Munich: 10 ways to have a fab few days in the Bavarian capital

Not being a beer drinker, Munich wasn’t high on my list of German cities to visit. But then I realised it has a rich Bavarian history, an attractive walkable city centre and some great green spaces. So off I went and found that not only is there plenty to see and do in Munich, I also got quite a taste for its world-famous beer gardens. Here are 10 ways to spend a fab few days in the Bavarian capital.

1. See the Glockenspiel in Marienplatz

The first stop for most Munich visitors is Marienplatz. This large square in the centre of the city is a hive of activity and has plenty of interesting buildings. That includes Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall), which is covered in gargoyles, statues and a dragon. We arrived in time to watch the Glockenspiel at the top of the building’s tower. It has 43 bells and 32 figures performing historical events. The top half shows a 16th-century tournament to celebrate a royal marriage, while the bottom half is a simpler cooper’s dance. Visitors can watch the figures dance daily at 11am and 12 noon, while between March and October it also takes place at 5pm.

Inside the new town hall is an excellent tourist information office. We picked up a Munich Card here that gave us discounts on attractions and free public transport for all three of us, including part of the journey back to the airport. We just had to buy a top-up ticket for the rest.

2. Take in the view from the top of the tower

The tourism officer also recommended that we go up the town hall tower. She said the views are as good as other options like St Peterskirche, but it has the benefit of a lift. Once at the top, you can look down on Marienplatz below, including the beautiful Altes Rathaus (old town hall), as well as seeing excellent views of the whole city.

3. Admire the stunning Gothic altar at St Peterskirche

Just behind the square is St Peterskirche, the oldest place of worship in central Munich. As mentioned, there is a tower with view, but you have to walk up 306 steps. So the main attraction for us was the Gothic St. Martin Altar, along with beautiful baroque ceiling frescoes and rococo sculptures.

4. Marvel at the massive Frauenkirche

Not far from Marienplatz is the much bigger Frauenkirche church, which feels massive inside and has a series of soaring columns leading to the altar. It also has 99 m-high domed twin towers, which no other building in the centre is permitted to be taller than.

In the square outside the church is the Wasserglockenbrunnen. It’s referred to as a fountain but is more of a water feature and is a great place to sit and take a break from sightseeing.

5. Browse the stalls at Viktualienmarkt

There are plenty of shops in Munich but one of the nicest places to browse and buy food, drinks and gifts is Viktualienmarkt. Multiple stalls and shops sell both local and imported goods, including olives, Alpine cheeses and traditional Bavarian souvenirs.

To our surprise, there was also a really nice gardening store, not something you often see in a city centre. And of course, there is a beer garden for your lunch stop. But, having eaten in a beer garden the evening before, we decided to have lunch in the Rischart cafe, which has a rooftop overlooking the market.

6. Pay your respects to the Victims of National Socialism

If you’re planning a visit to the Munich Residence, then you could stop by the nearby Monument to the Victims of National Socialism. A granite column holds a cage in which an eternal flame burns in remembrance of those who died at the hands of the Nazis because of their political beliefs, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability. It’s right next to Cafe Luitpold, which is a very stylish place to eat with a great menu. Though we did find the breakfast service was rather slow.

7. Explore the spectacular Munich Residence

The Munich Residence was a definite highlight of our trip. Bavaria’s powerful Wittelsbach family lived and ruled here for around 400 years, and the spectacular palace is huge and sprawling. There are large courtyards, and the Residenzmuseum inside has many beautiful rooms to visit. Standouts are the stunning Antiquarium, the Ancestral Gallery and the Green Gallery. There’s even a church inside, which you can’t go inside on the tour, but you can look down from the balcony above it. There’s an audioguide at the Residence and a couple of different-length tour routes to follow. It’s amazing, but we did exit before the end. There are 130 rooms available to see, so you could literally be there all day!

We were also keen to go outside the museum and find the Cuvilliés-Theater. This was commissioned by the royals in the mid-18th century and is regarded as one of the best rococo theatres in Europe. It’s small but absolutely beautiful, so well worth making time for.

