I’m planning on a trip to Munich with mom in November, and while there’s a lot of great resources on other parts of Germany, I haven’t seen much on this board centered around Munich.
Would love any suggestions for hotels, day trips, and especially restaurants. I’m thinking Salzburg is a must but otherwise totally open to suggestions. We’ll be there for around a week.
You only need 3 days or so in Munich, if that. And I’ve only done Munich during Oktoberfest which is why we were there.
Salzburg… Awesome
I could easily spend a week or more in Munich (and have done so), but I travel to see opera. Munich has the Bavarian State Opera at the Nationaltheater, plus several other concert/opera/theatre venues including the Prinzregententheatre, the Cuvilliestheater, and the Gaertnerplatztheater. There is the eminently walkable Kunstareal (museum quarter) which alone could occupy you for a week. My two favourite museums there are the Glyptothek and the Pinakothek der Moderne. I strongly recommend visiting the Weisse Rose Stiftung’s exhibition (located on the LMU campus). On the opposite side of the Old Town is the Deutsches Museum, which is huge and could take a couple of days to explore. And there are so many museums, for just about any interest: toys, fossils, hunting, numismatics, etc.
Getting around is easy with the U-/S-Bahn, trams, buses, and the DB bicycles. But my preference is to stay in the Maxvorstadt area which means an easy walk to the Kunstareal, LM University, the Old Town, the Englischer Garten (go watch the surfers!), and the opera houses. It’s also near the main train station. There used to be a family-run pension on Tuerkenstrasse that I loved, but sadly the owners retired. I’ve stayed at various hotels in the Old Town, the poshest of which was the Vier Jahreszeiten, which was fun, but nowadays I prefer apartments with kitchens.
Restaurants–sentimental favourites of mine are Nuernberger Bratwurst Gloeckl am Dom (immediately southeast of the Frauenkirche), and Alter Simpl and Schelling-Salon (near LMU). Dallmayr’s for a bite (if you’re lucky, oysters and champagne) before the opera! I guess the Hofbraeuhaus is a “must” seeing the number of tourists that visit, and I’ve enjoyed my visits there, but I have only ever gone with someone who is a regular (with their own mug stored in the mug safe!) to sit at a Stammtisch away from the crowds.
Daytrips–Schloss Nymphenberg and Dachau are less than an hour by train. I’d recommend visiting Nuernberg, Regensburg, and/or Augsburg. Consider booking your train tickets well in advance to get the best fare (and to reserve a seat, in case you happen to choose a train that is crowded with commuters). And install the DB app on your phone.
If you are there late enough in November, you might enjoy the Christmas markets.
I was in Munich last year for Oktoberfest, so don’t have many recommendations for day trips, etc., but my favorite restaurant was Gasthaus Waltz. Great food, service, and wine list.
Day trips
Neuschwanstein Castle: & Linderhof together
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Zugspitze & Eagle’s Nest together
Dachau concentration camp by train
Salzburg by train
Nuremberg by train
There are plenty of places to visit in Munich like the Olympic grounds, Englisher Garten, BMW museum has some cool cars, Marienplatz, etc…Residenz,
Dining I’m not a big help. I have a tendency to just hang out in the beer halls in old town and drink beer and eat schnitzel, wurst, oxtail zuppe, etc…The Augustiner locations are a personal favorite.