Things to Do in Munich

Schwabing, as Munich’s traditionally bohemian neighborhood, is quite different from what is otherwise a rather glitzy, snob city. It bred a generation of counter‐culture German litterateurs and painters like Ludwig Ganghofer and Oskar Maria Graf and attracted household names like Kandinsky and Lenin in the 19th century – and although it is not so alternative anymore, it still has an  “outsider” atmosphere not unlike Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg or London’s Shoreditch that is undeniably attractive. Sprawling from the English Garden on  its southern end to the Allianz Arena far up north,  and through Germany’s largest university, this little quirky slice of Munich is now the cosmopolitan stomping grounds of art students and fashion bloggers. It is bursting at the seams with gentrified shops and condos, hip boutiques, and pop‐up restaurants that the cool kids all lust after, although it does retain a charming je‐ne‐sais‐quoi with its colorful facades and historic thoroughfares.

Sea Life Munich is Germany’s largest Sea Life center, taking visitors on an underwater journey through local rivers and tropical seas, from the comfort of its 2,200 square meter Olympic Park building. With over 8,000 weird and wonderful sea creatures swimming in over 700,000 liters of water, and 33 climate-controlled aquariums, the facts speak for themselves, and there’s no better place to stand face-to-face with the creatures of the deep.

The center’s star attraction is its 400,000-liter ocean aquarium, equipped with a 10-meter long glass-walled foot tunnel that burrows through the tank, beneath prowling sharks, sea turtles, slimy octopus and hundreds of colorful fish. Featuring interactive exhibits that are as entertaining as they are educational, the aquarium’s focus is on recreating and preserving the world’s natural habitats and themed tanks represent the natural ecosystems of the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Danube and the local River Isar, among others. An added twist is that many of the most famous Sea Life center inhabitants have names and biographies, so children can meet Gonzales the sea turtle and Nemo the Clownfish, as well as watching the daily feeding of the fish.  A small rock pool allows further interaction, where it’s possible to touch or hold small sea creatures like starfish, anemone and crabs.

Amalienburg is Emperor Charles VII's most precious legacy and the beautiful park gardens and fountains have become one of Munich's most scenic locations. A former hunting lodge on the grounds of the Nymphenburg Palace Park, the Amalienburg palace is considered one of the finest examples of European Rococo style. The ornate decorations of every room reflect a French-inspired refinement, especially the breathtaking Large Salon, also called the Hall of Mirrors. This circular room alternates windows, mirrors, and doors creating the illusion of an open pavillion through the real and reflected light.

Each room has a unique artistic feature that make the Amalienburg palace a main attraction of the Nymphenburg park. The wood carvings in the Bedroom, the Rococo paintings in the Hunting Room, the Chinese wallpaper and pheasant motif of the Indian Cabinet, and the Dutch tiles of the Kitchen all create an exotic air in the style of the palace.

Home to the Summer Olympic Games in 1972, Munich's vast Olympiapark is now an international events center, sports venue, and recreational park. In addition to the facilities used for the games, Olympiapark was updated in 2003 to included the Olympic Walk of Stars, modeled after the Hollywood version. A popular concert venue, the park also hosts the Super-Cross Cup, Holiday on Ice, and other seasonal events and festivals.

Outdoor adventurists will love climbing the roof of the Olympic stadium, abseiling on a zipline from the tent roof of the stadium to the lawn 40 meters (130 feet) below, and the newest adrenaline rush: the Flying Fox. The Olympic Tower is also the highest rock museum in the world, with tmons of meorabilia. The Sea Life aquarium gives visitors an educational and entertaining experience about water cycle and sea creatures.

The oldest church in Munich, St. Peter's Church, or Peterskirche, is a Roman Catholic establishment built in the 12th century in the Bavarian Romanesque style. The interior of the church features the magnificent Mariahilf-Altar, Gothic paintings & sculptures, and a ceiling fresco. But even these beautiful works of art can't top the bizarre gem-studded skeleton of St. Mundita, who stares at visitors with false eyes and jeweled teeth.

From the spire of "Old Peter", as the church is known to the locals, are spectacular views of the oldest part of Munich. Remember to check the colored rings at the bottom, a white ring means the Alps are visible, making the hike to the top even more worthwhile. Although the spire was almost completely destroyed during World War II, it was fully restored with the traditional architechture.

