{"id":7436,"date":"2026-09-26T09:00:19","date_gmt":"2026-09-26T07:00:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/things-to-do-munich"},"modified":"2026-09-26T09:00:19","modified_gmt":"2026-09-26T07:00:19","slug":"things-to-do-munich","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/en\/things-to-do-munich","title":{"rendered":"Things to Do in Munich: 10 Must-Sees in Bavaria"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.sayna-article .quick,.sayna-article .tip{background:#f4f7fb;border-left:4px solid #467AFF;border-radius:8px;padding:14px 18px;margin:20px 0}.sayna-article .tip{background:#fff7ef;border-left-color:#ff7900}.sayna-article .h{font-weight:700;font-size:1.05em;margin-bottom:6px;color:#0a0a0b}.sayna-article table{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;margin:18px 0}.sayna-article th{background:#eef1f7;text-align:left;padding:10px 12px;font-weight:700;border-bottom:2px solid #dfe3ec}.sayna-article td{padding:10px 12px;border-bottom:1px solid #eef1f7}.sayna-article .faq details{border-bottom:1px solid #e5e8ee;padding:4px 0}.sayna-article .faq summary{font-weight:600;cursor:pointer;padding:9px 0}.sayna-article .cta-box{background:#fff5ec;border:1px solid #ffd8b0;border-radius:12px;padding:22px;text-align:center;margin:26px 0}.sayna-article .cta-box a{display:inline-block;background:#ff7900;color:#fff;padding:12px 26px;border-radius:8px;text-decoration:none;font-weight:700;margin-top:8px}<\/style>\n<div class=\"sayna-article\">\n<div class=\"quick\">\n<div class=\"h\">\u26a1 In short<\/div>\n<p>The essential <strong>things to do in Munich<\/strong>: <strong>Marienplatz<\/strong> and the Glockenspiel, the <strong>English Garden<\/strong> with its river surfers, the <strong>Viktualienmarkt<\/strong>, a proper beer garden, and the Residenz. Give the city two days, then add a day trip to <strong>Neuschwanstein<\/strong>, Dachau or the Alps. Skip Munich entirely during Oktoberfest unless you came for it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"tip\"><span class=\"h\">Stay connected on arrival<\/span> Set up your <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/germany\">eSIM for Germany<\/a> before you go: 100% online activation, no physical SIM to swap.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<nav aria-label=\"Contents\" class=\"toc\">\n<div class=\"h\">Contents<\/div>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#centre\">The old centre and Marienplatz<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#garden\">The English Garden and surfers<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#beer\">Beer halls and gardens<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#palaces\">Palaces and museums<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#food\">Beyond beer: what to eat<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#stay\">Where to stay in Munich<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#daytrips\">The best day trips<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#oktoberfest\">Oktoberfest, plan around it<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#itinerary\">Munich in 2 days<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#connected\">Reach the Alps connected<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"centre\">The old centre and Marienplatz<\/h2>\n<p>Start at <strong>Marienplatz<\/strong>, the main square, dominated by the neo-Gothic New Town Hall. Its famous <strong>Glockenspiel<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n<p>A short walk away, the twin-domed <strong>Frauenkirche<\/strong> is Munich&#8217;s landmark church. Step inside to find the so-called <strong>Devil&#8217;s Footstep<\/strong>, a dark mark in the floor tied to a local legend. Nearby, the <strong>Viktualienmarkt<\/strong> is the city&#8217;s open-air food market, perfect for a bite of cheese, fish or a beer in its small garden under the maypole.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"garden\">The English Garden and surfers<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>Englischer Garten<\/strong> is one of the largest city parks in the world, around <strong>375 hectares<\/strong>, bigger than New York&#8217;s Central Park. Locals sunbathe, cycle and drink beer at the Chinese Tower beer garden.<\/p>\n<p>The unmissable bit is the <strong>Eisbach wave<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"beer\">Beer halls and gardens<\/h2>\n<p>You cannot do Munich without a beer hall, but choose well. The <strong>Hofbr\u00e4uhaus<\/strong> is the world-famous one, and it is packed with tour groups and oompah bands. Go for the spectacle, but know what it is.