We found out way into Munich as part of our Germany road trip and loved spending the day visiting the city. Since we only had one day there to explore, I put together a list of places to visit in Munich in 1 day – but of course you could stretch this list out and spend more time in the city – or just pick your favorite things to do in Munich and add them to your itinerary!
Places to visit in Munich in one day:
- Marienplatz
- Viktualienmarkt
- New Town Hall Tower
- The Church Tower at St. Peters Church
- Siegestor
- Municipal Law Library
- The English Garden
- Munich Residenz
- The Hofgarten
- Munich Beer Halls
This post may contain affiliate links. You can read more on our Disclaimer Page.
When to see the Oktoberfest
If you’re in Munich at the end of September/beginning of October, planning a full day at the Oktoberfest is a great way to spend time in the city!
We actually planned one day at the festival and a separate day exploring Munich – which worked out perfectly. There’s so much to see and do at Oktoberfest that you should give it at least one full day there.
Is Munich expensive?
We found Munich to be about average priced for a European city – not very cheap, but not as expensive as we expected for a major city.
That being said, you can definitely get away with not spending a ton of cash in Munich since there is so much to see just by walking around.
Food was our most expensive cost, aside from the hotel – which was definitely very expensive around the time of Oktoberfest. But the street food is pretty good and there are lots of casual little restaurants if you want to save some money.
Is Munich walkable?
Yes, Munich is very walkable!
We actually made a mistake and drove into the city center – and then had to park the car while we walked around.
And while parking wasn’t actually too expensive, it would have been much better to take the metro and then walk the 2 minutes.
You shouldn’t need a car in Munich, and we didn’t even need to hop on any public transport to get across the city – we just walked and stopped at every pretzel shop on our way 😛
You deserve to travel more!
Travel planning is hard. But it doesn’t have to be. Get access to our free travel resource library to start crossing things off your bucket list!
IT ONLY TAKES 5 SECONDS!
Places to Visit in Munich in 1 Day
1) Marienplatz
The Marienplatz is Munich’s central square – and don’t worry you can’t miss it!
The square is filled with little shops and has a great view of German architecture, if you’re into that sort of thing 🙂
A great place to grab a few snacks and just wander around for a bit!
2) Viktualienmarkt
This market actually used to be in the Marienplatz, but was moved over a few blocks after it became too big for the central square.
It’s about a 5 minute walk from the Marienplatz – perfect for a stoll back to the city center.
I always love exploring the local markets in any city for some authentic foods you can’t find anywhere else!
3) New Town Hall Tower
The New Town Hall is actually right in the Marienplatz and is such a beautiful site to see!
We actually wandered in unknowingly and just stopped to stare at the architecture for a bit 😛
You can even access the top of the tower for some great views of all Munich!
4) St. Peters Church
This Cathedral is the oldest church in the city and dates back to the 1300s!
If you like visiting churches, then this one has to be on your list – the painted ceilings and gold touches are definitely a site to see if you’re in Munich.
5) Siegestor
The Siegestor is a bit outside of the Marienplatz – about a 20 minute walk.
So if you’re walking to another stop in Munich – the the English Garden for example – you can walk straight down and you’ll eventually run into the Siegestor- which is actually a peace memorial that was originally dedicated to the Bavarian army.
6) Municipal Law Library
This public library is right out of a fairytale!
And it’s actually inside the New Town Hall so you won’t need to travel far to enjoy it – perfect for some quiet time in the busy city – you wouldn’t even have guessed it’s there!
7) MUNICH RESIDENZ
Want to visit a palace but don’t have the time for a day trip?
Then you should definitely plan a visit to the Munich Residenz – the buildings that make up this palace actually contain between them 130 rooms and 10 courtyards – and of course they’re all decorated with that royal feeling 😛
8) The english garden
The English Garden is actually a huge area right behind the Munich Residenz – and is the perfect place for a picnic or afternoon stroll!
Walking through the garden feels like you’re in a totally different place and it’s quite relaxing after getting out of the Marienplatz.
There are a few shops and cafes where you can order a coffee or some snacks and the walk around to enjoy the garden!
9) The Hofgarten
This garden is actually sandwiched in between the Munich Residenz and the English Garden.
It’s much smaller than the English Garden, but just as pretty – and you probably won’t even know the difference between the two unless you’re looking at a map since they kind of connect.
You can actually go from the outside of the Residenz to the Hofgarden straight into the English Garden without realizing that you’ve just walked through all three – like we did 😛
10) Munich Beer Halls
If you’re not visiting for the Oktiberfest, but still want to get the same Oktoberfest vibes all year round, then you have to visit on of the many beer halls in Munich.
Perfect to finish up your day after all that walking!
Here are a few to choose from:
Hofbräuhaus – a very lively beer hall decorated to reflect the Oktoberfest
Hirschgarten – actually an outdoor beer garden in a park, definitely a great place to enjoy a warm afternoon
Augustiner-Bräustuben – Walking in there I would have mistaken it for one of the tents at Oktoberfest!
Augustiner Keller -A down to earth beer hall not to far away from the Marienplatz
Munich Day Trips
If you’re going to be in Munich for a few more days, it’s definitely worth it to take a day trip or two – and there are so many to choose from, here are a few of our favorites!
Neuschwanstein Castle
This castle is about a 2 hour drive from Munich, but it’s close to some other things we’ve listed below and it’s such a beautiful site to see!
You can plan a tour of the castle – or just hike to the viewpoints – and if you cross the viewing bridge (where all the other tourists stop) you can keep climbing and get one of the most epic views!
Lake Eibsee
Lake Eibsee is close to the Neuschwanstein Castle and is a beautiful way to spend the afternoon! You can hike around the lake, or even rent a boat and enjoy the lake from the water!
Visit the German alps
Zugspitze and Alpspitze are two great mountain peaks to visit – you can climb either of them or just take the cable car to the top.
We were there in Spetember and there was already a complete layer of snow! It was amazing to get to the top and have a look down – even for someone who is terrified of heights – the view is unbeatable!
So what do you think about the 10 places to visit in Munich in 1 day? Did you take notes?
Now all you have to do is filter out the things you want to add to your Germany itinerary and go have some fun!
And for more travel resources, subscribe to our free travel resource library! It will help you plan your Germany trip like a pro and it only takes 5 seconds!
Happy travels!
– Veronica
Pin Places to Visit in Munich in 1 Day!
Do you mind if I quote a couple of your posts as long as I provide credit and sources back to your site? My website is in the exact same niche as yours and my users would certainly benefit from a lot of the information you present here. Please let me know if this ok with you. Thanks!| Rosabella Ulberto Buseck
Yes, thats no problem as long as you alway give credit back to the site! Thanks for asking!
I was suggested this website by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my trouble. You are wonderful! Thanks! Marjie Leo Kauffman