Not to Miss in Munich

By Kate Riley October 12, 2016

I was invited to an Oktoberfest party in town this weekend and I was reminded how much fun I had in Munich in July. I ended my brief European tour there (after visting Paris and Salzburg), it was my second visit to the city and I loved it just as much as the first time.

Munich’s world famous Oktoberfest has just ended and from friends who have visited, I hear it’s a blast, crowded and expensive during the festival, but very fun.

ivy munich

I visited in July when the summer tourists are there but it’s not nearly as crowded as Oktoberfest. Munich is a walkable city, you’ll find much to do in the Old Town and something charming to see around every corner. I spent three full days in Munich over the summer, here were the highlights and some recommended things to do!

Biergartens and Markets

Munich is a treat for those who love good food and great beer. Try all the salads and krauts and sausages you can and do your best to eat as much strudel too, the Germans take this delicious dessert seriously and do it well! You’ll find great restaurants all over town with authentic German fare, and a feast at Viktualien Market where dozens of vendors sell their specialty goods. Nestled in the center is a biergarten where tourists and locals mingle. Kennedy’s is a fun pub to hang out in the evening.

augustiener

 

hacherbrauhaus

 

munich market

apple struedel vanilla sauce

 

Marienplatz Walk

The historical square is lovely to see, along a variety of streets you’ll find shops and restaurants housed in baroque buildings, and many historical sites like the famous Glockenspiel and Hofbräuhaus.

glockenspiel

 

marionplatz

 

old town walk

 

marienplatz munich

marienplatz walk

hofbrauhaus

Historic Sights and Gardens

This is the second time I’ve done Mike’s Bikes tour and it’s a great way to get a good look at Munich with a knowledgeable tour guide. Highlights of the tour are some historical buildings in the Old Town and the English Garden, a 900 acre landscaped public space with a beautiful fountains and vistas, the Chinese tower biergarten, and it’s here you can watch the Eisbach river surfer’s too.

mikes bike rental

 

english garden

 

english garden parliament

english garden biergarten

eisbach surfer

 

On our last day we got in the spirit by renting Bavarian attire. I recommend Bavarian Outfitters for making it easy and fun to wear the traditional clothing while in town, we had a lot of fun dressing up (me in a Dirndl and Matt in Lederhosen) while we visited the various biergartens in between seeing the sights. Prost!

rented costumes

What are your not-to-miss favorites from your visit (or residency) in Munich?

11 comments

  1. Hi there, you can delete my comment after reading I just want to tell you about some mistakes you made in this post. First you mention to eat streudel, there is no such thing. Either you mean Streusel or Strudel, probably the second. Then you mention the Haufbrauhaus, but it is called Hofbräuhaus, if you cannot write the ä then you turn it into an ae then it is Hofbraeuhaus. Last but not least: Dirndl and Lederhosen are written with a capital D and L. Sorry for this, but I come from Germany and I thought you want to spell things right because you probably have more readers from Germany.

  2. Hi Kate – did you speak German while you were there? How did you find it with speaking English? I took German classes when I was in high school, but 20 years later I don’t remember enough to make my way to anything but a biergarten or ask for a pencil! My husband and I are targeting heading here for Oktoberfest in a matter of years though, so thanks for the tips!

    • I can’t speak for Kate but I have family in Germany & they teach school children English from an early age (much like our kids learn math, science, etc in school). I found that finding an English speaking person was not hard for me, esp in a big city. Have fun on your trip! And Kate…thanks for sharing yours…looks wonderful!

    • Hi Michelle, I spoke tourist German which is just basic phrases. I was relieved that so many Germans speak English which they did in reply to me out of kindness :) I’m impressed that so many Europeans do speak English, it makes it easier for traveling, but I do like to begin any conversation in their native language, I think it’s polite to do so :)

  3. I’ve visited Munich in December a couple of times and greatly enjoyed it. Visiting Christmas markets on crisp, chilly days, sipping warm glühwein from the holiday-themed mugs (I have a collection of them now!) and nibbling on hot sausages or crepes is a fun memory. The big Marienplatz Christkindlmarkt is a must, even if it’s a little touristy but there are smaller markets throughout the city, each with their own personality, depending on the neighborhood. Public transportation is great so it’s an easy city to get around in.

  4. Awesome, I’m saving this post! I just started looking into Germany for our next trip (we just got back from Greece – specifically Athens and Santorini) and the travel bug has bit me. Thanks :)

  5. I am really glad you enjoyed Munich and you took wonderful pictures!
    Also, I have to say that you are my favorite kind of visitor. I am used to a lot of people who are visiting who just want to shop or to get drunk at Wiesnzeit (“Wiesn” means Oktoberfest and is so much faster to say :) so when I meet (or in this case read of) people who are genuinely interested in my town and also want to see and feel what it is like to live here, I always get really giddy :) Thank you for your post!

    • I am from the United Arab Emirates and I’ve always visited Munich for 2-4 weeks almost every year and sometimes twice a year, I love it so much!(it’s like my second home) But I really hate how some people from the region I live in consider it boring or only go there for shopping!

Leave a comment!

Keep the conversation going! Your email address will not be published.*

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Lately on Instagram (@centsationalstyle)