Spending a Sunday in Munich has absolutely nothing to do with bustling department stores and crowded shopping malls. Almost all shops in the Bavarian capital are closed and only a handful remain open. In our “Sundays in Munich“ tips, we explain why this is the perfect time for a visit to the city.
- Breakfast or Brunch
- Church Visits
- Museum Explorations
- Sightseeing
- Walk in the Park
- Excursion destinations
- Clear the Stage and Set the Scene
- Sunday Grocery Shopping
Sunday is the perfect day for a leisurely start with breakfast or brunch. In Munich, you can even go out late for a breakfast. But no matter what time of day you choose, it is advisable to order in advance.
Café Rosi between Gasteig (cultural centre) and Müller'sches Volksbad (indoor swimming pool) serves a hearty breakfast until 3 pm. The menu includes breakfast classics, such as scrambled eggs, muesli or Weisswurst (traditional veal sausage) breakfast, as well as vegan options, such as tofu scramble.
The Al Shaam in Neuhausen district has an exotic touch: On Sundays, Arabic breakfast specialities, such as homemade dumplings, yoghurt with mint or various types of cheese are served.
If you want to enjoy a gluten-free breakfast, you should reserve a table at Cafè Isabella near Sendlinger Strasse and not far from the Viktualienmarkt (food market). Breakfast fans will find the perfect treat here. And if you don't have time for an extensive breakfast, you can get a gluten-free take-away from the cake counter.
Poppi Farmer in Giesing district offers a vegan or vegetarian and particularly sustainable breakfast. Only seasonal and regional organic food is served here.
The churches are also open for church visits on Sundays between services. In the city centre, the Frauenkirche, St. Peter, St. Michael, Bürgersaalkirche, Theatinerkirche, Heilig-Geist-Kirche and Asamkirche are all within easy reach. Particular attention should be paid to the various, artistically designed church windows. If you would like to attend a Catholic church service, the Erzbistum München (Archdiocese of Munich) provides a calendar overview of the services held. Protestant services can be attended in St. Matthäus at Sendlinger Tor (gate).
Sunday is a particularly good time to visit a museum, as some museums charge a reduced admission fee of just 1 euro. A list of these museums is available here.
Munich’s city centre is home to a wide variety of museums: the Bier- und Oktoberfestmuseum (Beer and Oktoberfest museum), the Street Art Museum MUCA or the Residenz, the former city palace of the Wittelsbach dynasty. Further prestigious exhibitions are available here.
Technology enthusiasts should definitely visit Deutsches Museum, the Verkehrszentrum (transport museum), BMW Welt or the BMW Museum.
The Kunstareal (art quarter) is home to numerous cultural institutions and can be easily explored on foot.
When it gets quieter in the city centre on Sundays, you can take part in a guided city tour. Depending on the weather, you can opt for a walking tour through the old town, or explore Munich's street art on a guided bicycle trip. Rickshaw tours are another option.
Alternatively, you can explore various sights without a guide on a leisurely stroll through the old town: It is best to start at Marienplatz (main square) with the Glockenspiel (carillon) and then go to the Frauenkirche and Odeonsplatz (square). From there, you can proceed to Nationaltheater (opera house) at Max-Joseph-Platz (square), continue along Maximilianstrasse to the Hofbräuhaus (tavern) and then loop back to the Marienplatz across the valley.
A trip on tram line 19 is a real insider tip: The route runs between Berg am Laim and Pasing (districts) and passes many city attractions. We recommend travelling from Max-Weber-Platz (square) in Haidhausen district to the main station or vice versa.
If you prefer a more individual experience, book a private taxi or rickshaw guide and spontaneously shape your own Munich sightseeing programme.
There is a lot to explore on a city walk: You can wander through the different Munich neighbourhoods and past their landmarks either from east to west or from north to south and of course shorten or combine the tours.
Munich boasts a variety of parks and gardens that you can explore on a delightful Sunday stroll.
The best starting point for exploring Munich's green oasis, the Englischer Garten, is the famous Eisbachwelle (river wave), which is located next to the Haus der Kunst (art gallery) on Prinzregentenstrasse. From there, a brief stroll leads to the Monopteros, from where you have a splendid panoramic view. Another short walk takes you to the Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower), a beer garden, nestled in the park. During the beer-garden season, a traditional brass band entertains from the gallery of the Chinesischer Turm. If you continue the walk, you will come to Kleinhesseloher See (lake), an excellent spot for ice skating in winter and boat hire in summer.
