• Insider Guide
    to Munich

Welcome to our Munich Insider Travel Guide

Willkommen and welcome to Munich!  This our our exclusive Insider Travel Guide that we have prepared for you so you can make the most of your time in Munich!  Be sure to check back from time to time as we are always updating our selections and adding new ideas to help you explore the city!

  • Top Tours
  • Munich Bucket List
  • Beer Gardens
  • Restaurants
  • Top Attractions
  • Transportation Guide

 

Munich Insider Guides

 

Top Munich Tours

The people have spoken! Whether you are a history buff, a museum enthusiast, or just love Munich like we do, our tours offer something for just about everyone.

Each season we hand-select the best tour guides to make your experience educational, entertaining, and most of all: fun. Our goal while you are in Munich is to provide you with memories that last a lifetime, and we hope to see you on a tour with us soon.  

 

"Fantastic bike ride. Our guide made us all feel welcome and pitched it at a level that everyone could enjoy and understand." - Louise

View All Tours

 

Classic Munich Bucket List

Drink a Maß at a beer garden

  • Munich is home to six of some the most famous breweries in the world: Hofbräu, Paulaner, Löwenbräu, Spaten, Augustiner & Hacker Pschorr. Munich also has hundreds of beer gardens where, especially during the warmer months, drinking a Maß (1 liter) of beer is a must!

Eat a Weißwurst Breakfast

  • Bavaria might be the only place in the world where drinking a pint of beer for breakfast is not only acceptable but is simply a typical local breakfast drink. Of course, this is only the case if you drink it whilst enjoying some weißwurst (white sausage) and pretzel for breakfast and the beer is always a weißbier (wheat beer).

Watch the Eisbach Surfers

  • Witness one of the most unique surfing cultures where local surfers meet up at the Eisbachwelle – Munich’s standing river wave. Of course, you can join the fun but even just watching is fascinating. Pro tip: get a beer from the supermarket and enjoy the “show” whilst sipping on a beer.

Stroll around the Glockenbach Viertel

  • One of the most beautiful areas in Munich is the Glockenbachviertel where you will find unique boutiques, amazing cafés, cool bars and all sorts of restaurants. Definitely go to Gärtnerplatz and sit outside one of the cafés and enjoy a spritz or a glass of wine while people watching.

Go to the English Garden

  • The English Garden is one of the largest urban parks in the world (even larger than Central Park in New York) and there are plenty of fun things to do: have a picnic on the grass, go to the Seehaus beer garden which is by a beautiful lake, ride a bike through the gardens or, if you are up for it, join the nudists and sun bathe without the “fear” of tan lines ;).

Watch the Glockenspiel at the Rathouse (new town hall)

  • Marienplatz is the central square of Munich’s old town which is where the Rathouse (new town hall), Munich’s landmark, is located. Every day at 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 5 p.m. there is a Glockenspiel (bell show) played by the figurines on the building which twirl to the music. It’s definitely worth watching and the sounds of the bells are beautiful! Pro tip: take a seat at one of the cafés on the square and enjoy the show whilst sipping a cup of coffee.

Visit the Nymphenburg Palace

  • This beautiful royal baroque palace is not just a stunning architectural structure but also a lovely park to stroll around in and there is also a beautiful botanical garden which is definitely worth a visit. Part of the experience is to also have lunch at the Schlosscafé im Palmenhaus.

Visit the Viktualienmarkt

  • At Munich’s gourmet farmer’s market Viktualienmarkt you will not only find all sorts of fresh food, fruits and vegetables but also some amazing places to eat at. Join the locals for an Aperol Spritz at Café Nymphenburger Sekt, enjoy a cup of locally brewed coffee at the Kaffeerösterei or enjoy some bratwurst from one of the butcheries.

Nightlife at the Werksviertel

  • If you are looking for some amazing bars and night life than the ultra-hipster area of Munich Werksviertel is the place to be. With amazing bars such as Gin City and MH5 Roof Bar and some of Munich’s best night clubs, a fun night out is definitely a guarantee over here.

Visit the Mountains

  • One of the best things about Munich is its vicinity to the breathtaking alps. Whilst the alps can be seen from Munich (on a clear sky), we highly recommend hopping on the train and visiting one of the lakes surrounded by the alps. It’s a one-hour train ride to the beautiful Tegernsee and half hour to Starnberger See. If you love hiking than we definitely recommend a little day hike in the mountains as well.

