A week or so ago on my Instagram, I asked for recommendations for my upcoming trip to Munich. I’ve never been to Germany before, and with being sick, and so much going on, I haven’t had the time to do my own research! You guys did not disappoint – I received so many wonderful recs, but below are the ones I got the most. I’m not sure what we’ll have time to do {and what weather will permit!} but I wanted to share them all with you in case you’re planning your own trips to Munich or the surrounding area!
- Mike’s Bike Tour: By far my most recommended activity was Mike’s Bike Tour. Five-star reviews and a number-one rating, the Tour lasts four hours. But you do stop halfway through to enjoy an hour at the Chinese Tower beer garden for food and drink (at your own expense). If it wasn’t planning on snowing our entire trip, we would definitely be doing this!
- Sound of Music Tours: Who doesn’t love the Sound of Music? If I ever catch it on TV, I always stop to watch. It is so exciting to be so close to where they filmed a movie I’ve probably seen a thousand times! As for the tours, there are a plethora of “Sound of Music” tours to pick from if you can get yourself to Salzburg (Panorama Tours in particular). However, Radius Tours offers a day trip to Salzburg from Munich. Part of their tour, once in Salzburg, does cover the musical!
- Jack Glockenbach: Cozy Vietnamese restaurant outside of the City Center.
- Cotidiano Promenadeplatz: Cotidiano is a breakfast/brunch/lunch chain all over Munich.
- Brenner: Modern restaurant with great ambiance, outside seating, and extensive menu with great Italian options.
- Neuschwanstein Castle: A 19th-century Romanesque Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. It was Disney’s inspiration for the Cinderella castle! Must plan ahead so tours don’t get sold out–you can walk around the outside of the castle for free, but to go inside you’ll need to have a guided tour booked. Tickets need to be picked up at least 90 minutes prior to the tour time. Allow for at least four hours of travel before your tour! The Wallet Diet has a GREAT step-by-step guide for getting to the castle!
- Kafer’s: Gourmet market with high-end food of amazing quality! You can grocery shop in the market then go eat upstairs in their more formal restaurant.
- Lodenfrey: Munich’s equivalent of Bergdorf Goodman, Lodenfrey is the creme-de-la-creme of high-end luxury brands. During Wies’n time, they have the most beautiful dirndls and lederhosen on display in the windows. You will find cold weather brands such as Colmar Originals, Holubar, to Wolford and Falke. The descending stairs lead you to an array of the latest designer bags displayed as artwork on the walls.
- Herrenchiemsee New Palace: About one hour away from Munich, you could either drive or do a day-trip on a tour. Schloss Herrenchiemsee Castle is on the Herren Island in the Chiemsee Lake and boats to the palace depart from Prien am Chiemsee. Note that Euro-City (EC) trains connect Munich and Salzburg nonstop and therefore do not stop in Prien.
- English Garden Tour: There are both walking tour and biking tour options.
- Fussen: Almost two hours way from Munich, a great day trip for scenery and shopping. Fussen sits at the southern end of one of Germany’s most popular scenic routes, Romantic Road. Driving the route makes for a great excuse to explore the other towns and villages scattered along this picturesque stretch of road.
- Oberpollinger: First-class shopping experience with great food options, as well.
- Jodlerwirt: Bavarian bar/restaurant with Alpine hut-style decor and fun vibe, offering live music (YODELING!) and regional food. Fun bar stop for after dinner!
- Hofbrauhaus Biergarten: As one of the most popular sites with tourists, it is sure to host an international crowd but still provides traditional eats, drinks, and hospitality. Pass through the archway to a tiny Bavarian kingdom fit for 400 people at a time.
- Weinhaus Neuner: Go for a dinner with a quiet, soothing ambiance and excellent food! Warm, gothic interior with ornate, hand-carved wooden doors.
If you’re heading to Munich soon, let me know what you have planned in the comments below! And if you end up using any of these recommendations I can’t wait to hear what you think! xx
Most all of mine are already on this list, but dirndl shopping at Ludwig & Therese is also a must. Brenner for breakfast is ?.
Hi Bridget! I’m so glad you are headed to Munich. You will love it. It’s a really beautiful city. We go twice a year, as my husband is from Bavaria (we live in Philly). One thing that wasn’t mentioned is the Haus Der Kunst art museum. It has really great modern pieces and the story of the actual museum itself (banned under the Nazis as they thought modern art was blasphemous) is really interesting. It’s definitely worth a visit. The museum is by the river where you can see people surfing (I swear–look it up!), even in the dead of winter. And just a general recommendation: have yourself a Weisswurst breakfast while you are there–yummy white sausages, pretzels and beer! It’s a traditional Bavarian thing and it is delicious!
Annie, thank you so much for telling me about this museum! Although I didn’t get a chance to visit the Haus De Kunst Museum while there {such a short trip!} I will definitely make it a must-see for next time! x