It’s been a full two weeks since I got back from my Germany/Austria trip and I’m still suffering from travel withdrawal. I’ve already shared a few of my favorite things from this trip but I wanted to share our Munich itinerary too.
We only had about 24 hours in the city but we definitely made the most of it before I had to leave the next day. This is by no means a comprehensive list of things to do in Munich but if you’re short on time like we were, it’s a great itinerary for a first taste of the city.
Our day started in the heart of the city at the Marienplatz (central town square). We got up and out early so we could be at St. Peter’sChurch when the tower opened at 9am. I had read that the tower is the best place for a panorama view of the city and we were hoping to get there before it got busy. Unfortunately, the tower was closed so that was a no-go. The sign saying it was closed was in German so we’re not exactly sure why it was closed but it seemed temporary so if you’re planning a trip it might be open for you!
St. Peter’s Church, known by locals as Alter Peter (Old Peter), is the oldest parish church in the city and the inside is beautiful; truly, my photos don’t do it justice. The 18thcentury gilded altar and the large ceiling frescoes are awe-inspiring, even for the non-religious (or non-Christian).
Even though our St. Peter’s plans had been dashed, we were still determined to find a panoramic view of the city, so we went into the Nueu Rathaus (New Town Hall), the magnificent neo-gothic building in the Marienplatz, and went all the way to the top of the tower to the observation deck. The observation deck goes almost all the way around so even though there isn’t a completely un-impeded view, you can still walk around it and see the city from every side.
The exterior architecture of the Nueu Rathaus is obviouslyincredible but be sure to check out the inside as well! If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into Hogwarts.
After soaking in the view from our tower we walked to the nearby Viktualienmarkt, a daily food market with rows and rows of stalls selling things like cheese, meats, spices, honey, produce, handmade goods, etc. Both May and I lamented that we only had one night in the city or we would have bought something from each stall and feasted for a whole week on nothing but cheese and wine.
In the center of the market is the Maypolethat’s illustrated with images of the different trades and crafts – an icon we had both seen for Munich and one we had to get a picture with!
Once we had sufficiently drooled over each stall and picked up a few goodies we walked back to the Marienplatz for the Rathaus Glockenspiel, a sort of chimes and bells show with figurines representing/reenacting ancient stories, at noon.
I had read that the best place to watch it was from the bookstore across the street since it gives you a view from higher up (as opposed to street level) but from inside the bookstore we couldn’t actually hear the chimes and bells very well, so I would recommend watching it from the street. If you’re in the Marienplatz around the time it plays every day its worth sticking around to watch but it’s not so exciting that you need to plan your whole day around it.
After the show was over we walked to the famous Hofbräuhaus for a refreshing drink and giant pretzel. This glorious Bavarian beer hall, which dates back to the 16thcentury, was one of my favorite things we saw in Munich – the painted ceilings are fantastic, the atmosphere is great, and it’s the only place I’ve ever had a beer I enjoyed.
As the most famous tavern in the world, it’s a spot on most tourist’s list of things to do in Munich but it’s also a local tradition and a great spot to hear some traditional Bavarian music while you sip on a pint. They also have a safe made just for regulars’ personal beer steins. How fantastically German is that? I love it.
Our afternoon hours were dedicated to visiting the Munich Residenz. Like I mentioned in my trip highlights post, the Residenz is massiveand the self-guided tour took us about three hours.
There are three parts of the Residenz tour: The Residence Museum (the actual palace rooms), the Treasury, and the Cuviliés Theater. We only had time to go through the Residence Museum and Treasury, but I would recommend doing all three if you have the time! In total I think they told us there were 70+ rooms open as part of the Residence Museum tour and they’re all incredible.
By the time we finished going through the Residenz and Treasury (and perusing the gift shop) we were well ready for a snack and a sit-down to rest our aching feet so we popped into Maelu, the cutest little patisserie café, for tea and macarons. They had the most amazing assortment of little cakes and sweets, it was hard to choose!
It was the perfect respite though and once we finished our tea we walked around the area a bit and stopped by the Eilles Teeshop around the corner. Other than just loving tea, I was really in it for the adorable tins they come in! We each got some loose-leaf tea to take home and I got the cutest Munich mug as a souvenir.
Once we finished our tea shopping it was time for dinner and after only snacking throughout the day, we were hungry. I’m not sure how we decided where to eat but we ended up at Eatalyand had a fabulous last meal together before I had to leave the next day. Eataly is a combination of a marketplace and restaurants all in one space. In other words, it was phenomenal.
Even though we only had 24 hours to spend in Munich we spent them well. We didn’t get to everything on our list but that just means there’s a reason to go back, right?
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