Munich

Overview

Munich confounds expectations. It's the home of Oktoberfest and a litre-sized beer culture — but it's also one of Germany's most cultured cities, with a museum district that rivals anything in Europe, a stunning English Garden larger than Central Park, and a quality of life that consistently ranks it among the world's most liveable cities. It's wealthy and well-organised in a very Bavarian way — things work, the streets are clean, the beer is cold — but it wears its prosperity lightly. The beer garden on a warm evening, with a Maß in hand and chestnuts overhead, is one of Europe's great democratic pleasures: everyone from construction workers to CEOs on the same benches, talking too loud.

Best Time to Visit

May and June are outstanding — long, warm days, beer gardens in full swing, and the Alps clear and snowcapped on the horizon. September and October bring Oktoberfest (mid-September to first weekend of October) and the golden Bavarian autumn. Oktoberfest is an experience unlike anything else — but book accommodation a year in advance and expect prices to triple. December is magical — Munich's Christmas markets are among the finest in Europe, centred on Marienplatz and Schwabing. Winter (January–March) is cold and sometimes snowy, but the ski resorts are reachable and the museums uncrowded.

Key events: Oktoberfest (mid-September to first weekend of October), Tollwood Festival (summer and winter — world music and arts), Starkbierfest (March — strong beer festival, the "fifth season"), Christmas Markets (late November–December 24).

Top Things to Do

Marienplatz & the New Town Hall

The heart of Munich — a vast square dominated by the neo-Gothic Rathaus with its famous Glockenspiel (a mechanical carillon with jousting knights and dancing coopers, performing daily at 11am and noon). Climb the tower for views across the city to the Alps. The Old Town Hall on the east side is more beautiful and less visited.

English Garden (Englischer Garten)

One of the world's great urban parks — 3.7 kilometres long, larger than Central Park, with a river, beer gardens, a Japanese tea house, and a surfing wave on the Eisbach stream at its southern tip. Madrileños have their Retiro; Londoners have Hyde Park; Müncheners have this. The Chinesischer Turm beer garden in the middle is the best outdoor table in the city.

Deutsches Museum

The largest science and technology museum in the world — aircraft, ships, mining tunnels, musical instruments, chemistry, astronomy, and a reconstructed coal mine you can walk through. Children love it; adults get unexpectedly absorbed. Allow a full day; a half-day feels rushed. One of Munich's most underrated attractions.

Pinakothek Museums

Three world-class art museums within five minutes' walk of each other in the museum quarter: the Alte Pinakothek (old masters — Rubens, Dürer, Raphael), the Neue Pinakothek (19th century — Van Gogh, Monet, Klimt), and the Pinakothek der Moderne (20th and 21st century art and design). Sunday admission is €1 each — one of the great cultural bargains in Europe.

Nymphenburg Palace

The summer residence of the Bavarian kings — a baroque palace with a 2km-wide facade, formal gardens, and a canal running through the grounds. The interior is grand; the park is magnificent. The Amalienburg hunting lodge in the grounds, with its mirrored hall, is more intimate and more beautiful than the main palace. Take tram 17 from the centre.

Hofbräuhaus

The world's most famous beer hall — 1,000 years of brewing history, oompah bands, tourists, and enough Bavarian cliché to last a lifetime. It's loud, crowded, and you should absolutely go at least once. For a more authentic experience, try the Augustinerkeller, Paulaner am Nockherberg, or the Löwenbräukeller — beloved by locals.

BMW Museum & BMW Welt

For anyone interested in design or automotive history — the silver bowl-shaped BMW Museum is a beautifully designed space tracing 100 years of the brand. The adjacent BMW Welt showroom is free and architecturally striking. The factory tour (book well ahead) goes inside the production line.

Viktualienmarkt

Munich's daily outdoor food market, steps from Marienplatz — fresh produce, Bavarian cheeses, sausages, flowers, and a central beer garden where locals have a morning Weißbier with their bread rolls. The city's best place to eat a quick, excellent breakfast standing up.

Neighbourhoods Guide

Altstadt (Old Town) — Marienplatz, the Hofbräuhaus, and the main tourist sights. Beautiful but expensive. Great for a day of sightseeing.

Schwabing — Munich's bohemian neighbourhood north of the English Garden. The city's artistic and intellectual history (Kandinsky, Thomas Mann, and Lenin all lived here). Now upmarket and leafy, with excellent restaurants and bars.

Maxvorstadt — The museum quarter. Universities, galleries, and the three Pinakotheken. A quieter, student-heavy area with good coffee shops.

