Beer halls, palaces and Alpine views.
Munich is Bavaria's prosperous capital, famous for beer halls, Oktoberfest and royal palaces. The Alps are close. It suits food and beer lovers and families.
Tap a card to open it. Day trips are marked.
Marienplatz has been the central square of Munich since the city's founding in 1158. The neo-Gothic New Town Hall dominates it, and its Glockenspiel figures perform several times a day.
The square is free; the tower lift costs a few euros.
The English Garden is one of the largest urban parks in the world, laid out from 1789 along the Isar. It has meadows, a Chinese Tower beer garden and a standing wave where surfers ride the Eisbach.
Free to enter.
The Hofbrauhaus began in 1589 as the royal brewery of the Bavarian dukes. Its vaulted beer hall seats hundreds, with brass bands and traditional food.
Free to enter; a liter of beer and a meal cost roughly this much.
The Residenz was the city palace of the Wittelsbach rulers of Bavaria for centuries. Its museum covers over a hundred rooms, and the treasury holds crowns and jewels.
Separate or combined tickets for the museum and Treasury.
The Viktualienmarkt has been Munich's main food market since 1807, just south of Marienplatz. Stalls sell produce, cheese and sausages, and there is a beer garden in the middle.
Free to enter; food costs extra.
Nymphenburg Palace was the summer residence of the Bavarian rulers, begun in 1664. Its baroque rooms include a gallery of portraits, and a large park with pavilions surrounds it.
Ticket options vary; the park alone is free or cheap.
The Olympic Park was built for the 1972 Summer Olympics and is known for its tent-like acrylic roofs. Visitors can walk the grounds, climb the hill or go up the Olympic Tower.
Check the official site for current prices.
The Deutsches Museum on an island in the Isar is one of the largest science and technology museums in the world. Exhibits range from mining and aviation to musical instruments.
Adult ticket was around 15 EUR in 2025.
Neuschwanstein Castle was built for King Ludwig II from 1869 and inspired many fairy-tale castles. It lies about 120 kilometres southwest of Munich near Fussen, and entry is by guided tour.
Interior visits are by guided, timed ticket only; price was about 21 EUR in 2025.
The Dachau memorial lies about 20 kilometres northwest of Munich on the site of the first Nazi concentration camp, opened in 1933. Exhibitions and preserved buildings document the prisoners' lives.
Everything above is open to read. A Hodolog account lets you build the trip around it.
Choose how many days you have.
Day one center, day two Nymphenburg and Olympic Park, day three English Garden and museums.
Mozart's city.
90 mi · Train, about 1h30
Germany's highest peak.
62 mi · Train and cable car, about 2 hours
A lakeside afternoon of swimming, boats and beer gardens.
16 mi · S-Bahn S6, about 40 minutes
A well preserved medieval city on the Danube.
78 mi · Train, about 1h30 each way
Sobering historic memorial documenting the first Nazi concentration camp opened in 1933, featuring barracks and museum exhibits.
12 mi · S-Bahn line S2 to Dachau station in 25 minutes, followed by local bus 726.
Best: May to October. Warm days and beer gardens.
Daily high and average, by month
Typical inches per month
Quiet season. Lower prices, fewer crowds.
Climate normals: NASA POWER (public domain). For your own dates, a trip's Plan tab shows the forecast and the usual weather.
Mid September to the first Sunday of October
The world's biggest beer festival.
Late November to December
Market at Marienplatz.
March
Strong beer season in the beer halls.
Summer and winter editions
Music, food and arts in a tent village.
March (Lent)
Traditional Bavarian festival celebrating rich, high-gravity doppelbock beers brewed according to historical monastic recipes.
June to July
Multicultural ecological festival in Olympiapark featuring international music, theater, circus arts, and organic street food.
The US State Department rates Germany Level 2, exercise increased caution, for terrorism; Munich has low crime.
The old town is compact.
U-Bahn, S-Bahn and trams; buy tickets by app.
Sources disagree on: population.
The neighborhoods that suit most first visits.
Best for: first-timers
Central.
Best for: art
Museums.
Best for: couples
Cafes.
Best for: nightlife, food
Trendy and friendly, with many bars and restaurants.
Best for: budget, short stays
Easy transport links and many cheap rooms, though the area is less charming.
Best for: foodies, youth, LGBTQ+
Trendy neighborhood near Gärtnerplatz and Glockenbachviertel, packed with cafes and bars, close to Oktoberfest grounds.
| Main airport | Munich Airport (MUC), 19 mi from the center |
| To the center | S1 and S8 trains reach the Hauptbahnhof in about 40 minutes (2026). |
| Around town | Walk the center and use U-Bahn. |
| Ride apps | Uber, Bolt, FreeNow |
White sausage before noon.
Huge soft pretzels.
Roast pork knuckle.
Apple strudel.
Large soft pretzel, perfect with a beer.
Spiced cheese spread served with bread.
Crisp, golden Bavarian pale lager brewed according to the 1516 Reinheitsgebot beer purity law, served in liter Mass steins.
| Plugs | Type C and F, 230 V |
| Tap water | Safe to drink |
| Tipping | Round up or add about 10 percent. |
| Payments | Cards are accepted but some beer halls prefer cash. |
| Etiquette | Sit at shared tables in beer halls. |
Munich was founded in 1158 and became the seat of the Wittelsbach dukes, later kings of Bavaria. They built palaces and museums. The city was a stronghold of the Nazi movement and was rebuilt after the war, hosting the 1972 Olympics. Munich was the capital of the Kingdom of Bavaria and hosted the 1972 Olympics.
Researched 2026-10-12. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.