Munich, or München as it is called locally, is famous today for the annual Oktoberfest and its numerous biergartens or beer gardens, including the famed Hofbräuhaus, founded in 1589. Like several other German cities and towns, Munich too was heavily bombed during World War II but was meticulously rebuilt thereafter. It is home to several centuries old buildings and museums, big parks, a river clean enough for a swim and beautiful neighbourhoods.
Munich and beer are inseparable
I planned a trip to Munich mainly for the Oktoberfest but even without Oktoberfest, I could not shake off the feeling that Munich today is more about beer and its beer gardens/ beer halls than anything else. Munich is home to many of the largest breweries and beer gardens in Germany. It was just amazing to find people sitting with beer glasses as early as 10am in the morning. Would you prefer to have breakfast with cold beer? Unthinkable? Well, I learnt that a typical Bavarian breakfast has three items – Pretzel, white sausages and wheat beer!
Not much to see in Munich
Munich has been consistently rated among the most livable cities in the world but for a tourist, there is not a great deal to see but its location, coupled with excellent transport infrastructure, makes up for it with few fantastic options for a day trip. And the southern Bavarian countryside is very beautiful. Considering the expensive hotel rooms during Oktoberfest, I decided to stay in Munich for 4 nights only. That gave me roughly 4 full days, out of which 1.5 days were spent at Oktoberfest, and 1 day on a trip to Regensburg.
Key attractions
In Munich, the attractions are spread over 3-4 clusters.
1. Old Town;
2. Englischer Garten or English Garden;
3. Olympiapark(Olympic Park), BMW Museum and BMW Welt; the Olympic Tower has an observation deck at ~600ft.
4. Kunstareal, called the Art District for its numerous museums and art galleries. All in an area spread over 500 x 500 meters in Maxvorstadt district. One of the largest museums of science and technology in the world, Deutsches Museum is however located on an island on river Isar, not too far from the Old Town;
5. Schloss Nymphenburg (Palace), Nymphenburg park.
Another option worth considering is a walk along Isar river, near Deutsches Museum, a stretch that is very popular with local residents.
Football fans will love to visit Allianz Arena, home to Bayern Munich, which a little away from other attractions.
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Many of the neighbourhoods are beautiful for a casual stroll but in reality, there is not too much differentiation.
A tour of Old Town or Alstadt
Many European cities have preserved the old town very well. Munich is no exception though much of it has been rebuilt after World War II. The Old Town is centered around Marienplatz, possibly the most famous and the main square of Munich. The Glockenspiel at the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus) here has 43 bells and 32 figures that perform stories from history. At 11am, 12 noon and 5pm(excluding winter months) daily. Honestly, watch it you happen to be there at the right time. Else don’t bother. But the new Town hall is a stunning building without any doubt. Nearby attractions include the Old Town Hall which houses a toy museum, the Cathedral (Frauenkirche), St. Peter’s Church(Peterskirche), Viktualienmarkt(Farmer’s market) and Munich Residenz.
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Walking is the best option
The best way to enjoy the Old Town is by walk. There are several routes one can take, I chose the following route:
Sendlinger Tor (one of the 3 remaining pieces of the gate from Munich wall surrounding the Alstadt) – Asamkirche – St. Jacobsplatz – Viktualienmarkt – Peterskirche(great views from the top)-Old Town Hall– New Town Hall – Marienplatz – Frauenkirche(hard to miss the 2 onion shaped domes) – Karsplatz(known by its popular name Stachus, there is an underground market here plus another historical Karlstor gate) – Maximiliansplatz – Odeonsplatz – Hofgarten – Munich Residenz – National Theatre – Hofbräuhaus.
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If short on time, visit attractions near Marienplatz and Odeonsplatz.
There is a smallish beer garden at Viktualienmarkt. Time permitting, one can thereafter walk to Isar gate, the third remaining historical gate. The Beer and Oktoberfest Museum is on the way but closes by 6 pm. There are plenty of options for dinner around this area, including Indian food. The area surrounding Hofbräuhaus too is very nice and lively, full of cafes and small restaurants.
