Munich has much more to offer than what people normally think, and I am often sad when I hear that someone is coming only for a day. One day in Munich is not enough to see everything worth seeing, and certainly is not enough to get the feeling of how it is like to be a local around here.
However, one day is already enough to come to the conclusion that Munich is awesome. So if you only had 24 hours in Munich, what would you do? Or even better, what should you do? Being passionate about this city, I put together a simple itinerary to help those who sadly will be here only for a few hours, all in order to make your short stay worth it.
I love walking, and I believe it is the best way to truly get to know a place, so be prepared, because you are going to walk a few kilometers. The good thing? You will burn some calories and won’t feel guilty for having that beer later on. You can start the tour from wherever you prefer, or from wherever is closer to where you are staying. My recommendation is as follows:
1. 8:30am/9am – Englischer Garten
Start your day in the stunning Englischer Garten, worth the visit in every season of the year. There you can take a calm morning walk and contemplate the green around. Check out the biergarten, Lay on the grass, watch the surfers surfing at the Eisbach, or simply enjoy being in contact with nature.
Notes
- It’s very easy to get lost around the park, so a GPS would certainly help a lot if you don’t want to waste time getting lost;
- Depending on the weather, the biergarten is open from 10am – 11pm;
- In December there is a Christmas Market at the Chinenischer Turm, where the biergarten is located.
2. 10:30am/11am – Take a walk around old town
From the Englischer Garten, head to the Marienplatz. Here you will see the new and old Town Halls, and if you would like to see the city from above, you can take the elevator of the Town Hall, or you can climb the stairs of the St. Peter’s church, which faces the Marienplatz.
At 10am the shops will open. All the small streets leading to Marienplatz are great for shopping, and for souvenirs. I always recommend Kaufhof – a department store – to buy souvenirs, as they have a great variety.
At 11am you can see the Glockenspiel on the top of the New Town Hall, where the dancing figures start to move and play a song. It happens daily also at 12pm and from March to October at 5pm too.
Then, move on to the Viktualienmarkt, the pretty open-air market located just behind Marienplatz. It’s worth a visit even if you are not interested on buying anything, but if you do, here you will find local products like sausages, as well as products from all over the world.
Getting to Marienplatz from the Englischer Garten:
Take the Metro lines 3 or 6 at one of these stations: Giselastr. Universität or Münchner Freiheit (direction: Fürstenried West/Klinikum Großhadern), stop: Marienplatz.
You can also walk to the Marienplatz and on your way you can make a quick stop at the beautiful garden Hofgarten.
3. 1pm – Lunch at the oldest Brewery of Munich
Have lunch in Bavarian style! Try some sausages, roasted pork knuckle or roasted chicken, and drink the best beer in town at the restaurant of the oldest brewery in town, the Augustiner Keller. During summer they have their biergarten open, but inside it’s pretty cool too!
Getting there from Marienplatz:
- Take the Tram 19 from Theatinerstr. (this stop is right in front of the Mango store at the corner) (direction: Pasing) change at the Hauptbahhof for the Tram 16 (direction: Romanplatz) or Tram 17 (direction: Amalienburgstraße) and get off at Hopfenstr. or Hackerbrücke, then walk around 300m.
- Take any S-bahn from Marienplatz (direction: Hauptbahnhof), get off at Hackerbrücke. Then walk around 300m.
4. 2:30pm – Nymphenburg Palace
This palace is stunning, it used to be the Bavarian kings’ residency, and where the famous King Ludwig II was born. Its park is probably the most charming in Munich in every season of the year. You can visit inside the palace or take a walk at the park, take your time and enjoy it.
Tip
From April to mid-October it is possible to take a Gondola ride
Getting there from the Augustiner Keller:
Take the tram 16 (direction: Romanplatz) or the tram 17 (direction: Amalienburgstraße). Get off at Romanplatz or Nymphenburg Schloß.
5. 3:30pm/4pm – Olympic Park
The park was built for the summer Olympic Games of 1972, and it is a very pretty area of the city. There you may visit Sea Life, go up the Olympic Tower, climb to the top of the Olympiaberg – the little hill of the park – take a tour with a little train, or simply just walk around.
Getting there from the Nymphenburg Palace:
Walk to the Romanplatz stop and take the Tram 12 (direction: Sheidplatz). Get off at Leonrodplatz and walk towards the Olympic Tower. It’s a bit of a walk through the park.
6. 5pm/5:30pm – BMW Welt and Museum
The BMW Welt and Museum are right next to the Olympic Park, all you need to do is cross a bridge near the Olympic Tower. The entrance to the BMW Welt is free, it’s where you can take a closer look to the cars, and maybe even buy some souvenirs.
If you are a fan of the brand, you can keep going and just cross the bridge over to the BMW Museum. For an entrance fee you will get to learn more about the company’s history and see from the very antique models to the most modern ones.
Notes
- If you are not interested in cars, skip it, but the visit is worth it!
- Don’t forget to check the opening times and special exhibitions.
- From the BMW Welt, you can choose to stay a bit more at the park or head back to the Marienplatz to finish your day as you please.
Getting to Marienplatz from the BMW Welt:
Take the Metro line 3 from the Olympiazentrum station (direction: Fürstenriedwest) and get off at Marienplatz.
Dinner suggestions:
Italian (L’Osteria)
Steak (KVR)
Burgers (Belicious/Hans im Glück)
Bavarian/German (Hofbräuhaus/Weisses Bräuhaus)
Optional:
In case you are a football fanatic and would like to visit the Allianz Arena, feel free to scratch some of the things off this itinerary and go ahead! I advise you to take a look at the official website to check the opening times and the schedule for the tours in English/German, so when getting there you don’t have to wait a lot, or risk being closed (the tours are not available when it’s match day).
Public Transportation
Recommended ticket:
Apart from the public transportation access, this ticket gives you discounts in more than 70 tourist attractions in Munich. You can buy a single ticket, or a group ticket. For this tour, you will only need a ticket for the inner city. However, if you choose to visit the Allianz Arena, you will need the München XXL.
Useful maps:
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