If you’ve followed our camper adventures with our baby in Europe, you’ll know that we spent more than 1 day in Munich! But as we were saying in our Central Europe itinerary post, we took our time in Munich as an opportunity to relax, take care, eat yummy vegan food, and then of course visit a little. There is a lot to do and see in this cute German city, so you could definitely spend more than 1 day in Munich, but here’s what you could do in a day with a baby!
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We went to Munich in the middle of summer, and the weather was a bit crazy. Rain for days, then scorching heat and sun for a few days…. You have to be ready for anything! As we were tired from our driving around Europe and taking care of an intense 4 month old baby, we took our time and some days we only stayed in the hotel or around it, and some days we went out to eat delicious vegan food or visit a bit. But if you are in better shape than us, with a good weather and a plan, you could see many things and have lots of fun in 1 day in Munich.
What to do in 1 day in Munich
Walk around Altstadt (Old Town) – the historic city center of Munich
Munich’s city center is very cute and there’s a couple of landmarks not to miss. Start at the Marienplatz Old Town Square and try to circle back at 11am or 12pm to catch the 12min cuckoo clock show of the 43-bell Rathaus-Glockenspiel (carillon) on the top of the Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) – where you can also have a beautiful view of the city (using stairs or an elevator).
Then don’t miss the main attractions:
- the Old Town Hall, right next to the Neues Rathaus
- Peterskirche, the 13th century Gothic Church on Rindermarkt, which also offers a view of the town (but no elevator!) on the observation deck of the church tower.
- Viktualienmarkt, an open-air market with a beer garden
- Frauenkirche, the Church of Our Dear Lady & The Devil’s Footstep at its entrance and beautiful views from the South Tower. Frauenkirche is one of Munich’s most distinctive landmarks!
- Asamkirche, a very unusual church close to Marienplatz.
Check out the river surf spot in the center of Munich at the Englischer Garten
To keep your little ones (and yourself!) entertained, head north to the large park called Englischer Garten and follow the surf boards. After a few minutes, you’ll land in an incredible place: a surf spot in the city! How crazy is that?? I could hardly believe it but there it was! Thanks to a bridge set on the fast-flowing Eisbach river, surfers can catch a wave (the Eisbachwelle) while onlookers cheer them up!
If you have time, don’t hesitate to explore the massive and beautiful Englischer Garten (English Garden), this park bigger than Central Park featuring beer gardens, a Greek Monopteros Temple, the so-called “Chinese Tower” and a Japanese teahouse…. and some totally normal nude-bathing. Yep!
If you don’t have a lot of time, forget the enormous Englischer Garten, and have a walk and a little break at Hofgarten. It is situated across the Englischer Garten from the Eisbachwelle. You could also visit the Munich Residenz but you would need a couple of hours.
Grab a delicious vegan lunch at Emmi’s Kitchen
Emmi’s Kitchen in Munich has gone to our Top 10 vegan restaurants in the world! Innovative, creative and delicious : it was the perfect place to enjoy a good lunch. You can sit inside or on their private outside sitting area, and the staff even gave us a few toys to entertain our baby while we ate.
It’s not in the city center but we stumbled upon it on our way to the Deutsches Museum. They are open for breakfast and lunch only.
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Visit the Deutsches Museum of Science and Technology
This museum – the largest of its kind in the world – is going to be a big hit for adults and kids of all ages alike! It is located on an island on the Isar River and offers a beautiful view from its rooftop. The three of us (ok, mainly Simone and I, but Cesare was still very young!) really enjoyed this attraction. It is very informative and interactive, I guarantee you cannot get bored at the Deutsches Museum!
There’s also a little café and a shop that might get your attention before or after visiting the museum. We had a drink before getting in because we had walked a lot to get there, and spent some time in the shop afterwards.
Have diner in one of the vegan restaurants in the center
Germany is great for vegan eaters, so there is no shortage of vegan or vegan-friendly restaurants in Munich! Have a look at HappyCow to find the closest vegan restaurant near you in Munich.
Where to stay in Munich
Out of the center, to have parking space if you’re on a road trip like us, relax and easy metro access to the center. We stayed at the H4 Hotel München Messe and it was great!
In the center to be in the middle of the action you have the Haus im Tal, also offering a gym, a private parking, a bar and a terrasse.
Is Munich baby-friendly?
Yes! There was a mall near our hotel, and it had a baby room. In it you could find a comfortable seat to breastfeed (or bottle-feed), a microwave to reheat milk our baby food, etc.
I also had no issue breastfeeding or babywearing while we were there.
Tips to spend 1 day in Munich
The CityTourCard Munich
If you don’t want to worry about transportation and want to save money with some discounts, get yourself the CityTourCard Munich.
Recommended Munich tours
Munich City and English Garden Walking Tour: If you want to learn more about Munich’s history and architecture, this tour is made for you!
Hop-On Hop-Off buses are a great way to visit a city when you’re short on time! We loved it when we could only spend a day in Liverpool and recommend it every time! This one has a 24hr ticket (or a 48hr one if you’re staying longer!) and covers the most popular attractions in town.
Mystic Munich: Legends of the Old Town. If you want a new angle on your exploration of Munich, this tour will give you that! You’ll get a unique perspective on the history of Old Town and learn some fascinating stories.
What to pack for a day in Munich
What to pack for Munich is going to greatly depend on the weather and time of year of your visit. If you’re coming in the summer, for Oktoberfest or for the magical Christmas Market you’re going to have to pack widely different things.
My advice would be to keep your wardrobe simple, especially with a baby, and accessorize appropriately. We went in the middle of August and the weather was HOT, even though we also had a few days of rain from morning to night. So pack a hat, good sunglasses and sunblock, sturdy walking shoes… and an umbrella.
