11 Things You Can't Miss in Munich (From a Repeat Visitor)
I've been to Munich six times — once for Oktoberfest, twice in summer, once for Christmas markets, and twice because I was "passing through" and stayed three days. Each time, the same places keep pulling me back. Here's my definitive list.
1. The Eisbach Wave
Forget everything you think you know about urban parks. At the southern entrance to the English Garden, near Prinzregentenstrasse, surfers ride a standing wave in the Eisbach River. Year-round. In wetsuits. With a crowd watching from the bridge above.
The wave is about one meter high and relentless — surfers drop in, ride for 10-30 seconds, then peel off for the next person. The water is mountain runoff, cold even in July. You can't just jump in (it's for experienced surfers only), but watching is free and unexpectedly thrilling.
Best at sunset when the light hits the water. Five minutes from Haus der Kunst museum.
2. Augustiner Keller Beer Garden
Not Hofbrauhaus. Augustiner Keller. On Arnulfstrasse, 10 minutes from Hauptbahnhof, under a canopy of chestnut trees, with beer drawn from wooden barrels (Holzfass). This is where Munichers actually drink. For the contrast, Berlin's nightlife scene is an entirely different world.
A Mass of Augustiner Helles — Munich's favorite beer, not exported, only available in Bavaria — costs 10-11 EUR. You can bring your own food (any beer garden allows this by law). I brought pretzels and Obazda from Viktualienmarkt and sat for three hours on a Wednesday evening. Nobody asked me to leave. Nobody even looked at a watch.
5,000 seats. Cash only. Open April through October.
3. Viktualienmarkt Before 10AM
Munich's open-air market since 1807, with 140 stalls of Bavarian food, flowers, and spices. After 10AM, it's tourist-heavy. Before that, it's locals buying groceries.
Get a Leberkassemmel (4 EUR) — a thick slice of fresh-baked meatloaf in a roll, painted with sweet mustard. It's Munich's answer to a breakfast sandwich. Or Weisswurst (5-8 EUR per pair) with sweet mustard and a pretzel — traditionally eaten before noon. Peel the skin off. Always peel the skin off.
The central beer garden serves Augustiner on draft. 5 EUR for 0.5L at 10AM. I love this city.
4. The Glockenspiel (Once)
Watch it once. The 32 mechanical figures in the New Town Hall at Marienplatz perform at 11AM, noon, and 5PM (March-October). It lasts 12 minutes. It's charming. Then climb St. Peter's Church tower next door (3 EUR, 299 steps) for the view that explains Munich — red rooftops radiating from the Glockenspiel, with Alpine peaks on the horizon.
5. Nymphenburg Palace Gardens
Free. Always free. 200 hectares of landscaped gardens, canals, and small pavilions around the Baroque summer palace. The palace itself (8 EUR) has the Gallery of Beauties — 36 portraits of women considered the most beautiful in Bavaria, commissioned by the romantically reckless Ludwig I.
Tram 17 from the center. Allow 2-3 hours. Less crowded than any comparable palace in Europe. The gardens in autumn, when the horse chestnut trees turn gold, are Munich's best-kept secret.
6. The 1 EUR Sunday Museums
On Sundays, the Alte Pinakothek, Neue Pinakothek (check reopening status), and Pinakothek der Moderne each charge just 1 EUR admission. For Durer self-portraits, Rubens altarpieces, and a Warhol collection — one euro.
The Alte Pinakothek is my pick. Room after room of Northern Renaissance and Baroque masters. Durer's Self-Portrait (1500) and Four Apostles are here. Rubens' Rape of the Daughters of Leucippus is massive and overwhelming. And on a Sunday morning, you might have them to yourself.
7. A Day Trip to Neuschwanstein
Yes, it's touristy. Yes, you need to book the tour (15 EUR) weeks ahead at hohenschwangau.de. Yes, the interior is slightly disappointing (only 14 rooms were completed). But the approach — walking through Bavarian forest for 30 minutes, turning a corner, and seeing the fairy-tale castle emerge from the trees with the Alps behind it — is one of Europe's great travel moments.
Bayern Ticket from Munich Hauptbahnhof: 27 EUR (covers everything — train to Fussen, bus to castle, and Munich transit for the day). Full day trip.
8. BMW Welt (Even If You Don't Care About Cars)
The showroom is free. The architecture is stunning — a massive bowl-shaped roof with a futuristic interior. You can sit in any current BMW, take photos, and pretend you can afford an M5. Kids love it. Adults love it more.
The museum next door (10 EUR, closed Mon) is surprisingly engaging — vintage motorcycles, concept cars, and the evolution of German engineering. U-Bahn to Olympiazentrum.
9. The English Garden in Full
Most people see the Eisbach wave and the Chinese Tower beer garden and leave. The park is enormous — walk north for 20 minutes from the Chinese Tower and you'll find yourself essentially alone in a forest that happens to be in the middle of a European capital.
The Kleinhesseloher See (lake) has boat rentals. The Monopteros (Greek-style temple on a hill) offers views across the park. The Seehaus restaurant on the lake is excellent for sunset drinks.
Nude sunbathing is common in designated areas. Don't be surprised. Don't stare.
10. The Residenz (Munich's Other Palace)
Overlooked because Neuschwanstein gets all the press. The Munich Residenz is the former royal palace of the Wittelsbach dynasty, right in the city center. The Antiquarium (a 66-meter Renaissance hall covered in frescoes and grotesques) is one of the most impressive rooms in Germany.
Museum: 9 EUR. Treasury: 9 EUR. Combined: 15 EUR. Closed Monday. Allow 2-3 hours. The Hofgarten (free) behind the Residenz is a peaceful Italian-style garden.
11. A Pretzel from a Bakery at 7AM
The Bavarian Breze (pretzel) is different from any pretzel you've had. Crusty outside, soft inside, with coarse salt crystals and a dark mahogany sheen. Fresh from a bakery at 7AM, still warm, for 1-2 EUR — this is Munich's simplest pleasure and one of its best.
Every bakery (Backerei) makes them. Rischart on Marienplatz is the most famous, but honestly, your neighborhood bakery is just as good. Pair with a coffee for the most Bavarian breakfast under 4 EUR.
Pro Tips
Bayern Ticket: 27 EUR for unlimited regional transport. Use it for day trips to Salzburg or onward to Vienna. across all of Bavaria. Use for day trips to Neuschwanstein, Salzburg, Nuremberg, or Berchtesgaden.
Shops close Sunday: Stock up Saturday. Open Sundays: restaurants, beer gardens, museums, bakeries (morning).
Cash matters: Less than Berlin, but many beer gardens and smaller establishments prefer cash. Carry 50-100 EUR.
Weisswurst deadline: Traditional rule — eat Weisswurst before noon. After noon, it's not done. (You can order it later, but you'll get looks.)
Bike the Isar: Rent a bike and follow the Isar River south from the city center. The path goes for miles through forest and past swimming spots. For the full breakdown, read our complete Munich guide. Or pair Munich with nearby Prague (5 hours by train) for a Central European trip.