Haidhausen — East of the Isar river. Residential, increasingly hip, and full of neighbourhood restaurants and wine bars. The least touristy area worth visiting.

Glockenbachviertel — Munich's LGBTQ+ neighbourhood and creative quarter. Excellent independent restaurants, bars, and the best weekend brunch scene in the city.

Neuhausen — West of the centre, near Nymphenburg Palace. Family neighbourhood with local cafés and beer gardens without tourist prices.

Food & Drink

Bavarian cuisine is hearty, unapologetic, and perfectly matched to the beer that accompanies it:

• Weißwurst — White veal sausages, boiled and served in hot water with sweet mustard and a Brez'n (pretzel). A Bavarian breakfast tradition — eaten before noon, always, by tradition. The skin is not eaten; you either suck the meat out or cut it. Zum Franziskaner near Marienplatz is a classic spot.
• Schweinshaxe — A slow-roasted pork knuckle with crackling skin and soft, falling meat inside. Served with potato dumplings and red cabbage. The definitive Bavarian main course.
• Brez'n — The oversized, dark-glazed Bavarian pretzel. Eaten at breakfast, with beer, or as a snack all day. Different from any other pretzel — softer, more complex, and better.
• Obatzda — A pungent Bavarian cheese spread made with camembert, butter, paprika, and onion. Served with bread and radishes in beer gardens. Goes dangerously well with a cold Maß.
• Beer (Bier) — Munich has six major breweries (Augustiner, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, Hacker-Pschorr, Spaten). Augustiner is the locals' favourite — independent, unmarketed, and the best. Order a Maß (one litre) or a Halbe (half litre). The Weißbier (wheat beer) and Helles (pale lager) are the classic styles.

Budget tip: The Viktualienmarkt beer garden charges market prices for food but normal beer-garden prices for drinks. Pick up food from the market stalls and drink at the garden tables. A filling Bavarian lunch this way costs €10–14.

Getting Around

Munich's U-Bahn (metro) and S-Bahn (suburban rail) network is excellent — punctual, comprehensive, and easy to navigate. The Innenraum (inner zone) day ticket covers all central attractions. The MVV app is the simplest way to buy tickets.

Trams cover the streets the metro misses, especially in Schwabing and Maxvorstadt.

Cycling is excellent — Munich is flat, has dedicated bike lanes, and the English Garden is best explored on two wheels. MVG Rad is the city bike-share scheme.

From the airport: The S-Bahn (S1 and S8 lines) runs to the centre in about 40 minutes. Trains run every 10 minutes and cost around €13. The Lufthansa Airport Bus takes 45 minutes and costs €12.

Budget Guide

Day Trips

• Neuschwanstein Castle — Ludwig II's fairy-tale castle perched above a Bavarian gorge, the inspiration for Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle. 2 hours by train and bus. Book tickets online — the queues without them are punishing.
• Dachau — The first Nazi concentration camp, now a sobering and important memorial site. 30 minutes by S-Bahn and bus. An essential and difficult visit.
• Salzburg — Mozart's birthplace, just across the Austrian border. 1.5 hours by train. Baroque city, castle hill, and the Sound of Music landscape.
• Zugspitze — Germany's highest peak at 2,962m, reachable by cog railway and cable car from Garmisch-Partenkirchen. 1.5 hours by train, then the mountain railway. The views into Austria and Italy are extraordinary.
• Chiemsee — Bavaria's largest lake, with a palace island (Herrenchiemsee) built by Ludwig II. 1 hour by train; ferries cross to the islands from Prien am Chiemsee.

Practical Info

• Currency: Euro (€). Cards are increasingly accepted but Munich is more cash-dependent than other major European cities — many beer halls, markets, and smaller restaurants are cash only. Carry euros.
• Language: German (Bavarian dialect in informal settings). English is widely spoken in hospitality. Bavarians appreciate a Grüß Gott (local greeting) and Danke — small gestures that go a long way.
• Tipping: Round up or leave 10% at restaurants. Hand the tip directly to the server when paying, rather than leaving it on the table.
• Safety: Munich is one of the safest large cities in Europe. Oktoberfest requires standard awareness — drink sensibly and watch your belongings in the tents.
• Beer garden etiquette: You can bring your own food to most beer gardens (a long-standing tradition) but must buy drinks at the bar. Find a table without a tablecloth — clothed tables are reserved.
• Oktoberfest: Book accommodation 12 months ahead. Get to the tents by 9am to secure a seat — by noon they're full. Dress in Lederhosen or Dirndl; locals do, and you'll be welcomed more warmly for it.