Lovely views from Alter Peter
One can climb to the top of few of the buildings in Old Town but the views are similar so I chose the tallest one, the Tower(Alter Peter) at Peterskirche. There is a small fee of ~5 euros to climb 300 odd steps to the top. Good thing is there are two separate stairs for going up and coming down but at the top, it can get a bit cramped. But the amazing views of the old town from the top made the climb worth the effort. And the fee.
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If you wish to avoid climbing, try the tower in New Town hall that has an elevator. A third option is the South tower at Frauenkirche, a combination of steps and elevator.
Munich Residenz is impressive
I went inside Munich Residenz which was once the residence of Bavarian rulers and kings. The entry fee is €9 and there is extra payment required to visit the Treasury and the Cuvilliés Theatre. I skipped both. The Residenz is fairly large, gives a good sense of history and how the kings lived. The antiquarium hall is especially impressive. Much of the original Residenz was destroyed during World War II and thereafter rebuilt. I thought the gold decorations were a bit repetitive and over the top. The treasury is said to have some nice collections and the theatre too is impressive but one will need minimum 2 hours to see it all. After seeing the Residenz, I decided to drop Nymphenburg Palace as I thought the interiors would not be too different, apart from time constraint.
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How much time is required for Old Town?
The Old Town area is also a shopping area and depending on what you wish to see and/or buy, progress can be a bit slow. Overall, considering coffee/ ice cream and lunch breaks, about 6-7 hours is needed, until the time you get to Hofbräuhaus, including about an hour at Residenz and 45 minutes at St. Peter’s.
Good to set apart a full day so one can explore the Old Town at leisure. Avoid Sundays as almost all shops are closed, except those selling souvenirs or those that cater only to tourists. Viktualienmarkt too is closed on Sunday.
It is also possible to selectively go round Old Town in 3-4 hours and thereafter, head to Olympic Park or Nymphenburg Palace. Or do this in reverse order.
Bier gartens/ Beer gardens
A visit to Munich is incomplete without visiting 1 or 2 of its numerous beer halls/bier gartens. The distinction is that a hall has mainly indoor seating while a garten has mainly outdoor seating. Apart from the beer halls/gartens set up for Oktoberfest in Theresienwiese, I visited Hofbräuhaus and the Chinese Tower(Chinesischer Turm) in English Garden.
I also learnt that beer gardens typically serve beer from one of the six major breweries of Munich. And only these 6 can claim to produce “Münchner Bier” (Munich beer).
Hofbräuhaus
Hofbräuhaus is probably the most famous and very popular beer hall built in the 16th century. Located in the Old Town, not too far from the National Theatre. Spread over 3 floors, it has limited seating in the open. With its high ceiling and rustic charm, the interiors are very impressive and compelling to enjoy a round of beer. The only drawback – crowd. And vegetarians need to look for food options elsewhere as Hofbräuhaus serves mainly Bavarian cuisine.
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Englischer Garten or English Garden
This is a huge and beautiful park in Munich but does not really hold any great attraction for visitors. I had only two reasons to visit – watch surfers and have beer at the Chinese Tower. At the entrance(when coming in from Hofgarten), an artificial wave has been created on the Eisbach river to enable surfing. It was certainly fun watching the surfers honing their skill. Then I walked 15 minutes or so to the Chinesischer Turm(Chinese Tower).
The beer garden here is quite big but the restaurants closed by 6pm or so on the weekday I visited. Good thing is there is a bus stop right outside and that is very convenient, especially when you are not a mood to walk to the U-Bahn station after a mug of beer!
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Other recommended Beer Gardens/Halls
Other recommended Beer gardens/halls include Augustiner-Bräustuben(near Central Railway Station with indoor seating), Hirschgarten(open seating) and Augustiner-Keller (near Central Railway Station, Indoor and outdoor seating).
I don’t think there is a need to visit more than 2 beers halls/garden in one visit. My suggestion would be a beer hall with indoor seating such as Hofbräuhaus and any of the beer gardens with open seating. But I found it difficult to get used to downing a mug of beer sitting on a wooden bench without backrest! I surely missed the bean bag!