8. Check out the surfers in the Englischer Garten

After visiting the Residence, we headed for the Englischer Garten, aka the English Garden. Not necessarily something we expected to find in Germany and we definitely didn’t expect to find surfers there. There is just a single wave in the Eisbach River, but it’s a good one, and you can lean over the bridge to watch or stand on either riverbank. The surfers are very organised, waiting in line to take their turn and not overstaying even if they are very good and could stay upright for longer.

Walking along the river, we then saw there were rapids where dozens of swimmers were being carried along the river. As we continued on through the gardens, we realised it was full of young people in shorts and bikinis, sunbathing and playing games. It makes sense when you realise that running alongside the gardens is Munich University.

9. Embrace Munich’s beer garden life

We were headed for the Chinesischer Turm, a Chinese pagoda in the middle of the gardens where there is a beer garden. It’s a great shady spot that is perfect for a lunch stop. We also saw that many local people had brought some of their own food and were just buying drinks, fresh pretzels or hot food from the beer garden counters.

This wasn’t our first beer garden visit as we’d already spent two evenings at Augustiner Biergarten, a leafy 5,000-seater garden that’s close to Munich’s main station, the Hauptbahnhof. It’s set among ancient chestnut trees, and there is also a restaurant and a beer cellar for when the weather isn’t so good. One area of the beer garden is waiter service, and there’s also a self-service section. As mentioned, my friends and I aren’t beer drinkers, but when in Munich, we figured we had to give it a go. The steins are huge, so our waiter kindly suggested he just bring two beers and three glasses. It was more than enough!

The food was ok but not brilliant for pescatarians, so we probably wouldn’t have returned the next night if it hadn’t been for the World Cup. England was playing Argentina in the semi-finals, and the beer garden had massive screens. And we also realised they sold wine. So the next night we went back and sat in the self-service area. To our surprise, the wine (sold in mini steins) was pretty good and, also to our surprise, the Germans were supporting England! Not a great result for us that night, but Augustiner Biergarten was a brilliant place to watch football.

We also popped into Hofbrauhaus, Munich’s most famous beer hall. Despite being a sunny day, it was busy inside as visitors go not just to drink beer, but to admire its decor and medieval vaults that date back to 1644.

10. Enjoy excellent eating and drinking in Munich

As well as the places already mentioned, we had a great meal at Prinz Myshkin. It’s in a former brewery, so it’s a cool, whitewashed vaulted space, but as it was a warm evening, we chose to sit outside. The main attraction for us is that it only serves vegetarian food, and the menu was both varied and imaginative. Even my meat-eating friend was very happy with her choice.

On the two evenings we went to the beer garden, we wanted a cocktail afterwards and found that the hotel bars near Hauptbahnhof station were a good bet. ISABAR at the Sofitel has tables inside and outside, while The Boilerman Bar at 25 Hours Hotel is a very nice space. I stayed at another 25 Hours hotel in Vienna a few years ago, and that also has an excellent bar. But our favourite spot was Bar Polloi, which is in a quieter street and attracts locals as well as Munich visitors. We had very good cocktails and then wine when there was a sudden rainstorm, and we just had to stay for another round…

So that’s my starter for 10 for a trip to Munich, but there are plenty of other attractions in the city. There are many great art galleries, and we didn’t have time to visit nearby Schloss Nymphenburg, which looks great. We also chose not to go to Olympiapark (used for the 1972 Olympic Games), as we’ve been to other Olympic parks. And the BMW Museum and plant tour didn’t appeal to us, but I know people who have been and loved it.

And of course, there’s a big Munich event that only takes place in the city once a year. The closest metro station to our hotel, B&B HOTEL München-Hbf, was Theresienwiese, which is used for the annual Oktoberfest. In July it was deserted, but in October it’s swarming with beer lovers. So that’s an option if you like your beer. But whatever time of year you go to Munich, I’m certain you’ll get a warm Bavarian welcome and have a fab few days.

For more European destinations, visit the Europe section of my blog.