The imposing bell tower & the sound of the bells reverberated through the square. Everyone smiled,…read morestopped & tried to see the figures moving. Daily at 11:00 AM, noon and 5:00 PM from March through October the ornate clock treats us to a 12 to 15 minute show. 32 life-size animated figures move to music from 43 bells. The top tier shows a royal wedding & knight jousting from 1568. The bottom tier shows the traditional coopers' dance that celebrated the end of the plague. It ends with a golden rooster at the top flapping its wings & crowing three times.

A VERY FAMOUS MECHANICAL CLOCK IN MUNICH'S MARIENPLATZ…read more====================================================== My husband and I were walking around the Marienplatz on Friday, April 17, 2026 just before noon and the plaza started filling up with people waiting to see the life-size figures. The show lasts about fifteen minutes and starts daily at 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. from March to October. The clock has 43 bells and 32 life-size figures and was added during the completion of the Neues Rathaus or New Town Hall in 1908. We found a good spot to stand and wait on the opposite side of the plaza which was great because we were in the shade. If you ever visit Munich you definitely have to check this out. There are plenty of places to shop or dine nearby.

Huge fan of Churches...and this one is pretty darn awesome…read more Beautiful ornate large place of worship. Gets busy so be patient. Cool to visit the tower and the views of the plaza below. Recommend if you are visiting Munich.

St. Peter's Church is Munich's oldest parish church, dating back to the 12th century. The church's…read moreinterior features stunning Baroque frescoes and woodwork, but the highlight is its bell tower, which offers panoramic views of Munich and, on clear days, the surrounding Alps.

This is one of those participatory fountains, where you're expected to soak your feet and kids can…read morerun around amongst the water jets. Everybody gets a bit wet, especially if it's windy. Unfortunately, most of the people who pass through the Stachus Rondel are busy rushing to get somewhere else, and few are in the mood to moisten. I long to see a bit of streetwise FKK here.

Viktualienmarkt -- Munich's Historic Food Market…read more The Viktualienmarkt is Munich's largest and most famous open‑air food market. Come here to get a delicious taste of Munich. We came here for both lunch and dinner on two different days. The stalls offer a wide variety of options. Fresh fruits and vegetables, sausages, seafood, cheeses, coffee, beer and of course pretzels. Ordered a Wiener Schnitzel and then found a table in the biergarten for dinner. The tender veal cutlets are pounded thin, breaded, and fried until perfectly crisp. This classic European comfort food is one of my favorites. So nice to sit under the trees enjoying the blue skies on a breezy summer evening. For lunch, we grabbed pastries and drinks to go. The market was established in 1807 by King Maximilian I Joseph to relieve overcrowding at Marienplatz. It was originally a farmers' market. Over time, it evolved into a gourmet destination. The name "Viktualien" comes from the Late Latin victualia meaning "provisions." Some specialty spots to check out include: Honighäusl -- honey stalls Thoma Fromages et Vines -- cheeses and wines Café Nymphenburg Sekt -- sparkling wine and cakes Verrückte Eismacher -- creative ice cream Fisch Witte -- fresh fish Check out the blue-and-white Maibaum/Maypole. Unlike rural maypoles raised annually, Munich's has been in place since May 4, 1962, when the city's mayor felt that the "village of millions" deserved its own Maibaum. Maypoles in Bavaria date back to the 16th century. They symbolize community identity, fertility, and spring. In Munich, the tradition was adapted into a permanent urban landmark, blending rural customs with city culture. The Munich Maibaum is painted in Bavaria's white and blue and adorned with carved figures and guild signs. Six main groups depict scenes from Munich life. Brewery team transporting beer barrels. Oktoberfest scenes. Schäfflertanz (coopers' dance). Musicians and dancing couples. Market stall woman with a beer bar. Munich city flags. Patron saints of brewers, St. Boniface and St. Florian. You can also fill your water bottle here from the fountains. So important to stay hydrated when the summer temperatures soared into three digits!

The Viktualienmarkt near Marienplatz in Munich is an excellent place to buy all sorts of crafts,…read moregrilled and fried foods, delis, Metzgerai or Feincosten, cheese, produce and beer at the Augustinerbrau Biergarten, the latter which was my initial focus. Best to come with a few friends to stake out a table. Alone,... good luck. The Augustinerbrau Helles is my favorite beer in Munich and I wish I had been able to sit down to appreciate it fully. I took a picture of my liter Mass standing with several other people. Later I had tea and a pistachio croissant at the nearby Eataly, a Keberkaessemmel at the A. Klobeck Metzgerai and a small craft gift at the Kunst & Handwerk shop of Peter Urban, all ringing the Viktualienmarkt. There is something for everyone at the Viktualienmarkt.

St. Michael's Church (St. Michaelskirche) is a must stop for any visitor to central Munich. We…read morevisited on Dec. 23rd as we were touring the Christmasmarkets in central Munich. When you've been walking and walking, this church is a very convenient place for rest, peace and contemplation. The church is immense. Its barrel-vaulted ceiling is the largest outside of St. Peter's in Rome. The church was built by the Jesuits as part of the Counter-Reformation. A painting of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, is on the right. I walked down to the crypt, but didn't go for the 2 euros crypt view. The church itself is breath-taking. The church is right next to Marienplatz on Kaufingerstrasse. The iconic Rathaus (Globckenspiel) etc. are nearby. It would be nice to catch a mass here.

