Discover the best of Munich with our Mini Guide

Highlights in Munich – don’t miss them! 💥 

• The heartbeat of Munich: Marienplatz (St. Mary’s Square), the world-famous center of the state capital, is home to the New Town Hall. No matter the time of year, there is always something happening near the Mariensäule (Column of St. Mary) – whether it is people gathering to witness the Glockenspiel (carillion housed in the Town Hall), the Christmas market, championship celebrations for major sports teams or simply visitors from all over the world strolling through the city.

• The gothic Cathedral of Our Dear Lady, known simply as Frauenkirche, is the city’s most unmistakeable landmark, with its onion domes dominating Munich’s skyline. Visitors can climb one of the cathedral’s two 100-meter towers for spectacular views over the city.
• St. Peter’s Church (“Alter Peter”), Munich’s oldest parish church, features art dating back six centuries, including ceiling frescoes and a giant gilded altar. You can climb the 299 steps for lovely views of the city from the tower. When it’s a clear day, you can see all the way to the Alps! Admission is 3 EUR.
• Viktualienmarkt is Munich’s largest market and a hub for the city’s foodies. Spread across 22,000 square meters, it features a huge range of fresh produce with much more than just fruit and vegetables: Bakers, butchers, fishmongers, delicatessens and flower stalls have turned Viktualienmarkt into a Munich landmark for more than 200 years. The best thing: entry to the market is free. It also features food stalls and a comfy beer garden, complete with an authentic Bavarian Maibaum (Maypole).
• German “Gemütlichkeit” and traditional beer drinking rituals are outstanding at the Hofbräuhaus am Platzl. The regional cuisine, music, folk dances, waiters in costume and historic atmosphere draw thousands of Munich natives and visitors from all over the world every day.
• Deutsches Museum, the largest museum of sience and technology in the world. For anyone interested in construction, engineering, aerospace, and the natural sciences, this is a great attraction. You could easily spend the entire day here; there are sailing ships, windmill, space probes, robots, lifeboats and much more.
• The Munich Residenz is the largest palace in any Germany city center and offers an impressive view with its mighty facade.
• “La dolce vita” is truly on display at Odeonsplatz: The Italian-style square is complete with a Late Baroque-style church, a building designed in the style of the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence and a great deal of hustle and bustle. It also serves as the northern boundary of the pedestrian zone and forms the starting point of Ludwigstrasse. A number of landmarks are located within a stone’s throw of Odeonsplatz, including the Residenz palace with the Hofgarten (Royal Garden), the Feldherrnhalle (Field Marshalls’ Hall), the Theatinerkirche (Theatine Church), several palaces and the sweeping Bazargebäude (Bazaar Building).

• One of the world’s most celebrated opera houses, the Bayerische Staatsoper (Bavarian State Opera) in Munich is steeped in 350 years of history. The pieces put on here are primarily composed by Mozart, Wagner, and Strauss. Seeing a show here is definitely one for the to-do list. Prices vary depending on what you see and when.

• The English Garden is a large public park in the heart of Munich. It covers nearly 400 hectares and offers many places to picnic, relax, and hike (there are nearly 50 miles of trails!). It’s especially popular in summertime, with plenty of open space for sun-bathing or sports. Don’t miss the Chinese Tower beer-garden, where you can enjoy traditional Bavarian cuisine including “Haxn” (roasted ham hock) and “Hendl” (roast chicken).

The Eisbach, or “icy stream,” is appropriately named. The water is definitely ice-cold, even during the summer months. In fact, it’s TOO cold for most people — but not the surfers. When the surfing season begins at the end of May, they’re out there in force — and they put on a great show.

• Karlsplatz, better known as Stachus, is formed by the Karlstor gate with a semicircle of rondell buildings on both sides and serves as the entryway to Munich’s largest pedestrian zone. The saying German “Da geht’s ja zu wie am Stachus” has spread beyond Munich throughout Bavaria as a way to describe a place where there’s lots going on.
• With a nature walk around the world in the Botanical Garden. Spectacular cacti right next to carnivorous jungle plants and native walnut trees.
• Art lovers will definitely want to visit the three Pinakothek museums, located in central Munich. The Alte Pinakothek features more than 700 works from the 14th to the 18th centuries — including those of Dürer, Raphael, and Rembrandt. The Neue Pinakothek is devoted to 19th century art — and a third Pinakothek offers a collection of modern artworks.

Insider-Tip 4: See the Asam Church

The Asam Church is named for its 18th-century designers: two Asam brothers, a sculptor and a painter. Its Late Baroque interior is extravagant to say the least – the stuccowork along the church’s naive as well as the colorful frescoes make for some fantastic photography. Entrance is free.

• Nymphenburg Palace: Travel back in time to the age of the Bavarian monarchy – the extensive park with its pavilions, promenades along the palace canals, enormous fountains, magnificent flower gardens and, of course, impressive palace buildings is a source of fascination for Munich natives and tourists alike.
• Olympiapark, built for the 1972 Olympic Games, is one of the most impressive and popular places in Munich. It is home to some of the state capital’s most important buildings: the Olympic Stadium, with its famous canopy top, Olympic Hall and the 290-meter Olympic Tower, featuring a 190-meter platform that affords spectacular views over the city. The park is home to numerous activities every year, including concerts, spectacular events, festivals and sporting events.
• The BMW Museum offers a fascinating presentation of the company, brand and BMW product history. About 125 of the brand’s most valuable and attractive automobiles, motorcycles and engines are displayed in this building, spanning an area of 5,000 m². BMW Welt is the company’s experience and automobile customer delivery centre. It features fascinating, futuristic architecture and hosts a wide range of exhibitions for all the BMW Group brands. Admission to BMW Welt is free.
• Allianz Arena is one of Germany’s most spectacular, state-of-the-art soccer stadiums. Home to FC Bayern München, record champion of the German Bundesliga, the stadium’s numerous air pockets light up in red at home games. The stadiums capacity is 75,000 seats, but unfortunately most of the time FC Bayern matches are sold out. If you don´t get a ticket, at least we can recommend a guided tour through the “Rubber Dinghy”, as it is called by locals.