Munich, Germany quickly became one of my top cities while I traveled Europe for 5 months. Munich surprisingly had it all and is a perfect place for young or solo travelers to explore. I can’t quite remember what my expectations were for Germany, but this city blew them out of the water.
You may know Munich because Oktoberfest is held here each year, but there’s so much more to this city than beer and sausages (although very tasty). This German city is a blend of medieval charm, mouthwatering cuisine, and vibrant city life. And if you’re not one for the city, there’s a handful of enchanting little German towns with serene lake and mountain views (plus castles!) a quick train ride away.
In this guide, I’ll share what to see and do in and around Munich, where to stay, places to eat (with dietary restrictions in mind), and other helpful tips.
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What is Munich like?
Munich, with its rich history and modern charm, provides a unique experience. Munich felt extremely safe and it was a very clean city. In the city, you’ll find most Germans speak English but it’s not as common as you venture out of the city to the smaller towns so make sure you learn some basic German words.
It was pretty quiet, and it didn’t feel like a big city. There’s a lot of nature within the city with plenty of trails and parks to go to. Almost everything is closed on Sundays and overall, seemed wellness forward like most European cities.
Things to see and do in Munich:
1. Explore Munich’s Old Town
One of the main attractions in Munich is Marienplatz, the city square where you’ll find the famous buildings: The Old and New Town Halls also known as Neues Rathaus. This is a super busy square with iconic views and little shops. From here, you’re close to Hofbräuhaus, the market, the church, the cathedral, and more.
2. Go to the most popular (and oldest) beer hall
The most popular beer hall in Munich dating back to the 16th century was an experience even nonbeer drinkers will enjoy. Hofbräuhaus immediately transports you back in time. You’ll find live music, their own beer of course, and really delicious food for insanely good prices.
3. Olympiapark
A popular park in Munich is Olympiapark which is near the BMW museum so you can plan to go for a stroll before or after a tour there. This park held the Olympics previously so it’s quite expansive with trails, a lake, and a 50-metre sport pool. We hiked to the very top of the hill for a view of Munich.
4. Spend half a day at the English Gardens
I say half a day because you can get in some movement, sunshine, a delicious meal, and relax all at one place. This is a huge park with trails, fields of grass everyone is hanging out on or playing some type of sport, self-serve lunch and beer spots, and surfing. You can watch locals in wetsuits jump into the Eisbach River and surf waves which is super entertaining.
5. BMW museum
If you’re into cars, then you can’t miss the BMW museum in Munich. The building itself on the outside is a cool site to see. We did a quick self-tour before heading to Olympiapark across the way.
6. Day trip to Tegernsee
A one-hour train ride led to the charming lake town of Tegernsee. Seehaus Cafe, with its picturesque setting on the lake, offered delightful currywurst, hot chocolate, and stunning views of the mountains. A leisurely walk along the lake and through the town completed the idyllic day.
7. Day trip to Fussen to see the Neuschwanstein Castle
This is a must-do if you’re in Munich. The Neuschwanstein Castle is the castle that Walt Disney took inspiration from. To get there, you’ll take the train to the mountain town of Fussen and hike 40 minutes up to it. You’ll have panoramic views of the valley and can hike to the bridge for the best view of the castle. Plan time to explore the cute fairytale town of Fussen as well.
8. Therme Erding
No Munich trip is complete without visiting the largest thermal spa in the world. They have 27 slides, 40 pools and health baths, a wave pool, an exotic spa, and 35 saunas. Thermal waters have tremendous healing benefits and it’s a perfect way to unwind while traveling. It’s 30 minutes outside of Munich, but you can easily take the train. Plan to spend at least half a day here.
Where to stay in Munich
To save money while we backpacked, we stayed at the Wunderlocke in Munich. This hotel offered an unbeatable price with a rooftop room overlooking the city with a large patio, modern amenities, a kitchen, wellness amenities and activities (like free yoga, sauna, and a gym), a delicious coffee bar and restaurant, and a super cute coworking space. While not in the heart of the city, it was a super quick walk to the metro station that got us to the old town in less than 10 minutes.
