BEST THINGS TO DO IN MUNICH FOR FIRST TIMERS W/ MAP | 20+ Must-Dos, Hidden Gems & More!

The Munich Residenz is a massive palace in the middle of the city, where Bavarian rulers lived for centuries; while much of it was destroyed during WWII, it has been gradually restored and is open to visitors today.

St Peter's Tower offers great postcard views of the Neues Rathaus.

The Olympic Tower offers amazing views and a rock n' roll museum at the top.

The Deutsches Museum is one of the largest science and technology museums in the world.

The Olympic Stadium is open for visits where you can climb the unique roof or even go ziplining.

The BMW Museum offers a thorough walkthrough of BMW history through vintage cars.

Marienplatz has been the city's main square since the 12th century, lined with gorgeous buildings like the Neues Rathaus and Altes Rathaus, and gets especially busy during the daily Glockenspiel performance.

The Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) is a striking Neo-Gothic building on Marienplatz, inside which is one of the most beautiful libraries in the world.

The Altes Rathaus (the Old Town Hall) today houses a toy museum.

Viktualienmarkt is Munich's thriving food market, featuring stalls crammed with colorful produce, fresh bites to go and a bustling beer garden.

The iconic onion domes of the Frauenkirche are some of the city’s most recognizable landmarks, and the South Tower is now open for visitors, offering some of the best views in the city.

Hofgarten is a garden as opulent as you might expect from Bavarian royals, designed in Italian Renaissance style.

The Bavarian State Chancellory building can be found in Hofgarten, with a moving memorial hidden in the building’s courtyard, dedicated to soldiers who lost their lives in World War I.

Odeonsplatz is a square that has remained largely unchanged since the early 19th century and is usually the stage for countless festivals and events.

The Feldherrnhalle on Odeonsplatz is inspired by the Loggia dei Lanzi in Florence.

The Theatinerkirche is a mustard yellow church with a gorgeous all-white interior.

Viscardigasse is a small street where you’ll find gold-laced cobblestones as an homage to those who took this alternative walking route as an act of protest against the Nazi Party.

The Hofbrauhaus is an iconic beer hall that is a lot of fun, with a leafy beer garden, beautiful interior décor, live music and a gorgeous Festhalle upstairs, offering a taste for the festive vibes if you can’t make it to Oktoberfest.

The Spaten beer hall, known as Spatenhaus, can be found at Max-Joseph Platz.

Max-Joseph Platz is a beautiful square where you’ll also find Munich’s National Theatre.

Munich's National Theatre has a striking neoclassical façade and is one of the most photogenic spots in Munich.

Maximilianstrasse is the most luxurious shopping street in Munich, with high-fashion brands for days.

The Maximilianeum is home of Bavaria’s State Parliament and a hyper-exclusive student residence.

Kaufingerstrasse and Neuhauser Strasse make up Munich’s main pedestrianized shopping street, containing all the usual suspects of European retail.

Kaufingerstrasse and Neuhauser Strasse make up Munich’s main pedestrianized shopping street, containing all the usual suspects of European retail.

The German Hunting and Fishing Museum is a notable sight on Kaufingerstrasse and Neuhauser Strasse.

St Michael’s Church is home to the crypt and final resting place of the Wittelsbach family, who famously ruled Bavaria for centuries.

Karlsplatz, also known as Stachus, is a lively square dominated by Karlstor, the former city gate.

Karlstor is the former city gate that dominates Karlsplatz.

The Justizpalast is a historic courthouse across the street from Karlsplatz with gorgeous interiors that are free to enter.

The Isartor is a city gate that is home to a small museum.

Sendlinger Tor mainly offers a nice photo op and is close to Asamkirche.

The Asamkirche is a tiny church that is a Baroque masterpiece beloved by locals and visitors alike, filled with ornate details.

St Jakobsplatz is where you’ll find the Munich City Museum, as well as the Munich Jewish History Museum.

The Munich City Museum is located on St Jakobsplatz.

The Munich Jewish History Museum is located on St Jakobsplatz.