 

Beer Gardens & Halls

Munich is famous for its amazing beer, beer halls and beer gardens. So, whether it is the traditional, meaty cuisine or Oktoberfest-like experience that you are looking for, Munich has a lot of places to offer. When the weather is warm and sunny, we highly suggest visiting a beer garden and when it’s cold a beer hall will be warmer and cozier.

 

BEER GARDENS

Hirschgarten

1 Hirschgarten 

Gutshof Mentnerschwaige Biergarten

Menterschwaigstraße 4

Biergarten am Chinesischen Turm

Englischer Garten 3

Seehaus

Kleinhesselohe 3

Biergarten am Viktualienmarkt

Viktualienmarkt 9

BEER HALLS

Augustiner Bräustuben

19 Landsberger Straße  

Hofbräuhaus

9 Platzl  

Weißes Bräuhaus

Tal 7

Augustiner Keller

Arnulfstraße 52

Löwenbräukeller

Nymphenburger Str. 2

 

Restaurants

While every Munich visitor should enjoy a classic pretzel and beer, Munich food culture goes beyond most expectations. Quaint cafés, hip bars, and delicious international street foods are just some of the delights waiting for you!

BREAKFAST & CAFÉS

Café Lotti

Schleißheimer Str. 13
A cute pastel pink-colored café which serves delicious coffee, tea, cakes and an amazing breakfast menu.

Café Marai

Parkstraße 2
This café was named after one of the most beautiful areas of Paris which gives this café its French vibes. The retro 1920s furniture makes this café super cozy and unique as well.

Cotidiano

Gärtnerpl. 6
There are four Cotidiano cafés in Munich but this one in Glockenbachviertel is by far our favorite. It’s super spacious and serves a variety of breakfasts and the coffee is amazing too. Pro tip: make sure to come early as it gets full really quick.

Café Luitpold

Brienner Str. 11
A modern and elegant coffee house which is located in a beautiful 19th century building. Their specialty are cakes and pastries and amazing coffee.

Trachtenvogl

Reichenbachstraße 47
A super hipster café with retro interior. They serve one on Munich’s best breakfast menus. You can also enjoy the famous “Weißwurst breakfast” here.

Café Glockenspiel

Marienplatz 28
This café with an amazing view is located right opposite to the new town hall on Marienplatz. Here you can enjoy your coffee or breakfast with amazing views of Munich’s city center.

LUNCH

Chi Thu

Pestalozzistraße 16
Authentic Vietnamese street food. Enjoy a delicious Banh Mi or refreshing rice paper rolls in this charming little restaurant.

Münchener Suppenküche

Viktualienmarkt 3
This old and traditional “soup kitchen” is a favorite amongst Munich locals. It serves amazing and affordable soups for each taste.

Hey Luigi

Holzstraße 29
A trendy bar with traditional Bavarian vibes. Hey Luigi serves all kinds of dishes from Italian to German. You can come here for lunch or dinner, but we definitely prefer having our lunch over here.

Kaiser Otto

Westermühlstraße 8
Delicious international cuisine in an elegant and modern space.

DINNER

Mille Miglia

Bergmannstraße 28
Voted Munich’s best Pizza, you definitely will not leave hungry from Mille Miglia. There is a variety of options and the pizzas are HUGE. The waiters make sure to give you an authentic Italian experience.

Käfer-Schänke

Prinzregentenstraße 73/1
This elegant farm-styled restaurant is one of the favorites of the more upscale restaurants to the Munich locals. It serves an amazing menu which is filled with seasonal, local and fresh foods.

Melina Merkouri

Maistraße 26
If you want to have a fun and authentic Greek dining experience in Munich than Melina Merkouri is the place to go. Not only is their food amazing but they keep the ouzo coming.

The Hutong Club

Franz-Joseph-Straße 28
The Hutong clubs offers you an amazing dining experience in a cozy atmosphere. We suggest you have a little dim sum party here and order bites for the whole table to enjoy.

Gratitude Eatery

Türkenstraße 55
Gratitude Eatery is loved by vegans and non-vegans alike due to its outstanding meals. The chef creates art from just fruits and vegetables and each bite of every meal is a flavor explosion in your mouth.

 

Attractions

World-class museums, massive green spaces, and unparallelled history around every corner – Munich has no shortage of things to do and see. We know your time in Munich is precious, and we pride ourselves on bringing you the best of the city. Whether you want to hit as many sites as possible on a bike tour or get insider information on which musuems you should visit based on your interests, we provide interesting and entertaining, not dull and monotonous, anecdotes about the major sites that you won't find in guide books.

