What to do in Munich
Hannah
Munich has more to offer than beer, lederhosen, Bretzeln and dirndl. Explore the different facets of the capital of Bavaria!
When thinking of German cliches, Munich might be the first city that comes to mind – people drinking beer before breakfast, dressing in “Lederhosen” or “Dirndl” and eating sausages and pretzels. While that is probably true during the famous “Oktoberfest” which takes place in Munich every year, the city has a lot more to offer!
Munich is the capital of the state of Bavaria (or in German “Bayern”) and one of the biggest cities in Germany. But in comparison to cities like Berlin or Cologne, Munich faces the prejudice of being very pricy and worried about a “chic” image. But that is hardly true and if you know where to search for it, the city has to offer cosy corners, characteristic culture, creative cafes, and crazy cats… I admit, I haven’t seen a crazy cat in Munich yet – that was just for the sake of the c’s.
Back to the topic:
Here are some ideas on what to do in Munich if you already know the Marienplatz, the Hofbräuhaus and Neuschwanstein Castle!
First of all, you should get an overview of the city. And I mean that literally, the St. Peters church near the Marienplatz has an observation platform at the top of the clock tower that lets you get a view over the entire city! But don’t forget: Everything comes with a price (in addition to the entrance fee of 3,00 Euros for students) you’ll have to walk your way up to the top – there’s no elevator, just 300 hundred steps. No worries, the view is quite a reward – and going downstairs afterwards is way easier.
Now that you have seen everything from above,
…it’s time to dive into detail. Wait, did I say diving? That’s another play of words and can be taken just as literally as getting an overview. My next suggestion is to pay a visit to the “Sealife” in the “Olympiapark” in Munich. The Sealife is a huge aquarium, that lets you explore the wonders from under the sea just as if you were there without the trouble of getting wet of course. And the highlight is a 30 Meters long tunnel right through their tropical aquarium.
And if you’re not a fan of fish,…
…the Olympiapark itself, where the Summer Olympics from 1972 took place, is worth several visits. Why several? Because to pay a visit means practically nothing more than stepping out of your door. No car, no tram, you don’t even need a bike. From our THE FIZZ location in Munich it takes just a ten-minute walk to the Olympiapark. And there’s so much to see! From guided tours and unique architecture over festivals, concerts, and exhibitions to a zip line over the Olympic stadion. But keep in mind that the “Flying Fox” zipline is a rather expensive adrenaline kick.
The same excitement but for less money…
…and with more variety can be found at one of the four DAV climbing and bouldering centres in Munich. The DAV is the the “Deutscher Alpenverein München & Oberland” which there no matter if in one of their training centres or the mountains. You can sign up for a regular course or just pay a visit to try it.
To counterbalance the excitement a bit, here is an idea that has nothing to do with heights or adrenaline. The “Kunstareal” in the district “Maxvorstadt” is an area filled with museums of every kind. And “Kunstareal” is a very fitting name because it simply means “art area”. Paintings, music and sound, sculptures, science and culture -– there is an exhibition for every taste or mood.
Apropos arts:
You might know the wagon “Minna Thiel” at the university in Munich and her bigger brother the “Bahnwärter Thiel”, which is an alternative culture project around art, gardening and community. But if you are searching for a new address, take a look at the “Kreativquartier” on Dachauer Street. There you can find small ateliers, workshops, exhibitions and of course food and drinks. If the sun sets, enjoy an evening filled with good company and music of all styles.
Now I have a special tip…
…for all fans of flea markets and thrift stores because the “midnightbazar” opens its gates when other shops close. Flea market shopping from 5 pm till midnight, just look up the next date at their website!
Let’s face it:
Munich does not only consist of the city, the area around just waits to be explored. For example, with a biking tour to the “Nymphenburg castle” or the “Huntingcastle Blutenburg” – I know that sounds a bit morbid, since “Blutenburg” translates to something like “blood-manor” but it looks quite beautiful. And in case you are tired of all the castles, there are also a lot of lakes to swim in, picnic at and hike around!
And while beautiful nature and biking tours are not unique to Munich, my last two tips are. And they belong to opposite ends of the “day trip spectrum”. The first one is the “Allgäu Skyline Park” filled with carousels and rollercoasters – for exciting days. The second one, the “Erdinger Therme”, is quite the contrary and perfect for relaxed spa days. But note that these both are a little more expensive than a biking tour 😉
Be assured that there is still so much more to do and to see in Munich, I tried to take a bit of everything into account. So the only thing left to say is: Enjoy your day in Munich!
All photo rights by International Campus GmbH.