The Bayerischer Hof Hotel is located in front of the confusing Michael Jackson Memorial.

The Eisbachwelle is a unique, man-made standing wave that hosts a consistent stream of river surfers.

The Haus der Kunst is an imposing art gallery that was constructed in the 1930s as a museum showcasing Germany’s finest art.

The Bavarian National Museum is home to a massive collection of European artifacts and decorative arts.

The English Garden is a massive park in the middle of Munich that ranks among the largest city parks in the entire world and is one of the most popular hangout spots in the city when the sun comes out.

The Greek Monopteros is a highlight of a visit to the English Garden.

The Japanese Tea Room and Garden is a highlight of a visit to the English Garden.

The Chinese Tower is one of Munich’s most famous landmarks, where you’ll find a huge selection of traditional Bavarian foods and plenty of giant beers to keep you going, as well as live music from the tower during the warmer months.

The Seehaus beer garden is a gorgeous, quieter and slightly less touristy alternative, set by a big glassy lake, which I can highly recommend for sunset.

Maxvorstadt is a hip and student-centric neighbourhood.

The Siegestor is a memorial arch originally dedicated to army glory, today dedicated to peace.

The buildings around Siegestor mostly belong to the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, one of Germany’s most prestigious universities.

At Geschwister-Scholl-Platz, in front of the main university building, you’ll see a memorial dedicated to the “White Rose Resistance Group,” an anti-Nazi resistance group run by LMU students.

The Kunstareal district is home to 18 museums and exhibition centres and over 40 galleries.

Königsplatz is a gorgeous square filled with cool Neoclassical monuments, including a huge city gate, the Glyptothek and the Bavarian State Collection of Antiquities.

The Glyptothek on Königsplatz is home to an impressive collection of sculptures.

The Bavarian State Collection of Antiquities is on Königsplatz.

The Lenbachhaus is a modern and contemporary art museum, with a gorgeous garden that is open to the public for free.

The NS-Documentation Center explains the rise and fall of the Nazi Party through several floors of photos, documents and quotes.

The Alte Piakothek covers art from the fourteenth to the eighteenth century.

The Neue Pinakothek covers European Art from 18th and 19th centuries.

The Pinakothek der Moderne covers modern art.

St Boniface Abbey is notable because it contains the tombs of King Ludwig I and Queen Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, a royal couple whose wedding marked the very first Oktoberfest.

Der Verruckte Eismacher is known for its Alice in Wonderland aesthetic and inventive rotation of ice cream flavours, which includes Bavarian treats like Augustiner beer and some really weird ones like sauerkraut.

The Glockenbachviertel is one of the most vibrant districts in Munich known as the epicentre of Munich’s LGBTQ+ scene, as well as the go-to spot for cool bars, cafes and food spots.

The Theresienwiese is the world famous site of Oktoberfest, though be warned, it’s very empty when no festival is happening.

The Umschreibung is a unique photo op outside an office building of the Infinite Staircase, a beautiful piece of public art that is over 9 meters tall and leads nowhere.

The Isar River is where you’ll find all the locals hanging out once the weather gets warm, with special grill zones along the river that are perfect for summer BBQs.

Munich Olympiapark was built for the 1972 Olympics, with futuristic structures that feel worlds away from the historic buildings of the Old Town, and continues to be a central hub of activity.

The Olympiasee is a lake that is lined with Munich’s own little ‘Walk of Fame,’ with handprints and signatures embedded into the ground from famous celebrities.

SEA Life Munich is an attraction in the Munich Olympiapark.

The BMW Headquarters building is an iconic building in Munich Olympiapark.

Olympiaberg has amazing views and is located in Munich Olympiapark.

BMW World is a massive interactive showcase for the BMW brand where you can look at all their cars, get inside them, hop on some motorcycles, and even indulge in one of the most expensive fine dining experiences that Munich has to offer, at the top-floor restaurant.

Olympiadorf is where athletes lived during the 1972 Olympics, since converted into student housing, where students live in small cube houses called bungalows that they're free to