Sights and activities in Munich
Marienplatz and the Glockenspiel – start at the city’s main square and watch the Glockenspiel, a tower clock with bells playing and dancing figures.
Residenz – step inside the former royal palace of Bavaria’s rulers, with ornate halls and courtyards in the heart of the Old Town.
Frauenkirche – look up at the twin towers of this cathedral, almost 100 m tall and visible across the city centre.
Hofbräuhaus – enjoy local beer in litre-sized mugs and cheerful singing at this beer hall, which has been welcoming guests since 1589.
English Garden (Englischer Garten) – take a break in one of the world’s largest city parks, with shady paths, beer gardens and surfers on the Eisbach river wave.
Nymphenburg Palace – take the tram to the former summer palace, set in large gardens with small pavilions, on the western edge of the city.
Olympiapark – walk or cycle around the site of the 1972 Summer Olympics, now a favourite place for sports and leisure among locals.
BMW Welt – get close to the latest BMW cars at the brand’s exhibition space, near Olympiapark.
Deutsches Museum – explore one of the world’s largest museums of science and technology, on an island in the Isar River.
Glyptothek – see ancient Greek and Roman sculptures in one of Munich’s oldest museums.
Beer and Oktoberfest Museum – learn about the history of Munich’s beer culture and Oktoberfest in the Old Town.
Things to see and do near Munich
Erding – visit this small town northeast of Munich, home to the Erdinger Weißbräu brewery and Therme Erding, Europe’s largest thermal spa, with saunas, waterslides and pools. It is easy to reach by train.
Dachau Memorial Site – visit the memorial site of the former Dachau concentration camp. It’s an important place of remembrance and is easy to reach from Munich by train and bus.
Chiemsee and Starnberger See – spend a day by two of the lakes closest to Munich. Both are popular with locals for boat trips, swimming and walks by the water.
Neuschwanstein Castle – travel to the Alpine foothills to see the fairy-tale castle built for King Ludwig II. Reserve a full day to travel by train and bus.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen – travel about an hour and a half by train to this town at the foot of Germany’s highest mountain, the Zugspitze. Go skiing in winter and hiking in summer.
Salzburg – cross the border into Austria and visit the birthplace of Mozart, a city of music, history and baroque architecture. It’s a couple of hours away by train.
Shopping in Munich
Munich has shopping for every taste, from international chains to luxury brands and local crafts.
Kaufingerstraße – Munich’s main pedestrian shopping street, which leads to Marienplatz. Fashion houses, well-known brands, cafés and restaurants line both sides, so it works well for a full day of shopping.
Maximilianstraße – head here for luxury brands and designer fashion in elegant 19th-century buildings.
Shopping centres – for an even bigger selection, visit one of the shopping centres outside the city centre, such as Olympia-Einkaufszentrum, pep in Neuperlach or Riem Arcaden. All three can be reached by metro.
Christmas markets – from late November until Christmas, markets open around the city, selling Christmas decorations, gifts and seasonal treats. Favourites include the Christmas market at Marienplatz, the medieval Christmas market at Wittelsbacherplatz and the Chinesischer Turm Christmas market in the English Garden.
