By air
Munich (MUC), ~30 km
Europe · Germany
Munich, Germany
Beer gardens, palaces and the Alps nearby
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to September; late September for Oktoberfest
Don't miss
The Marienplatz
Nymphenburg Palace
The Englischer Garten
The Residenz
Things to do
The Marienplatz
A beer garden
The Deutsches Museum
Oktoberfest
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
What to pack
Layers
A quieter corner
The Eisbach surfers in the English Garden
Questions travellers ask
When is Oktoberfest in Munich?
Late September. Otherwise, May to September is the time to visit — bring layers.
Which sights in Munich are worth the time?
The Marienplatz, Nymphenburg Palace, the Englischer Garten and the Residenz, plus the Deutsches Museum.
Where can I watch surfers in Munich?
At the Eisbach, in the English Garden.
What should I eat and drink in Munich?
Weisswurst and pretzels, in a beer garden or one of the beer halls.
About Munich
- Riverside
Where it is
Munich (München) is the capital of Bavaria and the third-largest city in Germany, on the Isar river in the south of the country, north of the Alps, which can be seen from the city on clear days.
History
Munich grew from a small monastic settlement, which gave it its name, meaning by the monks, and Henry the Lion founded the town around 1158. The Wittelsbach dynasty ruled Bavaria from here until 1918, making it capital of the Kingdom of Bavaria from 1806; the city was heavily bombed in the Second World War, rebuilt afterwards, and hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics.
People
Munich people speak German, and Bavarian dialects are still widely heard. Lederhosen and dirndls come out for Oktoberfest and other festivals, beer gardens and beer halls such as the Hofbräuhaus are social institutions, and a traditional breakfast is Weisswurst, veal sausage, with sweet mustard and a pretzel.
Known for
- Oktoberfest
- The Marienplatz and its Glockenspiel
- The Englischer Garten and its beer gardens
- Nymphenburg Palace
- The Deutsches Museum
Did you know?
Oktoberfest began in October 1810 as the celebration of the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese, after whom the festival ground, the Theresienwiese, is named.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.