#Best Things to do in 2 days in Munich
Table of Contents
“#Best Things to do in 2 days in Munich”
If you look closely at Munich you will notice two things: 1) the city looks very new, everything appears to be recent; 2) There seems to be a lot of construction work… Why? Munich is a historic city but in fact, is 60 years old because it is still being reconstructed from WWII. It’s almost unbelievable, but it’s true! Munich was almost completely destroyed by the bombings, more than 90% of the buildings in the historic center.
So, is it worth it to visit Munich in 2 days? We will first explore what to do in Munich in 2 days and then create a Munich itinerary and then you can make your own mind.
Things to do in 2 Days in Munich
Munich free walking tour
One of the best ways of quickly getting to know a city is by doing a walking tour. Nowadays in almost any big European city, you have one or many free walking tours. While visiting Munich for the first time we ended up doing the “in Munich” free walking tour and we really enjoyed it.
The tour guide was very good and knowledgeable. He was funny and knew a lot about the city and its traditions (mainly beer-related, obviously 🙂 ) even though he wasn’t German. Moreover, he was an ex-teacher and that showed in the very detailed but clear way he explained and reviewed what he had to show us.
Marienplatz
This is the heart of Munich, the old (but new) town. It’s usually very crowded and it’s in an area full of bars, shops, and restaurants. It’s also famous for its Christmas markets, so if you are going in December that will be a big plus. Marienplatz is also where the Rathaus (town hall) and the Glockenspiel tower are. The Marienplatz is mandatory in any Munich itinerary.
Another great way of visiting the center of Munich is by doing this tour
Looking for accommodation?
- These are the best luxury hotels close to Marienplatz.
- Or if you want to party, here you can find the best party hostels in Munich!
- or search directly below
Glockenspiel
The glockenspiel is part of Marienplatz, but it deserves its own heading. This is basically a show of wooden figures moving theatrically for 15 minutes. There are bells and a song in the background. The show tells some of the most famous stories about Munich. Because it’s so quirky, it’s usually considered one of the must-see attractions of Munich… but it has also been nominated second most overrated attraction in Europe! We tend more to the second opinion, although I can understand why it was extraordinary many years ago.
Englischer Garten
Englischer Garten is the main city park in Munich. It’s a huge park and one big reason to really enjoy a city like Munich. There you can go for a walk, run or even partake in sports with locals and other tourists. It’s also fun to watch adventurers surf in the river rapids! Or if you are brave enough to join them. As expected the Park has a few beer gardens 🙂
Viktualienmarkt
Viktualienmarkt is Munich’s farmers market or at least started as so. Now it’s so much more than just a farmers market. It’s always buzzing with people trying to buy all kinds of things: flowers, plants, herbs, meat, fish, wine, milk, vegetables, fruits, honey… We had a fantastic soup there to warm us up. Tip: it’s closed on Sundays, so if one of your 2 days in Munich on a Sunday, go in the other 🙂
This tour actually includes the Viktualienmarkt!
Nymphenburg Palace
Bavaria is full of castles and palaces with huge wonderful gardens. Nymphenburg is another great example. It’s built in a baroque style and has beautiful interiors. If you really can’t go to the ones in the countryside (or can’t get enough of it), this is a great option!
The castles and palaces are some of the most famous things about Germany. Do you know, what else is Germany famous for?
Hofbrauhaus am Platzl
The Hofbräuhaus is a pub, a very touristy pub, but it’s a must-go place in Munich. There you will experience a true Bavarian night, although there are more tourists than locals. But this is more than just a pub. It has a huge history that connects to Bavarian history itself.
Originally built in 1589 as the official royal brewery, it only opened to the public in the 19th century. In 1919 the communist government made the beer hall their headquarters, and in 1920 the Nazis held their first (of many) meeting in the festival room. During WWII it was almost completely destroyed and then rebuilt (as the rest of Munich itself). One could easily argue that drinking a beer there is a history lesson.
