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Munich, Germany
Photo: Bbb, CC BY-SA 1.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Northern Munich is a large expanse of the city of Munich bounded to the north by A99 autobahn, to the east by the river Isar, and to the west and south by the railway tracks running from the airport to city centre. The areas of most interest to visitors are: Schwabing, the university quarter; the English Garden, the 5 km-long park flanking it; the Olympiapark, site of the 1972 Olympic Games, with the BMW museum nearby; and Nymphenburg, home to a vast palace and park. Bayern Munich play at Allianz Arena north of Schwabing.
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In the late 19th century the population of Schwabing grew rapidly, so they built this Roman Catholic church, consecrated in 1897. It's a neo-Renaissance brick building with campanile, and faces north (not the standard east) because of its position at the end of Friedrichstraße.
This was the original parish church of Schwabing, first documented in 1315, until supplanted by St Ursula's. A neo-baroque "new church" extension was added in 1925.
Northern Cemetery
In mid-19th century the city's only cemetery was the Southern in Ludwigvorstadt. It was getting full so a north cemetery was opened in 1868 in Maxvorstadt - and was obviously too small for the burgeoning city. A further north cemetery was created here in 1884. Among the 34,000 interred are singer-actor "Jopi" Heesters, Ernst Mach who gives his name to a measure of supersonic speed, and Oswald Spengler who predicted the collapse of Western civilisation from 2000 AD. It has an impressive funeral chapel and morgue, which figure in Thomas Mann's novel Death in Venice. The "grove of honour" holds 2099 victims of the World War II Allied air raids.
Chinesischer Turm
This 25 m high pagoda was constructed with the original park in 1790, and rebuilt after World War II in 1952. It has a beer garden, with a Bavarian oompah band performing at weekends from the second floor. It can feel touristy, and horse-drawn carriage and rickshaw tours through the garden start here - see below for the Kocherlball in summer and the Christmas Market. Until the end of 2022, the tower is scaffolded for re-roofing; the beer garden remains open. The tower is 1 km from the U-Bahn at Universität, but Bus 54 runs past it from Münchner Freiheit and Ostbahnhof S- and U-Bahn stations.
Olympic Tower
This 291 m tower was built in 1968 and looks it: the centrepiece for the 1972 Olympic complex. The revolving restaurant (see below) is at 182 m and the observation deck is at 190 m. Until 2021 it housed a rock and roll museum but this has closed. No reservations for the lift, but advised for the restaurant. There's special midnight opening on New Year's Eve.
Aquarium with over 30 tanks and aquatic life from local river dwellers to sharks and coral reefs.
Extensive museum displaying the evolution of motoring technology, from the earliest days to future concepts.
This Roman Catholic church was built 1997-2000 after the previous church burned down. It's a large blue glass cube 14 m per side, which contains a wooden interior cube. The church within is spare and minimalistic. The entire glass facade can be opened like a gigantic gate. This only happens on public holidays so don't be lured by their "open door" announcements, which will engulf you in prayer and parish activities.
Covering 21 ha, the Garden opened here in 1914 when it outgrew its original site on Karlsplatz. It holds some 19,600 species, with an alpine garden, arboretum, rose garden, and extensive glasshouse collections.
What began as a modest 17th century pavilion grew and grew into a vast Baroque palace, bigger than Versailles, which was no accident. You view some 20 ornate rooms: one striking feature is the paintings of the many female friends of King Ludwig I. (See Sligo for one infamous paramour, the lurid Lola Montez.) Some areas are closed in winter, hence the reduced admission: the Royal Chapel, the Porcelain Museum and the Marstallmuseum (carriages and sleighs in the former royal stables). Museum of Man and Nature is also within the Schloss but separately ticketed, see below. The extensive gardens are free.
Museum Mensch und Natur
Natural History museum on the north flank of the Schloss but separately managed and ticketed. Signage is only in German.
