An Ex Insider’s Guide to Munich (and surrounds) with Kids

I get a lot of emails asking for advice on what to see in Munich, so I thought it might be useful to keep an expanding list here, in the hope that it helps others plan their trips (I made it a “what to do and see in Munich with Kids” type post, as Munich is a lot more child friendly than you might imagine!  Enjoy…

Like most European cities, there are tourist cards offering discounts on transport and attractions.  The main one for Munich is the CityTourCard.   Also, if you are planning on seeing a lot by public transport (and you should, it’s great!) then download the MVV app on your phone, it’s available in English and it is a huge help…

The Glockenspiel in the Marienplatz seems to be where most visitors head to first…  No visit to Munich is complete without watching the tiny jousting knights, and Schäfflertanzers turn in time to the music upon the hour (at 11,12 and at 5 in the summer months!).   The whole thing lasts for around 15 minutes, then a tiny golden cockerel ends the entire spectacle by chirping (very quietly!) three times.   At Christmas, the Glockenspiel plays “Oh Tannenbaum”, just in case you are wondering!..

At the edge of the Marienplatz in the tower of the Altes Rathaus you will find the SpielzeugMuseum (Toy Museum), packed to the brim with antique toys and bears, train sets and dolls.   It’s not huge, but it’s a lovely place to explore on a rainy day…

Close to this and backing on to the Viktualienmarkt you will find the Church of St Pieter (called Old or Alter Pieter by the locals!).   A climb to the top is really worth it on a clear day as the view out across the city to the mountains (on a “fohn” day) is truly stunning.  Be warned though, there are 299 steps, and it can get a little “cosy” squeezing past people in places…

Shopping – If you have come to Munich to shop, you obviously need a little bit of blackmail material for the small people with you – start by promising them a visit to Obletter Spielwaren .   This is no ordinary toy shop, be prepared to spend quite a long time here as its huge.  Better still, leave them with Dad, and head to Oberpollinger just around the corner.   Kids will also enjoy the fresh food and flower stalls of the Viktualienmarkt (just don’t touch the produce!), and a good few of the city shoe shops have inbuilt twisty slides – just saying!

The Deutches Museum(s) – There are three.    The biggest (and it also happens to be the biggest Science Museum in the world) has its own island, and you really need a day here to do it justice.  The various floors cover everything from electricity, travel, engineering, space, flight, and a planetarium.  I could go on…  Children aged 3-8 will adore the revamped Kids Kingdom full of experiments and exhibits.   On a separate site near Theresienwiese sits the Transport Museum section, which, if you love cars, and trains specifically is well worth a visit.  Any plane history enthusiasts must head out-of-town to the Flugwerft Schleissheim (do also visit the gorgeous Schloss Schleissheim next door, also home to my favourite bier garten!)…

No visit to Munich would be complete without a wander around the Englischer Gartens.  Munich’s massive Green lung (one of the biggest urban parks in the world) serves as back garden to many locals.  Here you can ride bikes, skate or horse ride (see below!) to your heart’s content.  There are also boating lakes if the weather’s good, and as well as having good bier gartens with lots of eating options, it’s a great place for a picnic.    Head over to admire the talented River Surfers on the Eisbach.  Teens especially will appreciate this crazy bit of city surfing!

Speaking of Bier Gartens, most are open from around Mid March/April (depending on how long the snow lasts) to the end of summer, and they are a lot more child friendly than you might imagine   Munich has masses to choose from as you might imagine, often featuring vast playgrounds, and great food options.   If  you are only visiting for a short while, then you should head to the Bier Garten at the Chinesischer Turm in the middle of the Englischer Garten.  It’s just glorious, plus it has a great playground AND a vintage carousel dating back 100 odd years…

Horse Riding – Adjacent to the Englischer Gartens there’s a riding school and cafe for the horse enthusiasts in your family. Book an hour’s lesson through the gardens, or stop by for something to eat where you can watch the horses at work over a mean brunch!

