Discover Munich's latest highlights: Events, sights, restaurants and hotels. Immerse yourself in the vibrant cultural scene, enjoy exquisite delights and find the perfect accommodation for your stay.
In July 2022, the first part of the new Deutsches Museum the world's largest technology and science museum, has opened to the public. After seven years of intense work, the first renova-tion phase has been completed. The Deutsches Museum now houses 19 new permanent ex-hibitions on 20,000 square metres.
The variety of topics ranges from atomic physics to robot-ics. The entire modernisation of the building is expected to be completed in 2028, on the 125th anniversary of the museum's founding. In 2023 the museum was awarded the state sigel “Ba-varia accessible for all” for its manifold activities in this context. They range from key models and guided tours in sign language to simple language explanations throughout the museum.
In the city's oldest town house (dating from 1340), the Bier- und Oktoberfest Museum (Beer and Oktoberfest Museum) is now conveying an important part of Munich's way of life in a more modern and visitor-friendly way. The renovation focused on fewer showcases and more experiences for all senses. Now, video installations are used to tell visitors all about beer or to immerse them in the festival tent with music by the Wiesnkapelle and roaring party-goers.
The tour ends with a freshly tapped Mass (1 litre beer in a mug) in the museum restaurant. Those who want to delve deeper can book a thematically related city tour, such as the beer and brewery tour, the tour of the Hofbräuhaus (beer hall) or the Oktoberfest tour during the Wiesn (Oktoberfest).
In the new time-travel event "apud munichen – This is Munich!" by TimeRide Munich, visitors can embark on a journey through time with the Münchner Kindl (Munich Child), exploring Munich's history from its 12th-century inception to the present day. 360° virtual moving image scenes transport the guests right into the heart of the historical events, while a virtual balloon ride offers a bird’s-eye view of Munich.
This glimpse into the history closely intertwined with beer and the art of brewing is rounded off by a leisurely tasting of selected Munich beers. Tickets are available at www.timeride.de.
The neo-baroque building with its striking iron and glass dome also boasts a magnificent interior. The central hall stretches over four floors with a total of almost 500 rooms and is frequently picked as a film set.
Trained guides explain the court house’s distinctive architecture and historical significance, spanning from the era of the Prince Regents to the Nazi justice system, including show trials against members of the Weiße Rose resistance group up to the latest sensational court proceedings. Here you can book the guided tour.
Sir Simon Rattle is one of the world’s most popular conductors and will take up the position of head conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (BRSO) at the start of the 2023/2024 concert season. As a teenager, Simon Rattle had the opportunity to experience the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Rafael Kubelik. For him, he says, this was a life-changing encounter. In addition to the musical work, a focus is on the plans for the new concert hall in Werksviertel-Mitte district.
Some of Damien Hirst’s most iconic works have been on display in a major survey exhibition at the Museum of Urban and Contemporary Art (MUCA) since 26 October 2023. Titled „The Weight of Things“, the exhibition will showcase more than 40 works spanning 40 years of the artist's career.
It encompasses installations, sculptures, and paintings, including previously unseen pieces, along with some of Hirst's most iconic series like Natural History (Formaldehyde Sculptures), Spin Paintings, Medicine Cabinets, and more. The closing date of the exhibition has not been announced yet.
He astonished his contemporaries and pushed the boundaries of visual representation and is hailed today as a revolutionary innovator and pioneer of modernism and abstraction: Joseph Mallord William Turner. Until 10 March 2024, the Lenbachhaus art gallery, in collaboration with Tate, London, a network of four art galleries in the United Kingdom, showcases approximately 40 paintings, along with 40 watercolours and sketches spanning all phases of the artist's career.
Early on, his works boldly distanced themselves from living nature and in their reduction to colour, light and atmosphere, challenged the depictive function of the image, earning him admiration from subsequent generations for his remarkable modernity.
Since 2023, the new "Factory Werkstatt" at Museum Brandhorst offers free courses and open studio formats. Inspired by Andy Warhol's famous studio in New York, the Factory serves as a creative hub for children, young people and adults alike.
