City Breaks in Munich, Germany

City Breaks in Munich, Germany

Best hotels in Munich

Munich holidays are all about Bavarian charm, beer gardens and Alpine backdrops. Munich city breaks mix historic squares and world‑class museums with leafy parks, riverside walks and a food scene that goes far beyond sausages and steins.

Bavarian spirit, not ‘typical Germany’

Munich feels distinctly Bavarian, with onion‑domed churches, timbered taverns and locals in traditional dress during festivals, setting it apart from other city breaks in Germany. It consistently ranks among Germany’s strongest economies, proving you can have both extra holidays and serious productivity - they really must be doing something right.

Must‑see sights in Munich

Marienplatz is the city's historic heart, where the neo‑Gothic New Town Hall and its famous Glockenspiel draw crowds before you wander on to the nearby Viktualienmarkt food market. For a slower pace, head to the Englischer Garten, one of the world’s largest urban parks, where you can watch surfers riding the Eisbach wave before relaxing under chestnut trees with a cold drink.

Culture, museums and green spaces

Art fans can spend hours in the Pinakothek museums, while science and engineering enthusiasts are drawn to the vast collections of the Deutsches Museum on an island in the Isar. When you need a breather from the city streets, lakeside paths, riverside beer gardens and views towards the Alps make Munich holidays perfect for blending culture, cuisine and fresh air in one easy getaway.

Food, beer halls and markets

A Munich city break is heaven for food lovers, from crisp roast pork and giant pretzels to delicate veal weisswurst sausages served with sweet mustard and a freshly poured wheat beer. Pull up a pew in a traditional beer garden, such as the one at Viktualienmarkt, where you can snack on local cheeses and cured meats from the surrounding stalls or bring your own picnic, just like the locals.

Oktoberfest and beer culture

If your holiday to Munich coincides with late September or early October, you'll see the city in full festival mode as Oktoberfest takes over the Theresienwiese with huge tents, live bands and rivers of Bavarian beer, even though it is not an official public holiday. Expect to spot locals in lederhosen and dirndls not just at the festival grounds but in beer halls across the city, with the party atmosphere spilling into streets, parks and late‑night U‑Bahn rides.

Interested in visiting? Check out our Oktoberfest & German Beer Festivals guide.

Good to know

Bavaria is a predominantly Catholic region. Expect most places to be closed for the feasts of Epiphany (6 January), Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, Ascension (40 days after Easter), Corpus Christi (60 days after Easter), Assumption of Mary (15 August), All Saints Day (1 November), as well as Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Some cafes, bars and restaurants open on the majority of those days, but reserve a table as they’ll likely be busy, and don’t expect any live bands or performances.

Map of Munich

world_map
3-24 ℃

Average highs of around 24°C in summer and 3°C in winter

2 hours

Munich Airport (MUC), around 35km north east of the city centre.

Our top Munich picks for…

Foodies: Hofbräuhaus, located in the Old Town is a legendary beer hall, which also dishes up delicious soup, sausages and strudel.

Football Fans: The Allianz Arena, home to Bayern Munich, is located to the north of the city. If there isn’t a match on you can still visit the museum and join a stadium tour.

Kids: The famous Glockenspiel, complete with 43 bells and 32 life-size figures, comes to life at 11am and 12pm daily. It’s located on the exterior of the New Town Hall building in Marienplatz.

Petrol Heads: The BMW Welt & Museum is a must. Located near Olympia Park, it showcases both classic cars and the latest designs.

Surfers: A surprise attraction, for a city in the shadow of the Alps, is the surfing spot on the Eisbach River in the Englischer Garten.

Techies: The Deutsches Museum will show you there’s so much more to science and engineering than you thought.

Fast facts for Munich

Language: The official language in Munich is German. Most locals understand at least basic English, but will appreciate you making the effort to greet them in German.

Currency: The currency used in Munich is the Euro (€).

Local time: Munich is 1 hour ahead of UK time

Fly to: Munich Airport (MUC), around 35km north east of the city centre.

Airport transfers: The S-Bahn (suburban rail) takes just under 40 minutes. A taxi may be slightly faster, depending on the time of day. If you’re using the train check out the FAQs at the bottom of the page.

Flight time from the UK: Around 2 hours.

Tourist information: Further tourist information can be found on the München Tourismus website.

Visa / Health: Before you travel, check the latest advice from The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

Getting around Munich

By public transport: Munich's public transport network is fast, reliable and easy to navigate, with U‑Bahn (underground), S‑Bahn (suburban trains), trams and buses all running under one ticket system. U‑Bahn and S‑Bahn lines whisk you across the city and out to the suburbs, while trams and buses fill in the gaps, making it simple to hop between sights like Marienplatz, the Englischer Garten and Olympia Park.

