Ultimate Guide to Munich

Munich, also called Minga by its residents, is one of the must-see cities in Europe. I have a love-hate relationship with my former temporary home. But whenever I go back, I realize that Munich has moved from a city deeply rooted in its tradition to a modern melting pot which appreciates its heritage. Whichever plans you have for your trip to Bavaria, Munich will not let you down when it comes to culinary, shopping or leisure activities and has much more to offer than just the Oktoberfest. You can find all my recommendations in the map below.

Where to Eat

Oskar Maria @ Literaturhaus

Perfect for business lunches as it is conveniently located in the centre. They offer nice lunch options. (Salvatorplatz 1)

Andechser am Dom

You have not been to Munich if you have not eaten “Weißwürscht” (“white sausages”) at Andechser am Dom. Andechs is a famous monastery near Munich and the restaurant serves the famous sausages. But you have to be quick: the sausages are only served until noon – according to Munich residents, they are not allowed to hear the bells ring 12. If you only make it there after 12 am, they “Fleischpflanzerl” (Bavarian beaf patties) are also delicious. Their “Obazda” (cheese) is also really nice, but quite a heavy dish. I would recommend sharing it. (Weinstraße 7A)

Effe & Gold

Best burgers in town. (Herzogstraße 86)

Waldfee

Sometimes, an Austrian needs to get some Austrian vibes in Bavaria. Waldfee is the place to go. (Occamstraße 13)

Viktualienmarkt

Visiting the Viktualienmarkt is a must when you are in Munich. Whether it is for drinks, shopping for local delicacies or for some snacks, I love going there on a beautiful day. Even if it is raining, you can go to the Schrannenhalle nearby for some market feeling.

For more food and drinks recommendations, check out my Insider’s Guide to Ludwigvorstadt-Isarvorstadt.

Ice Cream & Cafés

Bartu

Best ice cream in Munich. (Wilhelmstraße 23)

Punto Gelato

Another great ice cream place in the Westend area. (Schwanthalerstraße 131)

Café Luitpold

This café is an institution and has the best pastries in town. (Brienner Straße 11)

Marais

Beautiful Parisian-style coffee place in a former shop house. (Parkstraße 2)

Café Gans am Wasser

A walk in the Westpark is so relaxing and will make you forget that you are in one of the biggest cities in Germany. I love the concept of this coffee place directly at the Mollsee in the Westpark.

This outdoor place is beautifully decorated and the cakes are delicious. (Westpark, directly at the Mollsee)

Rooftop Drinks

Blue Spa Bar at Hotel Bayerischer Hof

One of the fanciest addresses in Munich and my favourite view. I recommend to book a table as it can get crowded in summer. (Promenadeplatz 2-6)

Emiko Roof Terrace @ Louis Hotel

When you enjoy your drinks at Emiko Roof Terrace, you might even forget that you are in Bavaria – you could be in New York, Milan or Hong Kong as well. (Viktualienmarkt 6)

Hotel Deutsche Eiche

This hotel and bar is popular among the gay crowd in Munich and has a really cool vibe. Moreover, the view over Munich is beautiful. (Reichenbachstraße 13)

Clubbing

Paradiso

Red velvet, chandeliers and a colourful crowd – this club was “the” place to party in the 1970s and 80s and it still has its charme. One of my favourite party places in Munich. (Rumfordstraße 2)

Shopping

Dallmayr

When I grew up, I watched a series called “Zwei Münchner in Hamburg” (Two people from Munich in Hamburg) and they always showed the coffee roasting house Dallmayr. It is a must-see in Munich and offers delicatessen from Bavaria and the world. (Dienerstraße 14/15)

Mohrmann Basics

Cool mix of Apparel, Lingerie/Beachwear and Accessoires. (Maffeistraße 6)

Further Activities

Englischer Garten

The biggest park in Munich is perfect for walks, picnics or for taking a boat and watching the ducks. In summer, you will see surfers at the Eisbach.

Isar River

Relax, sunbathe or go for a run along the Isar.

Museums

Munich has a wide range of museums to offer. My favourites are the Pinakothek der Moderne (Barer Straße 40), the Deutsches Museum (Museumsinsel 1) and the Kunsthalle München (Theatinerstraße 8).

BMW Welt

Car and especially BMW fans cannot leave Munich without a visit of the BMW Welt. (Am Olympiapark 1 and 2)

How to Get There

By Plane

Munich Franz Josef Strauss Airport (MUC) is one of the biggest European airports and the second big hub of Lufthansa (in addition to Frankfurt). You can reach the city from the airport by train (called “S-Bahn) or taxi. The whole time I lived in Munich, I have actually never taken the bus to the airport. S1 and S8 take you to the city – depending on where you are going to in the city, check the one which is closest to your stop. The ticket for the train is about EUR 11 (about USD 12). As the airport is located quite far from the city, it will take you about 45 minutes to get to the city. You need to factor in the same amount of time if you take a taxi. Furthermore, because of that distance, taxis are quite expensive (around EUR 60-70 (USD 68-78)). A lot of my friends now rent cars via DriveNow and car2go, which you can rent at the airport and then just park it in the city.

By Train

A lot of high speed trains connect Munich to the major cities in Europe. The train station is located in the city centre and is connected to the S-Bahn and U-Bahn (subway) system.

Getting Around

There are daily tickets for the public transport system which cost around EUR 6-12 (USD 7-14). The price depends on how many zones you use.

Taxis are available at taxi stands or via a hotline. However, it is not like in the US or in Asia that it is easy to flag a taxi. Uber is also not as common.

Language

I keep repeating myself, but it definitely helps you to speak the local language wherever you travel. However, in the city centre, it will be no problem to get around with English. If you do speak a bit of German and feel that you do not understand anything, please do not worry, Bavarians speak a dialect of German very similar to the Austrian dialect. It can be difficult to understand, even for other German speakers 🙂

Currency

As the economically strongest country in the Eurozone, Germany, of course, uses the Euro.

All the locations listed above are marked in my map: