When we took our trips to Germany, Slovakia, and Austria a few years ago I wrote posts on our experiences in Vienna, Bratislava, and Neuschwanstein Castle, but I never published my post on Munich!
Now that it’s almost Fall, this is the perfect time to finally publish. So whether you want to plan a trip to Germany, are already day dreaming about Oktoberfest, or just want to celebrate German culture – read on and explore cozy Munich with me.
Day One
Arrival
We took a 6:50 am train from Vienna to Munich since it was the most cost effective way to travel between the two cities. After taking in the Austrian and Germany countryside (which looks a lot like Wisconsin by the way) we arrived in Munich at around 11:30am.
Marianplatz
After finding our hotel we grabbed a quick bite to eat since we didn’t have too much day light left to explore the city. P.S. that’s something really important to consider when traveling in the fall and winter months – the days are short and nights are long. Ted and I were both sleepy but we made our way to the heart of Munich – Marienplatz to just get a sense of the city that we were going to explore the next day.
Marienplatz is beautiful. In the center is the large Glockenspiel clock tower which tells the story of a famous jousting tournament and wedding that have become German legend for the feasting and drinking that occurred there. We strolled around the area taking some of the cities classic sites. If you had one place to visit in Munich I would recommend Marienplatz as the site to see since you can really feel that its the heart of the city.
Snacking on Carbs
We needed a snack and quickly noticed that carbs were in no short supply in Munich. Everywhere we looked there were tasty pretzels and breads that locals pick up while on their commute. My favorite were these pretzels – I had one every day I was there !
Hofbräuhaus
Not far from the square, we stumbled across the famous Hofbräuhaus, probably one of the most famous beer halls in Germany. People come here to eat and well…drink more beer out of massive steins. It has a party atmosphere but also has dark history as it was the location for many of the Nazi party’s early meetings. Definitely cool to see.
Munich Residenz
We then came across the Munich Residenz, a former palace of Germany’s former kings. We didn’t go inside but walked around the palace grounds which provided some greenery and trees. After that we turned in for the night and prepped for our next day.
Day Two
Dachau
We toured this concentration camp in the morning since it was so close to the city. It a solemn visit but one that I think is important to make due Munich’s history. It was a center of Nazi ideology and the party got its start here. The tours were informative, sensitive, commemorated the victims of the camps in a very respectful way.
Lunch
I tried some Germany chicken noodle soup for lunch and even some alcohol free beer. I don’t drink, but Ted loved the beer in Munich. Munich’s beer makers really stand up to their world renowned reputation and are the best in the world he said.
Afternoon Free Munich Tour
On this three hour walking tour we got a rich overview of Munich’s history from the middle ages to WWII.
Viktualienmarkt
Located in Alstadt off the Marienplatz U-bahn and S-bahn stops, is the city’s oldest farmer’s market. I think this was my favorite part of Munich. The stalls are filled with gorgeous flowers, amazing foods, and small souvenirs. We also saw the famous Maypole located in the center of the market that contains figures displaying the trades and crafts of Munich (a lot of it was focused on beer making!). We spent the rest of the day wandering the city and doing some early Christmas shopping for our family’s back home.
Day Three
Day Trip To Eagle’s Nest
Ted and I are huge WWII buffs and have family members directly impacted by the war. So on our last day in Munich we took a day long road trip to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest. The views of the mountains were incredible and it even snowed, but I had a hard time thinking about the site’s dark history. While visiting we found a cafe running in the Eagle Nest’s former dining room and I grabbed a hot chocolate. I couldn’t help but think about my family members who fought and struggled during WWII. I wonder what they would think about their grand daughter comfortably sipping hot chocolate in Hitler’s former summer home. Thank god history turned out the way it did.
What to Eat
I didn’t track where we were eating in Munich but prepare yourself for a lot of meats and potatoes. Here’s an example of some of the delicious, and very filling meals that we enjoyed. By the end we were in desperate need of some salads!
Where To Stay
We stayed at Hotel Heigl which was in a small suburb just a 20 minute train ride outside of the Munich city center. It was in such a cute little area and it was nice to venture a little outside of the city and see the non touristy neighborhoods. They also had an amazing breakfast spread. I love European style breakfasts!
So that’s it! All in all Fall was the perfect time to visit Munich and I’m glad this was the first German city I visited. We debated heavily between Munich or Berlin and from what I saw and what I’ve learned from other travelers Munich was definitely the right choice. So book your trip now!