Swimming – there are plenty of lakes surrounding Munich worth the drive – Starnberger, Chiemsee and Eibsee to name but a few, but if you are driving closer to Munich and its environs, keep an eye out for signs with badesee on, and you are bound to find a crystal clear Bavarian Lake to swim in.   These are not your average lakes, they are perfectly clean, and typically have a bier garten in the vicinity…  Don’t forget your sun cream (yes this is Germany, but summers can see soaring temperatures)!    If you are looking for a more traditional swim, Munich has plenty of pools on offer, from the massive Olympic pool in Olympia Park, to great city pools such as the Dantebad and Michaelibad.   History enthusiasts will appreciate the antique Art Nouveau Volksbad (although this isn’t the most child friendly of pools –  you wouldn’t be too popular leaping in here!)…

Olympia Park.   The site of the 1973 Munich Olympics has a mass of stuff for kids to do.  Bring scooters, or hire bikes and spend the day wheeling about.  Pop to the Sealife Centre (does what it says on the tin, not huge compared to other Sealife Centres, but worth a visit nonetheless!), race up and down the vast hills, or have a swim in the fabulous Olympic Pool.  After lunch take the lift to the top of the tower for views across the city (on a clear day obviously!) or scale the roof of the stadium with a tour.   If you visit in the winter, head to your closest super market, buy a cheap paddle sledge and spend the day careering down the fabulous snowy slopes…

Directly next door to the Olympia Park is the infamous BMW Welt.   Not just for grown up car aficionados, this is more than a museum.   On the top floor watch as customers pick up their new cars in a key handing over ceremony, and if you are in Munich for an extended time, then this place does the best kids parties – who wouldn’t love a car design workshop (you could always pretend it’s your birthday!!)?   Mum and Dad will like the restaurants here too!

Allianz Arena – home to the mighty FC Bayern, and also to TSV 1860 Munich (the inflated exterior plastic panels of the Arena change colour depending on who’s playing).   Seating 75,000 the luminous “Air Pillow” (luftkissen) as it’s affectionately known, is a must see for the die-hard football fans in your family.   Tickets to the smaller games are usually readily available, and the exhibition on Level 3 featuring famous memorabilia (plus the shop of course!) will be appreciated.   Guided tours are available for larger groups, but book well in advance.

Schloss Nymphenburg – Summer residence to ancient Bayerisch Nobility, this place is a Munich icon and the buildings themselves are beautiful (pay a visit to the Hall of Mirrors!); children will enjoy the gardens particularly, and in winter, the frozen canal is often used for ice skating…   Next door the Museum of Mensche und Nature (Man and Nature) is packed to the rafters with all things bio and life science, with plenty of animals of the stuffed variety to examine.   There aren’t many English descriptions on offer sadly, but in my experience dinosaur bones don’t need much translating.

The Botanical Gardens – often featuring live butterfly exhibits, the Botanical Gardens make a lovely place for a wander on a warm day (or even on a cold day come to think of it)…

Festivals – Obviously Munich is famous for one Festival in particular, and depending on when you time your visit (during a week day is generally best), Oktoberfest can be a great family day out!   If you are planning on going with kids, then don’t miss the fabulous Oide Wiesn (old bier fest) which not that many visitors know about (although it’s not on every year so do check!)… There’s also the Fruhlingsfest in Springtime, and the Dults scattered about the place throughout the year.  Tollwood takes up residence in the Summer and in Winter with international food and shopping markets, and a world music vibe.  Some big artists play here, but you must book to see them in advance.  Then of course there are all the infamous Christmas Markets, which is an entirely different post altogether!

The StadtMuseum is well worth a visit to learn stacks about the city itself, and you cannot miss the top floor fairground exhibit – there are some beautiful examples of vintage carousel animals, and stalls.

Given the close proximity of Munich to Italy (around two hours to Bolzano on a good day!) then it’s no surprise that there’s some fabulous ice cream and gelato to be found.  Visit Sarclettis to sample some “spaghetti ice” (much nicer than it sounds!), or pay a visit to the  Der Verrückte Eismacher (Crazy Ice cream maker!) for some truly crazy flavours (including beer, weisswurst, but also a wide selection of much more child friendly options)!   I met the owner at Oktoberfest one year, and he is hilarious – if it’s your birthday, do tell him and he will come around the counter and serenade you with his accordion!   By far our favourite ice cream in Munich, has to be the delectable True & 12, just around the corner from the Deutches Museum.   Davina, the owner,  is truly passionate about the quality of ingredients they include (the “True” part) and therefore they only offer 12 fresh flavours a day…  Tell her I sent you!

Hellabrun Zoo – we are not big zoo visitors in our family, but Hellabrun is quite a nice zoo as they go, and is home to many species of animals.  I have to say we love it best for its outdoor play spaces, the playgrounds are brilliant. Open all year around.