Located at the western entrance to the exquisite Hofgarten gardens, the Odeonsplatz is one of central Munich’s largest public squares, notable for its distinct Italian-style architecture. Taking its name from the 19th century Odeon Concert Hall that once stood at the head of the square (the remains of the building now form part of a government office block), the space still retains its creative streak, hosting a number of annual concerts, parades and city celebrations. At the top of the list is the Odeonsplatz Classical Evening, a grand open-air event held each July and drawing crowds of over 16,000 to watch performances by the prestigious Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and other world renowned classical acts.

Even if you don’t catch the square at its most atmospheric, the Odeonsplatz still offers a dramatic starting point to city walking tours, with the resplendent Residenz Palace to the east and the monumental Ludwigstrasse running north to the triumphal arch of Siegestor. Also on the square is the Feldherrnhalle, or Field Marshal's hall, an arched fronted hall designed in 1841 by Friedrich von Gärtner, and the 17th century Theatinerkirche, an Italian-baroque style church, topped with a 71-meter copper dome.

The Neue Pinakothek forms part of an extraordinary concentration of art museums just outside Munich’s old town. Its exterior – a gloomy postmodern mish-mash which has aged poorly – is the least impressive of the three museums bearing the “Pinakothek” tag, but once inside all is forgiven.

The collection is largely 19th century art, with a bit of scope creep into the adjoining centuries, and it was first established by King Ludwig I whose philhellenism made Munich a showcase of neo-classicism. There is an impressive showing of English works – Gainsborough, Turner, Constable – as well as masterpieces of German and French Romanticism. Look out for Carl Spitzweg’s The Poor Poet, an affectionate dig at the Romantic cult of the impoverished, garret-dwelling writer. Many visitors will be delighted by the Impressionist collection, which boasts works by almost all of the movement’s leading lights as well as those who came immediately before or after: Monet, Manet, Cezanne and Gauguin, to name a few.

Where can you find the best gourmet Bavarian delights? Munich's Victuals Market, Viktualienmarkt in German, is the place to find exotic fruits, fresh vegetables, artisan cheeses, delicious hams, honey, and truffles.

Many of the market stalls in the Viktualienmarkt have been family-run for generations, and although the gourmet food featured here also means gourmet prices, you would be hard pressed to find better quality culinary delicacies. While in Munich, the Viktualienmarkt is the best place to shop for delicious Bavarian food to make for a picnic lunch at a nearby park.

An art museum in the Kunstareal district, the Old Pinakothek, or Alte Pinakothek, is one of the oldest galleries in the world. It houses famous collections of the old master paintings from the 14th through 18th centuries. More then 800 works from the premier European painters, German, Italian, and Dutch alike, are all on display in the galleries. One gallery was specifically designed to showcase Rubens's masterpiece, Last Judgment - one of the largest canvases ever painted.

Explore the development of painting from the Middle Ages to the Rococo era, compare artistic styles, or simply admire the masterpieces at the Alte Pinakothek. This museum boasts quite an impressive list of artists under its roof, from Dürer to Raphael, Botticelli to Titian, and Rembrandt to Velasquez, the Alte Pinakothek could have an art history book devoted entirely to its vast collection.

With its snow-white limestone facade and fanciful turrets peeking out from the forested mountain tops of the Hohenschwangau valley, Neuschwanstein Castle (Schloss Neuschwanstein) could easily have been lifted from the pages of a fairy tale. In a way, it has—the German castle famously inspired Disney's Sleeping Beauty castle.

Towering a dizzying 291 meters over the surrounding Olympic Park, Munich’s Olympic Tower is one of the city’s tallest buildings and boasts its highest observation deck at 190 meters. Take the high-speed elevator to the top floor, from where the views span the city center and spread across the Alps from Salzkammergut to the Allgäu. It’s also possible to dine with a view at the 182-meter Restaurant 81, which offers 360-degree panoramic views from its revolving restaurant floor. Also at the top is one of Europe’s highest museums - a small rock ‘n’ roll museum, housing a variety of music memorabilia and occasionally hosting music concerts.

Built in 1968 to designs by Sebastian Rosenthal, the Olympic Tower is more than just a lookout point – constructed in time for the 1972 Olympic Games, the sky-high antenna rising from the top of the tower provides TV broadcasting for 6 million viewers, as well as providing digital TV for the entire southern region of Bavaria.