Best Things To Do In Munich, Germany

2006. That’s the year I first visited Munich (München). One of the warmest summers on record, I mainly remember hopping from beer garden to beer garden to watch the FIFA World Cup unfold. Exciting times! There are, however, a couple of other landmarks etched into my memory from that trip: the sprawling English Garden and intricate Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) in Marienplatz. Two sites I hoped to see again one day — and that I recently did…

Although the primary reason for my most recent trip was to check out Munich’s Christmas markets (more on that below), I did have a chance to explore the city in greater depth so I thought I’d recap some of my favourite spots below…

9 Best Things To Do In Munich, Germany

1. Climb Up St Peter’s Church

If there’s one thing you do in Munich, I hope it’s this. I promise the panoramic views will make up for the 300-or-so stairs you’ll have to climb at St Peter’s Church! Deep breath in, deep breath out. Tip: try to arrive just before sunset so you can watch the sun dip behind the Alps.

Every angle of the 360 view is pretty spectacular…

2. Spend The Day At Englischer Garten

The size of 640 soccer fields, the English Garden is one of the largest urban parks in the world! Meadows, streams, lakes — yup, not the kind of landscape you’d expect in the middle of a city, but that’s why Englischer Garten is so special…

Locals flock here to cycle, take a stroll, play soccer, sunbathe nude (yup!) and hang out at the park’s four beer gardens (Aumeister, Chinesischer Turm, Hirschau and Seehaus) which makes it a great spot to feel the true pulse of the city.

3. Step Back In Time At Munich Residenz

The home of Bavarian dukes, emperors and princes for over four hundred years, the Residenz is the largest inner city castle in Germany. It has 130 ornate rooms filled with antique furniture, tapestries and oil paintings so you’ll want to spend at least half a day exploring. It truly has one of the most beautiful interiors I’ve ever seen — especially the Stone Rooms and Rich Rooms. The ten courtyards are also spectacular…

Fun fact: the Kaiserhof courtyard transforms into a Christmas village during the holidays!

4. Take A Tour Of Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall)

You likely won’t miss seeing Neues Rathaus from the outside, but do make a point to book a tour so you can admire the interiors of the new town hall. The highlight for many is the beautiful reading room at the Law Library (which you can not access unless you’re on a tour).

You’ll also want to stick around to see the Glockenspiel “show” in the tower balcony which happens daily at 11 am and 12 pm (as well as 5 pm during the summer). It attracts visitors from all over the world and tells the story of Munich through figurines and music.

5. Hang With Locals At A Beer Garden

Did you know there are over 180 beer gardens in and around Munich?! Yup, Bavarians LOVE their beer and most enjoy drinking it outside whenever possible. Beyond the very popular Chinesischer Turm (which has around 7000 seats!!), I recommend visiting Königlicher Hirschgarten, Augustiner Keller and the famous Hofbräuhaus. Tip: you can actually bring your own food to many beer gardens.

6. Check Out The Luxury Shops

On the hunt for designer brands? You’ll want to head to Munich’s most elegant shopping mall: Fünf Höfe (Five Courts). Located in the downtown core, it boasts 64 shops, restaurants and specialty stores. It also happens to be really beautiful…

Maximilianstrasse is also lined with international designer stores and offers a kilometre-long stretch of luxury shopping. If you still have energy/money left, you can meet up with your friends Chloé, Prada, Tiffany and Isabel on Residenzstrasse…

7. Go On A Christmas Market Hop

This is seasonal, of course, but if you’re visiting during the holidays a little Christmas market hop is a must! We spent quite a bit of of time at the markets and loved the energy, food and entertainment.

Oh, and the medieval Christmas market is also one of the most unique Christmas markets in Germany in my opinion!

8. Eat Eat Eat

Home to over a dozen Michelin-star restaurants, Munich is a food lover’s paradise. Tip: you’ll want to do your research and book tables ahead of time as they fill up fast.

We spent most of our days feasting at Christmas markets this time around, but I do hope to return to dine at these gems: Atelier, Gabelspiel, Tantris, Schwarzreiter, EssZimmer and TIAN (vegetarians and vegans take note!) We did, however, get a chance to sneak away from the Christmas markets for a couple of meals so here are the highlights:

Kaisergarten

This spot was recommended to us by locals and I can see why. The vibe is relaxed, the food is great and the beer menu is spot on (as to be expected). You’ll want to order the wiener schnitzel here — warning: it was larger than my head!

Dallmayr Delicatessen

Once the royal Bavarian court supplier, Dallmayr is an institution in Munich. The upscale supermarket sells all kinds of culinary delights and boasts a two-Michelin-star restaurant (Restaurant Alois). Tip: do not leave without trying their famous coffee!

Cafe Luitpold

Cafe Luitpold opened its doors in 1888 and has attracted many artists, writers and prominent members of society over the years. One of Europe’s largest coffee houses at the time, it was sadly destroyed during the war, rebuilt in 1948 and recently underwent extensive renovations…

You’ll want to head straight to the back if you’re craving a Michelin-starred lunch/dinner. Alternatively, stick to the front and make the difficult decision of which dessert to order from their glass display case…

9. Stay At Hotel Schwabinger Wahrheit

I love the concept behind this boutique hotel. Bringing people from all walks of life under one roof, it offers everything from budget-friendly dorm style accommodations to private luxe suites…

The design is clean, sleek and minimal and they have everything you’ll need for a comfortable and relaxing stay, including access to their spa. Their sustainability efforts are innovative (tip: skip housekeeping and grab a drink at the bar instead like we did) and the hotel is located in a trendy neighbourhood. I truly hope to see more hotels like this around the globe!

A huge thanks to the German National Tourist Office and Simply Munich for hosting us and sponsoring this post. As always, reviews and opinions are my own.