Munich has over 70 million visitors every year, according to Munich Found. As one of the biggest cities in Bavaria, Munich has an incredible history, architecture, and museums to be explored. It's one of those cities where tourists can get lost due to the sheer size and beauty of it all. It has the taste and feel of an old authentic village in a city setting.
Whether a tourist is backpacking from Berlin to Munich, or simply heading to Bayern for once-in-a-lifetime experiences at its annual Oktoberfest, Munich needs to be explored. But as a city with over 1.4 million people in it, where does a tourist start? There are thousands of eateries, cobblestone alleyways, and pieces of history to see and usually in a short amount of time. To see Munich the right way and know where to start, keep scrolling to view a rookie's guide to exploring Munich!
10 Marienplatz Is A The Center Of It All
Marienplatz is the hub of Munich. It’s close to the main train station and is home to the Neues Rathaus, which has been around since 1867. In Marienplatz, you can easily find every shop and restaurant imaginable. If you find yourself wandering around Munich and want to be where the people are, head to Marienplatz for some like-minded folks.
9 Oktoberfest In A Nutshell
Contrary to its name, Oktoberfest begins in September and ends at the beginning of October. It’s a massive festival filled with carnival rides, games, food tents, and of course, massive beer tents. The festival runs every single day, with the weekends being the busiest. Due to large crowds, going to Oktoberfest during the week is your best bet of grabbing a seat inside one of the beer tents.
8 Grab A Bus To Dachau For A Taste Of Dark History
For any tourist heading to Munich in search of history and culture, they cannot miss Dachau Concentration Camp. It’s a half-hour ride from Munich, but tourists can grab public transportation all the way to the site. The concentration camp is free to enter and allows guests to take as much time as they need while exploring the haunting grounds of which Hitler once ruled.
7 The View From Neues Rathaus Observation Deck Is Not For The Faint Of Heart
In case any tourist is taken back by the Rathaus's (German for "city hall") beauty, they can actually go inside and buy a ticket for the observation deck. The observation deck is at the top of the building and allows guests to see Munich from above. However, it’s a long way up with long waiting lines. With the Rathaus being so old, there’s not much room to wander and wait, leading to congested areas. It’s a gorgeous view but the journey to the top isn’t for everyone.
6 Sundays Are For Rest
Unlike North America, most of Germany is closed on Sundays. This means shops, restaurants, museums, etc... This can be rather surprising for out-of-town guests, so it’s important to plan accordingly.
With Munich being a larger city, some restaurants and cafes will be open at different hours, but it’s something to keep in mind when it comes to what to eat on Sunday night!
5 No Need To Rent A Car
Munich is a large city with much to explore but that doesn’t mean tourists need to rent a car. On the contrary, they can easily hop around the city using public transportation. From busses to trams to cabs to bikes to scooters, there are multiple safe and inexpensive ways to get around. Not to mention, parking in Munich can be tricky and parking garages can get expensive. Save the money and skip the rental.
4 Cash Is King In Germany
What surprises many backpackers through Europe is that cash is still king. Not every shop or restaurant takes credit or debit cards; most only accept cash.
However, Munich is a bigger city with millions of tourists every year, so some establishments have added the usage of cards, but it’s better to be safe and carry a little extra cash than be sorry. Most of the smaller gift shops and mom-and-pop shops prefer cash anyway.
3 You Cannot Skip A Beer From Augustiner Or The Hofbrauhaus
Germany is known for its food and beer. You can’t visit Munich without drinking two beers that are local to the area! Unlike North American bars that have 10+ choices of beer, there’s only a few to select from in Germany depending on the region. In Munich, have an Augustiner at the original location and visit the Hofbrauhaus for a meal and live music! Two breweries in one trip are never too much when you're in Munich.
2 Some Museums Are Only One Euro!
Munich isn’t just a city with pretzels and beer; it’s also home to plenty of museums. Some museums are free and some only cost one euro to enter! The Alte Pinakothek (an art museum) and the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum (a Bavarian National Museum) only cost a euro on Sundays.
If tourists are interested in seeing Munich's Olympic Park, the actual park itself is free to enter, but the inside charges a fee.
1 Winter Months Are Crowded But Worth It
What time of year is the best time of year to visit Munich? If you’re not going to Oktoberfest in the fall, seeing its Christmas markets in the winter months is a sight to see. The markets in Munich typically begin at the end of November and run until Christmas Day. The Christmas markets are filled with gifts, food, and drinks, and tend to be quite crowded but the pure magic of it all outweighs the negatives.