When I lived in Tucson, I discovered that I could get mild winter weather and fewer crowds in Europe. The best flights using Delta miles had me flying in and out of Munich. Little did I know that when all the planning was said and done, I wouldn’t have much time in Munich at all! My little side trip to Hallstatt cut into my Munich time, leaving me with only two days in Munich, and just three nights. Since I work and travel at the same time, I tend to get a bit less sightseeing done, so what I saw in two days makes for the perfect one day Munich itinerary.

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One Day in Munich

Morning: Start your day with a trip out to Nymphenburg Palace, the summer residence of Bavarian rulers. It’s easy to reach the palace. Just take the S-Bahn to the Laim stop and start walking north. It’s about a 20-minute walk, or if you see a bus headed in that direction, hop on and jump off at Hirshgartenalle. It takes about 30 minutes to reach Nymphenbgurg Palace from Marienplatz Station.

The 17th-century palace has been added to by each succeeding generation of the ruling families. The main palace building, with several interior apartments, is open to visitors. There’s a huge gift shop and you can easily spend half a day just strolling the grounds. As you can see in the photo, one downside of visiting Europe in winter is that many statues are boarded up. But I still prefer visiting popular destinations in the low season to avoid crowds.

After you tour the Palace and grounds, grab lunch next door at Schlosswirtschaft Schwaige before catching the S-Bahn back to Marienplatz. (The pulled duck burger is pretty yummy!)

Afternoon: Return to Marienplatz, and catch the Glockenspiel show at Neues Rathaus, or New Town Hall, at 11:00 or 12:00 each day. From March through October, there is an additional show at 5:00 pm.

Then, head across the plaza to St. Peterskirche, pay 3 Euros, and climb 300 stairs to Alter Peter (the tower) for some of the best views of Munich. I spent a lot of time up here, photographing and just enjoying the fresh air. It's a fairly narrow catwalk, so I can imagine it's quite crowded in summer.

After taking in the views of Munich, spend some time wandering around Marienplatz, cruise through the nearby Eataly if you've never been to one, and check out the food stalls at nearby Viktualienmarkt. Not far away is the Residenz Munchen, another beautiful building which you can tour.

Evening: Join a beer and food-tasting tour around Munich. My tour met at Hauptbahnhof at 6 pm to begin a walking tour of several beer tastings. There were snacks at each stop, and we had quite the smorgasbord of traditional Bavarian finger foods at the Hofbräu Keller, our last stop. If you visit Munich in the warmer months, make sure you explore some of the many beer gardens in town.

Day Trips from Munich

One of the best things about European cities is the amazing day trip opportunities. With so many trains leaving Munich every day, it's so easy to get around Bavaria without a car. If you have more than one day in Munich, check out some of these excellent day trip destinations:

• Neuschwanstein Castle - the fairytale castle that inspired Walt Disney. This is one of the most popular day trips from Munich. Our Escape Clause has all the details on a Munich to Neuschwanstein day trip!
• Salzburg, Austria - this Austrian village is just 2 hours from Munich by train, making it a perfect day trip destination. Traveling Mel has the down-low on a Salzburg City Tour.
• Nuremberg - also two hours from Munich is the Bavarian city of Nuremberg, a popular day trip from Munich.
• Linderhof Palace - a lesser-known palace near Neuschwanstein Castle. Read all about a day at Linderhof Palace over at Travel Tyrol.

Where to Stay in Munich

For this short visit, I gave up trying to find affordable accommodation in Munich, and just went for the best location. I chose the Living Hotels das Viktaualienmarkt, which was right across the street from the street market, and just a few minutes' walk from Marienplatz. Honestly, this was a perfect location to stay in Munich. I was even able to walk to the Hauptbahnhof in about 20 minutes, although with luggage, Uber was an easier option.

Browse Munich hotels at Booking.com

Is Munich Expensive?

Munich was the most expensive of the three major cities I visited on this trip, however, I am sure there are deals to be had for the more patient (or frugal) travel planner. Knowing that I'm not a budget traveler, nor a luxury traveler, but a "middle of the road" traveler, here's what I spent in Munich:

• $13 train from Munich Airport to Hauptbahnhof
• $65 Uber from Munich Old Town to Airport (tip: don't be lazy, take the train!)
• $170 per night at Living Hotel das Viktualienmarkt
• $30 train from Hallstatt to Munich
• $50 Munich beer + food tour
• $25 entry fees + train pass
• $95 on food, an average of $24/day

As the capital of the German state of Bavaria, Munich has so many cool things to see. I definitely recommend spending more than one day in Munich as you can easily fill an entire week exploring the history and natural beauty of this city.

Why not spend a few days in Vienna after leaving Munich?