The Botanischer Garten München-Nymphenburg (botanical garden) is a green paradise and worth a visit at any time of the year: From December to March, beautiful exotic butterflies flutter freely in the aquatic plant house, while in spring and summer, you can simply let yourself be seduced by the scent of the blooming plants.
In the Schleißheim palace grounds, not far from Munich, you can take an endless and solitary stroll, visit the various pavilions and palace buildings and then enjoy a wonderful break in the Oberschleißheim Palace Café or the Café zum Schloss. Incidentally, the park is still one of the most important baroque gardens in Europe.
A few steps away from the typical tourist routes, the lesser-known Rosengarten (park) on Isar river, or the small Kabinettsgarten (courtyard) behind the Nationaltheater are real insider tips for a delightful time out. Also the Hofgarten (court garden) with the Diana Temple behind the Residenz, or the Westpark with its “Gans am Wasser“ construction-trailer café are definitely worth a visit.
At Schloss Nymphenburg (palace), you can enjoy culture in combination with a tour of the palace park. The former summer palace of the Wittelsbach dynasty located in the western part of Munich, offers a glimpse into baroque architecture and its park invites you to linger.
The Olympiapark (Olympic Park) is a diverse hub of attractions, making it the perfect destination for a leisurely Sunday outing: Whether you explore the Olympiastadion (Olympic Stadium), delve into the underwater world at Sea Life Munich or take a stroll to the Olympia-Alm, the highest beer garden in Munich.
Many Munich residents venture to the surrounding areas at weekends. The Fünf-Seen-Land (five-lake region), including the Starnberger See and Ammersee is particularly easy to reach by public transport.
From the Herrsching suburban-train station, you can take a lovely walk to Kloster Andechs (monastery). Or take the suburban train to Starnberg and explore the lakeside promenade. A boat trip (April to October), on the Ammersee or Starnberger See (lakes), is always a highlight.
The Bavarian regional railway takes passengers to the slightly more distant Tegernsee or Schliersee (lakes) in just under an hour. The Schliersee railway station is an excellent starting point for the popular hike to the Schliersbergalm (mountain pasture), where hikers are rewarded with a breathtaking view over the lake.
For art lovers, it is worth travelling to Munich's environs: Just an hour or so from Munich, there are interesting museums dedicated to the art of the Blaue Reiter artist group and Expressionism.
The Tierpark Hellabrunn (zoo), Wildpark Poing (wildlife park), BergTierPark Blindham (wildlife park) and Walderlebniszentrum Grünwald (forest adventure centre) or Hirschgehege im Hirschgarten (deer enclosure) are all great places to observe animals.
Those seeking action will find their desired thrill in the Jochen Schweizer Arena, at FlyStation München, the AirHop, or in the climbing or bouldering gyms.
Relaxation and recreation are guaranteed at Munich's indoor pools, swimming pools and bathing lakes.
The numerous stages in Munich, including the Nationaltheater (opera house of Bayerische Staatsoper) at Max-Joseph-Platz, the Deutsches Theater, Gärtnerplatztheater, the Prinzregententheater, or the Münchner Kammerspiele, showcase outstanding opera, musical and dance performances.
Also the cabaret stages or many other stages such as the GOP variety theatre, the Krimidinner (crime dinner) in changing locations in Munich and the Dinner in the Dark in Schlosswirtschaft Schwaige promise exceptional entertainment.
Four new cultural stages, namely the Isarphilharmonie (philharmonic), the Volkstheater im Schlachthofviertel (theatre), the production and performance theatre “schwere reiter“ in the Kreativquartier and the Hoftheater (theatre) in Stemmerhof, are expanding Munich's cultural landscape in unusual surroundings.
Although the majority of shops are closed on Sundays, some supermarkets remain open:
Edeka Ernst at the main station and at Ostbahnhof (Munich east station) operates on Sundays and public holidays. Rewe To Go at the main station is even open around the clock 7 days a week. For organic shopping until 9 pm every day of the week, visit the biokultur organic market at the main station. For urgent drugstore needs, dm at Ostbahnhof is also open on Sundays.
