Home » Destinations » Europe » Germany » Munich » Munich Itinerary: 2 Days
- Last Updated on November 3, 2024
Munich is the only major city in Bavaria, and it is immersed in history. Way back, it was the capital of an independent Bavaria, and has the palaces, jewels, and history to match. Later, it served as the birthplace of Nazism. Today, it is a bustling modern city with a beautiful historic center. It is also the best place to get a taste of the Bavarian beer culture (think stereotypical shorts and suspenders). This Munich itinerary will help you see the most important sights in 2 days. Do the activities in the order listed to optimize your time. Be sure to check out the section If You Have Time, as there are a few interesting places you will miss in a 2-day trip. If you want to add these sights to your vacation, you will need a third day.
Table Of Contents - Munich Itinerary
STAR RATING KEY:
★★★ Top priority
★★ Highly recommended
★ Worthwhile
No Star – Skippable if not interested
Munich Itinerary
Day 1 - Bavarian Sights
The Residenz
This palace was the seat of Bavarian rule for hundreds of years. Though much of it was destroyed in WW2, it was rebuilt to look just as it did during the Wittelsbach family’s reign. Try to see the treasury, museum (this is their name for the royal apartments), and Cuvillies Theater if you can. If you have time for only two sights, skip the theater.
Hours: Museum and Treasury: Open 9:00am-6:00pm Apr-Oct 15, 10:00am-5:00pm Oct 16-Mar. Theater: Open daily from 2:00pm-5:00pm. On certain days hours are longer; check website for details.
Cost: Combo ticket €17 per adult.
Address: Residenzstraße 1, 80333 München, Germany
Website: www.residenz-muenchen.de
Munich City Walk
One of the most important things you can do in any European city is walk around town. You can create your own walk, making sure to go through the entire historic center, or you can take a guided walking tour. This walk covers the historic center, as well as the English Garden.
English Garden
The English Garden is to Munich what Central Park is to New York, but with surfing. This huge green space is worth a visit. Even if you tour it on a guided city walk, try to devote some time to relaxing here. After all, that’s what the locals are doing.
Address: English Garden, Munich, Germany
Hofbrauhaus
This brewhouse is perhaps the most famous in the world, and is an important stop on any Munich itinerary. This is the most touristy place to drink beer in Munich, and yet you must go. There is traditional live music every day, and a pretzel girl walking around. It doesn’t get more stereotypical than this, but don’t let this scare you away. Though it is loud, and not a place we would want to spend a ton of time, we highly encourage you to at least have a beer here for the experience. Just walk in and sit in any empty seat and a server will find you to take your order. If you get there and the atmosphere is not your thing, at least walk through the place – we promise no one will think it’s weird.
If, on the other hand, you think the Hofbrauhaus sounds great, and don’t mind something a little touristy now and then, consider taking one of several beer tours in the city that aim to give you the typical Bavarian experience. We recommend this one, which goes to the centuries-old Paulaner brewery and the Hofbrauhaus.
Day 2 - WW2 Sights
Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial
This was the site of the first Nazi concentration camp. This is a half-day trip where you will see a thought-provoking museum, the barracks, memorials, and the crematorium. This site is easy to see on your own, but if you prefer a guided tour, we recommend this Memorial Site Day Tour.
Cost and Hours: Admission is free. Open daily 9:00am-5:00pm.
Address: Alte Römerstraße 75, 85221 Dachau, Germany.
Getting there: First, take the S2 train to the Dachau Bahnhof stop. From the station, follow the crowds to the bus stop (right outside the station) to catch the 726 bus to the KZ-Gedenkstatte stop, which leaves you right outside the visitors center. We recommend buying the M1 public transit day ticket, which covers the entire trip.
