and drove to Munich to visit my company’s headquarters. I finally met some colleagues in person and had meetings with the directors, a little work break in the middle of my holiday.

Festival vibes 🍺🌭

Friday marked the start of Memmingen’s annual fishing festival. The whole town came alive with live music, medieval costumes, flowing beer, and delicious food. I went for the classic Bratwurst sandwich, which was perfect for the occasion.

Cozy ending 🍕

The weekend turned rainy, so we stayed home, cooked, and watched movies. On my last night, my mom and I made homemade pizza together - and yes, I’m bringing you that recipe in my next blog post. 🍕

Until the next dreamy trip,

Tina ✈️

📹 Watch the YouTube vlog of my trip here: