Every time I plan to visit a new place, the first thing I do is look on Pinterest or other blogs for what those people have done and seen in those places. This is why I want to share with you my travels and the Instagram-worthy locations I saw.
General Information about Munich
Munich is the capital and most populous city of the Free State of Bavaria.
- Marienplatz
- Peterskirche
- Frauenkirche
- Residenzmuseum
- Nymphenburg Palace
Where do you start?
The most important thing when you arrive in Bavaria is to start your morning with one of the famous pretzels.
These pretzels and other delicious sandwiches can be found almost anywhere. So this is how you begin the day in Munich.
1. Marienplatz
Since 1158, Marienplatz has been Munich’s geographical and cultural center. The city square is home to important buildings such as the Old and New Town Halls.
Marienplatz today is surrounded by some of the city’s most emblematic places of interest:
New Town Hall
A striking Neo-Gothic building that has been home to the city’s government offices since it opened in 1874. You can climb its tower for views over Munich for just €3.
Rathaus Glockenspiel
As well as grotesque gargoyles and a turret-climbing dragon, the Neues Rathaus’s façade also features a glockenspiel. Every day at 11 am and 12pm (and 5 pm in summer), the 43 bells and 32 figures of this elaborate “cuckoo clock” re-enact a historical tournament and the Schäfflertanz, or cooper’s dance.
Old Town Hall
With more than 500 years of history and many stories surrounding it, the former government building has conserved its medieval look despite several reconstructions over the years.
St. Peter’s Church
St. Peter’s Church, or Peterkirche, is Munich’s oldest Catholic church and one of the city’s most important symbols, dating from the 12th century.
Visiting the church is free.
If you are in the mood, you can climb the 306 steps to the top of the tower.
Climb the tower: € 2 (US$ 2.20)
2. Residenzmuseum
If you are ever in Munich, you have to go to this museum.
The Munich Residenz, is official residence and government seat of the Bavarian royals between 1508 and 1918, is the biggest city palace in Germany.
The museum contains over 90 rooms and is divided into different sections, but I will make a separate article for this topic.
Just imagine that there are over 90 different rooms with different architectural styles.
To make the most of your visit:
- try to arrive at opening time
- Buy the ticket that allows you to visit the entire museum Adults: €17 (US$ 18.60) Students and Children: € 14.50 (US$ 15.90)
- take time to admire
- If you want to learn more about the history of the palace, you can take a guided tour.
3. Eisbachwelle
You don’t have to be on an ocean beach to enjoy surfing. This place is right in the heart of the city and is very popular. We stayed for half an hour to watch, and it was very entertaining.
The Eisbach surfer wave at the southern end of the Englischer Garten has become one of Munich’s top attractions. Spectators and surfers line up to watch the courageous surfers all year long!
Eisbach’s surf spot is considered the world’s most constant, biggest and best river wave in the middle of a big city and has been surfable for 40 years, but bathing and swimming here is prohibited
4. English Garden
This enormous garden is located in the heart of the city and offers ample space for strolling, engaging in outdoor activities, and taking in the peace and quiet of nature, just like in many other German cities.
This garden’s interesting fact is that The English Garden is bigger than Central Park in New York, making it one of the world’s largest inner-city parks.
This garden hosts a lot of events, so be sure to check the times when you plan to visit.
5.Nymphemburg Palace
This palace is definitely one of the most beautiful I have visited, although here I only had the opportunity to see it from the outside and walk through its gardens. Entrance to the gardens is free, but if you want to see the interior of the palace, you have several options depending on which rooms you want to see. You can find this updated information on the official websites.
To visit this palace, keep in mind that you need at least half a day, and, as with all important tourist spots, you must arrive as early as possible to avoid the crowds. If you only have one day, you can, like me, visit only the gardens and return for a more in-depth tour when you have more time. Also here at the palace, you can visit:
- Museum of Man and Nature
- Botanica garden
- Porzellan Manufaktur Museum
6. Frauenkirche
Another impressive church in Munich is Frauenkirche. Some interesting and useful things about this cathedral
- The Munich Cathedral of Our Lady(Frauenkirche) is a late Gothic church dating from the 15th century.
- Its two characteristic towers measure just under 100 meters.
- The south tower is open to visitors and offers a view of the entire city.
- The church is also open to the public from the inside (outside of church services).
- The nave is 109 meters long, 40 meters wide and 37 meters high and can accommodate 20,000 people.
7. Kaufingerstraße
Kaufingerstraße is one of the oldest streets in Munich and together with its extension Neuhauser Straße one of the main shopping streets of Munich. Here you can find many shops, restaurants, souvenir shops, museums and other public places.
8. Asamkirche
The fact that I did not enter this church and was in front of it is one of my biggest regrets. When I visited Munic, this church was probably not that popular, and everything seemed closed from the outside, so I didn’t go inside. A few days later I started to see videos of the interior and I immediately regretted not trying to enter.
St. John Nepomuk Church was designed by the Asam brothers as a magnificent private church in the style of the Bavarian late Baroque and is one of their masterpieces
All the pictures on the internet of this church look quite blurry and some are copyrighted, but I found a picture to give you an idea of what you are missing. If I return to Munich this will definitely be on the new list and it is also free to visit.
Is time for desert
Maelu is a great option if you are tired from all the visiting and just want to take a break and treat yourself.
These are my top picks for Munich that I think you should definitely check out. I would like to see the city again in the future and have time to discover new and less touristy places.
I am looking forward to your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