MUSEUMS

Pinakotheke Museums

Entrance fee: €7-10, €1 on Sundays
Closest tram station: Pinakotheken
The Pinakotheke museums are all uniquely beautiful from the inside out displaying arts and items from Middle ages to the 21st century. Choose your Pinakotheke museum based on your interests:

  • ALTE PINAKOTHEK - Showcases art from the middle ages through the Renaissance up to the Rococo period.

  • NEUE PINAKOTHEKE - Showcases contemporary art including key works from neoclassicist and Romantic periods, art nouveau and Impressionism, the Nazarene brotherhood and Deutschrömer or ‘German Roman’ artists, as well as major pioneers of modernism.

  • PINAKOTHEKE DER MODERNE - One of the largest museums in the world for art, architecture and design from the 20th and 21st centuries.

    On our Munich City Bike Tour we ride by these beautiful buildings and you will learn more about the museums, their history and exhibitions.

BMW Museum

Entrance fee: €9
Closest U-Bahn station: Olympiazentrum
The BMW museum is located right next to the main BMW factory and here you can learn more about this loved car brand and see some of the top designs throughout their history.

Former Royal Residence or "The Residenz"

Entrance fee: €7
Closest U-Bahn station: Marienplatz
The Residenz is the largest palace in Germany. When you visit the Residenz you will see the beautiful royal architecture, room decorations and displays from the former royal collection. It truly feels like you are visiting a fairytale castle. On our Munich classic Segway Tour we glide to Odeonsplatz where we will see the Residenz. Here you will learn much more about the kings who lived here and the history behind the building.

SIGHTS

Marienplatz

Marienplatz is Munich City Center’s main square with the beautiful neogothic style New City Hall. Surrounding the square are plenty of cute cafés and shops. Remember to watch the Glockenspiel (the bell show) which plays every day at 11 a.m., 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Odeonsplatz

Odeonsplatz is a beautiful square surrounded by some of the most beautiful architecture in Munich. Take your camera and enjoy the stunning sites of the Felherrnhalle, the Theatiner church as well as the Residenz. If you feel like having a cup of coffee whilst enjoying the sites, make sure to head to Munich’s oldest café Tambosi or if you prefer a glass of sparkling then take a seat at Frank. On our Munich Bike or Segway Tours we take time to stop at Odeonsplatz and learn about the different constructions that were erected here.

Königsplatz

Königplatz or “King’s Square“ is a beautiful square with amazing ancient Greek styled architecture. In the summer you can enjoy the sights whilst sitting on the grass or steps of one of the two museums. On our Munich City Bike Tour we stop at Königsplatz, ride past the beautiful buildings and learn more about the what inspired the beautiful structures on this square.

 

Munich Transport Guide

Here in Munich we pride ourselves on our fast, efficient, and of course - punctual public transport. While much of the city can be covered on-foot, Munich offers a multitude of options for getting around town.

METRO, TRAM & BUS

The MVG

  • Munich’s whole public transportation system runs under the MVG which includes all metro, bus and tram lines. With one ticket you can ride all the way to your destination even if you need to change metro, tram or buses e.g. if you take the train from the airport to the main railway station and then take the rest of your trip with the metro that one ticket will be valid throughout the trip.
  • We highly recommend downloading the MVG app as that will tell you your exact connection from start to finish and will also tell you which rings you are travelling to help determine which is the correct ticket for you to buy.
  • Remember to buy a ticket at one of the blue machines before hopping on your ride. Trams and buses will usually have a ticket machine inside of them as well. Also remember to always validate your ticket on one of the blue stamping machines.

TAXIS & RIDESHARING

Taxis

  • Riding a taxi in Munich is both safe and reliable. Simply make sure the meter is on and running when you enter a taxi. The starting charge is usually around €3.70
  • All taxis in Munich have a yellow-beige color.
  • Taxis usually accept credit and debit cards but there are rare exceptions so it’s a good idea to have cash on you just in case.
  • It is custom to tip your driver with 1-2 euros.

Uber

  • Uber is also available in Munich and is a great alternative to the taxi. 

WALKING & BIKING

By foot or by bike

  • At the end of the day Munich is quite small and unless you are planning on staying at the more suburban areas or visiting the alps it is very easy to walk or bike almost anywhere. In Munich the locals walk a lot because it is often the easiest and sometimes even the quickest way from A to B.
  • Munich is a very safe and easy place to ride a bike. There are plenty of bike lanes and so long as you know basic rules of traffic than you will find it easy to bike in Munich.