A New England Traveler’s Guide to Munich, Germany
Museums, concerts, and all the schnitzel you can handle—Bavaria’s capital in winter is a smart idea.
Munich’s main square, Marienplatz, looks even more beautiful at sunset. / Getty Images
You won’t see skyscrapers in Munich for a simple reason: For more than 500 years, no building could exceed the height of the city’s cathedral, Frauenkirche. Located on the Isar River within view of the Alps, Munich was shaped largely by the tastes of its Wittelsbach rulers and the European royalty they intermarried with. Renaissance, Baroque, Rococo, Neo-Gothic, and Neo-Classical architecture intermingle, with contemporary and modern design added during the rebuilding after World War II. Today, Munich is one of the richest cities in the EU and home to iconic companies like BMW, but while business is booming, let’s not forget one of the things Munich is most famous for: Oktoberfest. This is the birthplace of the beer hall, after all, but the bonhomie prevails all year long, from the Christmas markets in December to the glorious summers, when the English Garden and the park at Nymphenburg Palace are at their achingly loveliest.
One of Munich’s many beer halls. / Michelangelo Gratton / Getty Images
PLAY
Explore the Old Town on foot, with its hidden alleyways and medieval layout. As the largest cathedral in Munich, the Frauenkirche’s twin, onion-domed towers offer a bird’s-eye view of the city, and the “devil’s footprint” in the foyer is the stuff of legends. Nearby, however, is Alter Peter church, around which the city originally formed. It features ecclesiastical treasures and a tower that can also be climbed, although claustrophobes beware. Don’t miss the macabre skeleton of St. Munditia, draped in a jewel-encrusted mantle, in one of the side altars. Marienplatz is the main square, with the New Town Hall and its world-famous glockenspiel (a clock tower that reenacts events from Munich’s history). The Residenz palace complex is a must-see, as is Nymphenburg Palace, the Wittelsbachs’ summer residence, with its magnificent Nymphenburg Porceilain Manufactory and surrounding park punctuated by hunting lodges/pleasure palaces. For a bit of culture, the Alte Pinakothek has a dizzying array of paintings by Rubens, Dürer, Titian, Rembrandt, and other Old Masters, while there are literally dozens of other superb museums. For a sobering dose of history, you can take a day trip to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site. At night, Munich comes alive with bars and clubs, but we recommend a concert by the Munich Philharmonic.
A decadent dessert from Café Glockenspiel. / Courtesy photo
EAT
Munich is often called the northernmost city in Italy, and Mozzamo, offering Neapolitan pizza, and Bernis Nudelbrett, famous for its pastas, are two of our favorites. The diversity of cuisines here, however, rivals New York, including the superb gyros at the Ionion and the Mexican fare at Taqueria con Salsa. For traditional Bavarian food, the Café Glockenspiel boasts an amazing view of Marienplatz, while the Motorworld Inn offers schnitzel and wurst with a side of car museum. Be sure to try the super-local specialty Obatzda, a cheese spread made from camembert, butter, herbs, paprika, caraway seeds, and beer.
Shopping on the posh Maximilianstrasse. / Manfred Segerer/ullstein / Getty Images
SHOP
Maximilianstrasse gives Rodeo Drive a run for its money, with a seemingly endless succession of ultra-luxury boutiques (Loewe, Bulgari, Versace) and nary a big-box store in sight. For department stores, Ludwig Beck runs the gamut from fashion to beauty to music. At the opposite end of the spectrum is Gärtnerplatz, with local, independent shops selling everything from handmade shoes to modern takes on classic Bavarian styles.
A suite at the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich. / ©Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski München
STAY
Originally built in the 1850s but significantly updated and added on to for the 1972 Munich Olympics, the Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich offers the royal Bavarian treatment, from the rooms to the sumptuous spa. Its restaurant, Schwarzreiter, is among the city’s best, with flights of caviar and white Alba truffles in season. The lobby, meanwhile, serves as fashionable Munich’s public living room.
GETTING THERE
United and Lufthansa operate nonstop flights from Logan to Munich International Airport. If you don’t mind layovers, Condor Airlines’ business class is a more comfortable option.
This article was first published in the print edition of the February 2026 issue with the headline: “Munich, Germany.”