Aligned with the current exhibitions in the museum, the space hosts introductory and advanced artistic courses, allowing participants to experiment with a wide array of artistic techniques. In addition, free children's and family programmes are offered every Saturday and Sunday. The "Factory Workshop” also includes digital offers. For more details, visit: www.museum-brandhorst.de
The former quarters of the Gasteig cultural centre are experiencing a vibrant revival with Fat Cat it brings back to life theatre performances, performance installations, a glimpse into open studios and rehearsal rooms, dancing in the black box, exhibitions and a huge rooftop bar. Everything is possible here: whether it’s the midnight bazaar or music, dance, theatre, film, art for young and old and even the gastronomic experience is not neglected.
In spring 2024, the Bergson Kunstkraftwerk will open in a listed former heating plant in the west of Munich. Envisaged to be Germany's largest gallery for contemporary art in terms of space, it will have a variety of event venues and gastronomy, a live club and a state-of-the-art concert hall.
The Alpine Museum on Praterinsel (island on Isar river) will reopen on 10 March 2024 after a complete refurbishment. Here, you can explore the centuries-old techniques of climbing rocky peaks throughout history and the challenges involved. Moreover, the museum hosts annually changing special exhibitions that address current topics of alpinism, such as climate change.
The picturesque museum garden alone, located directly on the Isar River, is worth a visit. It will also be redesigned as part of the renovation.
The State Archaeological Collection is expected to reopen its doors on 17 April 2024 after many years of renovation. It was founded back in 1885 and today comprises five departments: Prehistory, Roman Period, Middle Ages and Modern Times, the Mediterranean Collection and Numismatics. In an engaging new presentation, the museum utilizes archaeological finds to depict the history of mankind, spanning from prehistory to the present day.
Munich artist Frank Schmolke's comics play a pivotal role in contextualizing various historical epochs and contemporary events. An underground special exhibition rounds off the museum experience. Additionally, during the summer, visitors can look forward to relaxing at the rooftop bar, conveniently located near the Eisbachwelle (river wave).
The opening match of Group A of the European Championship will take place in Munich on 14 June 2024. Munich will be the venue for five further matches:(de.uefa.com/euro2024)
Surfers at the Eisbach (man-made river) in the English Garden are legendary and have shaped Munich’s reputation as Germany’s surfing capital. Currently, a new surfing opportunity is emerging in Munich: SURFTOWN® MUC is in the process of constructing a 20,000 square metre artificial surfing facility, set to become a European surfers’ paradise for both professionals and beginners.
The entire system of the facility is designed to be CO2-neutral, uses renewable energies and relies on a sustainable water management concept. The opening is currently planned for summer 2024.
SAP Garden, a state-of-the-art multifunctional sports arena, is under construction in Munich's Olympiapark (Olympic Park). It will serve as the new home for EHC Red Bull München and provide an additional venue for FC Bayern Basketball. Additionally, the Olympiapark will host various sports-related events, including e-sports. The multifunctional sports arena is anticipated to open its doors in 2024.
Christoph Kunz has realised a dream with KOMU, located in Hackenstrasse, right in the city centre. As head chef at Alois in Munich, he has earned prestigious accolades, including two Michelin stars and 18 points in the Guide Gault Millau. Since August, KOMU in Hackenstrasse has become the new abode for his culinary expertise.
The young Gasthaus Waltz combines Austrian classics with a top-tier wine list and the quaint charm of a traditional Munich inn. The owners Stefan Grabler and Markus Hirschler are sommeliers themselves and previously ran the Grapes wine bar in the Cortiina Hotel for many years. This friendly inn’s concept stands for quality, a sense of home, origin and sustainability.
On the first floor in Munich’s oldest town house, the Schreiberei, the team around Michelin starred chef Tohru Nakamura celebrates a fine dining spectacle with Japanese precision. On the ground floor, in the brasserie, the focus is on an architecturally and culinary open concept under the direction of host Marc Uebelherr. Here, food sharing is the norm – a cosmopolitan spirit that blends French cuisine with Italian flair and Spanish zest. The focus is on sustainability and ingredients sourced from the region. During summer, the charming inner courtyard with a fountain also becomes a popular spot.
The Mural Farmhouse at the new WunderLocke Hotel in the Obersendling district is committed to using only locally sourced, seasonal products and ingredients preserved through traditional methods like fermentation. The heart of this innovative concept, conceived by restaurateurs Moritz Meyn and Wolfgang Hingerl is the use of herbs and vegetables grown in the more than 600-square-metre rooftop garden.
