Munich Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best Munich tours, Marienplatz and old town walks, Bavarian beer hall and food tours, BMW and museum visits, and day trips to Neuschwanstein Castle, Dachau, Salzburg and the Bavarian Alps. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Munich itinerary.
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Explore Munich by interest
Whatever brings you to Munich — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Old town & Marienplatz
The Glockenspiel, Frauenkirche and markets.
ExploreBeer halls & food
The Hofbräuhaus and Bavarian specialities.
ExploreThird Reich history
The Beer Hall Putsch and Königsplatz.
ExploreBMW & museums
BMW Welt, the Deutsches Museum and art.
ExploreNeuschwanstein
King Ludwig’s fairy-tale castle.
ExploreDachau memorial
The first Nazi concentration camp.
ExploreSalzburg
Mozart’s city and The Sound of Music.
ExploreBerchtesgaden & Alps
The Königssee and the Eagle’s Nest.
ExploreTop attractions in Munich
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Marienplatz
The Glockenspiel and the New Town Hall.
Hofbräuhaus
The legendary beer hall and Bavarian food.
BMW Welt & Museum
Bavarian engineering and design.
Neuschwanstein
King Ludwig’s fairy-tale castle.
Dachau Memorial
The first Nazi concentration camp.
Salzburg
Mozart’s city across the border.
Berchtesgaden
The Königssee and the Eagle’s Nest.
Nuremberg
A medieval city with a WWII legacy.
Munich in 1 day
- 1Marienplatz & Glockenspiel
- 2Viktualienmarkt & Residenz
- 3English Garden
- 4Hofbräuhaus evening
Munich in 2 days
- 1Day 1: old town & beer hall
- 2BMW or museums
- 3Day 2: Neuschwanstein
- 4Alpine foothills
Munich in 3 days
- 1Day 1: old town & beer
- 2Day 2: Neuschwanstein
- 3Day 3: Salzburg or Dachau
- 4Beer gardens & museums
Munich with kids
- 1Deutsches Museum
- 2English Garden
- 3Neuschwanstein Castle
- 4BMW Welt
2 hrs awayNeuschwanstein
King Ludwig’s fairy-tale castle in the Alps.
45 min awayDachau Memorial
The first Nazi concentration camp memorial.
1.5 hrs awaySalzburg
Mozart’s city and The Sound of Music.
2 hrs awayBerchtesgaden
The Königssee, salt mines and Eagle’s Nest.
1.25 hrs awayNuremberg
A medieval city with a powerful WWII legacy.
3 hrs awayRothenburg
A perfectly preserved medieval walled town.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every Munich visitor asks before booking.
The sweet-spot months
Late spring (May–June) and early autumn (September) bring mild weather and beer-garden season — the best times to visit.
Spring (Apr–Jun)
Fresh and green, with the beer gardens reopening and pleasant sightseeing weather.
Summer (Jul–Aug)
Warm and lively, ideal for beer gardens, the English Garden and Alpine day trips, though it’s busy.
Oktoberfest (late Sep–Oct)
The world’s biggest beer festival fills Munich for about two weeks — incredible but extremely busy, so book far ahead.
Autumn (Sep–Oct)
Golden days and Oktoberfest; lovely for the city and the Alps either side of the festival crowds.
Winter (Nov–Feb)
Cold and often snowy, with magical Christmas markets and easy access to Alpine skiing.
One day
Enough for Marienplatz, the old town, the English Garden and a beer hall.
Two days
Add a museum and a Neuschwanstein Castle day trip.
Three days
The sweet spot: the city, Neuschwanstein, and Salzburg or Dachau.
Four to five days
Add Berchtesgaden, Nuremberg or more of the Alps.
A week or more
Use Munich as a base for Bavaria, the Alps and Austria.
Travelling with kids
Mix the Deutsches Museum, the English Garden and a castle at a gentle pace.
On foot
The old town around Marienplatz is compact and pedestrian-friendly, with most central sights close together.
U-Bahn & S-Bahn
The U-Bahn and S-Bahn metro are fast and efficient; one MVV ticket covers all public transport by zone.
Trams & buses
Trams and buses fill the gaps and are a scenic way to see the city above ground.
Bikes
Flat and bike-friendly, Munich is great for cycling and bike tours, including through the English Garden.
Day-trip transport
Tours bundle transport for Neuschwanstein and the Alps; fast trains reach Salzburg and Nuremberg.
From the airport
Munich Airport links to the centre by S-Bahn (S1/S8) in about 40 minutes.
Book castles & day trips ahead
Neuschwanstein interior tickets and popular day trips sell out — book well in advance, especially in summer.
Currency & tipping
Germany uses the euro; tipping is modest — round up or add about 5–10% for good service.
Beer garden etiquette
In many beer gardens you can bring your own food to tables not laid with a cloth; just buy the beer — a local tradition.
Plan around Oktoberfest
During Oktoberfest (late Sep–early Oct), book hotels months ahead and reserve beer tent tables; prices soar.
Respect the memorials
At Dachau, behave respectfully — it is a place of remembrance and education.
Validate your ticket
Validate transport tickets before boarding; inspectors fine fare-dodgers in random checks.
Neuschwanstein
Timed castle tickets and day trips sell out — book well ahead.
Dachau memorial
Guided memorial tours fill up — reserve ahead.
Salzburg & Alps
Popular Salzburg and Berchtesgaden trips fill up — book early.
Beer & food tours
Small-group tastings have limited places — reserve ahead.
Oktoberfest
Beer tent tables and hotels sell out months ahead — plan far in advance.
BMW & museums
Pre-booking saves queueing at busy times — reserve ahead.
Old town & beer tours
Around €15–45 for a guided old town walk or a beer and food tour.
Neuschwanstein
Roughly €50–75 for a guided day trip (castle entry sometimes extra).
Dachau memorial
About €30–40 for a guided memorial tour (entry itself is free).
Salzburg & Alps
Around €55–80 for a Salzburg or Berchtesgaden day trip.
Museums
About €10–14 for the Deutsches Museum; BMW Welt is free, the BMW Museum around €10.
How to save
The English Garden and BMW Welt are free, beer gardens let you bring food, and day passes cut transport costs.
Munich through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Fresh, green days and reopening beer gardens.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- A lovely, comfortable time to sightsee.
- Best for
- Warm days for beer gardens and Alpine trips.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Busy — book castles and trips ahead.
- Best for
- Golden days and the famous Oktoberfest.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Oktoberfest fills the city — plan far ahead.
- Best for
- Christmas markets and easy Alpine skiing.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Cold and snowy — pack warm layers.