Humonguous complex of three palaces. The Old Palace at the west end was a mansion built up into a palace only to be promptly scrapped and rebuilt by 1623. It was bombed in World War II, rebuilt from 1970, and now houses religious art and an exhibition on the former Prussia now in Poland. The New Palace just east was built 1700-26 for Elector Max Emanuel, a sumptuous Baroque confection packed with art work: Großer Saal, Viktoriensaal and the Große Galerie are its highlights. The Lustheim Palace was built in the 1680s (between the Old and New construction) as a villa or hunting lodge: it's 1.3 km east down the landscaped vista, and big spenders can ride a gondola down the linking canal. A grand semi-circular enclosing colonnade soon fell to bits. Today the Lustheim displays Meissen ceramics. The parklands are equally vast. Last but not least, there's a 980-seat beer garden, Schlosswirtschaft Oberschleißheim, in the palace grounds.
The palace grounds were used as an airfield in wartime, and this is now the aviation branch of Deutsches Museum.
Die Bayern play soccer in Bundesliga, the top tier. They do well and qualify for European tournaments, and matches sell out. (Buy tickets online, but you have to register, to curb the touts and scalpers.) The Arena (capacity 70-75,000), completed in 2005, is a sight in itself, like an inflatable boat with colour-changing exterior; tours are available. In 2024 it hosted games in the UEFA Euro Finals. The women's team play in their top tier at FC Bayern Campus.
This is the principal tennis club in Munich. In mid April they host the Bavarian International (sponsored as BMW Open), played over a week on clay. It ranks in the fourth tier of the ATP tournament schedule.
The Eisbach is an artificial side-channel of the Isar, culverted beneath Altstadt but emerging at the bridge on Prinzregentenstraße, south edge of English Garden. Here it drops over a 1 m weir to form a standing wave, surfable whenever there's a good flow of water. Late winter into early summer is best, as its parent river cascades down from Alpine snows and the "ice stream" earns its name. Surfers queue up on the banks - there's only room for one at a time, and as it's a standing wave you can surf as long as you can stay upright. After half a minute it's etiquette to attempt a move beyond your skill level, wipe out and be borne by the current to the back of the queue. It's considered an expert surf, and beginners should hone their skills 500 m northeast downstream at Dianabadschwelle, where the wider stream makes for a gentler wave shared with kayakers. They might also try the Floßlände wave in Obersending south side of Munich. The main Isar is occasionally surfable at Wittelsbacherbrücke just south of Altstadt, but only in spate with all sorts of unpleasant or hazardous stuff racing down the brown torrent.
They do put on circus acts, but it's more like a tented event venue hosting live music, theatre, alternative fashion and parties. The field gets muddy after rain.
An event for BDSM fans. Held on a weekend in late May. Numerous live professional bondage shows, as well as custom photo shoots and workshops where you can try bondage yourself (advance registration required). For adults only, naturally.
This Indian restaurant gets very mixed reviews.
Cozy restaurant (which sometimes means cramped) with slick service. Good pizza but the specialty is seafood.
Delicious Afghan food in a sumptuous interior. Cash only.
Great reviews for this cheerful trattoria near the top of the southern English Garden.
Pricey restaurant but worth it for top continental cuisine. It will help if you like 1970s decor.
Pricey restaurant, the "181" refers to its height within the Olympic Tower, which slowly rotates. Food just about right for the price, snooty service.
Trad fare such as giant burgers, pork roast and Schnitzel.
Mostly good reviews for this Indian restaurant.
Hawaii and fusion cuisine, and it's often packed out.
Trad ice cream parlour with a wide selection, mixed reviews on whether it's worth the higher price.
Smart Italian serving excellent meat and fish with Italian wines.
Authentic dive bar with live music, dark interior and low prices - hence popular among students.
Atmospheric Irish pub, with live music and karaoke, so it's the authentic drouthy experience of Friday night in (say) Wexford, Newtownabbey or Letterkenny.
Small Augustiner beer garden mostly serving locals, and tourists are rare. It has a small playground with swings, slide and sandpit close enough for you to supervise your kids playing. They sometimes have live trad music. It's next to Elisabethmarkt, see Buy.
