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Museums and Sights of Munich

Marienplatz. A walk through the historic centre of Munich starts at Marienplatz, Our Lady's Square, the central square of the city and planned as such from the 12th century. The imposing neo-Gothic Neue Rathaus (New Town Hall) dominates the north side. The iconic Glockenspiel clock on the Town Hall draws large crowds of visitors to watch its playful “show” featuring the colourful figurines in the clock. From the top of the Town Hall, at a height of 85 metres, you will be able to enjoy the most beautiful view in Munich.

Visit the Kunstareal, the cultural centre of Munich with its four excellent museums including works by leading Dutch and Flemish masters. You should dedicate at least two days to exploring the exceptional collections from the 12th century until today. The Alte Pinakothek, the huge neoclassical palace designed by the architect Leo von Klenze in 1836, contains one of the most important collections of art, with works by painters such as Dürer, Rembrandt, Da Vinci, El Greco and Rubens. In the Pinakothek der Moderne, a concrete and glass cube, the story of the development of architecture, art and design is told. In the Neue Pinakothek, you will be able to see modern European masters, from Monet and Degas to Cézanne and van Gogh. Contemporary art reigns in the Museum Brandhorst, where you will find a panorama of works by artists such as Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst and Jannis Kounellis.

In the Bavarian National Museum, housed in a fairy-tale 19th-century palace, a plethora of exotic treasures are on exhibit.

You will find something different in the Deutsches Museum, where Munich’s exhibition mania meets technology. On an islet in the middle of the river there lies a huge science and technology museum, one of the best equipped in the world.

Schloss Nymphenburg. Approximately 5 kilometres from the Altstadt, the Old Town, is the grand baroque palace that was built in the 17th century to satisfy Prince Ferdinand’s need for a summer residence for. Stunning rooms, monumental wall paintings and rich gardens create a delightful image.

Residenz. Many generations of Bavarian governments have been housed in this renovated medieval fortress. Impressive spaces and artistic treasures, which you can view with the help of an audio guide.

Englischer Garten. This park is larger than Hyde Park in London and Central Park in New York. Popular with locals and tourists, it was designed in the late 18th century to recreate the country comforts of the English aristocracy. With artificial lakes, streams and many kilometres of footpaths for you to get lost in.

Olympic Park. Built for the Summer Olympics of 1972, this is a huge space for sporting, cultural and even religious events. During the Second World War, this site was used as a gathering place by the German Army.

Schwabing. The heart of the Altstadt beats in this neighbourhood, which was built in 1638 to commemorate the German victory over the Swedish forces during the Thirty Years War. A former student hotspot and spiritual centre (it is very close to the University of Munich), it has been transformed into an area for the few. On the border with Maximilianstrasse, the shopping street with the famous fashion houses and expensive boutiques, there is now a very classy neighbourhood with luxury apartments and excellent places for food and a drink.

Excursions around Munich

Romantische Strasse. The “Romantic Road” is a magical parade of 350 kilometres between the cities of Würznurg and Füssen, going in a north to south direction. Medieval towns, picturesque villages, fairy-tale castles and luscious nature create a beautiful backdrop. Iconic points along the route are the two stunning Bavarian castles: the neo-Gothic Hohenschwangau castle (1832), which stands at the top of a forested cliff; and the mysterious Neuschwanstein castle (1886), an eccentric mix of architectural styles.

Alps. To the south of Munich, the Bavarian Alps form a stunning mountain landscape of snow-capped mountains, green valleys, lakes and cosmopolitan resorts. In the shadow of the tallest peak in Germany, the imposing Zugspitze (2.950m), you will find the Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany’s most famous ski resort.

Oberammergau. Take a train from Munich to this colourful spa town with the grandiose Linderhof palace, built by Ludwig II as a faithful copy of Versailles.

Eichstätt. A pretty market town along the River Altmühl, with old churches, many walking routes and the medieval castle of Willibaldsburg, which contains a museum and a large collection of fossils.

Augsburg. A historic town with very interesting buildings.

Schliersee. Lake Schliersee is the main attraction of this region, particularly if you wish to spend a day in the countryside walking and taking a boat ride. If you are here during the summer months don’t miss the opportunity to partake in some sports.

Food in Munich

Munich is one of those travel experiences where the drink defines a meal more than the meal itself. Even personal tour guides are available to walk you through the beer gardens and pubs at night so that you can have the most complete introduction possible to all the varieties and types of Bavarian beer, with their pure and unadulterated taste. After all, it is estimated that 50% of German beer is produced in the region of Bavaria. The choices are endless.

If you are in the city during the Oktoberfest, the largest beer festival ever imagined, with 6 million visitors annually, you will enjoy an experience that you will never forget!

Bavarian cuisine is particularly rich, fatty and heavy. Don’t be fooled by pretzels, the warm bread knots that are served everywhere throughout the city. Most of the time they are accompanied by a sausage (a spicy one with beef meat and the addition of pork fat) and mustard. You will encounter generous plates of well-cooked piglets in black beer sauce. A popular pork dish is Schweinshaxe, which is slow-cooked in the oven for hours along with tomatoes and potatoes. Spätzle are small dumplings that are cooked in butter and thyme and served with a sauce of cheese, bacon and onions. Schnitzel also has its place and is served with mushrooms and potatoes.

Lard in various forms is eaten as a snack as well as a main dish, while in salads sauerkraut prevails, usually caramelised and served with sausage and potatoes.

Among the desserts, Apfelstrudel (Apple strudel) is a type of elaborate apple pie, which is served topped with cream, while knödel (a dumpling filled with plum, pudding and vanilla) is originally from Austria.

Getting from the airport to Munich

Munich International Airport is located 32 km northeast of Munich, the capital of Bavaria. To reach Munich from the airport, take the S-bahn train, shuttle bus or taxi. Take S-bahn line S1 or S8 from the airport to reach Hauptbahnhof station (Munich Central Station) in the city centre in approximately 40 minutes. Alternatively, you can take the bus from the stops outside terminals 1 and 2 (further information at https://www.airportbus-muenchen.de/en). There are also taxi ranks at the entrances and exits of the terminals. The journey to Munich city centre takes around 45 minutes. If you would like to book a taxi in advance, so as to avoid potential delays at the taxi rank then visit https://www.taxi2airport.com/en).