Saint Michael's is a beautiful white church in the old section of Munich surrounded by chain stores…read moreand hordes of people. St. Michael's is the 1st & largest Renaissance building north of the Alps. For more than two centuries this magnificent church influenced church building in southern Germany. The streets and alleys of Munich were narrow, as in all medieval cities. There was not enough space for admiring grand façades. St. Michael's was the first church in the city that was given such a monumental front wall, a fascade. The new building was not oriented to the east like older churches, but it was fitted into existing architectural structures of the city.

Extremely beautiful place to visit when in Munich…read more Tons of priceless artifacts, beautiful architecture, and an amazing blend of art, history, culture.

Residenz München is a must see, outstanding history work of art. I was in awed by the sheer…read moreopulence, vastness, and diverse architecture of Germany's largest city palace. I recommend when touring here that you opt for the in-depth audio tour as it is very informative in great detail. This palace is never ending as it seems. You can spend literally hours here. Every room has its own description and life. Simply amazing to be standing in a part of history which was originated in the late 1300s.

Nine years since I was here last and I took my drunk picture with my Oktoberfest hat. Sorry, that…read moreone's not going on Yelp. It barely went on Facebook. So I'm back now and I took another selfie with my new hat and that one's not going on Yelp either. But the picture of the Bavaria statue sure is. This 19th century statue was cast in the 19th century and is the personification of the strength and glory of Bavaria. It is apparently the first colossal statue since Classical Antiquity to consist entirely of bronze. A massive statue, 60 feet high and weighing more than 87 tons. It is apparently possible to climb inside the statue with a staircase to a platform in the head. I didn't opt to do that today and I'm not sure that it's even allowed during the Oktoberfest. As much as the Olympic tower or the BMW tower, it is one of the most unique symbols of Munich and Bavaria. It's a must stop for your time here. [Review 12042 overall, 1825 of 2019.]

The scale of this statue is really hard to appreciate until you see people standing next to it and…read morewalk up to it yourself. This monument, at the Theresienwiese in Munich, is part of an ensemble which also includes the Ruhmeshalle and a stairway leading up to the statue. This impressive work was commissioned by Ludwig I of Bavaria, who had a contest to choose the specific design. The final design selected was a female personification of the Bavarian homeland which represented its strength and glory. The monument was cast at the Munich foundry of J.B. Stiglmair between 1844 and 1850 and it was the first colossal statue since Classical Antiquity to consist entirely of cast bronze. Inside the statue there is a circular staircase leading up to a platform in the head, where four openings in the helmet provide a view of the Theresienwiese and downtown Munich (which you have to pay a fee to enter and climb to the top). Due to the size the monument had to be produced in several parts; it is 18.52 metres (60 ft. 9 in.) high, weighs about 87.36 tons and it rests on a stone base which is 8.92 (28 ft.) metres high.

It's a bit of a way from the Alstadt, but definitely worth the travel…read more I'm sure there are other public transportation options but I took two tram/train options: 1. You can take the 17 tram (goes through Hauptbahnhof, Nord) and it get you right in front of the canal; or 2. If sticking to the S-bahn is better and the weather is not too bad, you can get off at the Hirschgarten stop, walk a little bit to Hirschgarten, walk through that park (stop for a beer and see the deer if available), walk through a cute residential area north and get to the restaurant side of the museum. Don't expect this to be as epic as Schönbrunn Palace, but Nymphenburg Palace can hold its own. The outdoor space (pool, walkways, park, etc.) are nicely maintained and lovely on a nice day. Actually, just walking around the park is free. If you have less than 30 minutes to go around, you can just walk around the palace/park grounds. The staff is generally polite. If you get the combination pass, you can see the palace, carriage/porcelain museum, and park pavilions. The palace itself is beautiful. The lovely ballroom has a wonderful painting in the ceiling. The room with the portraits of women from all walks to life was interesting and a little surprising that the palace would have a room with that subject. You can cover the palace in about 30-45 minutes. The carriage/porcelain museum is quite interesting, and definitely worth a look. I found myself spending quite a bit of time there, looking at the various porcelain used and the myriad of carriages the royalty used. The pavilions around the park, while interesting, are fairly small and could you skip it unless you have time and are walking around the park anyway. They mostly show the royalty's interest in China and Asia. The bathhouse's bathing area is pretty deep. There is also a small cathedral as well.

What an interesting historical place. Lots to see here. Free parking and free roam of the grounds…read more Pay a $10 euro fee to access the palace although visitors only scratch the surface from the rooms visible to visitors. It's just ginormous and incredibly historic. Cafe on site for refreshments.

Königsplatz is one of Munich's top landmarks thanks to its grand neoclassical architecture and…read morehistorical importance. Designed in the early 19th century, the square is bordered by impressive buildings like the Glyptothek and Staatliche Antikensammlungen, which rank among the best museums in Munich. Modern-day Königsplatz is a venue for cultural events & open-air concerts. in two hours, there will be demonstrations against the rise of the neon Nazi party here