Munich is the capital city of Bavaria, spiritual home of lager and a great place to learn German. There’s so much to see and do in the city, from great shopping streets to fascinating historical churches and museums to excellent cafes, bars and nightclubs.
The city is really pleasant to walk around – especially during the warm summer months – or you could take the efficient and punctual U-Bahn. So, if you’re wondering what to do in Munich, may we humbly suggest…
Start the day with a Weißwurst
The “Weißwurst Equator” is an imaginary line that runs through Germany, somewhere around Frankfurt. North of the equator, the Weißwurst (white sausage) is seldom seen. South of the equator, the Weißwurst rules!
A tender, boiled sausage made of finely minced veal and bacon; it must be prepared and served on the same morning, as it contains no preservatives. Usually served with sweet mustard and Brezen (a big Pretzel), you should cut the skin off before eating the pale filling. If you can stomach a morning beer as an accompaniment, that’s the real Bavarian way to do it.
Try it at: Augustiner Großgaststätten, Neuhauser Str. 27 | 80331 Munich
Vikutualienmarkt
The largest market in Munich is a traditional farmers’ market on a large scale. Offering the most astonishing range of cheeses, meats, bread, fruit, flowers, fish, vegetables, juices and, naturally, wurst, the market is an essential stop in any tour of the city. The biergarten opens at 9am, an hour after the rest of the market, but there are plenty of stalls offering delicious snacks that are open all day. Events take place throughout the year, including the Summer Festival, dancing around the Maypole and the occasional weighing of celebrities.
Open Monday to Saturday 8am – 8pm (many stalls close at 6pm)
Vikutualienmarkt, Behind St. Peter’s Church| 80331 Munich
Experience the Hofbräuhaus
When, in 1589, the thirsty and demanding household of Wilhelm V, Duke of Bavaria, declared itself dissatisfied with the quality of beer brewed in Munich, there was only one reasonable solution: start a new brewery. Three years later, the Hofbräuhaus was born.
Fast forward four hundred years and the modern Hofbräuhaus is a favourite with tourists and locals alike. When in full swing, it is a sight to behold: the main beer hall alone seats 1300 people, there is space for another 400 in a charming, sun dappled courtyard and 900 more in the Festival Hall.
The food is hearty and great value, the service is exceptional, the in-house band blasts out jaunty Bavarian folk songs at regular intervals and a “large beer” means a litre of Hofbrau!
Hofbrauhaus, Platzl 9 | 80331 Munich
Schellingstraße & Maxvorstadt
A long shopping street, peppered with independent shops, cafes and bars, Schellingstraße is a popular student hangout and a great place for people watching in the afternoon and early evening. Situated in the Maxvorstadt, which is home to a number of Munich’s museums (including the three Pinakotheks), you will find plenty of places to stop for a quick coffee and battery recharge, before ducking into the many Schellingstraße shops to pick up interesting clothes, knickknacks, music and books.
Englischer Garten
The Englischer Garten is an oasis of calm, stretching from the city centre to the north eastern edge of Munich. Created 1789 by the very English Sir Benjamin Thompson, it is larger than Central Park in New York. Originally designed to include a Schweizerey (cattle farm), Schäfery (sheep farm) Ackerbauschule (arable farming school), Vihearzneyschule (veterinary school) and a garden for the pupils of the military academy, the modern park is a great place to hang out in the sunshine. Literally, in some cases, as there is a popular nudist section, which can take unprepared visitors by surprise.
The Japanisches Teehaus (Japanese Teahouse), built in 1972, is a popular place to sit down and enjoy the sunshine, while there are plenty of small cafes around the park’s perimeter where you can enjoy a nice, cool beer.
Deutsches Museum
One of the world’s most important science and technology museums, the Deutsches Museum holds over 100,000 exhibits, around a quarter of which are on display at any one time. From mining to atomic physics, the human body to the motor car, it’s all here. The museum is located over various sites, with the main, six story building on its own island in the river Isar. It’s a truly unique museum that somehow only the Germans could create.
Popular exhibits include the Wright brothers’ plane and a real U-Boat, where you can get a feel for the claustrophobia of life under the waves. Popular legend has it that you would need around 4 weeks to see every exhibit!
Open daily from 09:00 to 17:00 (last admission 16:00)
Museumsinsel 1| 80538 Munich
Isarstrand
Photo: Nico Kaiser
Bavaria has many things going for it, but you wouldn’t normally say that beaches are high on the list. The nearest seaside town to Munich is Trieste in Slovenia, and you have to travel through the Austrian Alps to get there (around 5 hours total). So the Münchners got creative and made their own temporary beaches on the banks of the Isar.
Now a regular summer occurrence, the Strand Bar by Cornelius Brucke is one of the most popular hangouts for locals looking for somewhere to enjoy the warm summer evenings. It gets seriously busy as the music gets going in the evenings. Elsewhere, the stony beach between Wittelsbacher Bridge and Reichenbacher Bridge is perfect for sunbathing or a nice evening barbeque.
Isarstrand, between Wittelsbacher Bridge and Reichenbacher Bridge
Allianz Arena
photo: Trodel
Munich’s two local football teams and the German national team share the spectacular Allianz Arena, which changes colour depending on who is playing. For Bayern München matches, the approximately 70,000 tickets often sell out well in advance, but you’ve got a good chance of picking up a ticket to see TSV 1860 München.
At the 2005 Annual General Meeting of Bayern München, many fans complained about a draft in the arena, so new doors were added and fans can now enjoy their wurst and football in comfort!
Allianz Arena Werner-Heisenberg-Allee 25 | 80939 Munich
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