When everyone is still in bed, Munich develops its very own flair. Early risers then have the Englischer Garten (park) almost to themselves and enjoy the atmosphere of the awakening city. We have seven more tips for those who get out of bed early in the morning.
An unprepossessing little house in district IV, at the edge of the Viktualienmarkt (market). People who are not aware of it will probably unwittingly pass it by – and miss outon an institution. “Karnoll's Back- und Kaffeestandl” (bakery and coffee stand) has been here since 1974. A meeting point for all who are already on their feet in the early morning or are still up from the night before andurgently need a dose of caffeine. Tamara Karnoll pours out the first coffee of the day at 5.30 am. Her customer base is colourful. Irrespective of whether they are workers in boiler suits, fine gentlemen in suits or students on their way home – Karnoll’s coffee is available to everyone.
People who like to stroll past the Dantebad in Gern on nice summer days, can sometimes hear the noise of the bathers a whole block away. If, however, you walk past it in the morning, you must listen very carefully to hear the quiet splashing of the waves. The Dantebad opens earlier than most other baths, already between 7 and 7.30 am and is extremely popular with residents. Some jump in to do a couple of lengths of crawl to really waken themselves up before they go to work. The warm outdoor pool is heated and open the whole year: So there are no excuses – not even for wimps.
As the old saying goes breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dine like a pauper. In other words, if you need a lot of energy for the day, you should ingest a correspondingly hearty morning meal. The best place to do this is the Großmarkthalle restaurant (Kochelseestrasse 13). This is a down-to-earth pub which is a fixed element in the morning hustle and bustle on the Großmarkt (wholesale market). The menu, however, is of course much more important: The white sausages are regarded by many Munich citizens as the best in the city. Add to that one or two wheat beers and pretzels and the Munich power breakfast is complete.
A bright morning would not be anything without a bright sunrise. The problem: to have a restricted view of a great spectacle, you have to go up into the mountains, however most viewpoints over the city are still closed that early in the morning. One however is always open: the Olympiaberg. If you are thinking of going climbing before sunrise, you will meet at most one or two photographers who, with their tripods and cameras, are waiting for the first light of day. The best vantage point is not right at the top, but slightly below on the meadow. A small tip: there is also space here for a rug and a picnic basket with rolls, jam and coffee from your thermos flask.
A small town in the north of Munich with its own charm, three hills and an underrated rococo masterpiece: Freising Cathedral.
On some mornings there is one thing we all want above all else: inner contemplation. If you are not afraid of longer journeys, you are best to set off for Freising. This is a little town in the north of Munich with its own peculiar charm, three hills and an underrated rococo masterpiece: Freising Cathedral. On Sundays, its bells ring at 7 am calling people to early mass, on all otherdays, the bells ring a quarter of an hour earlier. If you sit at the back in the nave, the size of the room, the white pillars and the gilded stucco, the large frescoes and the glass windows sparkling with gleaming sunlight can work their magic on you even more effectively. If, after this, you still fancy going for a little walk, you are best to climb up to the viewing platform to the south of the Domberg (cathedral hill). There from the Rosengarten (rose garden) you can enjoy the sunrise in peace. On fair days, you can see as far as Munich and the mountain range of the Alps.
Many cafés in Munich do not open until just before 10 or 11 am. The roof garden of the Hotel Bayerischer Hof is already open at 6 am. The hotel is not really cheap, after all, it is the number one spot on the square but from time to time at the end of the day, there is nothing wrong with treating yourself. And the panorama more than makes up for any hit your wallet might take. The view from the roof terrace over the Altstadt (city centre) is incredible, particularly in the morning, when the sunlight is still not too bright and the Frauenkirche (cathedral) is bathed in warm gold sunshine. Your omelette and croissants will immediately taste even better.
While the water flows nearby, thoughts drift with every step.
The most beautiful place to go jogging in Munich is quite obviously the Isar river: anyone who has ever tried on a Sunday afternoon to pick up the pace there and instead decided to train their skills in a slalom skiing race knows that this is no insider tip. However it is totally different early in the morning: it is very quiet then. While the water flows alongside you, with every step your thoughts just drift away. To relax and supplement your fitness regime, taking a detour to the Keep Fit Centre is an absolute must.
The “Isarauen Fitness Course” to the rear of Freibadbächl and Entenweiher, approximately half-way between the Braunau Eisenbahnbrücke (bridge) and the Brudermühlbrücke (bridge) is somewhat hidden way. For those who like to take exercise early in the morning but who do not like going outside, attending a course of fitness or yoga classes is ideal. This can be done, for example, during the week at 6.45 am in the Jivamukti Studio (Buttermelcherstrasse 11) so you can start your day in a relaxed, but fitness-conscious way.
