Things to Do in Munich: 10 Must-Sees in Bavaria

Munich is Germany at its most Bavarian: beer gardens under chestnut trees, lederhosen that locals genuinely wear, and the Alps an hour south. It is wealthier and tidier than Berlin, and it makes a perfect base for castles and mountains.

Here is what is worth your time in the city, what to do nearby, and a two-day plan that leaves room for a day trip.

The old centre and Marienplatz

Start at Marienplatz, the main square, dominated by the neo-Gothic New Town Hall. Its famous Glockenspiel plays at 11am and noon year-round, with an extra show at 5pm in summer, and the figures dance for roughly 12 to 15 minutes. It is charming once, but honestly modest, so catch it while you are there rather than rearranging your morning around it.

A short walk away, the twin-domed Frauenkirche is Munich’s landmark church. Step inside to find the so-called Devil’s Footstep, a dark mark in the floor tied to a local legend. Nearby, the Viktualienmarkt is the city’s open-air food market, perfect for a bite of cheese, fish or a beer in its small garden under the maypole.

The English Garden and surfers

The Englischer Garten is one of the largest city parks in the world, around 375 hectares, bigger than New York’s Central Park. Locals sunbathe, cycle and drink beer at the Chinese Tower beer garden.

The unmissable bit is the Eisbach wave, a standing river wave near the southern entrance where wetsuited surfers ride year-round, even in winter. Watching them from the bridge is free and genuinely mesmerising. It is one of those sights that makes Munich feel less stiff than its reputation.

Give yourself a couple of hours to walk deeper into the park, well past the surfers and the crowds. The further north you go, the quieter it gets, ending in open meadows where locals walk dogs and read in the sun. On a warm day, bring a towel and join the swimmers in the Eisbach stream itself, a genuine local habit, and finish with a beer at the smaller, more relaxed Seehaus beer garden by the Kleinhesseloher See rather than the always-packed Chinese Tower.

Beer halls and gardens

You cannot do Munich without a beer hall, but choose well. The Hofbräuhaus is the world-famous one, and it is packed with tour groups and oompah bands. Go for the spectacle, but know what it is.

For a more local experience and, in many Münchners’ view, better beer, head to the Augustiner-Keller or its sprawling beer garden. Augustiner is the city’s oldest independent brewery and the beer most locals will point you to. In a true beer garden you may bring your own food, only the drinks must be bought there, a lovely old rule worth using.

Palaces and museums

The Residenz, the former royal palace in the centre, is one of Europe’s grandest, with opulent rooms and a treasury. Out west, Nymphenburg Palace and its vast gardens make a relaxed half-day.

Munich’s museum scene is strong: the three Pinakothek galleries for art, and the Deutsches Museum, one of the largest science and technology museums anywhere, ideal on a rainy day. For cars, the BMW Museum and BMW Welt sit together near the Olympic Park.

A money-saving note worth knowing: on Sundays, many of Munich’s state-run museums, including the Pinakotheks, charge a symbolic entry of just 1 €. It is a genuine local secret that makes a rainy Sunday cheap and rewarding, though it does draw bigger crowds, so arrive early. The Residenz and Nymphenburg are not part of the scheme, but the art galleries alone can fill a wet day for the price of a coffee.

Beyond beer: what to eat

Bavarian food is hearty and worth seeking out beyond the obvious. Start a morning the local way with Weisswurst, the soft white veal sausages traditionally eaten before noon with sweet mustard and a pretzel, never with a knife and fork in the strictest version, you suck the meat from the skin. A pork knuckle (Schweinshaxe) or roast pork (Schweinebraten) with a dumpling is the classic dinner plate.

For a quick lunch, head to the Viktualienmarkt stalls or a butcher’s counter for a Leberkäse roll, a kind of baked meatloaf that locals eat on the go. Vegetarians are better served than the stereotype suggests, especially in the trendier districts like Glockenbachviertel and around the university in Maxvorstadt. Save room for an Obatzda, a spiced cheese spread served with bread and radishes in beer gardens, which pairs perfectly with a cold Helles.

Where to stay in Munich

Munich is compact, so almost anywhere central works, but the district sets the tone of your trip.

The area right around the Hauptbahnhof (main station) is convenient for day trips and cheaper, though a little rough at the edges at night. For a first visit with a lot of day-tripping planned, staying within a short walk of the station saves real time on early starts to Neuschwanstein or the Alps. Avoid booking anywhere in Munich during Oktoberfest without checking the price first, because even modest rooms jump sharply.

The best day trips

Munich’s real superpower is what lies a train ride away.

For Neuschwanstein, book your timed castle ticket online before you go, because same-day tickets routinely sell out and you cannot enter without one. Leave time for the uphill walk from the village, around 30 to 40 minutes, or take the shuttle bus or horse carriage, and head to the Marienbrücke bridge for the postcard view of the castle, though it can close in winter or high wind. The Dachau Memorial is free and worth a sober half-day, reached easily by S-Bahn and a short bus, with an excellent audio guide that gives the site the gravity it deserves.

If you would rather stay closer, the lakes south of the city make a gentler escape. Starnberger See and Tegernsee are both under an hour by regional train, with lakeside walks, swimming in summer and mountain views, the kind of half-day that shows you why Münchners rate their location so highly.

Oktoberfest, plan around it

If you want Oktoberfest, the 2026 edition runs 19 September to 4 October on the Theresienwiese. Hotel prices triple and rooms vanish, so book months ahead. If you are not there for the festival, simply avoid Munich during those dates, because the whole city is busier and dearer. Tables in the big tents need reservations well in advance, while smaller tents keep some walk-in space, especially on weekday afternoons.

A few things first-timers wish they knew: entry to the grounds and tents is free, you only pay for what you drink and eat, and a litre stein (a Mass) runs around 15 to 16 € in 2026. Beer is served only inside the tents, and only when you have a seat, so arrive by late morning on a weekend to find space. Wearing Tracht, the Dirndl or Lederhosen, is genuinely common and not seen as fancy dress, though you will be fine in normal clothes too. Cash is king at the smaller stalls outside, as ever.

Munich in 2 days

Reach the Alps connected

Munich’s day trips depend on smooth logistics: checking train times to Füssen, booking castle slots, watching mountain weather on the Zugspitze. Coverage thins in some Alpine valleys, so live maps and offline backups matter more here than in the city.

Rather than chasing a local SIM or risking roaming fees, set up an eSIM for Germany before you leave. You land connected on the 4G/5G network, with your usual number still active for booking confirmations.

With Orange, the service from a group with over 300 million customers, you travel with peace of mind: 200+ destinations covered, 24/7 human support, and 100% refunded if you do not use your eSIM.