A morning among royal treasures, lunch at a busy market and an evening beneath the trees of a beer garden: Munich makes room for several kinds of city break in one day. Its museums deserve proper time, but so do the neighborhood cafés and streets between them. This three-day itinerary begins in the Old Town, moves through the city’s remarkable art collections, then ventures from Nymphenburg Palace to a former industrial district finding a new purpose. Along the way, there is plenty of opportunity to stop and enjoy Bavarian hospitality.
Beneath the towering shadow of the Bavarian Alps, Munich quickly reveals itself to be far more than an economic powerhouse or the epicenter of legendary beer halls.
While renowned as a portal to fairytale castles and snow-draped Alpine peaks, 72 hours here will bring you into contact with an infinitely richer heritage: a centuries-old devotion to artistic mastery, sprawling sanctuaries of green perfect for moments of quiet solace, and epicurean traditions suffused in genuine Bavarian warmth.
DAY 1
Feudal grandeur in the Old Town
A lovely first day begins at Sendlinger Tor, the southern medieval gate that has guarded the city since the Middle Ages. Tucked away on a nearby street sits the Asamkirche (Sat-Thu: 09:00-18:00, Fri: 13:00-18:00), a private sanctuary crafted by sculptor and painter brothers whose baroque zeal left every inch ablaze with gold and intricate detail.
Follow the scent of fresh bread toward Viktualienmarkt, a bustling open-air market, before continuing past the 700-year-old Altes Rathaus into Marienplatz. Here, all eyes turn upward toward the towering, neo-Gothic facade of the Neues Rathaus (Mon-Sat: 10:00-19:00, Sun: 10:00-17:00). Step inside to wander its quiet spiral staircases, or ride the elevator up the central tower for a sweeping panorama of Munich’s iconic twin-domed Frauenkirche. Time your descent for the strike of the clock to catch the Glockenspiel, where life-sized mechanical figures reenact a 16th-century royal wedding and jousting tournament (Daily: 11:00, 12:00, and 17:00).
Refuel around the corner at Weisses Bräuhaus im Tal (Daily: 09:00-23:30), a restaurant that has been serving crisp-skinned pork knuckle and traditional sausages since 1872. Spend the afternoon exploring the Residenz (Daily: 10:00-17:00), the grand palace of the Wittelsbach dynasty. Its crowning jewel, the Antiquarium, features a vaulted ceiling that stands as one of the finest Renaissance halls north of the Alps. If rococo extravagance appeals, step into the palace’s exquisite Cuvilliés Theatre.
Afterward, recharge at Kanso Coffee Lab (Mon-Sat: 08:00-20:00), a serene, Japanese-inspired nook known for meticulous pour-overs and warm cinnamon buns. Conclude the day strolling through Odeonsplatz into the English Garden, where locals surf the standing wave of the Eisbach canal. Further along, the wooden Chinese Tower hosts the vibrant Biergarten am Chinesischen Turm (Daily: 10:00-23:00) – the perfect spot to raise a glass to your first evening.
