Why Munich
Munich is the German city that looks like it’s been told it’s on a postcard. The old centre is tidy and baroque, the beer gardens are vast and shaded by chestnut trees, and on a clear day you can see the Alps from the top of a church tower. It’s also one of the easiest big cities in Europe to get around, and a good base for castles and mountains if you want more than a city weekend.
There are direct flights from Dublin. From the airport, the S1 and S8 suburban trains reach the centre in about 40 minutes, and once you’re in, the U-Bahn, trams and your own two feet cover everything.
Good for
- Beer gardens, hearty food and a relaxed pace
- City plus mountains or castles in one trip
- Christmas markets in December
Not ideal if
- You’re on a tight budget during Oktoberfest, when prices jump
- You want to shop on a Sunday
- You want nightlife that goes on till dawn
The old town in a morning
Start at Marienplatz, the main square, where the Glockenspiel on the New Town Hall plays at 11am and noon (and at 5pm in the warmer months). It’s a gentle show, so don’t plan your day around it. Then climb St Peter‘s tower for the view of the rooftops and, on a good day, the Alps.
Two minutes away, the Viktualienmarkt is the city’s open-air food market, with its own beer garden in the middle. Go for a pretzel and a Weisswurst (the white veal sausage, traditionally eaten before noon), then walk on to the Residenz, the old royal palace, where the treasury and the Antiquarium hall are the highlights.
Beer gardens and the English Garden
The English Garden is bigger than Central Park, and it’s where Munich goes on a sunny afternoon. At its southern edge, surfers ride a standing wave on the Eisbach, in the middle of the city, in wetsuits, all year. The beer garden at the Chinese Tower is the famous one; the Augustiner-Keller near the main station is the one locals would send you to.
One thing worth knowing: in a traditional Bavarian beer garden, you’re allowed to bring your own food, as long as you buy your drinks there. Look for the tables without tablecloths.
What we’d skip: a whole evening in the Hofbräuhaus. It’s worth putting your head in for the noise and the brass band, but it’s mostly visitors, and the beer is the same in the beer gardens, with more room to breathe.
Museums and palaces
- The Pinakotheken: three galleries side by side, from Old Masters to modern art. Entry is just €1 on Sundays.
- Deutsches Museum: one of the biggest science and technology museums in the world, great with children.
- Nymphenburg Palace: the summer palace, with long canals and gardens, a short tram ride west.
- BMW Welt and Museum: free to walk around the showroom, paid for the museum next door.
Day trips: castles, mountains or memorial
Neuschwanstein, the castle that inspired Disney, is about two hours each way by train and bus, and the inside is seen on a short timed tour that you need to book. Dachau, the first Nazi concentration camp, is now a memorial site with free entry and a sobering, well-told exhibition, about 45 minutes away by suburban train and bus. Garmisch-Partenkirchen and the Zugspitze, Germany’s highest mountain, are about an hour and a half away, and Salzburg in Austria is under two hours by train.
Our advice: on three nights, pick one. Neuschwanstein is a long day for a short tour, so it’s only worth it if the castle is the reason you came. For mountain views with less time on trains, Garmisch on a clear day is the better trip.
Where to stay
The Altstadt (old town) puts you on foot to almost everything. Maxvorstadt, near the museums and the university, is good value and has plenty of cafés. Haidhausen across the river is quieter and residential, and the area around the main station is the most practical for day trips, if not the prettiest.
A three-night plan
Day one: Marienplatz, St Peter’s tower, the Viktualienmarkt and the Residenz, then the English Garden and a beer garden at sunset.
Day two: a day trip: Neuschwanstein, Dachau, Garmisch or Salzburg.
Day three: the Pinakotheken or the Deutsches Museum in the morning, Nymphenburg Palace in the afternoon, and dinner in Haidhausen.
When to go
May to early October is beer garden season, and the June bank holiday is a good bet for warm, long evenings. Oktoberfest runs from late September into the first weekend of October, which is a riot of fun, crowds and hotel prices; the October bank holiday usually falls after it, when things are calmer. From late November to Christmas Eve, the city’s Christmas markets are among the best in Germany.
Good to know before you go
- Most shops close on Sundays. Museums, cafés and beer gardens stay open.
- Card is widely accepted, but carry some cash for beer gardens and market stalls.
- Book Neuschwanstein tickets online well ahead, especially in summer.
- Validate paper tickets before you board public transport, or buy them on the app.
- A litre of beer is called a Mass. Pace yourself.
- Book hotels months ahead if your dates touch Oktoberfest.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get from Munich airport to the city?
Take the S1 or S8 suburban train, which runs to the main station and Marienplatz in about 40 minutes. Buy an airport ticket that covers the whole zone.
Is Neuschwanstein worth it on a long weekend?
Only if the castle is the main reason you’re going. It’s about two hours each way, and the inside is seen on a short guided tour. For mountain scenery with less time on trains, Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a good alternative.
When is Oktoberfest?
Oktoberfest starts in the second half of September and ends on the first Sunday of October, or on 3 October if that’s later. Hotels fill early and prices rise, so book well ahead.
Is Munich good with children?
Yes. The Deutsches Museum, the English Garden, the beer gardens with play areas and the Hellabrunn zoo all suit families.