Website: www.kz-gedenkstaette-dachau.de/en/
Nazi Documentation Center OR Third Reich Walk
The Nazi Documentation Center is the best of its kind. This place doesn’t have any artifacts. Rather, it is a learning experience. It tells the story of the rise of Nazism, particularly in Munich, its birthplace. It delves deep into the reasons behind the success of this movement, and what led up to it.
Cost and Hours: Admission is free. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10:00am-7:00pm.
Address: Max-Mannheimer-Platz 1, 80333 München, Germany
Website: www.nsdoku.de/en
While this is an excellent museum and we highly recommend everyone go there, you should be aware that the information is very dense. The visit essentially involves reading a bunch of information boards. It is not easy to take in, and sometimes going here can feel like reading the longest book of your life. If this doesn’t sound like something you are interested in doing, consider taking a guided tour of Munich’s Nazi sights instead. This does not cover the same information, but you can’t leave Munich without understanding how integral it was to the start of this movement. There are several walks focused on this theme. We recommend this tour, which aims to explore the world of Adolf Hitler and the history of the Nazi Movement in Munich.
If You Have Time
BMW Factory Tour & Museum
This factory and museum are like an amusement park to BMW enthusiasts. Even for the average person, it is super-impressive to tour this mostly automated factory that builds the cars you see driving around outside. It isn’t easy to get a reservation for a tour, but if you can make it happen, it’s worth the hassle (and €14). You must book via email at [email protected]. However, sending an email likely won’t be enough. You will also have to call +49 89 125 016 001 to make the reservation final. Start this process at least 2 months in advance. They will direct you on their current process by phone (oftentimes you must call again 7 days prior to your desired tour date). If you can’t get the factory tour scheduled, it probably isn’t worth going just for the museum (unless you are a BMW mega-fan).
Cost and Hours: Tours Mon-Fri only, cost €14, reservations required. Museum cost €10 per adult. Open Tuesday-Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm.
Address: Am Olympiapark 2, 80809 München, Germany
Website: www.bmw-welt.com.
For guided tours see www.bmw-welt.com/en/experience/guided_tours.html.
Nymphenburg Palace
This complex was the summer vacation home of the ruling Wittelsbach family for over 100 years. This is where Mad King Ludwig II was born, and where Mozart gave one of his childhood concerts. The palace is made up of several buildings, the most important of which are the palace rooms and the Royal Stables Museum.
Cost and Hours: €8 per adult. Open 9:00am-6:00pm Apr-Oct 15, 10:00am-4:00pm Oct 16-March.
Address / Getting There: Schloss Nymphenburg 1, 80638 München, Germany. From Munich HBF (the main train station) take tram #17 toward Amalienburgstrasse and get off at the Schloss Nymphenburg stop. It is an 8-minute walk to the palace from there (use Google Maps to guide you).
Website: www.schloss-nymphenburg.de
Alte Pinakothek
This gallery shows off the best art collection in Munich. It holds masterpieces from the world’s greatest painters, including Da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, Rubens, and Rembrandt. It’s no Louvre, but if you have extra time and love art, it’s worth a stop.
Cost and Hours: €7 per person. Open Tue-Wed 10:00am-8:30pm, Thurs-Sun 10:00am-6:00pm, closed Mondays.
Address: Barer Str. 27, 80333 München, Germany
Website: www.pinakothek.de/en
Practical Info
Getting Around Munich
You don’t need a car in Munich. Everything is reachable by foot, metro, tram, or bus. These are all very reliable and easy to navigate with Google Maps.
Pro Tips
Finding a restroom
While it is nearly impossible to find a public restroom in many European cities, Munich has a unique law which helps with this problem. Any establishment that serves beer is required to allow anyone to use their toilets (whether customers or not), so feel free to go into any tavern when you need to pee. No one will ask you any questions, or even notice you.
Day Trips From Munich
Neuschwanstein & Linderhof Castles Day Trip
A trip to Munich pairs ideally with a day trip to Neuschwanstein and Linderhof castles. Click here for our detailed itinerary for this day trip.
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