City Guide: Munich

As one of the most walkable cities that I’ve visited in Europe it’s hard to understand why I don’t hear of many people choosing to go to Munich for a city break. As the third largest city in Germany it is home to buildings that are centuries old.

As a city Munich is very accessible from many airports around Europe. For my visit to Munich I flew from Manchester with Lufthansa airlines, this was my first time flying with Lufthansa and they are an airline that I would recommend to use.

In the city centre of Munich is Marienplatz which translates to Mary’s Square in English, this has been the main square of the city since 1158. Within Marienplatz you will find the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus) which includes the Glockenspiel in the tower. The Glockenspiel is a large mechanical clock known for its life size characters as they re-enact scenes from the history of Munich twice a day at 11am and 12pm taking approximately 15 minutes. There are 43 bells as well as 32 life size figures which were added in 1908. Completed in 1905 in a Neo-Gothic architectural style is the New Town Hall which functions as a city hall with 400 rooms that over 600 employees work from. There are English speaking guided tours of the New Town Hall every Saturday at 1:30pm which give visitors an insight to the history of the building. It is recommended to prebook tickets for these tours online at a cost of €18 per person. There are a number of shops and restaurants that can be found within Marienplatz and the surrounding area.

Next to Marienplatz is the oldest parish church in Munich called St Peter church where you are able to go up the 300 steps in the tower for €5 to enjoy views across the city.

Munich is a city which is famous for its Oktoberfest celebrations that are held annually along with it’s beer halls which include the famous Hofbrauhaus which opened to the public in 1828 as a tavern. A visit to Hofbrauhaus will not disappoint as you are able to enjoy some homemade Bavarian food with either a stein of beer which is 1 litre of you can opt for a smaller one. There is also traditional Bavarian tavern music played each day. This is located only a short walk from Marienplatz and Odeonsplatz.

Situated in the western district of Munich is The Nymphenburg Palace which is a Baroque palace that served as the main summer residence for former rulers of Bavaria of the House of Wittelsbach. The palace has a width of 632m that is known to surpass Versailles due to being combined with the adjacent Nymphenburg Palace Park. It is open to the public as well as being home to the head of the House of Wittelsbach and is managed by Kempinski Hotels currently.

From 1508 to 1918, Munich Residenz served as the seat of government as well the residence of the Bavarian dukes, electors and kings. In 1385 it began as a castle but was transformed over time by the rulers as they turned it into a palace. It is open to visitors for a fee of €10 where you are able to see the various displays from former royal collections.

In the centre of Munich is a large public garden which is known as The English Garden. The gardens are perfect for a leisurely stroll or if you are visiting during the summer months its the perfect spot to sit on some grass with a picnic as well as some beer. Within the garden you are able to find Eisbachwelle which is known as the famous surfing spot but this is currently closed due to an accident earlier this year.

If you are on the lookout for some food The Viktualienmarkt which is a food market in the centre of Munich is the perfect to visit. Since 1807 it has been held daily with the exception of Sundays and public holidays. It cover 140 stalls which sell items such as flowers, exotic fruit, poultry, meat, spices, cheese and juices.

One of the most beautiful squares that can be found in Munich is Odeonsplatz where you can find the Munich Residenz as well as the Hofgarten park nearby. As you explore Odeonsplatz you will find it hard to miss the bright yellow building with two large towers and a dome which is called The Theatiner Church which was built in the 17th century in the style of the late Italian Baroque.

A must visit for any car fanatic is BMW museum which is also located directly across from BMW Welt, I would recommend a visit here even if you aren’t a car fanatic. Entrance to BMW Welt is free which with its iconic architecture allows visitors to see the latest vehicles from BMW, BMW Motorrad, Mini & Rolls Royce as well as stories from the BMW brand. After walking around BMW Welt you are then able to walk across the foot bridge to the BMW museum which has an entrance fee of €14. At the BMW museum you will be able to take a step back in time as you discover the beginnings of the BMW brand as you walk through the different rooms each with different engines, designs and vehicles. At the museum you are able to see Elvis Presley’s BMW 507 which has been fully restored after it sat in an American barn for years.