Since summer 23, an additional 400-square-metre rooftop terrace is open to guests – serving as an extension of the Mural Farmhouse's two ground-floor restaurants: The team, led by chef Rico Birndt, caters for the 20-seat fine dining area, which offers a gourmet menu (awarded a Michelin star and a green Michelin star), as well as a 70-seat à la carte restaurant (also awarded a green Michelin star).
In 2022, Julius Brantner introduced two new bakeries to Munich, one in Schwabing at 24 Nordenstrasse and one in the Old Town at 1 Kreuzstrasse. Even before, at his former location in Türkenstrasse, he was celebrated like a pop star. A key factor to his success: the dough is freshly prepared and baked on site, while customers can witness the bakers at work.
Julius Brantner continues the family's baking tradition, now representing the third generation. He gets his flour from Drax-Mühle, a mill located about fifty kilometres east of Munich. Monika Drax is one of the few female millers in Germany. A must-try at the bakery is the rye bread with fermented apple pieces.
At Viktualienmarkt, culinary enthusiasts can indulge in a wide array of delights, from traditional Bavarian to exotic delicacies. In addition to third-generation family businesses, the market is also home to new, young faces, like 31-year-old master confectioner Lea Zapf, who opened her market patisserie in the middle of the corona pandemic. Her "Luftikus" cream puffs are a speciality. Max und Moritz, both industrial engineers, kindled their passion for South African wines during their travels and have now secured a contract for a hip, young wine bar on the market.
Mete Gür und Sarah Lange offer organic reinterpretations of vegetarian Turkish cuisine. The Munich-based coffee roaster "Man versus Machine" supplies beans for the Turkish mocha, complemented by simit and pide, exclusively baked by Julius Brantner in Munich. Among the newcomers, whose offer is right on trend is the Kraut & Müller stand. Here, Susanne Müller from Upper Palatinate offers fermented and pickled vegetables, as well as preserved fruit. München Tourismus organises regular tasting tours on Viktualienmark.
The Giorgia Trattoria in Haidhausen welcomes you with a slightly kitschy good-mood mix of pop-coloured floral wallpaper, a marble bar counter, mirrored ceiling and disco restrooms. The seasonally changing menu features traditional dishes from all corners of Italy, including truffle pasta, burrata pizza or carbonara from the pecorino loaf.
It is also a treat for dog lovers, at least in terms of design: Oversized dog heads stare from the back of the XXL menus and the wine glasses are emblazoned with the image of the late Munich fashion tsar Rudolph Moshammer with his Yorkshire terrier lady Daisy. Behind Giorgia Trattoria stands the Big Mamma Group, known for their funky gastronomic concepts. Giorgia Trattoria is the group's first restaurant in Germany.
On 29 September, Germany's first Rosewood Hotel will open its doors in Munich. This will be the seventh hotel of the US luxury hotel group in Europe. Cutting-edge designs set the tone behind the historic neo-baroque and rococo façade of Kardinal-Faulhaber-Strasse 1 and the adjacent Palais Neuhaus-Preysing.
Here, on over 20,000 square meters, the hotel offers a total of 73 rooms and 59 suites. A special feature is the open-concept design with a spa, restaurant and bar, which will be accessible to the public through separate entrances from the outside.
Just in time for the Wiesn (Oktoberfest), the new Munich Marriott Hotel City West has opened in Munich's Westend district. It comprises 398 rooms, 12 suites, 20 twin rooms, a 2,400 square metre event space distributed across 20 flexible rooms, along with a 1,000 square metre ballroom.
A notable highlight is the rooftop terrace that offers panoramic vistas stretching all the way to the Alps, if you have a clear view. The gastronomic offer includes, among other things, an Italian restaurant with vineria, which will also be accessible from the outside.
In the centre of Munich – Karlsplatz 25 – an architecturally spectacular new building, the JW Marriott, is taking shape according to the plans of the Spanish architectural firm Nieto Sobejano. The luxury hotel will have 108 rooms and suites. Included in the concept are a rooftop restaurant and bar with a spectacular view over Munich.
