48 hours in Munich | practical itinerary

Are you a beer fan? If you answered yes, then you have to visit Munich, home to the world’s most famous beer festival, Oktoberfest! In this post, I’ll share what to do with 48 hours in Munich, besides just drinking beer!

How to get to Munich

Munich is the capital of Bavaria and is located in the southeastern region of Germany. It’s easily accessible both by land and by air, since it has a large airport, in fact, it’s a base for the airline Lufthansa.

In terms of distance, Munich is close to Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, and Vienna, the capital of Austria. It’s just 380 km from Munich to Prague, and 450 km to Vienna. As for Berlin, it’s about 600 km away, and you can get between the two cities by bus, train, or plane.

Another important nearby city is Zurich, in Switzerland. Some people consider doing a day trip to Zurich, as it’s only 300 km away. However, if you’ve read other posts here on the blog, you know I recommend day trips of no more than 2 hours, which isn’t the case here.

48 hours in Munich

48 hours in Munich is definitely enough time to see the city’s main attractions. However, if you have more time, I suggest staying 4 days, so you can also take day trips to visit the Dachau Concentration Camp and the famous Neuschwanstein Castle (I’ll talk more about both later in the post).

Marienplatz

You can start the day by exploring the area around Marienplatz, which is the most famous square in the city. There you’ll find several tourist attractions, such as the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus). You’ll also find many restaurants in the area, including the renowned Hofbräuhaus beer hall.

St. Peter’s Church

Less than 150 meters from the square is St. Peter’s Church, the oldest church in the city, which offers a panoramic view of Munich. Entry to the church is free, but you do have to pay to access the tower that offers the view of the city.

Max-Joseph Platz

Another important square in the city, located near the Opera House, the National Theater, and the former residence of the Royal Family, the Residenz. The palace is open to the public for visitation, and my suggestion is to set aside at least 90 minutes to explore it.

Englischer Garten

Feeling hungry? My tip is to buy snacks and drinks at the market and have a picnic in the Englischer Garten, one of the largest urban parks in the world! If you're in the city during spring or summer, when the weather is warmer, you'll see dozens of people there doing the same thing!

While in the park, make sure to go to the spot where an artificial wave was created in the Eisbach River. Several surfers take turns surfing there. It’s a really interesting activity and should definitely be part of your 48-hour Munich itinerary!

Another spot you must check out while in the park is the Chinesischer Turm, where there’s a famous biergarten, a great place to grab a beer!

In this first part of your 48 hours in Munich, you can do everything on foot.

Nymphenburg Palace

After resting and recharging, take public transport to visit Nymphenburg Palace, the former summer residence of the King of Bavaria. You can explore the gardens and the interior of the building. You’ll need to pay to enter the palace, but the gardens are free to visit.

Olympic Park

On your second day of the 48-hour Munich itinerary, you can visit the Olympiazentrum, the Olympic arena of the city. Nearby, you'll also find the BMW Museum and BMW Welt, which is a great spot for car lovers.

If you really only have 48 hours in Munich, I suggest trying to fit all the suggestions above into one day. That way, on your second day, you can do one of the day trips I mentioned earlier in the post. If you have more time, take it slow and follow the itinerary as suggested.

Dachau Concentration Camp

A very interesting day trip that should be part of your 48-hour Munich itinerary is the visit to the Dachau Concentration Camp. The camp is located just 25 km from Munich’s city center.

Visiting a concentration camp is a heavy experience, but a necessary one, as it allows us to see how human beings are capable of committing such atrocities. When visiting the camp, you’ll learn more about the history of Nazism and witness up close the cruelty of this chapter in our past. It’s a reflective and highly recommended experience!

Neuschwanstein Castle

Did you know that Neuschwanstein Castle served as inspiration for Walt Disney to build Cinderella’s Castle?! Another interesting day trip to take when visiting the city. However, in this case, you’ll need more than 48 hours in Munich.

It is located approximately 130 km from Munich, and you can get there either on your own or by joining a tour. In any season of the year, the castle is beautiful and charming, but if you go in winter, when it’s snowing, it will have a unique magical touch!

Ahh, if you have more than 4 days in the city, you can use one of them to take a day trip to Salzburg, in Austria.

That’s it! These were my tips to make the most of 48 hours in Munich! The city is super interesting, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy exploring it! If you still have any questions, drop them in the comments below and I’ll reply as soon as possible!

Auf Wiedersehen!