Looking for somewhere to stay for your visit?  In town, I would highly recommend the Sofitel Bayerischer Post. Having stayed here myself, this hotel really do know how to look after you.   For a special out-of-town treat though, then head to perhaps my favourite hotel ever –  Schloss Elmau for one of the most family friendly luxury hotel stays I have yet to experience…   You only live once!

Out of Town

Wildpark Poing – a short drive from the centre of town,  this Wildlife Park is set in and around a forest (there are lots of free roaming friendly deer to feed), and it’s open all year around (apart from Christmas Day).  There are plenty of birds, goats, boar and beavers to spot too (not free roaming), plus some of the biggest playgrounds for children I have ever seen (watch out for the tree of doom– try it if you dare!)…  Pack a picnic and make a day of it…

Legoland – the best Legoland my son has  ever visited apparently (he’s also been the original in Denmark, and the one in Florida) as according to him the roller coasters are the best, and the model city is full of his favourite places (like the Allianz Arena!!)…  Don’t just take his word for it.  Drive an hour and a bit out of Munich and spend the day there…

Playmobil Land – Perhaps the most family friendly “Theme Park” I have yet to visit, with prices to match. Playmobil is actually Bavarian which many people don’t know, and this park pays homage to the plastic toy that fuels so much imaginary play.    Go on the rides, explore the massive indoor play areas, make your own Playmobil Figure, sift for treasure in the outdoor play areas, and definitely don’t miss the incredible shop at the end (where you can save a fortune!).  A tip – look out for the Playmobil Alpine range as a suitable Bavarian souvenir or gift for the small people in your life.   It’s adorable!

Marchenwald – something for the tinies in your life.   Marchenwald means fairyland, and if there was a theme park straight out of the pages of an utterly charming fairy tale, then this would be it.   Ride the caterpillar, or the hot air balloon ride, drive the tiny cars around the forest track, take a ride on a “wild boar” train, and inspect all the vintage fairytale booths dotted about the park (there’s an English option too to listen as well!).  Our Small Baby spent his first birthday here, and loved every minute!

Neuschwanstein – every wannabe Disney princess needs to visit the castle where good old Walt got his inspiration…   Park at the bottom and either walk up (it’s not as arduous as it looks) or take a horse and cart to the top.  Don’t miss the Marienbrukke bridge a short walk behind the castle up through the woods to get the very best view (if you dare).  And if you are feeling really brave (and it’s actually open) then I really recommend the gorge walk back down to the main village itself…

Don’t even get me started on the stuff there’s to do in the mountains themselves.   I will save that for another post!

Obviously this is not an exhaustive list, and I will keep adding to it, but I hope it gives you a little Munich inspiration (do shout if you have any new suggestions!).

If you are looking for a little inspiration for some of the Best European Cities to visit with kids, then you might also find the following suggestions handy…

Karen from MiniTravellers tells us all about why she loved Lisbon with children, and why she is considering a return trip later this year;  Nell from Pigeon Pair and Me has a list of top family friendly Oslo Museums;  Samantha over at North East Family Fun recommends Barcelona as a base for a fantastic city break with kids; Penny from Parentshaped shares a treasure hunt in Amsterdam, a city packed with new things to discover and learn as a family; Over on Space in Your Case Penny visits Bologna, the foodie capital of Italy, also perfect for kids; Joanne from KidsDaysOutReviews takes you on a tour of Brussels to show you the best things to see/eat/do as a family; Lisa from Travel Loving Family shares her five must see sights in Madeira’s capital Funchal; With three hundred days of sunshine, six theme parks, and miles of golden sandy beaches, Jane from Taking 5 says Benidorm makes for a perfect family holiday; Daisy from Dais Like These shares a few ideas on how to keep kids entertained during 24 hours in Bruges;  The Wandermust Family love Rome and think it’s the perfect European City Break for families; Ting from My Travel Monkey spent a week exploring snow covered Iceland and found stacks of stuff for children in Reykyavik  ; Hope over to Like Love Do if you have seen all the bigger London icons and are looking for alternatives; Charly at Pod Travels shares the top 30 places to visit with kids in Berlin, plus a look at the street art scene there and a round up of its Christmas Markets!; Zena’s Suitcase tells us why Liverpool is the perfect cultural place to visit outside London and why her family loved it;  Gretta tells us why she and her teenage daughter think Belfast is a great place for family city break; Susanna from A Modern Mother gives 12 reasons for families to visit Costa Barcelona; whilst Laura from Have Kids, Can Travel spent a day in Pompei gives us her top tips on making the most of a short trip, and how it feels to walk 2,000 years back in time…