The Scandic München Macherei presents a young hotel experience in the heart of Munich’s new eastern quarter Macherei. Inspired by former brickworks in Berg am Laim, the hotel boasts an appealing clinker brick façade. On its nine floors, guests can choose from 234 rooms, all designed in a Scandinavian minimalist style.
Originating from Sweden, the hotel group attaches particular importance to sustainability: For example, 100 per cent of the electricity is sourced from renewable energies using organic waste from the food waste facility, while reusable packaging is used for their lunch take-aways.
The Cocoon Hotel Sendlinger Tor has just been renovated and extended by a new building. It boasts a very central location between the hip Glockenbachviertel (district) and the old town, as well as a trendy, young design, featuring distinctive elements, such as hanging chairs.
The hotel offers 101 rooms, as well as rental bikes to explore the city. Guests who want to contribute to resource conservation can book the Green Rate (from 2 nights) and opt out of daily room cleaning. In return, they receive a 10% discount on the daily rate, a 5 Euro voucher for the hotel bar per night and a bar of fair-trade chocolate.
Located directly at the central station, Ruby Rosi has 101 rooms, a public roof terrace and a 24/7 bar open to everyone. This bar is also used as a venue for readings and events with local artists. The hotel was inspired by a Munich original: Bally Prell.
The folk music singer is known for songs like “Schönheitskönigin von Schneizlreuth” and “Isarmärchen”. The public spaces harmoniously blend the elegance of aristocratic castle aesthetics with the rustic charm of village life: Luxurious materials alongside vintage furniture complement half-timbered and medieval workshop flair.
The Schwan Locke in Munich is the first European destination for the lifestyle aparthotel brand, Locke. Located just a few minutes’ stroll from Theresienwiese (Oktoberfest fairground) and the central station, the hotel offers 151 modern studio apartments designed in mid-century industrial flair, an art collection featuring local works and a co-working lounge. The team of the Michelin-starred restaurant Mural caters for the Bambule!. In addition to an excellent wine list, the menu features international cuisine with regional products, e.g., fish & chips with fish from the Schliersee (lake).
The group's second European hotel, the Wunder Locke, opened in the summer of 2022 in the Sendling district. It offers 360 studio apartments, a co-working space, meeting and event rooms, a workout studio and a small, heated outdoor swimming pool. The Mural’s catering team oversees the hotel's four restaurants and bars. Highlights include the urban rooftop farm, where some of the vegetables and herbs are grown for the Mural Farmhouse restaurant, as well as the cocktail bar boasting panoramic views of the Bavarian Alps.
Berlin-based hospitality brand Numa now has accommodation across Europe. In September 2023, a new location with serviced flats will be added in Munich: The Numa Blend between the main station and Stachus is not only the newest, but also the most central of all four addresses. The special feature: The rooms are not only design-savvy, but also affordable - check-in works via smartphone.
The family-run design hotel Stadt Rosenheim has been renovated and reopened under the name Moma1890 Boutique Hotel. It is located right on Orleansplatz (square), nestled in the charming district of Haidhausen. Each of the 51 rooms is unique and creatively integrates accessories, colours and materials.
This is a treat for all those who like vibrant wallpaper. One charming detail: Instead of minibars in the rooms, there is a lounge on the first floor. All non-alcoholic drinks and snacks are free for hotel guests there.
Nestled among bars, restaurants, concept stores and offices, four new hotels and a hostel welcome guests to the Werksviertel (area). The latest addition is Wombat’s City Hostel Munich Werksviertel. It is located on the lower floors of a former potato silo, Werk4 in Werksviertel-Mitte district.
In the same building, on floors 9 to 24, you’ll find the 4-star-Adina Apartment Hotel Munich. With its height of 86 metres, the Adina is currently the tallest hotel in the city. You can even watch sheep and chickens from some of the 234 studios and apartments, because right next to the hotel is the Stadtalm (city pasture), a nature project on the roof of Werk 3. A special detail: room numbers with pictograms indicate what the view awaits guests through the floor-to-ceiling windows inside the room.
In the direct vicinity is the gambino Hotel Werksviertel with 303 rooms and the best view of the Umadum ferris wheel. A conscious decision was made not to have a restaurant here, to encourage visitors to use all the services in the area and thus become part of the Werksviertel community - at least for a while.
