Munich is one of the most popular travel destinations in Germany. What it has to offer Bavaria's capital city has numerous parks and cycling routes, sporting leisure activities and unique excursions. These are our suggestions for sports enthusiasts!
- Bicycle tours in Munich
- City walks across Munich
- Places of interest
- Olympiapark (Olympic Park)
- Englischer Garten
- Sporting leisure activities in Munich
- Excursions
Munich's highlights such as the Marienplatz (square), the Alte Hof (Old Court), the Viktualienmarkt (market), the Isar river or the Deutsches Museum can be easily discovered on a bicycle tour. The length of the tour is about seven kilometres, which will take you about an hour.
The Englischer Garten Bike Tour offers a leisurely bike tour down the Isar to the Aumeister beer garden and back through the Englischer Garten to Marienplatz, taking about two hours. The route is about 15 kilometres long.
The grand city tour leads from the old town centre to the Kunstareal (art quarter) on to the former summer residence of the Wittelsbach dynasty, along the Biedersteiner Canal to the Olympiapark (Olympic Park) and back via Leopoldstrasse. The route is about 23 kilometres long.
Those with more stamina can experience the banks of the Isar on an extended tour. In our tour suggestion, the route length is around 18 kilometres, which will take you about 2.5 hours. The bike tour starts with a short steep climb: From the city centre, the route heads south upstream along the Isar to the Großhesseloher Bridge and via Hinterbrühl, Floßlände and Flaucher through the Gärtnerplatz district and via the Viktualienmarkt back to Marienplatz.
You can also explore calligraffiti, stencil and co. by bike on a Street Art Bike Tour along impressive street art and graffiti works in public spaces.
If you want to cycle from the north-west of the city to the south-east of Munich, take the Feierabend bike tour.
They say “Munich is a village“ – and the best way to explore it is on foot:
The east-west passage takes you from Prinzregentenplatz in Bogenhausen to Schloss Nymphenburg (palace).
The north-south passage leads from BMW Welt right by the Olympic Centre to Hinterbrühler See (lake).
You can reach the Alter Peter's (church) viewing platform after 306 steps. Enjoy the unique view over the old town.
Sightrunning allows you to do some sporty sightseeing: slip into your running shoes and explore the Isar at a running pace. A popular running route leads from the city centre to Tierpark Hellabrunn (zoo), past Hinterbrühler See to Großhesseloher Brücke (bridge). If you still have stamina, you can continue to Waldwirtschaft Großhesselohe, one of the most beautiful beer gardens in Munich.
Many parks and gardens in Munich are perfect for a nice run, no matter what time of day it is.
The breathtaking Olympiastadion (Olympic Stadium) rooftop tour followed by a flight on Europe's longest Flying Fox offers a wonderful view over the city to the foothills of the Alps. Afterwards, it is worth visiting the Olympia-Alm, Munich's highest beer garden. The former kiosk was opened in 1972 for the Olympic Games and has become a very popular beer garden. If you want to follow in the footsteps of the Olympic Games, take a bike tour to the 1972 Olympic sports venues.
A walk through the Englischer Garten offers plenty of peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. A good place to start is in the Hofgarten (Court Garden). From there, walk past Prinz Carl Palais in the direction of Haus der Kunst. Directly behind the Haus der Kunst on Prinzregentenstrasse is the famous Eisbachwelle, the meeting place for surfers from all over the world. Our author wants to learn river surfing and has tried it out for herself.
If you want to do some water sports, you can rent a rowing or pedal boat at Kleinhesseloher See (lake).
Tango, boule and surfing: Learn more about the sports in Munich's city centre. But you should also try Bavarian sports like arm wrestling, Maßkrugstemmen or stone lifting.
The City of Munich's popular free Fit in the Park programme takes place from May to the end of September. Different sports programmes such as fitness, yoga, Zumba and much more are offered daily in various parks in Munich under professional guidance.
The Boulderwelt München West is a paradise for sports enthusiasts: bouldering on about 2500 square metres – from beginners to recreational climbers to professionals. There is something for every level of difficulty! Alternatively, you can also climb walls: In the city and surrounding areas of Munich you will find numerous indoor and outdoor climbing and bouldering opportunities. City scrambling for all levels of difficulty!
Especially in summer, it's worth taking a dip in the cool waters of the Maria Einsiedel natural swimming pool. The Isar Canal flows for almost 400 metres through the popular open-air swimming pool in the south of Munich. Alternatively, visit other Munich swimming pools and bathing lakes.
It's not just football fans who get their money's worth at the Allianz Arena. Take a look behind the scenes of the football temple in the north of Munich on an Allianz Arena tour.
A shopping spree in Munich's pedestrian zone is a must. If you are particularly interested in the city's large sports department stores, then have fun with some adventure shopping!
You can find many more ideas for activities in the countryside in our Munich Guide: Tips for nature fans.
Whether in the middle of the city or just outside, in Munich the next peak is never far away: Munich and the mountains.
If there is enough water, wakeboarders and water skiers can let off steam at the Aschheim water ski park just outside Munich. If you like riding waves, visit the O2 Surftown MUC, the first surf park of its kind in Germany, which is located near Munich Airport. Even if you don't want to get wet, you can watch the surfing action on the terrace.
For the more adventurous, we recommend a visit to the Jochen Schweizer Arena. Whether it's surfing, body flying or a high ropes course – you're guaranteed not to get bored here!
The climbing forest in Grünwald offers around 65 different exercises in five exciting courses. No matter whether you are a beginner or an advanced climber – increasing levels of difficulty make climbing fun for everyone in this Walderlebniszentrum (forest adventure centre). If you want to take a break in between, lie down in a hammock, take a seat in the forest lounge or at the picnic tables.
Arrival:
S7 to Höllriegelskreuth terminus, then bus 271 to the “Grünwald Friedhof“ stop.
Then follow the signposted footpath to the forest adventure centre for about 10 minutes.
Experience pure nature and beautiful scenery on a hike through the Ammergau Alps.
The day trip Royal Wanderlust takes you to Schloss Neuschwanstein (castle). On a circular route from Füssen, you will even see two other castles. With a duration of around five hours, the tour is relatively long, but not difficult. If you like it shorter, you can get back to Füssen from Hohenschwangau by bus. The tour starts at the late Gothic Hohes Schloss (castle) in Füssen. Then from the old town of Füssen to the summit of the Kalvarienberg and on to the idyllically situated Schwansee (perfect for swimming in summer!). From there you get to Hohenschwangau – and on via a tarred road to the fairytale castle of Neuschwanstein. Here you should definitely plan a detour to Marienbrücke and enjoy the excellent view of the castle! After the descent to the Alpsee lake, the tour continues along the Alpenrosenweg trail towards Bad Faulenbach back to Füssen. The highlight of the tour is the panoramic view from the Kalvarienberg summit of all three castles, the mountain scenery and the lakes of the Allgäu foothills of the Alps.
Experience a day on the Isar. Whether in a canoe on the Isar Paddle or in a rubber dinghy on the Isar Rafting. The classic paddling route leads from Bad Tölz to the rafting site – including bathing fun, picnic on the gravel bank and river-cooled trail drinks: Paddling tour just outside the city.
The recreational value of Munich's surrounding countryside is legendary. Many cycling and circular routes can be easily explored on a day trip from Munich. One popular cycling circuit runs along Chiemsee (lake). It passes numerous lidos and is a great way to cool off, especially in summer.
