Are you ready for an unforgettable adventure in Munich, the city that has it all?
Munich is a place where you can experience culture, beer and mountains in one amazing trip.
You'll be amazed by the diversity and beauty of this city, which is the capital and the largest city of Bavaria, a state that marches to its own drum
You'll also be close to the Alps and Austria, where you can explore nature and have fun. Munich is a breeze to reach and to navigate, thanks to its superb transport links.
So don't hesitate, discover Munich!
Munich Germany - where is it?
Imagine living in a city that’s just a stone’s throw away from the majestic Alps, where you can enjoy stunning views and outdoor adventures.
That’s Munich for you!
Munich is located way down in the south of Germany. In fact it is not far from the mountains that form the border with Austria. But still it's easy to get to from anywhere in the country, thanks to some great transport infrastructure.
Munich is a beautiful city. But it is also a big city. It's the capital and largest city of Bavaria, a state with its own culture and traditions.
An aerial view of Munich city centre with the Bavarian Alps in the distance
If you’re flying to Munich, you’ll land at the Munich International Airport, which is north of the city centre. It’s a huge airport that can take you to locations around the world. But don’t worry, getting to the city from the airport is easy and fast. Just hop on a train or a bus and you’ll be there in no time.
Find out more about flying to Munich and how to get to the city centre on our more detailed Munich airport page
If you’re taking the train to Munich, you’ll probably arrive at the Munich Central Station (München Hauptbahnhof). It’s a busy station that serves 450,000 passengers a day. You can catch a train from here to almost anywhere in Germany and beyond.
If you’re driving to Munich, you’ll have no trouble finding your way. There are motorways coming from all directions and a motorway ring road that goes around the city.
Drivers can also avoid the traffic and parking hassle by using one of the Park-and-Ride locations in the suburbs. They are connected to the local public transport, which is fast and reliable.
Munich has so much to offer that it's hard to choose what to do first.
Are you a fan of art? Then you'll love Munich's galleries, which have something for everyone. You can admire the Old Masters at the Alte Pinakothek, or check out the modern design and paintings by 20th century artists at the Museum Brandhorst.
And that's not all. There's a whole area of Munich (the Kunstareal) dedicated to art museums. You could spend hours there!
Are you into history and architecture? Then you'll be fascinated by Munich's buildings and museums, which tell the story of the city and its people.
Nymphenburg Palace in Munich
You can visit the former homes of the ruling families, such as Nymphenburg Palace and the Munich Residence, or learn about the local culture and events at the Bavarian National Museum and the Munich City Museum.
And don't forget the Deutsches Museum, the largest science museum in the world. It's a must-see!
All that serious touring around can leave you needing a break. And Munich has you covered there as well with its parklands easily accessible from the city centre.
The English Garden is the best-known of them. You can sunbathe near one of the lakes, enjoy a reviving snack and drink in the beer garden near the Chinese Tower ('Chinesische Turm') or watch the local surfers on the standing wave in the Eisbach river.
If you are just visiting for a couple of days or over the weekend, check out our Two Day Itinerary for Munich page.
Should you stay in the city centre or in the lively student area? In the old town or across the river in a quieter location? We take a look at six of the more popular districts to stay in Munich in more detail on our Where to stay in Munich page.
Alternatively, see what is available for your particular travel dates with the search box below:
Booking.comBefore you start your adventures in Munich, you should consider getting one of the two official city cards from the local tourist office.
The Munich Card gives you discounts on many of the museums and galleries and, if you want, free travel on either the central area of Munich public transport or the whole of the Munich area (which includes places like Freising, the Starnberger See and Bad Tölz).
The Munich City Pass is like a deluxe version of the Munich Card. It gives you free entry to the sights, free travel (if you want) on the trains and buses as above and, in some cases, fast-track access if there are any lines outside the popular spots.
The city centre is easy to walk around, so you can make your own plan and explore Munich at your own speed.
But if you prefer to join a guided tour, there are plenty of options to suit your interests.
There are Segway tours, walking tours, and hop-on hop-off bus tours. Then there are the food and drink tours...
One of the most popular of these is to the historic beer gardens and beer halls of Munich. The Bavarian Purity Law is not what you think! It's actually a law that regulates what can go into a Bavarian beer, which resulted in the famous breweries and beers from the region. Cheers!
If you want to discover what might suit you on a Munich visit, check out our Many Faces of Munich article.
Munich has a lot of attractions that are outside the city but still easy to reach because of the great regional transports system.
With a Munich public transport day ticket, you can, for example, go to the Starnberger See and the Ammersee, two lakes that are popular with locals in the summer months.
Freising, with its cathedral and (supposedly) the oldest brewery in the world, is another option on the S-Bahn regional train service.
A rather more sombre alternative is a day trip on the short journey to Dachau and the Dachau concentration camp memorial site.
The town of Mittenwald in the Bavarian Alps
There is a cheap rail ticket option to the Bavarian Alps and the town of Oberammergau (known for the Passion Play held every ten years) and the mountain towns of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Mittenwald. The Werdenfels ticket includes a day of travel on the regional train services in that direction and the Munich S-Bahn services.
And, of course, there are the always-popular organised day tours to two of Bavaria's main tourist attractions. Neuschwanstein Castle is around 2 hours' drive from the city and some of the day trips also include stops at Ludwig II's other residence, Linderhof Castle.
Schloss Neuschwanstein is also part of Germany's Romantic Road tourist route, and excursions from Munich offer a day in Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Nördlingen, two of the main towns on the tour.
The city of Munich is inextricably linked to the Oktoberfest. with the beer tents and sideshows, funfairs and food stalls all being set up for the last two weeks in September (and usually a few at the start of October).
The festival on the Theresienwiese attracts an almost unbelievable six million visitors each year.
Christmas market on the Marienplatz square in Munich
A rather quieter and maybe more contemplative experience awaits during the Advent period. This is when the Christmas markets set up their stalls. The most famous is the Christkindlmarkt in the old town, but there are plenty of other smaller and less tourist-y markets dotted around the neighbourhoods of the city.
The main Munich tourist office is located in the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus) in Marienplatz. It can be extremely busy in high season. Another one is located in the main Munich Central Station (München Hauptbahnhof).
Website: www.muenchen.de
