Munich Travel Guide: Things To Do For 3-Day Itinerary

The capital of Bavaria, Munich is a city rich in history and culture, and it's easily one of our favourite German cities so far! There is so much to see and do here, not to mention lots of brauhaus (breweries) to indulge in a pint (or two).

Train Travel To/From Munich

Munich Hauptbahnhof (main train station) offers connections to major cities across Europe, with high-speed trains to destinations such as Paris, Vienna, Zurich and more! We were travelling from Nuremberg to Munich by train, it was a direct train which took about 1h 8m. Similar to what we did in Nuremberg, we booked the tickets online through Deutsche Bahn website.

We had 3 days in Munich and wanted to explore as much of Munich's iconic sights - there is plenty! The good thing is, we've narrowed down to our top 5 must-do things in Munich so no matter the length of your trip to Munich, you'll be able to piece together a fun-filled itinerary with our recommendations. 

Top 5 Things To Do In Munich

Munich Altstadt

Like many other travel guides and itineraries, yes, you can't miss Munich Altstadt! It is truly a beautiful area to spend a few hours wandering about, admiring the beauty of the area. We would recommend to start your day early with your own walking tour which includes these places: 

  • Karlstor (city gate) and Karlsplatz (one of the main squares in the Altstadt)
  • Odeonsplatz and Residenz München
  • Frauenkirche
  • Marienplatz
  • Neues Rathaus
  • St. Peter
  • Asamkirche
Munich Altstadt
Area in Munich Altstadt
Rathaus-Glockenspiel gate
Restaurant in Rathaus-Glockenspiel
Rathaus-Glockenspiel

Depending on what time you start your walking tour, it may or may not be too early to do some shopping at Kaufingerstraße as the shops might not be opened yet. But definitely do check out Kaufingerstraße for high-street shopping and Maximilianstraße for luxury shopping!

 

Viktualienmarkt

After your self-guided walking tour, you'll most likely be hungry and ready for lunch! We would suggest whilst you're in the Altstadt, head over to Viktualienmarkt for lunch. Viktualienmarkt is a vibrant food market with stalls selling a variety of goods and produce, from fresh bites, cheeses, beer, coffee, souvenirs and more! 

We had the most amazing pork sandwich at Vinzenzmurr Metzgerei - crunchy pork crackling, delicious meat, mustard and bread. It might sound quite simple but it was honestly SO GOOD!

Munich ViktualienmarktMunich Viktualienmarkt Stalls

Explore the area of Maxvorstadt and English Garden

Maxvorstadt has a lively cafe scene, particularly along Turkenstraße and Schellingstraße, where locals gather in cozy cafes/coffeeshops and trendy restaurants and bars. If you fancy going for a little wander and enjoy a cuppa in a cafe, we would highly recommend you to include this in your itinerary! We had a delicious brunch at Mary's Coffee Club Maxvorstadt.

Whilst we were strolling down Turkenstraße, we saw this coffeeshop Café Zeitgeist, which seemed to be very popular with locals on a Sunday, catching up with friends and family and it was a vibe!

English Garden is not too far from Turkenstraße, it is perfect for a walk after a lovely brunch. If you are there on a Sunday (especially during the Summer months), you'll see it's a popular spot where locals go on a Sunday to relax - enjoy a leisure stroll, sit and have a picnic, or have a dip in the stream!

Munich English Garden
Stroll around Munich English Garden

Visit a brauhaus (or two) and/or beer garden

When in Munich, you can't miss the opportunity to visit a brahaus! When we did our research, these were the ones which sounded like it was up our street - relax atmosphere, good food and of course, beer. 

Giesinger Bräustüberl

Hofbräuhaus München

Augustiner Bräustuben

However, we didn't get to visit any of those! We decided to go in to whichever brauhaus/restaurant in the area that appealed to us. We ended up in this local restaurant G.Schneider & Sohn - it wasn't packed with tourist, had quite a local vibe to it which we enjoyed!

Munich Restaurant - G.Schneider & Sohn
Beer at Munich G.Schneider & Sohn

Also, would recommend to also include a visit to a beer garden if you're visiting in the warmer months!

Wintergarten

Wirtshaus Hohenwart

Chinese Tower Beer Garden

Visit Nymphenburg Palace and Park

You have to include this in your Munich itinerary! The palace is renowned for its opulent interiors, including the magnificent "Steinerner Saal" (Stone Hall) adorned with frescoes and intricate rococo stuccoes. Within the palace grounds, there are also museums such as the Museum of Carriages and Sleighs, the Museum of Nymphenburg Porcelain and more!

The expansive park surrounding Nymphenburg Palace spans approximately 180 hectares and it features formal baroque gardens and English-style landscape garden, complete with canals, fountains and picturesque vistas. Enjoy leisurely walks through the park's winding paths or take a gondola ride on the canal during the warmer months and admire the numerous fountains and sculptures throughout the grounds.

Bonus restaurants and cafes in Munich

We also wanted to do a special shout-out to these restaurants/cafes!

Pizzeria Grano

Truly a gem, the pizzas were delicious and affordably-priced! It is located sort of in the Alstadt, on a back street, a little beyond Viktualienmarkt. 

Pizza at Pizzeria Grano in Munich

Gans Woanders

This just seems like such a charming cafe! It was high on our list to check out in Munich but our itinerary was simply packed. 

There is simply so much to do in Munich and it was tough narrowing it down to a top 5! We hope these recommendations will serve as a starting point for you to map out your itinerary.

Have fun and keep exploring!

Check out our Germany travel posters, Munich travel poster, Munich City Map Poster.

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