Day trips from Munich
This is where the listed available options are numerous and can be a bit overwhelming. But a closer look indicated many of the listed options can only be covered in a day if one drives or takes a guided tour. Here are some of the options that I considered. All around a journey time of under 2.5 hours, one way, by public transport.
Historical/Medieval towns – Nuremburg, Regensburg, Augsburg, Bamberg. If you look at the photos closely, all these towns are similar in many ways – Cobbles streets, colorful houses with sloping roofs, impressive cathedrals, stunning castles. Worth visiting one or more towns but not in one trip.
Dachau concentration camp – Takes only half a day. For those interested in World War II.
Lake Chiemsee and Herrenchiemsee palace – The palace is said to be modeled on the lines of Versailles palace, near Paris.
Salzburg and/or Innsbruck in Austria – Very scenic journeys but Salzburg definitely deserves much more than a day. Not much to do in Innsbruck so give it a try if not going to Austria otherwise.
Erding – About 30+ kilometers away is Therme Erding, said to be the largest thermal spa in the world. There are thermal pools, saunas, water slides and what not. I had visited similar but smaller facility in Budapest and I loved it.
As I had only one day to spare and was anyway traveling to Austria, I chose to visit Regensburg. You can read more about Regensburg here.
If driving or taking a guided tour
Neuschwanstein castle – it will be long day but worth it. I visited the Castle from Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Best to take a guided tour or drive in which case Linderhof Palace can also be covered.
Berchtesgaden/ Eagle’s Nest/ Lake Königssee – It is closer to Salzburg than Munich.
Rothenburg – A medieval town, as oversold as Hallstadt in Austria.
Zugspitze – Germany’s highest peak at 2962 meters near Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Best to visit when there is a bit of snow cover at the top. This will also be a long day.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen or Füssen are also attractive towns but it is best to halt for couple of nights. A day trip will not serve much purpose.
How many days?
2 days is good enough to visit major attractions. Plus any additional days required for day trips.
Where to stay?
Old Town is the best option for a tourist but hotels here will be relatively expensive. Given the excellent public transport, choose any other place such as Maxvorstadt district, areas close to Central railway station(München Hauptbahnhof) or Munich East(München Ost). But as always, even if you move away, make sure you are within walking distance to a U-Bahn or a tram station.
I stayed in Schwabing close to U6 line that took me directly to Theresienwiese for Oktoberfest. The hotel was good but it was a bit lonely late in the evenings on the path to the Nordfriedhof U-Bahn station.
Do check the room size when booking hotels. I skipped many because of the smaller room size.
How much does it cost per day for a tourist?
Rooms on twin occupancy in 3-4 star hotels are available in the range of €80-€150. Some of the 5 star hotels are well above €150 per night. During peak tourist season, the above rates would be marked up, and it can be 3X or more during Oktoberfest.
Vegetarian meals for a couple in a mid-range restaurant typically cost € 30 to €45. With a drink. One can manage with under €20 or so in a joint like Subway or bakeries that seem to be everywhere. Or at the joints at some of the bigger U-Bahn stations. Coffee, ice cream, beer, etc. would cost ~5 euros per serving.
Local transport is reasonably priced with maximum cost of €17.00 for a couple.
There is entrance fee at many of the attractions. It can range from €5 to well over €20 and the spend is entirely at one’s discretion.
Overall, Munich is an expensive city. I guess a sum of €150-175 per day, excluding hotel room, is a very decent budget for a couple.
Other matters
Local and regional travel – Public transport is excellent. You will find more details here.
Tourist cards – There are two of them : Munich Card and Munich City Pass. The first one offers only discounts while the City pass provides free access to certain attractions including museums. Both offer options with or without public transport. All in all, not at all easy to figure out if they are worth it and I did not find any ready computation of potential savings. You will find more details on this link.
Is Munich a must visit destination?
Munich is a very beautiful and safe city but is there anything very unique for a casual tourist? There is Oktoberfest, beer gardens, river surfing and one of the largest technology museums. If I were not keen on Oktoberfest and the beer gardens, Munich probably would not be in my list of ‘must visit’ places.