By bike: Munich is proudly known as a cycling city, with over 1,200 km of bike routes and most locals owning a bike. Make the most of easy bike sharing schemes such as Call a Bike or MVG-Rad, perfect for cruising along the Isar or pedalling between districts like Schwabing and Glockenbachviertel.

By taxi: Taxis are handy when you’ve got luggage or you’re travelling late at night, with ranks at key spots like Munich Airport, the Hauptbahnhof (main station) and major squares. They run on regulated fares, so you can expect a metered price within the city and fixed‑rate options on popular routes such as the airport run, which typically costs around €100-€110 to the centre.

Top day trips from Munich

Neuschwanstein Castle: Step into a real-life fairytale, perched high above the Bavarian countryside with turrets straight out of a storybook. It provided the inspiration for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty Castle. To reach it, hop on the bus from Füssen, located on the Romantic Road.

Romantic Road: Wind your way along the Romantic Road, passing half-timbered towns, medieval walls and vine-covered hills on one of Germany’s most scenic drives. Towns include Füssen (an attractive town overlooking the Alps), Augsburg (a cathedral city and birthplace of social housing) and Donauwörth (with its brightly coloured riverside buildings). If you prefer to travel by rail there’s direct trains from Munich to Füssen, Augsburg and Donauwörth.

Salzburg: Spend the day in Mozart’s birthplace, wandering its UNESCO-listed Old Town, riverside fortresses and cosy coffee houses in Austria’s most elegant city escape. Trains run from the central station (Hauptbahnhof) and take less than 2 hours each way.

Munich safety and security

Visa / health: Before your holiday to Munich, visit the FCDO website for the latest travel advice.

Munich weather

Temperature: Average highs of around 24°C in summer and 3°C in winter, with colder conditions up in the nearby Alps.

​Best time to visit: Late spring to early autumn for comfortable sightseeing and beer garden weather.

Munich has a continental climate, with warm summers, chilly winters and fairly consistent rainfall spread across the year. Thanks to its proximity to the Alps, the city can experience sudden weather changes, including föhn winds that bring brief warm, dry spells. City breaks are possible year-round, but May to September offers the best mix of sunshine and long days, while winter brings crisp air, Christmas markets and a real chance of snow.

More hotels in Munich

FAQs

FAQs

When is Oktoberfest in Munich?

Oktoberfest in Munich usually ends on the first Sunday in October and starts 16 days before that date, so exact dates change slightly each year. Oktoberfest 2026 will start on 19 September and end on 4 October. A smaller festival called Frühlingsfest (Spring Festival) takes place on the same Theresienwiese site in Spring. For 2026 it will be from 17 April to 10 May.

What is the Oktoberfest outfit?

Dressing up is optional. If you choose to wear the traditional outfit - for men it’s snug lederhosen with braces, teamed with a checked shirt. For women it's a Bavarian dirndl dress worn over a white blouse, finished with an apron tied at the waist. For the apron ties, placement matters. Knotting the bow on the left signals you’re single, while tying it on the right suggests you’re in a relationship. Avoid centering the bow, as that indicates you’re one of the servers!

How do I get from Munich airport to the city centre?

Lines S1 and S8 on Munich’s S-Bahn connect the airport (Flughafen München) with the central station (Hauptbahnhof) and city centre. Both lines operate every 40 minutes, combining to offer an airport train every 20 minutes.

If you’re travelling to the airport on line S1 be aware that services are operated by pairs of trains. They separate at Neufahrn bei Freising, with one going to the airport and the other going to the town of Freising. So take careful note of the platform displays, or the destination display on the side of the train, to ensure you board the correct one. Freising is a pretty Bavarian town, but not somewhere you want to see when you’re due to check in for your flight home!

What is the S-Bahn and U-Bahn in Munich?

The S-Bahn is a suburban rail system, consisting of eight lines. It’s mainly above ground, but drops below ground level in the city centre - similar to some London Underground lines, or the Merseyrail system in Liverpool. The S-Bahn connects Munich with the airport and other towns in the region. Stations have a circular green sign with a S on them.

The U-Bahn is a predominantly underground railway, also consisting of eight lines. It’s more focused on the Munich urban area. You may decide to use it to get between your hotel and the central station, or to reach the Oktoberfest site. U-Bahn stations have a square blue sign with a U on them.

Both systems are covered by integrated ticketing, along with buses and trams. If you’ve visited other German cities you may be surprised by the cost of tickets in Munich, as they’re more pricey.

Do I need to take my passport for a day trip from Munich to Salzburg?

Yes. Although, you probably won’t need to show it. Germany and Austria are both part of the Schengen area meaning there’s no regular passport checks when travelling between the two countries. However, you might be asked to show your passport. In which case it would not be seen as acceptable to say it’s in the hotel back in Munich!