Photo: Burkhard Mücke · CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Munich
Beer gardens, palaces, river surfers and great museums at €1 on Sundays.
Bavaria's easy-going capital: a walkable old town of onion domes and market stalls, royal palaces, big free parks with surfers on a river wave, and world-class museums that cost €1 on Sundays. The Dachau Memorial is a day trip by S-Bahn and bus (check), and Neuschwanstein about two hours away by train.
Places to see
- Marienplatz and the GlockenspielWalk · Munich's main square, framed by the dark, spiky front of the New Town Hall.Free
FrauenkircheChurch · The city's cathedral: a huge, plain red-brick church whose two towers with round green…Free
ViktualienmarktMarket · An open-air food market of permanent stalls and huts: fruit, cheese, sausages, honey,…Free
When to go
- Jan3° / -4°Some rainQuiet
- Feb5° / -4°Some rainQuiet
- Mar10° / 0°Some rainQuiet
- Apr14° / 3°Some rainBusy
- May19° / 8°Often wetBusy
- Jun22° / 11°Often wetBusy
- Jul24° / 13°Often wetBusy
- Aug24° / 13°Often wetBusy
- Sep
Staying and getting around
Good areas to stay
Around the Hauptbahnhof. Ludwigsvorstadt by the main station: most of the hostels, cheap kebab and Turkish places, a 15-minute walk to Marienplatz. Busy and a bit gritty at night.
Maxvorstadt and Schwabing. The university and museum quarter, running into the English Garden: students, cafés and cheaper eats.
Flying in
Munich (MUC): S-Bahn S1 or S8 to the centre, about 45 min, ≈ A$25. An airport-zone ticket; a group day ticket can be cheaper for two or more (check).
Flewaway's estimate for the usual budget way into Munich; check times and fares before you fly.
Getting around
Mostly on foot. A single ticket is ≈ A$7. The old town is walkable; the U-Bahn and trams reach Nymphenburg, the Olympic Park and the museums. Inspectors check tickets, so stamp or buy before you board (check).
Single-day ticket, Zone M (≈ A$18, Until 6:00 the next morning): Worth it from about three rides in a day inside the city (check).
Deutschlandticket (≈ A$110, 1 calendar month): All local transport and regional trains in Germany, not ICE; a subscription you must cancel (check).
Tourist tax
No city bed tax in Munich at the time of writing; the city has wanted one, so check when you book.
