A trip to the Bavarian capital of Germany is a great way to see its unique culture and history. And it makes a great base for exploring parts of Austria and Switzerland too.
History
Munich has been a major city in Germany since the Middle Ages when it was a Catholic stronghold. As the Protestant Reformation swept through the other parts of Germany, Munich retained its Catholic heritage. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Bavaria with its “mad” King Ludwig in the 19th century and fell on hard times after WWI. These hardships helped contribute to the rise of the Nazi Party in Munich during the 1930s, and the city remained the heart of the Nazi war machine as WWII raged. The city itself was devastated by Allied bombing raids but was rebuilt into a modern city with a historic core intact. It’s now the third largest city in Germany and is a business hub with several large corporations, such as BMW, headquartered here.
Visit
Munich is a great place to begin or end any trip to the Bavarian region with its large international airport. We made it the first stop on a trip that also took us to Salzburg and Vienna, Austria. You could also start or end a trip through Switzerland here. Two days in Munich was enough to see its highlights and make me want to come back for a longer time! The city is large but the historic core is easily walkable.
Historical Sites/Attractions
Marienplatz Area
This plaza has served as the historic heart of Munich for over one thousand years. Most of its buildings were destroyed in WWII, but they have been rebuilt. The surrounding streets are pedestrian-only and are filled with shops and restaurants.
The New Town Hall (which looks medieval) survived the bombs and served as the US military headquarters after the war. Don’t miss its interior courtyard which feels like you’re at Hogwarts!
This building houses a famous glockenspiel that puts on a show that depicts a real wedding held in the square in the 16th century! The shows are at 11 am and 12 noon daily (and at 5 pm during the summer months). We made sure to watch it!
- Dining: We had a great meal at Hacker-Pschorr. It’s right in the middle of the square and is a great place for people watching.
Just a few blocks from the Marienplatz is the Munich Cathedral (Frauenkirche). Its double towers stand out in the Munich skyline, and it’s a beautiful church to step inside.
Built in the 15th century, it’s made of brick, which is unusual for grand cathedrals which are typically made of stone. Much of the church was destroyed in the war but its towers remained intact. The cathedral is free.
It has a grand monument to King Ludwig IV, a Bavarian Holy Roman Emperor who ruled in the 13th century.
One block west of the cathedral is the even more ornate St. Michael’s Church (Michaelskirche). It was built in the late 1500s as Germany was undergoing the Protestant Reformation, and, as such, it features a statue of Michael fighting a Protestant demon. The church’s most well-known resident is “mad” King Ludwig II who is buried in its crypt. Unfortunately, the crypt was closed on my visit, so I didn’t get to see his tomb where people still leave flowers. The church is free.
This beautiful church is worth stepping in to see its ornate ceiling and gilded altarpiece.
North of Marienplatz
This is a not-to-be missed restaurant! Just north of the Marienplatz, this festive beer hall has the greatest atmosphere and the food is excellent. The interior courtyard is lovely on a nice day. We had a ball!
This was the seat of Bavarian rule for 500 years and was built beginning in the 14th century and rebuilt after WWII’s destruction. You can visit the interior of the palace and its treasury full of crown jewels. We didn’t get to go inside on this trip, but this is high on my to do list for my next trip!
Its hofgarten (garden) is truly lovely and a quiet respite from the city.
Just west of Residenz is the Max-Joseph-Platz with its grand statue of King Maximillian I who was crowned king of Bavaria at the behest of Napoleon in the early 19th century.
Museum Area
Most of the Munich museums are clustered in the same area. The architecture hearkens back to the building’s inhabitants during WWII – the Nazi government. You can just imagine how horrifically imposing these buildings would be during that terrible time. Now they house the Glyptothek (ancient sculpture) and Staatliche Antikensammlungen (archeological museum).
Just north of these museums is the Egyptian Museum with its fascinating collection of Egyptian treasures and the Alte Pinakothek (art museum).
The Nazi Documentation Center is nearby and is located on the spot where the Nazi party had its headquarters. The site now houses a museum to detail the horrors of the party and provides an unflinching account of the city’s part in its atrocities.
Don’t miss the large nearby obelisk that was installed to memorialize the 30,000 Bavarian soldiers who perished as part of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia.
Olympic Area
This is the international headquarters of BMW (Bavarian Motor Works). You can visit its amazing showroom (free) and its extensive museum (€17/person). My sons absolutely loved sitting in all of the different BMWs in the showroom and could have spent hours here. There are souvenirs to buy and coffee delivered by a robot!
The museum is best for older teens/devoted BMW fans.
Across the street is the Olympic Park from the 1972 Olympics. There is a memorial here for the Israeli team that was murdered by terrorists during these Olympic Games.
Outside of the city
There are some amazing historical sites to see just outside of Munich’s city limits.
We didn’t have time to visit this beautiful palace just outside of Munich but I would love to go. This is where King Ludwig II was born and baptized.
Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site
This is one of the most moving places I have ever visited. The buildings of one of the hundreds of “work camps” the Nazis established are preserved so we never forget the atrocities of the Holocaust. Every human should visit this site to see with their own eyes the devastation and to honor the 41,500 people who were murdered here.
I highly recommend hiring a guide to take you around the site. We loved our guide from Context Travel who met us in Munich and took us on the train and bus to get to the site. The complete tour time was five hours including travel. I recommend this only for teens and adults.
Helpful hints:
- Munich can be toured in 2-3 days. Give yourself more time if you want to visit the museums.
- Recommended itinerary:
- Day 1: Arrive in Munich. Walk to Marienplatz and eat lunch there. Walk around the historic center of the city and take a cab to BMW-Welt. Eat dinner at the Hofbrauhaus.
- Day 2: Spend the morning touring the Residenz or a museum. Take the half-day Context Travel tour to Dachau. Eat dinner at the beer garden (Augustiner) near the train station.
- Day 3: Tour Nymphenburg Palace and spend the afternoon at Olympic Park or a museum.
- Recommended itinerary:
- Lodging: We absolutely loved our stay at The Charles Hotel and how it was close to everything. (Thanks to our travel agent, Angie Smith, who recommended it and sent this lovely gift to our room!)
- Dining: Munich is the home of Bavarian beer gardens! It’s the place to get amazing schnitzel (fried meat), sausages, and pretzels – and don’t forget the apple streudel. The most historic restaurant is the Hofbrauhaus which is a must-visit! We also loved our meal at Augustiner Biergarten (beer garden near the train station). There was also a neat beer garden right near our hotel in the Alter Botanischer Garten. For a food market, visit Viktualienmarkt just south of the Marienplatz (don’t miss its iconic maypole!). If you tire of German food, check out Florio, the Italian restaurant at The Charles Hotel.
- Shopping: I loved looking at all of the traditional stores selling dirndls and lederhosen. If I had had younger kids, I would have purchased a set for them!
We loved our time in Munich and can’t wait to go back! It’s a great gateway to Bavaria and Austria!
Books to Read:
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Guidebooks:
Adults/Young Adults:
- The Coming of the Third Reich
- Where the Birds Never Sing: The True Story of the 92nd Signal Battalion and the Liberation of Dachau
- Munich: A Novel
- The Munich Affair
- The Book Thief
- White Rose
- The Traitor
- The Porcelain Maker
- The Bookseller of Dachau
- A Letter from Munich
Middle Grade:
Picture Books:
