Munich, third largest city in Germany, is famous its beautiful architecture and of course, its annual Oktoberfest beer festival. Even if you're not visiting during the Oktoberfest period (mid September to early October), there's still plenty to see and do in the city.
Getting in:
By plane:
Munich Airport is about 45 minutes away from the city center by public transportation and about 30 minutes by car and taxi. You can take a train to reach the city center (about EUR 11.60 one way). Alternatively, Airport-City day ticket is also available (EUR 13 for single and EUR 24.30 for group).
By train:
This is my preferred way of arriving Munich since I'm travelling from Berlin.
München Hauptbahnhof is the main railway station in the city of Munich, Germany.
The railway station was decorated with Oktoberfest theme decorations.
By bus:
If you're arriving by bus, then you'll most likely end up in Munich ZOB, the central bus station.
Accommodation:
I stayed at MK hotel München Max-Weber-Platz. 2 nights stay cost me EUR 171.
Official website: https://www.mkhotels.de/en/muenchen-max-weber-platz/
You can also book it through other booking website: Agoda, Hotels.com and Trip.com.
There is a laundry bar, 5 minutes walking distance away from the hotel.
The nearest subway station (U-bahn) or tram stop to the hotel is Max-Weber-Platz.
Tip: The accommodation cost in Munich is sky-high during Oktoberfest and you need to book many months in advance. I tried to book Airbnb during that period with no avail. So your best bet is to book hotels.
To avoid breaking my budget for the accommodation, I arrived in Munich two days earlier than the first day of Oktoberfest. Then, I booked a train and left Munich on the night of the first day of Oktoberfest and stayed overnight in Frankfurt.
Getting around:
Munich has an extensive network of U-Bahn (subway), S-Bahn (light-rail), Strassenbahn (trams), and buses. See above for map of S + U-Bahn and regional trains (click to enlarge).
I found out that prices and zones for public transport in Munich has changed DRASTICALLY on December 15, 2019. So it's best to visit the official MVV website to find out more.
Website: https://www.mvv-muenchen.de/en/index.html
M-Zone (Zone 1 to 6) encompasses the entire city of Munich and in part extends beyond it. Munich Airport is located in Zone 5.
Basically, there are single ticket, stripe ticket and day ticket. A day ticket basically entitles you to unlimited trips within a certain area (based on which ticket you buy) from the time of validation up till 6am the next day. I chose to buy the day ticket to avoid the headache.
If you're travelling with more than 1 person, it makes sense to buy the group ticket as it is cheaper. Click here for the tentative ticket cost table. Regular single ticket is about EUR 3.30.
Remember that all tickets must be validated.
What to see (besides Oktoberfest):
Recommended to start exploring the old town from Karlsplatz and enter through Karlstor, a Gothic gate of the demolished medieval fortifications.
St Michael's Church.
Interior of the church is stunning.
Along the way, there're lots of shops and beautiful buildings.
Frauenkirche, a Gothic church with two towers. The south tower can be climbed and offers a great view of the city.
It is famous for its legendary Devil's footprint. But unfortunately, I couldn't find it.
The most famous square in Munich is the Marienplatz. This is where you can see the New City Hall (Neues Rathaus) and Old City Hall (Altes Rathaus).
One of the top favourite things to do is to watch the Glockenspiel performance at 11am, 12pm, and 5pm (except November through February). The square will get crowded during these hours. But honestly, the performance is nothing to shout about. Don't feel too bad if you miss it. See my posted video below:
Old City Hall (Altes Rathaus).
St. Peter's Church, a Roman Catholic parish church. If you want to enjoy the view of the city center from the tower of St. Peter's Church, be prepared to climb 299 steps.
You can easily spot the shiny bronze right breast of Juliet Capulet statue. Why? Because legend has it that you'll get good luck by touching her right breast. Of course, there is no harm trying and we wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to get some good luck, haha. The statue was a gift from Verona in 1974.
