City Center (Marienplatz/Isartor/Karlsplatz/Odeonsplatz)- The city center is made up largely of the Karlsplatz (also known as "Stachus" by the locals) and the pedestrian shopping zone that leads down to Marienplatz square, which are the main tourist hangouts. However, for ease of use, the areas directly around these squares should be included in the city center. The city center is usually defined as the area within the old walled city, now most distinctly recognizable by the traffic loop known as the Altstadtring, although there are many portions of the historical walls still visible. Most notable are of course the old city gates at Stachus, Isartor and Sendlingertor (all located at U-Bahn/S-Bahn stations).
Schwabing/Maxvorstadt (University area) - Schwabing (as well as the neighboring Maxvorstadt) is the upscale academic district. Its trendy but charming neighborhood immediately beyond the Ludwig-Maximilian Universität (try blue/orange metro stops Universität or Münchener Freiheit) is filled with small coffee houses, expensive but impressive shoe stores, bookstores and specialty restaurants from around the world. Schwabing has always been an "in" place to live, and looking at the shady tree-lined streets, it's not difficult to imagine why. Leopoldstraße (get out at Universität or Münchner Freiheit) also offers extensive sidewalk cafes including some famous internationally known American coffee emporiums.
Olympic area/Olympia Einkaufzentrum - Built on Munich's former airport Oberwiesenfeld, this is the area of the 1972 Olympic Games. If you climb on the hills heaped up from the debris of the Second World War, you'll have a great overview of the site, especially worthwhile if there is a concert in the Olympic Stadium. The Olympic site itself is extremely beautiful and the ride to the top of the Olympic Tower is unmissable as it gives magnificent views of the city.
Haidhausen - The district around the Ostbahnhof (Eastern Station) is well-known for its clubbing area, Kultfabrik (formerly known as Kunstpark Ost, most locals will be familiar with the old name), where you can party in more than 30 clubs and discos. Also check out the many bars and restaurants in the Optimolwerke right next door. There are also several quaint sidestreets in this quarter featuring small houses virtually unchanged in several hundreds of years.
Neuhausen & Nymphenburg - One of the more relaxing districts, where the atmosphere causes residents and visitors alike to forget they are in a city of over a million. Take any tram with the end stop Romanplatz, for example the 12, and get out there, or get out at Rotkreuzplatz and relax in a beer garden or enjoy some ice cream or a bite to eat at one of the many nearby restaurants. Both of these neighborhoods are virtually undiscovered by tourists even though Neuhausen is home to a popular night club and the world's largest beer garden. What's more astounding is that, while millions of tourists flock to Munich in the summer months and September and October for Oktoberfest, few find their way to the tranquil Schloss Nymphenburg gardens.
Thalkirchen - This district around the banks of the river Isar is a recreational area for many residents of Munich. The zoo Hellabrunn is located here and in warm summer nights many bonfires are lit on the Flaucher, sand banks of the Isar.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Munich
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Munich - updated May 2024
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Munich Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
