Itinerary · Munich · Germany
One day in Munich
A day-by-day plan grouped by neighbourhood, so you spend your time seeing Munich, not crossing it.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Photo: Andreas Praefcke, CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 4. Day 1: Marienplatz and the Neues Rathaus and Frauenkirche. Base yourself in Altstadt.
Key facts
- Days
- 1
- Sights covered
- 5
- Day trips
- None
- Best base
- Altstadt
- Book ahead
- Allianz Arena
Day by day
Day 1: Marienplatz and the Neues Rathaus and Frauenkirche
Marienplatz and the Neues Rathaus, Frauenkirche, Viktualienmarkt and Hofbräuhaus, then Allianz Arena in the evening.
Morning
Marienplatz and the Neues Rathaus
Arrive ten minutes early and stand towards the back of the square near the Fischbrunnen fountain, where the view up to the tower is clearer than from under it. Allow 45 minutes.
Late morning
Frauenkirche
Stand on the Devil's Footstep at the entrance; from that spot, the side windows are hidden by the pillars, as the legend describes. Allow 30 minutes.
Lunch
Lunch: White sausage
Traditional taverns and beer halls in the Altstadt, usually only in the morning.
Afternoon
Viktualienmarkt
Build a picnic from the stalls and eat it in the beer garden, where bringing your own food is allowed. Allow 1 hour.
Late afternoon
Hofbräuhaus
Look for the regulars' tables (Stammtisch) marked with signs; don't sit there unless invited. Allow 1–2 hours.
Evening
Allianz Arena
Book a tour on a non-match day, or watch the arena light up from the U6 station after dark.
Before you go
- Allianz Arena: Tours and match tickets sell out; book through the official club site well in advance.
If it rains
- Swap in Munich Residenz (Altstadt): Buy the combined ticket for the Residenz Museum and the Treasury, and allow a full afternoon.
- Swap in Deutsches Museum (Museumsinsel): Pick two or three sections; it is impossible to see everything in one visit.
- Swap in BMW Welt and BMW Museum (Olympiapark): Visit BMW Welt for free, then decide whether the museum interests you; combine with the Olympiapark next door.
Where to stay for this itinerary
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, families and shopping
Altstadt
Historic core of Marienplatz, the Frauenkirche, Viktualienmarkt and the Hofbräuhaus
Pace and daylight
The sights in this plan add up to roughly 5–6 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.4 hours in December to 16 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.
Getting between stops: Metro. Eight U-Bahn lines cross the city, with Marienplatz, Odeonsplatz and Hauptbahnhof as main hubs; trains are frequent from early morning until around 1am, later at weekends.
More or fewer days
Questions travellers ask
+Is one day enough in Munich?
One day is a taster: the plan below covers the essentials, but most visitors want 4. How many days Munich needs.
+What should I book before visiting Munich?
Allianz Arena.