The Moxy lifestyle hotel opened in autumn 2019. It identifies itself as a young, innovative boutique hotel with reasonable prices. The design concept was inspired by Zündapp, a company that produced motorbikes in the Werksviertel district for decades. Next door, the Residence Inn, featuring 75 studios, caters primarily to longer-term guests. The more spacious rooms offer a retreat from the hustle and bustle of the city and feature wardrobes and kitchenettes with dishwashers, as well as a clean design and soothing colours.
Munich offers a green side that caters residents and visitors alike: At times, it can be very inno-vative, as seen with the vegan Weißwurst (sausages) by the Munich start-up Greenforce, or the rooftop football pitch of Bellevue di Monaco, a residential and cultural centre for refugees and non-refugees in the heart of Munich. Other times, it is traditional, like with its Kron-fleischküche (innards cuisine) , (e.g., from Schneiders Brauhaus), utilising every part from the animal – long before the nose-to-tail trend became popular.
Then again, it boasts hidden gems, such as the sustainable fashion studio “Khala Design“ at Atelierpark of Bahnwärter Thiel, or the vegan Bavarian inn Bhodi tucked away in the Westend-Viertel district. Sometimes, Munich presents itself striking as with the barrier-free experiences at the world-famous Deutschen Museums , or through themed city tours, such as the eco-social guided tour by Stattreisen e.v.. More tips for a sustainable visit to Munich are available here.
Freddie Mercury loved the nightlife on the Isar (river). Giorgio Moroder developed the legend-ary disco sound here and Nirvana staged their last concert in Munich.
If you want to experi-ence Munich on the tracks of pop today, you have several options: join a guided Freddie Mercury tour (private tours in English upon request), explore music history with Herbi Hauke, the director of the (currently closed) Rock Museum on a tour of the Olympiapark (Olympic Park, private tours in English upon request) or Schwabing district, visit the exhibition “Nachts. Clubkultur in München” (“At night. Club Culture in Munich“) (until 7/1/24) at the Stadtmuseum (city museum), dance the night away at Blitz-Club, home to one of the best sound systems in the country, buy electric guitars at MJ Guitars, the shop owned by the Scorpions’ guitarist, or enjoy local DJ performances while sipping a drink at the Goldene Bar in Haus der Kunst (art gallery). More nightlife tips are available here.
It's a well-known fact that the most fascinating treasures are the ones you discover yourself. And Munich's districts are the ideal hunting grounds. Although not far apart, each is a world on its own. The Schlachthofviertel (slaughter house district) is particularly popular at the moment, as eve-rything is a bit more unpretentious than elsewhere.
Here, traditional butcher's shops exist alongside hip bars like the Alte Utting, craft beer brewers and new cultural hubs, for example the recently opened Volkstheater. The Werksviertel-Mitte, aspires to shape a neighbourhood of the future and is well on its way. In 2023, it received the Deutscher Städtebaupreis (German Urban Development Award) for its forward-thinking planning and urban development culture. The area covers 40 hectares in total. Werksviertel-Mitte, which is around ten hectares in size, has a particularly large number of things to experience.
Visitors are greeted by a piled-up pop-up city made of converted shipping containers. The new urban quarter owes its distinctive aura to the repurposing of numerous former industrial buildings of the food manufacturing company Pfanni. The disused production lines of WERK3 now house loft offices, artists’ studios, bars and clubs, as well as restaurants and shops. Only a few metres away, in WERK4, the 30-metre-high silos where potato flakes used to be stored, have been converted into a climbing and bouldering hall.
The German graffiti scene pioneered in Munich. In the years 1985 to 1988, graffiti experienced such a boom in Munich that sprayers came from all over the world to get at least one chance to spray in this city. Today, there are three museums/galleries dedicated to this topic: the Museum für Urban and Contemporary Art (MUCA) presents top-class artists.
The interim use project KUNSTLABOR 2 offers space for experimentation. Two of the six floors are being transformed into a walk-in work of art by more than 100 artists. Among them are famous names like Loomit and rapper Samy Deluxe, but also newcomers like Pepe. The latest addition is the quaint and fine Amuseum of Contemporary Art.
