Munich balances Bavarian tradition with technological wealth in a way no other German city matches. You can spend the morning at a world-class automotive museum, the afternoon in a 19th-century beer garden under chestnut trees, and the evening at the opera.
The city’s attractions cluster conveniently: the Altstadt (old town) groups the central squares and churches, the museum quarter sits just north in Maxvorstadt, and the Englischer Garten provides a 375-hectare green lung larger than New York’s Central Park. This guide covers essential Munich sights with hours, prices, and tips as of 2026.
Best Things to Do in Munich Germany
Marienplatz and the Neues Rathaus: Munich’s Central Square
Marienplatz has been Munich’s central square since 1158. The Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall), a neo-Gothic fantasy completed in 1909, dominates the square with its 85-meter tower and the famous Glockenspiel. The mechanical clock performs daily at 11:00 and 12:00 (also 17:00 March-October) with 32 life-sized figures reenacting a 1568 royal wedding and the Schäfflertanz (cooper’s dance). The tower elevator (€6) provides panoramic city views. The square itself is free and open 24/7. The Viktualienmarkt food market (10-minute walk) offers the best lunch options near Marienplatz. Avoid the tourist-trap restaurants directly on the square.
Englischer Garten: Europe’s Largest City Park
The Englischer Garten stretches 5km north from the city center, covering 375 hectares. Key features include the Eisbach wave at the southern entrance (Prinzregentenstraße), where surfers ride a permanent standing wave year-round (free to watch). The Chinese Tower beer garden (Chinesischer Turm) is Munich’s second-largest with 7,000 seats; a liter of beer costs €9.20 (2026).
The Seehaus beer garden on the Kleinhesseloher See lake offers boat rentals. The park has designated nude sunbathing areas (Schönfeldwiese) that shock first-time visitors but are a long-standing Munich tradition. The park is free and accessible 24/7. The best time to visit is May-September when the beer gardens operate. Check the Munich weather forecast before planning a full park day.
BMW Museum and BMW Welt: The Automotive Experience
Am Olympiapark 1 and 2. BMW Museum: Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-18:00, tickets €10. BMW Welt: daily 9:00-18:00, free entry. The museum traces BMW’s history from aircraft engines to motorcycles to cars across 5,000 square meters of exhibition space. The adjacent BMW Welt is a showroom and delivery center where customers pick up new vehicles; it’s free and arguably more impressive than the museum with its futuristic architecture and current model displays. The Olympiapark next door offers tower views (€9) from 190 meters. The entire complex sits 15 minutes north of the center on the U3 U-Bahn line (Olympiazentrum stop).
Deutsches Museum: The World’s Largest Science and Technology Museum
Museumsinsel 1 (on an island in the Isar River). Open daily 9:00-17:00. Tickets €15. The Deutsches Museum houses 28,000 exhibited objects across 50 departments covering everything from aerospace to musical instruments. You could spend an entire day here and not see half of it. Highlights include the original Wright Flyer engine, a reconstructed Altamira cave, and working demonstrations of high-voltage physics.
The museum is currently undergoing a massive renovation; roughly half the exhibition space is accessible as of 2026, with the full reopening planned for 2028. The Verkehrszentrum (Transport Museum) branch at Theresienhöhe covers all forms of transport in a separate location (same ticket valid). Allow 3+ hours minimum.
Nymphenburg Palace: The Bavarian Versailles
Schloss Nymphenburg 1. Open daily April-October 9:00-18:00, November-March 10:00-16:00. Tickets €8 (palace only), €15 combination ticket including the Marstallmuseum (carriages) and park pavilions. This Baroque palace, the summer residence of Bavarian rulers, stretches 632 meters across its facade.
The interior tour covers the Stone Hall (Festsaal), King Ludwig I’s Gallery of Beauties (36 portraits of women he considered beautiful), and the birth room of King Ludwig II. The 200-hectare park behind the palace is free and contains four smaller pavilions including the Amalienburg hunting lodge, a Rococo masterpiece. Take tram 17 to Schloss Nymphenburg (15 minutes from the center).
Hofbräuhaus and Munich’s Beer Culture
Platzl 9. Open daily 9:00-24:00. The Hofbräuhaus, founded in 1589, is Munich’s most famous beer hall and one of its most visited attractions (though locals consider it a tourist trap). A liter of Hofbräu Original costs €10.50. The main hall on the ground floor seats 1,000 and features the house oompah band.
The quieter first-floor restaurant (Bräustüberl) serves better food. For a more authentic beer hall experience, locals prefer Augustiner-Keller (Arnulfstraße 52, 5,000 outdoor seats), Paulaner Bräuhaus (Kapuzinerplatz 5), or the outdoor beer gardens like Hirschgarten (8,000 seats, Munich’s largest).
A standard Maß (liter) of beer costs €8.50-10.50 across the city. See the Munich hotel guide for accommodation near the beer halls.