<\/p>\n<p>For a more local experience and, in many M\u00fcnchners&#8217; view, better beer, head to the <strong>Augustiner-Keller<\/strong> or its sprawling beer garden. Augustiner is the city&#8217;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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"palaces\">Palaces and museums<\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>Residenz<\/strong>, the former royal palace in the centre, is one of Europe&#8217;s grandest, with opulent rooms and a treasury. Out west, <strong>Nymphenburg Palace<\/strong> and its vast gardens make a relaxed half-day.<\/p>\n<p>Munich&#8217;s museum scene is strong: the three Pinakothek galleries for art, and the <strong>Deutsches Museum<\/strong>, one of the largest science and technology museums anywhere, ideal on a rainy day. For cars, the <strong>BMW Museum and BMW Welt<\/strong> sit together near the Olympic Park.<\/p>\n<p>A money-saving note worth knowing: on Sundays, many of Munich&#8217;s state-run museums, including the Pinakotheks, charge a symbolic entry of just <strong>1 \u20ac<\/strong>. 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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"food\">Beyond beer: what to eat<\/h2>\n<p>Bavarian food is hearty and worth seeking out beyond the obvious. Start a morning the local way with <strong>Weisswurst<\/strong>, 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.<\/p>\n<p>For a quick lunch, head to the <strong>Viktualienmarkt<\/strong> stalls or a butcher&#8217;s counter for a Leberk\u00e4se 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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"stay\">Where to stay in Munich<\/h2>\n<p>Munich is compact, so almost anywhere central works, but the district sets the tone of your trip.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Area<\/th>\n<th>Vibe<\/th>\n<th>Good for<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Altstadt (old town)<\/td>\n<td>Central, classic<\/td>\n<td>First-timers, walking to sights<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Ludwigsvorstadt (near Hbf)<\/td>\n<td>Practical, mixed<\/td>\n<td>Train access, budget hotels<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Glockenbachviertel<\/td>\n<td>Trendy, lively<\/td>\n<td>Bars, restaurants, nightlife<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Schwabing<\/td>\n<td>Leafy, relaxed<\/td>\n<td>Caf\u00e9s, the English Garden<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"daytrips\">The best day trips<\/h2>\n<p>Munich&#8217;s real superpower is what lies a train ride away.<\/p>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Day trip<\/th>\n<th>Travel time<\/th>\n<th>Why go<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Neuschwanstein Castle<\/td>\n<td>~2 h to F\u00fcssen + bus<\/td>\n<td>The fairytale castle, book timed tickets ahead<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Dachau Memorial<\/td>\n<td>~30 min<\/td>\n<td>The former concentration camp, free entry, deeply moving<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Zugspitze<\/td>\n<td>~2 h + cog railway\/cable car<\/td>\n<td>Germany&#8217;s highest peak at 2,962 m, snow and Alpine views<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Salzburg (Austria)<\/td>\n<td>~1.5 h<\/td>\n<td>Mozart, baroque old town, an easy cross-border hop<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>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 Marienbr\u00fccke 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.<\/p>\n<p>If you would rather stay closer, the lakes south of the city make a gentler escape. <strong>Starnberger See<\/strong> and <strong>Tegernsee<\/strong> 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 M\u00fcnchners rate their location so highly.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"oktoberfest\">Oktoberfest, plan around it<\/h2>\n<p>If you want <strong>Oktoberfest<\/strong>, the 2026 edition runs <strong>19 September to 4 October<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n<p>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 \u20ac 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.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"itinerary\">Munich in 2 days<\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Time<\/th>\n<th>Day 1: city centre<\/th>\n<th>Day 2: parks &amp; palaces<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Morning<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Marienplatz &amp; Glockenspiel<\/td>\n<td>English Garden &amp; Eisbach surfers<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Midday<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Viktualienmarkt lunch<\/td>\n<td>Chinese Tower beer garden<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Afternoon<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Residenz &amp; Frauenkirche<\/td>\n<td>Nymphenburg or Deutsches Museum<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><strong>Evening<\/strong><\/td>\n<td>Augustiner beer hall<\/td>\n<td>Dinner in the Glockenbachviertel<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<div class=\"tip\">\n<div class=\"h\">\ud83d\udca1 Worth knowing: doing Munich right<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li>The Glockenspiel runs at 11am, noon and 5pm in summer, worth one viewing, not your whole morning.