Itinerary duration: Half a day or 5 hours (on a mission)
Places of note: Asamkirche, Marienplatz, St Peter's Church tower, Viktualienmarkt, Hofbrauhaus, Residenz, Hofgarten, Eisbachwelle & English Garden
Munich is a city I could definitely see myself living in. It's Bavarian, which means it has good beer! It has historic buildings perfect for architecture lovers - and it has lovely green spaces in the heart of the city! My boyfriend and I had roughly 5 hours to fully explore Munich, meaning that we had to carefully plan our itinerary. I think we did very well. We managed to see most of the main attractions and soak up a bit of Munich's culture. Enjoy!
A. Hauptbahnhof
Our day began by taking a 4 hour train trip from Frankfurt to Munich, arriving in Munich by 12-midday.
B. Asamkirche
From the train station we walked to Asamkirche - this church has a grand exterior and a interior, with a painted ceiling & gold trimmings everywhere. Entrance is free.
I guarantee that you won't miss the golden skeleton right by the entrance - a pretty scary sight and for good reason! Apparently, this golden skeleton represents death. Why? Because it carries a scythe on its back! It's also holding a big pair of scissors about to snip a golden string that's being held by a cherub. The meaning? That Death can cut the "thread of life" at any moment. Mind-blowing.
C. Marienplatz
Our next stop was Marienplatz, Munich's postcard landmark and most famous square. In the middle of its tower, you'll see a green area with figurines. Every day at 11h00, 12-midday & 17h00 in summer, bells chime to ring in the hour and the figurines move to a song that lasts about 10 minutes. This is known as the Glockenspiel ceremony. It's certainly an extra element to the Marienplatz experience - if admiring the insanely amazing architecture wasn't enough!
D. St Peter's Church tower
My favourite view, of course, was that of Marienplatz. It looks so majestic from above. We were also able to see the general direction of Viktualienmarkt, Hofgarten and the English Garden, which helped us plan our walking route. Definitely worth the entrance fee of 3 Euros and the exercise up the stairs, haha!
From the train station we walked to Asamkirche - this church has a grand exterior and a interior, with a painted ceiling & gold trimmings everywhere. Entrance is free.
I guarantee that you won't miss the golden skeleton right by the entrance - a pretty scary sight and for good reason! Apparently, this golden skeleton represents death. Why? Because it carries a scythe on its back! It's also holding a big pair of scissors about to snip a golden string that's being held by a cherub. The meaning? That Death can cut the "thread of life" at any moment. Mind-blowing.
C. Marienplatz
Our next stop was Marienplatz, Munich's postcard landmark and most famous square. In the middle of its tower, you'll see a green area with figurines. Every day at 11h00, 12-midday & 17h00 in summer, bells chime to ring in the hour and the figurines move to a song that lasts about 10 minutes. This is known as the Glockenspiel ceremony. It's certainly an extra element to the Marienplatz experience - if admiring the insanely amazing architecture wasn't enough!
Because we had very little time in Munich, we decided to go up St. Peter's church tower to get a different perspective of the city and establish our bearings. About 200 steps later and you'll reach the top where you'll be treated to 360° views of the city, as far as the eye can see!
My favourite view, of course, was that of Marienplatz. It looks so majestic from above. We were also able to see the general direction of Viktualienmarkt, Hofgarten and the English Garden, which helped us plan our walking route. Definitely worth the entrance fee of 3 Euros and the exercise up the stairs, haha!
E & F. Viktualienmarkt & Hofbrauhaus
We were rather hungry at this stage so we headed to Viktualienmarkt nearby to grab a few things to eat. This market area is really awesome - you can try local Bavarian foods or simply drink some beer. We had to visit Beluga for dessert - it's a chocolaterie famous for its hot chocolate drinks!
The famous Hofbrauhaus can be visited nearby to sample some local beer. I never liked beer until I visited Munich - dunkel weissbier is by far my favourite!
G & H. Residenz & Hofgarten
We quickly walked to see the Residenz, once royal palace for the Bavarian monarchs, but we didn't go inside. One would need more time to do so since it not only has decorated rooms fit for a king but it's also a museum, housing numerous treasures. I hope to return to Munich one day and spend some time exploring the Residenz. From what I've seen on paper, its Antiquarium looks incredible!
The Hofgarten is right next to the Residenz so we decided to walk through it. Since it had recently rained, the colours were so bright! The circular temple (seen above) is actually French and is crowned by a statue of Bavaria. Look carefully around the garden and you might spot a rabbit or two!
We were rather hungry at this stage so we headed to Viktualienmarkt nearby to grab a few things to eat. This market area is really awesome - you can try local Bavarian foods or simply drink some beer. We had to visit Beluga for dessert - it's a chocolaterie famous for its hot chocolate drinks!
The famous Hofbrauhaus can be visited nearby to sample some local beer. I never liked beer until I visited Munich - dunkel weissbier is by far my favourite!
G & H. Residenz & Hofgarten
We quickly walked to see the Residenz, once royal palace for the Bavarian monarchs, but we didn't go inside. One would need more time to do so since it not only has decorated rooms fit for a king but it's also a museum, housing numerous treasures. I hope to return to Munich one day and spend some time exploring the Residenz. From what I've seen on paper, its Antiquarium looks incredible!
The Hofgarten is right next to the Residenz so we decided to walk through it. Since it had recently rained, the colours were so bright! The circular temple (seen above) is actually French and is crowned by a statue of Bavaria. Look carefully around the garden and you might spot a rabbit or two!
I. Eisbachwelle
Our final destination was the English Garden, the perfect spot for a picnic. Before you enter, you'll come across a small bridge over the Eisbach river. This is where experienced surfers come to brave the man-made waves, an amazing sight for the onlooker!
Why is it only for experienced surfers? Because if you fall in the wrong place or lose your balance at the wrong time, you could get seriously injured. After all, there is only cement at the bottom. It makes you appreciate their skill so much more! We probably stood on that bridge for 15 minutes just watching the surfers - it was just so cool!
J. English Garden
My boyfriend and I ended off our whirlwind trip of Munich with a relaxing walk through the English Garden to the Chinese Tower, a great place to grab a beer of course! The garden is massive, full of greenery and has the Eisbach river running through it. All I know is that if I lived in Munich, this would be where I'd want to hang out! It's great for cyclists, runners, picnickers and pretty much anyone wanting to escape the city life for a while. A wonderful end to an adventurous day!