This snack shop in English Garden offers beer, Bavarian food and bio sandwiches, and in cold weather you can have your snack within an Alpine lift gondola.
Beer garden at the Chinese Tower
Famous 7500-seater beer garden next to the Chinese Tower in the south section of Englischer Garten. Good selection of trad food, and Oompah bands play from the pagoda on summer weekends. As it's within walking distance from Altstadt it can feel touristy.
Beer garden with 2500 seats by a small lake in the English Garden. This and the artistic boathouse and other structures were designed by Gabriel von Seidl in the late 19th century. Enjoy a beer and Bavarian fast-food while small boats pootle by.
Beer garden at the south end of Hirschau, the deer park or northern portion of English Garden, with a footpath beneath busy Isarring connecting to the southern portion. With 1700 seats, it's seldom crowded, and not touristy. Music is modern rather than trad.
This is at the very north end of English Garden so tourists are rare. There's a bosky 2500-seater beer garden, and restaurant in one of Prince Regent Luitpold's hunting lodges. It remains closed in 2022.
Events venue in an old red-brick factory where mainly rock and alternative music is played.
Established in 1962, this is a lively friendly dive-bar and club.
Events venue in a former boiler house.
Techno nightclub in a former newspaper printing hall.
Events venue in a former railway repair hall.
This bar is on the rooftop of Olympiahalle next to the Olympic Stadium. Pleasant views in fine weather, but food and drink are overpriced, service is slow, and the place is not accessible with strollers or wheelchairs.
This is a small beergarden in the park 100 m east of Olympiaberg.
The club is in the former Olympic village, nowadays student apartments. So it's mostly a student crowd, which keeps prices moderate. It's seen better days.
A rustic pub just west of Olympic park.
Lively brewhouse southeast of Olympic park.
Europe’s biggest beer garden with 8000 seats, with a 500-seater indoor restaurant. They serve beer from two breweries and trad food, though you can bring in your own food. It has a small zoo with deer and wild boars.
This small beer garden remains closed in 2022.
This lively bar serves cocktails and giant pizzas. Great place to meet and watch people.
Live events complex with three venues for shows. The smaller ones are more like club / disco and can go on to 05:00.
Very basic campsite and a schlep to reach, open all year.
Tent-based hostel open June-Sept. Good vibe, comfy but unheated, bring your own lock for the lockers.
Value-for-money budget hotel.
Accor budget suites, functional enough.
Small rooms but clean and comfy.
formerly Sheraton
Reliable comfy hotel next to Olympiapark.
Accor chain hotel, small rooms, near public transport.
Comfy modern hotel in Schwabing, helpful staff.
Good business hotel with 3 restaurants, bar and indoor pool with fitness center.
Melia chain hotel with minimalist modern design.
Chain hotel with spacious clean rooms.
Smart chain hotel.
formerly Renaissance
Large rooms, comfy enough but cleaning and service erratic.
Decent enough mid-range place.
Great reviews for comfort and service at this Hyatt hotel.
This chain department store has some eight locations across the city, but the one at Rotkreuzplatz is the most useful for the northwest districts. There's a market hall adjacent.
OEZ
This large shopping complex was built in 1972 for the Olympics and expanded in the 1990s. It has a variety of department stores (including another Galeria Kaufhof), boutiques and food stores. There are parking lots north and south side. In 2016 a mall shooting killed nine people plus the perpetrator.
A three-storey shopping mall in Nordheide district opened in 2008. It's a bright modern structure winning awards for this 'n that, but a third of its 70 stores lie empty.
Offers beautifully handcrafted and very pricey porcelain. The factory was founded in the early 1700s to create porcelain for the Royal family. You can look around for as long as they think you might buy something, otherwise they might tactfully but firmly redirect you to the porcelain museum within the palace.
By tram
By road
Reaching this district by car is easy except in rush hour. The big problem is parking: street parking within the circular expressway is reserved for residents.
This spread-out district has U-Bahn and tram lines radiating from Hauptbahnhof, see above.
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