<\/li>\n<li>Augustiner beats the touristy Hofbr\u00e4uhaus for atmosphere and beer.<\/li>\n<li>Book Neuschwanstein tickets online in advance, same-day slots sell out.<\/li>\n<li>The Dachau Memorial is free and best given a calm half-day.<\/li>\n<li>Avoid Munich during Oktoberfest dates unless the festival is your reason for coming.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"connected\">Reach the Alps connected<\/h2>\n<p>Munich&#8217;s day trips depend on smooth logistics: checking train times to F\u00fcssen, 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.<\/p>\n<p>Rather than chasing a local SIM or risking roaming fees, set up an <a class=\"cta-inline\" href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/germany\">eSIM for Germany<\/a> before you leave. You land connected on the 4G\/5G network, with your usual number still active for booking confirmations.<\/p>\n<p>With Orange, the service from a group with <strong>over 300 million customers<\/strong>, you travel with peace of mind: <strong>200+ destinations<\/strong> covered, <strong>24\/7<\/strong> human support, and <strong>100% refunded<\/strong> if you do not use your eSIM.<\/p>\n<div class=\"cta-box\">\n<p>Ready to take on Munich and the Alps without losing signal?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/travel.orange.com\/en\/buy-a-sim\/offers\/germany\">Discover the Germany eSIM by Orange Travel<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<section aria-label=\"Frequently asked questions\" class=\"faq\">\n<h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>What are the must-see things to do in Munich?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Marienplatz and the Glockenspiel, the English Garden with its river surfers, the Viktualienmarkt, a traditional beer hall or garden, and the Residenz. Add a day trip to Neuschwanstein, Dachau or the Alps.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>How many days do you need in Munich?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Two days cover the centre comfortably. Add a third or fourth for a day trip to Neuschwanstein, the Dachau Memorial or the Zugspitze, all easy by train.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Is the Glockenspiel worth seeing?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">It is iconic but modest. The figures dance at 11am and noon all year, plus 5pm in summer, for about 12 to 15 minutes. See it once while on Marienplatz, but do not plan your morning around it.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>Which beer hall is best in Munich?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">The Hofbr\u00e4uhaus is the famous one but heavily touristed. For a more local atmosphere and arguably better beer, try the Augustiner-Keller or its beer garden, a favourite with M\u00fcnchners.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<details open=\"\">\n<summary>How do you visit Neuschwanstein from Munich?<\/summary>\n<div class=\"a\">Take a train to F\u00fcssen (about 2 hours), then a short bus to Hohenschwangau. Book your timed castle ticket online in advance, as same-day tickets sell out, and allow most of a day.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":7435,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_titles_title":"Things to Do in Munich: 10 Must-Sees in Bavaria | Orange Travel","_seopress_titles_desc":"Things to do in Munich: Marienplatz, the English Garden surfers, beer halls, day trips to Neuschwanstein and the Alps, with a 2-day plan and honest tips.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/en\/things-to-do-munich","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-turism","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"lang":"en","translations":{"en":7436,"fr":7434,"es":7438},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7436","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/30"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7436"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7436\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7440,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7436\/revisions\/7440"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7435"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.travel.orange.com\/ot-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7436"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}