A short walking distance away from Marienplatz, you’ll find Munich’s open air food market - Viktualienmarkt. If you want to grab a bite or buy colourful produce, this is the place to be.
There is also a bustling beer garden here.
The magnificient Munich Residenz is not to be missed. It is the former royal palace for Bavarian kings from 1508 to 1918.
The stunning Perseus Fountain inside the Munich Residenz is one of the first hall you'll see.
This is the magnificent Hall of Antiquities.
The Reliquaries Room since 1939.
The Court Chapel.
Ornate Chapel was the private oratory of Duke Maximilian and his consort.
The Golden Hall (1666/1667) was the audience chamber of Electress Henriette Adelaide of Savoy.
It is also worthwhile to visit Cuvillies Theatre while you are here. This theater was originally reserved exclusively for members of the court. It is decorated with elaborate carved decorations of figures, floral ornament and patterning.
Useful information:
Getting here: S-Bahn / U-Bahn nearest station: Marienplatz / Odeonsplatz. Tram: Nationaltheater
Opening hours:
Residence Museum & Treasury: daily 9am-6pm (April - 18 October), daily 10am-5pm (19 October-March). Last entry is 1 hour before closing.
Admission fee (2020):
Residence Museum/Treasury: EUR 9 (regular), EUR 8 (reduced)
Cuvillies Theatre: EUR 5 (regular), EUR 4 (reduced)
Combination ticket (Residence Museum + Treasury): EUR 14 (regular), EUR 12 (reduced)
Combination ticket (Residence Museum + Treasury + Cuvillies Theatre): EUR 17 (regular), EUR 14.50 (reduced)
Court garden + fountain machinery: free
Website: https://www.residenz-muenchen.de/englisch/residenc/
Take note that you cannot take a stroller into the museum and treasury. However, free strollers are available during your visit.
Next to the Munich Residenz is the Odeonsplatz, one of Munich’s main squares.
This monumental loggia on the Odeonsplatz is called Feldherrnhalle. Interesting fact is during the Nazi era, Hitler turned Feldherrnhalle into a memorial to the Nazis killed during the failed putsch.
Check out the unique sight of people surfing on a man-made river in the middle of the city at Eisbachwelle! It is nearby Haus der Kunst, an art museum.
Further down the road, you'll find Bavarian National Museum.
Across the bridge, you'll see Friedensengel, a golden angel on a column.
If you have time, go to Konigsplatz where you'll see beautiful monumental neo-classical buildings such as College for Music and Theatre and Glyptothek.
If you’re in Munich on a Sunday, count yourself lucky as you can enjoy many of the city’s best museums for only 1 euro! Since the 1st day of Oktoberfest fell on a Saturday and I left Munich on the same night, I had no opportunity to enjoy this offer.
Where to eat:
Hofbrauhaus is a popular beer hall and restaurant in the city center of Munich.
They have indoor dining hall and a courtyard in the middle.
I had my dinner here to enjoy its home-brewed beer and regional cuisine such as German sausages and roast pork with potato dumpling.
1 litre beer typically cost EUR 9.20.
It is open daily from 9am till midnight. The restaurant was full house while I was there, so be prepared to wait for service during the peak hours.
Website: https://www.hofbraeuhaus.de/en/welcome.html
What to buy:
1) German Cuckoo Clocks
If it's too bulky for you to carry home, consider buying a mini version of it, which is made into fridge magnet.
2) Beer Stein (especially those from Oktoberfest)
3) Lebkuchen
Delicious and beautiful gingerbread cookies.
Day trip from Munich:
I visited the fairy tale castle of Neuschwanstein from Munich. You can either join a day trip tour or take a train/bus to Neuschwanstein. The easiest way is to take Flixbus, which will take you directly to the city center.
You can also do a day trip to Salzburg (slightly less than 2 hours by car / train) or Eagles' Nest (about 2 hours by car / 3 hours by public transport - train+bus) from Munich!
It is difficult time to travel abroad now due to the pandemic. Hopefully, we can all enjoy the freedom to travel soon once this is over. Thank you for reading.
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