Places to eat in and around Munich:
1. Wirtshaus am Bavaria
This restaurant was in a charming spot away from the old town but it was absolutely worth the trip. They have a lovely patio that’s great on a sunny day with delicious beer and food. For those who have to be gluten-free like me, they serve gluten-free beer, gluten-free pretzels, gluten-free schnitzel, and homemade Bavarian cream cheese.
2. Isabella’s Gluten-Free Patisserie
A gluten-free haven with all sorts of breads and desserts to choose from! Conveniently right downtown just a short walk from the main old town square, you can stop in for to-go treats or stay for a meal. I got the gluten-free brownie and carrot cake.
3. Hofbräuhaus
While this is the famous beer hall in Munich, I recommend trying their food in addition to their beer. I opted for a grilled beef bratwurst with a mustard-based potato salad and my partner got a bratwurst with their sauerkraut and horseradish. Both were phenomenal dishes for how inexpensive they were. You can also find servers walking around with giant pretzels for sale for the non-gluten-free folk.
4. Viktualienmarkt
Right in the heart of Munich’s old town is the bustling market with fresh produce, juices, kombucha, wine, and delectable bratwursts. Locals and tourists crowded this market ordering food and drinks during the day. You have a lot of options to choose from for lunch, but I also recommend picking out some fresh produce and meats to bring back to your place if you have a kitchen. For seating, there are a lot of picnic tables outside in the middle.
5. HOFBRAU MUNCHEN
When you plan to go to the English Gardens, make sure you plan to stop here for lunch as it’s right in the middle of the park. We accidentally stumbled upon this gem while walking the trails trying to find the surfers. Hundreds of people (mostly locals) were sitting in the sun with giant beers and trays of delicious German food.
You go in, grab a tray, and tell the servers what you want in a self-serve manner. After you fill your tray with what you want, you’ll go to the cashier and pay. You’ll find options like a whole rotisserie chicken, giant pretzels, potato salad, schnitzel, currywurst, salads, roasts, and even dessert. Then just sit wherever you can find an open seat!
6. Beim Olivenbauer (Fussen)
This gluten-free friendly restaurant was in the cute little town of Fussen which is where you’ll end up if you go to see the Neuschwanstein castle. There were a lot of cute restaurants to choose from, but we wanted to sit outside in the warm sun. They had a nice patio and gluten-free burger buns and pizzas. The gf crust was amazing.
7. Seehaus Cafe (Tegernsee)
In this small mountain town, there’s the Seehaus Cafe right on the lake. We ate a delicious lunch of currywurst (highly recommend this dish here) and had hot chocolates with a beautiful view. The sun came out so we continued onto their patio with drinks. If you end up in Tegernsee, make sure you stop here for a bite.
8. Alnatura BIO Basic (Health food store)
“Bio” in Europe means a food is organic. Right around the corner from the Wunderlocke, is the Alnatura health food grocery store. If you’re health-conscious like me you will be in for a treat. This is where we got the majority of our groceries. I found gluten bread without oils, sugars, or chemicals as well as microgreens, coconut oil chips, gluten-free granola, and more. You may notice aisles upon aisles of juice as well…all are good.
How to get around Munich:
Munich has efficient public transportation, including trains and the metro making it easy to navigate Munich. Walking and biking are also enjoyable options to explore the city’s charming streets depending on where you’re staying (like Old Town). The metro was our preferred option, it was cheap and fast and actually very safe and clean.
How many days in Munich are enough?
In my experience, you need at least 4 days here just for the city itself – there is so much to explore here. If this is your first and only time in Germany on your European trip, try to extend it to 5-7 days so you can take trains to the other towns nearby. As I mentioned before, this place really surprised me so I highly recommend giving yourself time to truly experience it.
If you’re planning a long-term trip around Europe, check out how I did it for 5 months.
