Home » Germany Travel Tips » Munich

Munich

Munich is the largest city in southern Germany and famous for its beer festival. I like the old Bavarian charm of the city. There is a great center city, nice parks, wonderful food, and tons of friendly people. Oktoberfest brings huge drunk crowds but nobody celebrates beer better than the Germans. Not to be overlooked are Munich’s famous clock, art collection and great Bavarian food along with some significant historical sites and attractions, like the palace and the English Garden.

Costs in Munich

• Hostel Prices: Dorm rooms cost 18-25 Euros a night and privates cost 60 Euros. Prices double during Oktoberfest
• Budget Hotel Prices: Hotel prices begin at the lower end of hostel private rooms. Expect to pay 60 Euros and up.
• Average Cost of Food: As long as you don’t go to high end restaurants you can eat for under 15 euros for a meal. Many restaurants have a “Mittagsmenü” (special prices for lunch on a working day) where you usually pay about 5-7 Euros for really good food. McDonalds and other fast food places cost around 6 Euros. You can also get hotdogs and sausages for 2 or 3 Euros. A week’s worth of groceries will cost around 40 Euros.
• Cost of Internet: Hostels have free wi-fi as does most of the restaurants and pubs in the city. An internet cafe will cost about 4 Euros per hour but you can usually find wi-fi free somewhere.
• Public Transportation Cost: Munich has an excellent public transport system operated by MVV, which includes buses, trams and an S and U-Bahn network. S and U-Bahn tickets are €2.40 or €5.20 for a day pass. Three-day passes cost €12.80. Regardless of how many people board the taxi, fares are based on a basic fare plus a minimum of one rate increment or waiting time plus any surcharges. The basic fare is 2.90 Euros. You can also get a car rental in Munich.

Things to Do in Munich

• Oktoberfest - A two week drinking festival that occurs at the end of September. Thousands of people descend on the city to spend the time dressed in Bavarian clothes, drink huge steins of beer, and eat face sized pretzels. I barely made it out alive! ‘Nuff said.
• Alte Pinakothek – This important art museum is home to a collection of over 800 works dating from the Middle Ages to the Rococo period. It features one of the world’s largest exhibits of Rubens’ paintings as well as works by Titian, Frans Hals, Altdorfer and Albrecht Dürer. Admission Mon-Sat €7, Sun €1; day ticket to all three Pinakothek museums plus the Museum Brandhorst and Schack-Galerie €12.
• Alter Peter (Church of St Peter) - Munich’s oldest parish church features art dating back six centuries and you can climb the 306 steps for lovely views from the tower.
• BMW Museum & BMW Welt Munich – The BMW Museum is housed next to BMW’s head office in northern Munich. It features exhibits about the history of BMW cars and motorcycles with historic vehicles and prototypes plus displays on alternative fuel and traffic management. BMW Welt Munich is a free exhibition of BMW cars, located next to the BMW Museum.
• Dachau Concentration Camp – Dachau was the site of Germany’s first Nazi concentration camp. The visitors’ center screens a documentary film about the concentration camp. It is a very sad place to visit and one that reminds us that evil wins when good men do nothing. This place is located outside the city and a visit usually takes a full day.
• Hofbräuhaus – The world’s most famous beer hall is Munich’s top attraction and a visit here is a must if you’re not able to visit the city during Oktoberfest. The Hofbräuhaus has was originally built by in 1607 and was originally used as a brewery but was remodeled after the brewery moved to a new site in the suburbs. It’s the most popular beer hall during Octoberfest.
• Nymphenburg Palace – This impressive baroque palace was the summer residence of Bavaria’s royalty. It features a lavishly decorated interior and a breathtaking banquet hall. The palace is surrounded by extensive gardens and the rooms are very beautiful.
• English Garden – The English gardens are a huge massive park that offers many places to picnic, hike, and relax. Moreover, near the entrance is a river where people surf as the water flows out under the bridge. (You can go surfing yourself too!) There is a great beer garden in the middle of the park too where you can relax on a beautiful day. It’s very popular with the locals.
• Viktualienmarkt – This market is in the middle of the city and has a great choice of fresh fruit and vegetables, food stores, cheese, antipasti. It’s not very expensive either.
• Deutches Museum – One of the largest technical museums in the world, this museum is host to a huge array of exhibits. For anyone interested in construction, engineering, aerospace, and the natural sciences, this is a great attraction. You could easily spend the entire day here.
• Maibaumaufstellung – The first of May is a public holiday in Germany, and every year, there is a festive erection of Maypoles all over the country. Small villages will go head to head, attempting to steal the maypole of rival villages—and if one is stolen, it must be ‘purchased’ back. There is always an interesting array of activities on this day.
• Neuhauserstrasse / Kaufingerstrasse – This is a shopping area that stretches for several blocks, which is exclusive to pedestrian traffic. There is a great mix of independent boutiques and large-scale department stores to peruse through. When you get tired of shopping, or just feel like taking a break, there is a slew of restaurants, bars, cafes, and beer gardens to stop in at.
• Bayerische Staatsoper – Considered to be one of the top attractions in Munich and Bavaria alike, this is also one of the best opera companies in the world. The pieces put on here are primarily that of Mozart, Wagner, and Strauss. Seeing a show here is definitely one for the must see list.
• Go skating – Olympiapark and the English garden are two popular spots for bladers and there are more than you might imagine — especially from May to August. Every Monday is Blade Night, which is basically a big street party.

Budget Tips for Munich

• Cheap Museums: On Sundays, the Bavarian Museum is only 1 Euro. History buffs may enjoy this museum filled with old relics and artifacts.
• Cheap Eats: The quick sausage stands and shwarma places offer a chance to eat really cheap for only 2 or 3 Euros. Food near the central train station is also cheap.
• Cheap Cinema: On Tuesday, there is a “Cinema-Day” and movie tickets are much cheaper (The big cinema at Stachus only is only 5.90 instead of 8 Euros). Also, student tickets for the opera or ballet are only 10 Euros.

Why use this site?

Ultimate Travel Guide

This guide to traveling the world features tips, tricks, and savings advice not featured in this blog. You'll learn how to become an expert traveler and travel cheaper, better, and longer. And you'll get $1k in free travel coupons to start!