Our group of 8 will be a part of this 8-day tour in June, and we're looking for best options for our afternoon/evening of free time in Munich (a Monday). As part of our organized tour, we'll do a Sunday afternoon orientation and Monday morning "Old Town" tour - then we're free until Tuesday morning. Some of us want to see Dachau, others don't. What 3-4 recommendations do you have for that free afternoon/evening?
Thanks in advance for any suggestions...
Bill
If it is a nice day, one thing I recommend is a walk in the Englischer Garten, including a stop at the Eisbach to watch the surfers on the standing wave:
I've been to Dachau several times (once on my own and then escorting friends who wanted to visit). I find it extremely depressing and not fun at all. If that's how you want to spend your vacation then more power to you, have at it. Myself, I can think of better things to do.
Not on any tour I know of are the following: antique shopping (north of Oskar von Muller Ring), Schaflarn Monastery, the Zoo, and Schloss Blutenburg. I can also spend an entire afternoon in the Hunting and Fishing Museum, one of the art Museums, or the Deutsches Museum (if you're not already museumed out...)
In the evenings I usually find a place near where the musicians are busking and eat, drink, and people watch. Most of the locals will be doing the same if the weather's good.
Late in the afternoon, you could get a shuttle bus/van to run you out to the Vienna Woods. Then take in a meal and a little wine tasting at one of the wine gardens at Grinzing. August of 1970, I had one of the great travel nights of my life there.
The surprise highlight of our visit to Munich in 2015 was the BMW Welt and Museum. I'm not even all that into cars, and I loved it as much, if not more, than my husband did - who is a bit of a car nut. The sight of the 1972 Olympics is across the street and well worth a visit.
You will need to take the S bahn out to Dachau and a local bus from there. You can book admission ahead or on arrival, but check in advance. It can be very depressing, but it will explain the path of European history from the war till today.
https://europeforvisitors.com/munich/articles/dachau-transportation.htm
For staying in town:
I personally think the Alte (Old) and Neue (New) Pinoteka museums are wonderful and the Lenbach House for 20th Century art is exceptional.
https://www.lenbachhaus.de/?L=1
BMW Museum: https://www.bmw-welt.com/en/locations/museum.html
Beer: I prefer Hacker-Pschorr to the Hofbrau breweries.
Have fun.
Dachau is very worthwhile. My choice though would be the Alte Pinakotek, if you like art that one is a real gem. I have never found it crowded there but the collection is great. The Neue Pinakotek is also a nice visit.
I loved the Englischer Garten, so lovely to wander around, likely to hear some music, and the beer garden at the Chinese Pagoda, while definitely touristy, was a nice place to sit and have a beer and the food was not bad. Also, if you like flowers, I found the Munich Botanical Garden quite good.
What 3-4 recommendations do you have for that free afternoon/evening?
You are smart to have ask for multiple recommendations as the weather can dictate your plans! Here is my recommendations:
DJ
I am going on this same tour and am surprised that no one mentioned visiting Nymphenburg Palace. I had thought that this is where my husband and I would go on this free afternoon. Is there a reason for this - for example, not enough time? It is supposedly one of the most visited sights in Bavaria. I welcome your input.
I'll second the recommendation for the Deutsches Museum .
MANY THANKS for all the replies and responses... Keep the ideas coming. We're researching all the suggestions here for non-Dachau activities and zeroing in on a priority list. I appreciate each of you taking the time to add thoughts...
Bill
I am going on this same tour and am surprised that no one mentioned visiting Nymphenburg Palace. I had thought that this is where my husband and I would go on this free afternoon. Is there a reason for this - for example, not enough time? It is supposedly one of the most visited sights in Bavaria. I welcome your input.
The only reason not to visit is if the weather is bad. On a good weather day this is a great option too. The only reason I didn't recommend it is Nymphenburg is a bit further away so you lose some time getting there and back plus you would only go there if the weather is nice and IMO the Englischer Garten just beats it out on a sunny day. But if it is on your list and the weather is great, by all means visit and you won't be disappointed!
DJ
My longtime Munich friends took me to the Nymphenburg Place last time I stopped by. Even in Fall with boxes around the statues in the park, we walked it anyway, and were spellbound by the palace and its exhibition of portraits. Check to see if it is open, of course, and what is on display, but if you are not struck by the faces of women that look out at you with strength and intelligence and grace, from several different countries, including the USA, then you had better head off to the BMW Welt. The Nymphenburg is a time capsule, of a time before Dachau became more than a suburb. 'Ludwig's Ladies' are an astonishing tribute to women's strength. In most German cities, it was the women who removed the rubble of WW2 and rebuilt their worlds, one bucket of bricks at a time.
The Pinotek art museums are third rate compared to what is otherwise available in the EU.
My top choice is the tour of the Rezidenz.
For dinner, a traditional Beer Hall (not the tourst trap Hofbrauhause). I like the Auststeinerkeller near the hauptbahnhof.
