Munich itinerary in 2 days
I had been to Munich back in my 20's which is too long ago to count. I didn't have a burning desire to return but my son was living there for a month so we decided to add a couple of days in Munich onto a visit to Spain. I'm glad we did and not only because we got to see our son. This city is really beautiful and pristine with lots of nice squares, architecture, history, interesting museums and, of course, delicious beer!
Day 1
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Evening
We arrived in Munich in the late evening. We flew into the city and I just want to mention that the airport is quite a distance from the city centre. Since we were quite tired, we took a taxi to the hotel and it cost a fortune. I would highly recommend the excellent public transit from the airport to the centre. We did this on the way back home and it was easy, very convenient and inexpensive.
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We checked into the Hotel Platzl. This grand hotel is very centrally located near the Marienplatz. It is a large traditional hotel with renovated, spacious rooms and a beautiful lobby area.
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We were hungry so decided to walk over to one of the famous beer halls around the corner from the hotel, Augustiner am Platzl. When in Munich, you must try at least one beer garden or beer hall. Most of them are named after the beer that they serve. This famous beer hall (restaurant) serves beer, schnitzel and sausage and several other Bavarian items. There was a Bavarian band playing while we were there, decked out in lederhosen, so it was very lively. Of course we finished our meal with a slice of their delicious apple strudel!
Day 2
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Morning
This morning we booked a walking tour of the historical centre through the official Munich tourism office. Our tour guide, Stephan, walked us through the main sites and explained the history of the city and what took place there during the Second World War. We started at the Marienplatz. The tour was interesting and gave us a good overview of the city and its history including stories of the Bavarian Royal family, the Third Reich and Munich’s evolution to the modern cultural capital that we know today.
Afternoon
We were quite hungry after our tour and our tour guide recommended a beer hall to quench our appetites and thirst! We had lunch in the courtyard of Augustina Stammhaus. This restaurant/beer tavern is located in a beautiful Art Nouveau building in the Old Town. It has a gorgeous courtyard and an elegant interior. They serve a variety of delicious Bavarian dishes.
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Munich has many interesting museums and art galleries. After lunch we headed to the The Lenbachhaus. This art gallery has a nice collection of 19th and 20th century art including works by Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Andy Warhol and others.
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On our way back to the hotel we stopped for our afternoon tea and something for our sweet tooth at Café Luitpold. This elegant café located near Odeon Platz, has a display case of all their decadent desserts. It was delicious. It was a beautiful day so we sat on their nice front patio, on the pedestrian street and did some people watching.
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We then headed back to the hotel for a rest.
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Evening
For dinner tonight we went to another restaurant recommended by our tour guide, Keko Turkish Restaurant. While you might not think of having Turkish food in Germany, there are many immigrants in the city who bring their cuisine. Located across the river, this Turkish restaurant is jam packed with people. The food is delicious. I recommend making a reservation.
Hotels
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This grand hotel is very centrally located near the Marienplatz. It is a large traditional hotel with renovated, spacious rooms and a beautiful lobby area.
Noteworthy Restaurants
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Augustiner am Platzl. When in Munich, you must try at least one beer garden or beer hall. Most of them are named after the beer that they serve. This famous beer hall (restaurant) is located very close to our hotel. Beer, schnitzel and sausage are the things to order. There was a Bavarian band playing while we were there, decked out in lederhosen, so it was very lively.
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Augustina Stammhaus. This restaurant/beer tavern is located in a beautiful Art Nouveau building in the Old Town. It has a gorgeous courtyard and an elegant interior. They serve a variety of delicious Bavarian dishes.
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Keko Turkish Restaurant. Located across the river, this Turkish restaurant is jam packed with people. The food is delicious. I recommend making a reservation.
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Café Luitpold. This elegant café located near Odeon Platz, has a display case of all their decadent desserts. We stopped here for afternoon coffee and tea and shared one of their pastries. It was delicious. They have a nice indoor area but also a nice front patio on the pedestrian street.
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Turkitch. This take out kebab joint has delicious sandwiches. There are often line-ups outside but it's worth it. We stopped there for some wraps on our way to the museums.
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Konditorei Café Kreutzkamm Pacellistr. This cute café, near the museum quarter has delicious pastries including the classic apple strudel.
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Giesinger Garten. Located just south of the city centre in the area of Feldmüllersiedlung, this restaurant has a lovely, small garden. They serve typical german food and it was delicious with friendly service.
Guides and Tours
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Historical Walking Tour of Munich. We booked a two hour walking tour of the Old Town through the official Munich tourism office. Our tour guide, Stephan, walked us through the main sites. The tour was interesting and gave us a good overview of the city and its history.
Favourite Museums
Munich has many great art galleries, museums and palaces to visit. Unfortunately due to our short stay, we only got to spend time in a few of them. One reason to return...
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The Lenbachhaus. This art gallery has a nice collection of 19th and 20th century art including works by Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Andy Warhol and others.
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Museum Brandhorst. This museum is dedicated to contemporary art from the 1960s to the present. It opened in 2009.
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Pinakothek Der Moderne. This museum, opened in 2002, has a very modern facade and houses art of the 20th century. It is located in the museum district very close to the Neue Pinakothek and the Alte Pinakothek.
Itinerary Add-ons
This itinerary can be combined with:
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Day 3
Morning
This morning we decided to walk to the English Garden, one of the biggest urban parks in the world. This lush green space, which stretches from the centre of the city to the northeastern city limits, is beautifully landscaped, has some pretty pavilions, nice walking paths and of course a beer garden. It is located along the river and there is a spot where the water forms a strong current and people take turns "surfing" against the tide. It's very fun to watch everyone line up and try to "ride the waves!"
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We spent quite a bit of time wandering around the gardens and exploring.
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Afternoon
After a relaxing morning in the park we headed toward the museum district. On the way we stopped at Turkitch. This take out kebab joint has delicious sandwiches. There are often line-ups outside but it's worth it. We ordered our kebabs and then sat on benches near the museums and enjoyed our lunch.
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Our first stop was the Museum Brandhorst. This museum is dedicated to contemporary art from the 1960s to the present. It opened in 2009.
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Our next stop was Pinakothek Der Moderne. This museum, opened in 2002, has a very modern facade and houses art of the 20th century. It is located very close to the Neue Pinakothek and the Alte Pinakothek - sister museums which house collections from other time periods.
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As we walked back to the hotel, we stopped for a treat at Konditorei Café Kreutzkamm Pacellistr. We were in search of apple strudel and this cute café hit the spot.
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Evening
After a rest at our hotel we met our son for dinner at a beer garden near his apartment. We took the subway and arrived at a nice residential area. We had a typical Bavarian dinner at Giesinger Garten. Located just south of the city centre in the area of Feldmüllersiedlung, this restaurant has a lovely, small garden. The food was delicious with friendly service and of course, refreshing beer.
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We returned to our hotel for our final night before our flight home the following morning.