A very interesting way of visiting Hofbrauhaus am Platzl is doing this tour
Deutsches Museum
When visiting the Deutsches Museum you will experience science and technology. If you are really into it you can be there hours or even a full day to discover all of it. It has 5 big themes: Natural sciences; Materials, energy & production; Traffic, Mobility & transportation; Communication, Information & Media; Man & Environment. Be aware that some parts aren’t translated into English…
- Ticket price: 11 Euros
- Opening hours: 9:00 to 17:00
Olympiapark
The Olympiapark is the site of the 1972 Summer Olympic games. It’s a great place for a walk and to visit one landmark of sports history. The tensile roofing structure of the stadium and other buildings are eye-catching and outstanding. Almost any sports fan will recognize them very quickly.
BMW Welt & BMW Museum
These are very close and within a walking distance from Olympiapark. They are a must if you love motorbikes and cars, particularly BMW. We went to both but actually preferred the BMW Welt.
BMW Welt is more like a show where you can see the Cars & Motos, actually touch them. They have a price tag, you can even buy them :). It was fun to play around for a while. And it’s free! We always love free activities.
BMW Museum is an old-style museum and only worth it if you are very into it. It’s 10 euros but you do get to see more than 100 cars and motorbikes. Old, new, special editions… Even a few airplane motors. But it should have more interactivity modern museums.
Allianz Arena tour & Bayern Museum
The Allianz Arena is the home of the powerful FC Bayern Munich. If you are a sports fan you will like to be able to visit the inside of the stadium, the locker rooms, the mixed zone, the tunnel and getting closer to the field. The stadium itself is one of the most beautiful in the world, particularly at night.
The FC Bayern Museum is an opportunity to see all the trophies and revive the great games and players of FC Bayern. Again, this should be a much more interactive museum. Near the museum, there’s also a store with every possible FC Bayern item for sale.
The best option would be visiting the stadium on a matchday, and have the full experience.
Visiting Dachau Concentration Camp
Visiting Dachau is easily the least fun of this 2 days itinerary to Munich. In retrospect, in our opinion, it’s also probably the most important. To sum it up, Dachau was the first concentration camp and the model where all the others were made. It had a big role in one of the darkest times in recent history.
Discovering History, expanding your knowledge or simply understanding a new perspective on something is a big part of traveling. Doing a tour in the Dachau memorial site delivers all of this! We wrote a full review of our visit to Dachau.
Book here a half a day trip to Dachau!
Day Trip To The Bavarian Castles
There are many day tours to the Bavarian castles/palaces, particularly to Neuschwanstein, aka the Cinderella castle. However, if you are on a road trip like us, you can drive yourself and chose which castles to visit. But, there are other options to get to Neuschwanstein. We recommend Neuschwanstein (obviously), Hohenschwangau Castle (it’s right next to Neuschwanstein) and the Linderhof Palace (aka the little Versailles). This is really one of the must-do things in Munich. Don’t skip it, even if some of the castles are overcrowded.
Book a full day trip to the castles here
Go to a wine or beer festival
You are obviously thinking of Oktoberfest… 🙂 And so are we! But do you know that there tons of more festivals around Munich? If you can’t during Oktoberfest, check the calendar of the other festivals, it’s very probable that you’ll have one during your stay!
Two days in Munich Itinerary
2 days in Munich: Day 1
- Walking tour
- Marienplatz
- Glockenspiel
- Viktualienmarkt
- Englischer Garten
- Hofbrauhaus am Platzl
2 days in Munich: Day 2
- Olympiapark
- BMW Welt & BMW Museum (if you are into cars) or the Allianz Arena (if you are into football)
- Dachau Concentration Camp (remember that this is a half a day trip)
- Alternative to either Dachau, Allianz or BMA to science geek travelers, the Deutsches museum
If you have one more day to spare we strongly suggest you take a day trip to the castles, particularly to Neuschwanstein.
Overall, there are many things to do in Munich and with different perspectives on what traveling is about. You can learn science & history, taste the famous beers, explore castles and palaces, go to a football match or check out BMWs…
Definitely, Munich deserves a few days of your attention 🙂 If it’s 2 days in Munich or more, it’s up to you! Munich is also a great destination to start an itinerary around Germany or road trip through central Europe and include some of its most beautiful cities, Prague, Vienna (and its sister Bratislava), Budapest… If you are planning a road trip make sure you read this Germany road trip guide.
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