Munich Travel Guide
First Time in Munich
The practical essentials for a first visit to Munich: when to go, getting around, beer hall and beer garden etiquette, Sunday and Monday closures, tickets to book ahead and what things cost.
Munich has a reputation as Germany's most comfortable big city, and it deserves it: safe, clean, efficient, green and full of places to sit down with a drink. But a few local habits and rules can catch first-timers out, from Sunday shop closures to the etiquette of the beer garden. Here is what to know before you go.
When to go. Munich is a year-round city with distinct seasons. Late spring and early summer bring the beer gardens to life, long evenings and the palace parks at their best. Late September and early October mean Oktoberfest, the world's largest folk festival, on the Theresienwiese: unforgettable, but hotel prices soar and the city is packed, so book very early or avoid those weeks. Autumn is golden and calmer. Winter is cold, but from late November the Christmas markets transform the old town; in 2026 the Christkindlmarkt on Marienplatz runs from 20 November to 24 December. Note that many sights switch to shorter winter hours from mid-October, and some, such as the park palaces at Nymphenburg, close until April.
Getting there and around. Munich Airport is well outside the city, about forty minutes by S-Bahn to the centre; the S1 and S8 lines run frequently. In town, the U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses are integrated, and day and multi-day tickets are good value; make sure your ticket covers the zones you need, as the airport is in an outer zone. The old town is compact and best explored on foot: from the main station to Marienplatz is a fifteen-minute walk through the pedestrian streets, and from Marienplatz to the Residenz or the Viktualienmarkt is five minutes. Cycling is excellent, with many bike lanes and the English Garden and the Isar paths ideal for a ride.
Sunday and Monday rules. Shops in Germany are closed on Sundays, apart from those in stations and at the airport, and the Viktualienmarkt has no regular trading on Sundays. Plan your shopping and market visits for Monday to Saturday. Many museums close on Mondays, including the Alte Pinakothek, the Pinakothek der Moderne and the BMW Museum, while the Residenz, Nymphenburg and the Deutsches Museum open daily. On Sundays, the state painting galleries charge just one euro, which makes them busy.
Beer hall and beer garden etiquette. Sharing tables is normal: ask if a seat is free and sit down, but avoid tables marked Stammtisch, which are reserved for regulars. In the Hofbraeuhaus's ground-floor hall and its beer garden, you cannot reserve. In traditional beer gardens you may bring your own food, but you must buy drinks there, and the self-service areas are cheaper than the table-service sections, which are usually marked with tablecloths. Beer comes by the litre, the Mass, or the half litre; a Radler mixes beer with lemonade. Pay at the table, rounding up for a tip.
What to book ahead. Neuschwanstein is the one thing you must book early, as interior visits are by timed tour only and tickets sell out weeks ahead in busy periods; under-18s also need a booked ticket. The Allianz Arena tours and BMW plant tours sell out too. The Residenz, Nymphenburg and the museums rarely need advance booking outside peak days, but online tickets save time. The Dachau memorial is free and needs no booking, though a guided tour adds a great deal.
Money and costs. Germany still likes cash more than many countries, and some smaller places and market stalls may prefer it, though cards are widely accepted; carry a few euros anyway. Prices are high by German standards but reasonable for a wealthy European city. Museums are fairly priced, often under twenty euros, with free entry for under-18s at many state museums and palaces. Hotel prices rise sharply during trade fairs and Oktoberfest.
Where to start. Most first-timers base themselves in or near the old town, which keeps the main sights within walking distance and makes it easy to return to the hotel between them. If you plan several day trips, a hotel by the main station saves time on early mornings. Whatever you choose, look at the trade fair calendar before booking, because a big fair can fill the city and push hotel prices up as sharply as Oktoberfest does. And give yourself one unplanned afternoon: Munich rewards wandering, whether along the Isar, through the Hofgarten or between the stalls of the Viktualienmarkt.
Language and manners. English is widely spoken, especially by younger people and in hotels and tourist sites, but a Gruess Gott, the Bavarian greeting, goes a long way. Munich residents are polite but direct, value punctuality and keep to the rules: wait for the green man before crossing, even on empty streets, and do not walk in the bike lanes.
Safety and comfort. Munich is one of the safest big cities in Europe. Watch for pickpockets in crowds at Marienplatz, at the Christmas markets and at Oktoberfest. Dress in layers, because the weather can change quickly, and on foehn days, when a warm wind blows from the Alps, the mountains appear startlingly close. Tap water is excellent.
The essentials in one list. Marienplatz and the Glockenspiel, the Viktualienmarkt, the Residenz, Nymphenburg, the English Garden and the Eisbach surfers, a beer hall evening, the Deutsches Museum or the Alte Pinakothek, BMW Welt or the Allianz Arena for enthusiasts, and one day trip, to Neuschwanstein, Salzburg or the Dachau memorial. That is a first trip to remember.