Things to do in Munich

Things to do in Munich

The complete guide to Munich

This is my complete guide to Munich. It includes all the places I’ve visited, info about sightseeing and also useful tips about things to do in Munich. Make sure to read also the travel letter from Munich.

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[tab title="How to go" icon="icon-entypo-info"] Munich is an important city, therefore, your options to travel there are countless. This is the heart of industrial Germany, therefore there are plenty of flights and trains available. I flew with Aegean Airlines to Munich and when I returned back to my place in Berlin I used the train. There are also several buses if you prefer that option to reach Munich.

You can, of course, fly with Lufthansa to Munich. If you are a fan of Business Class traveling check out also my review of Lufthansa’s Business Class.

If you are living in continental Europe and close to a fly from a capital, chances are that you will find a direct flight to Munich. Check your options here. 

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[tab title="Where to stay" icon="icon-entypo-info"]I stayed at the A&O hostel in Munich and I was not satisfied at all with my choice. I traveled together with a friend and we had to share a double room. The interior is extremely basic (two single beds and towels). There is not enough space to move inside the room, the bathroom is small and the cleaning ladies were not really doing their best. Bring your own shampoo and stuff because there is only a soap dispenser. The room was located on the ground floor, and the entrance was through a parking lot. Everything was basic and didn’t justify the 60 euros per night (no breakfast included).

To be fairly honest, I even thought of leaving but I decided to stay because I was there for a couple of days and I didn’t want to lose time. If all these don’t sound that bad, go ahead and book a room. If not, check your other options here.

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[tab title="Where to eat and drink" icon="icon-entypo-info"]Eating will be one of your main expenses in Munich. The food is not cheap, there are however some decent options that don’t come at a high price. This is a very compact list because I ate fast food a couple of times in order to reduce costs.

• Wirtshaus am Sendlinger Tor. This is one of your best options to get decent food at good prices in downtown Munich. The service is indifferent, if there is a football match it will be crowded but the food is fine and the beer cheap. Recommended as long as you don’t have very high expectations.
• Cotidiano Gaertnerplatz. A nice place to eat or drink a coffee. The prices are not insanely high and in comparison with other establishments in Munich, you might even call it cheap. Don’t be fooled though, it’s not cheap. Tasty options, friendly staff.
• Bavaria. Traditional Bavarian restaurant (Kneipe) with good food and competitive prices. Try the sausages or some meat and have a couple of beers. It won’t kill your budget and you will leave satisfied. The old ladies running it are rough and funny at the same time. It doesn’t accept credit cards, therefore bring cash.
• Muenchner Stubn. Close to Central Station, this is an expensive restaurant with a nice atmosphere. Expect to pay a minimum of 20 euros for a main dish.[/tab]

[tab title="Sightseeing" icon="icon-entypo-info"]Munich has stunning architecture and this is definitely one of the things to do: stroll around the city and admire the buildings and the churches. The famous Marienplatz and the Old Town, in general, is the area that you’ll cross several times per day. The Frauenkirche, the church with the double dome, is also truly unique.

The Geschwister-Scholl-Platz is also a place to visit and definitely one of the things to do in Munich. This is dedicated to two German siblings that resisted the Nazis and the square itself is a great tribute to them.

Don’t forget to visit the Eisbachwelle: There you will see people surfing in the river!

If you are a football fan, consider watching a match at the Allianz Arena, the home ground of Bayern Munich. (I’m a football fan, therefore, this was one of my top priority things to do in Munich) It’s an experience by itself! Finding a last minute ticket will probably be impossible since the matches are usually sold out, so you should try to find a ticket in advance. If you have free time though, you can go outside the stadium an hour or two before the match and try to find people selling tickets. It’s not a scam, these are people that they won’t be able to attend for whatever reason. It’s not guaranteed of course but you can always give it a try. The day I watched the match, I spotted a few guys selling tickets.

Also, spend some time at the Odeonsplatz: the locals use to have short breaks there and enjoy the late afternoon sun. Also, pay a visit to the Siegestor: this will remind you a lot of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Last but not least, if you have more than 3 days in Munich, consider traveling to Salzburg. I know that this is not directly connected with the things to do in Munich, but that compact Austrian city under the Alps definitely deserves a visit. Check out the German Railways tickets and search for the Bayern Ticket. The price is fixed for a return journey on the same day and Salzburg is marvelous. The train needs less than two hours to reach Salzburg.[/tab]

[tab title="How to budget" icon="icon-entypo-info"]First things first: Munich is expensive. You should keep that in mind at all times I guess. My suggestion is, first of all, to buy daily tickets for public transport. A single ticket costs almost 3 euros, therefore paying approx. 7 euros per day for free access to the (extensive!) network will save you lots of money. If you plan a longer stay, consider the weekly/monthly card.

Food is also expensive but there are always some bargains in Munich. Please check the “Where to eat and drink” section. Your main expense will be the accommodation though, and here the bargains are few, if not inexistent. Staying in Munich can be pricey, especially if you prefer (like me) staying downtown. I didn’t enjoy my hotel choice, but the truth is that it was close to the center, even though next to the ugliest area of Munich, the Central Station.

Long story short, if you are planning a solo journey to Munich you should calculate a minimum of 100 euros per day. This includes 60 euros for accommodation, 7 euros for a daily ticket, 15 euros for one meal, another 10 for a coffee and a sandwich during the day, plus another 8-10 euros for other expenses (a souvenir, a bottle of water) etc. If you are traveling together with someone else (and let’s assume that you split the accommodation) I would say that your minimum should be 80 euros per day. Quite obviously, if you are planning to have two proper meals per day and you’d like to stay in a more expensive hotel, well… budget accordingly.

A tip: If you don’t mind using a lot the public transport, consider staying in a suburb. This can save you some money (not that much though) but be ready to spend extra time in the buses and metro -you don’t want to miss the last one because you’ll have to pay for a taxi and you don’t want to do that 😉

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More about Munich: The dancers of Munich , Lufthansa Business Class Review

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Last Updated on December 12, 2019 by George Pavlopoulos