Visiting Munich with Kids: What to See, Do, and Eat
Thinking of taking your kids to Munich, Germany, but aren’t sure they’ll have a good time?
You have nothing to worry about because Munich is an incredible city with a rich history, delicious food, and plenty of things for any family to enjoy.
It’s very European, yet it retains a distinct Bavarian feel. Nearly all of the stereotypical German icons come from Munich and the surrounding area, like lederhosen, pretzels and mustard, Oktoberfest, and tiny towns with mountain views.
Your family can walk through centuries of history, snack your way through food tents, and pop into a museum or two, all within the safe and easy to navigate Munich city center.
Below, I’m sharing all of my favorite things to do with kids while you’re in Munich, including must see museums, restaurants, hotels, and more.
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Visiting Munich: An Overview
For fellow history buffs, Munich is a fantastic place to visit since there's been a documented settlement here since the 8th century.
Those first recorded Münchners were Benedictine monks, and the city takes its name from the Old High German word "Munichen," or "Monk."
If you're interested in later history, there's plenty of that as well, as Munich was the governmental center for the Bavarian dukes back before Germany became a unified country. Ludwig the Bavarian (who built Ettal Abbey) and Ludwig II (who's known for his work on Neuschwanstein Castle both lived here, albeit about 500 years apart.
In recent history, Munich served as a favorite haunt of Hilter and the Nazi party.
Before he rose to power, he was arrested here for a failed insurrection, and he held his first meeting of the National Socialist party in the Hofbrauhaus.
Because of his knowledge of Munich, Hitler chose an area just outside of the city for his first concentration camp, Dachau.
Hofbrauhaus
During World War II, Munich's buildings suffered severe damage from bombings and few of the older buildings still stand in full.
Munich's history--both the good and the bad--is literally carved into its structures, and it is a city that is not afraid to hold that history up for anyone's perusal.
What to Eat in Munich with Kids
From the pretzels to the beer to the sweets, you can't go wrong in Munich.
Although traditional German food often gets a bad wrap in the culinary department, I thoroughly enjoyed the tasty treats we had while in town.
Make sure to wander the Vikualienmarkt to see what fresh produce, meats, and pastries are for sale.
There are several grab-and-go food stands offerings paninis, bratwurst, pretzels and more.
At one (Teltschik's Wurst-Standl), my dad, my daughter, and I ate some delicious sausage with mustard and a huge, soft pretzel.
It was the perfect start to my German culinary sampling!
Brats, wurst, and bretzel: YUM!
Near the Vikualienmarkt is Cafe Frischhut with their out-of-this world schmaltznudel, a fried dough that's covered in sugar and cinnamon. Try it. You won't be sorry.
Schmaltznudel, I love you.
Getting around Munich with Kids
If you’re not fluent in German, don’t worry.
We speak very, very little German and had never been to Munich prior to this trip.
Despite that, we were able to use the public transportation and get around the city with little problem.
If you're coming from the airport, hop on the clean and efficient S-bahn that runs between Flughafen München and the Hauptbahnhof.
Since you’re traveling with your family, make sure to get the group ticket which will save you a few euro.
Waiting on the U-bahn at Hauptbahnhof
To get around the city, the U-bahn is easy and quick.
I've been on my far share of subways, and none that I can remember have been this clean and safe-feeling. That includes the London Tube, which is generally great, and a public transportation system that I made extensive use of while I was studying abroad in London.
I was traveling with my parents, daughter, and sister, but I would've felt comfortable on the U-bahn even if I'd been traveling alone or just with my child.
We also made extensive use of the tram network that connects both the S-bahn and U-bahn systems.
The tram stopping outside our hotel
Best Things to Do with Kids in Munich
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Before we dive into the best kid-friendly things to do in Munich, I want to include some guidance to parents.
Munich’s history is very focused on the events leading up to and during World War II, and you’ll see many walking tours and sites that emphasize that.
While that’s a great option for adults who are obsessed with history, you can easily get into material that is difficult for younger kids to comprehend. The most obvious of these would be the daily tours that run between Munich and Dachau, which is located just outside of the city.
Dachau is extremely difficult to tour, and I highly recommend that you do not take your younger or more sensitive older children. The tours of the concentration camp lay bare the horrors that took place here, and it’s one of those experiences that will weigh on your soul for quite a long time after you visit.
That being said, there are plenty of ways to learn about what happened here during World War II in a more age appropriate manner, and I’ve included some of those below in the suggested activities and tours.
Get lost in the Residenz.
This palatial mansion in the heart of Munich is perfect for kids who love history or dream of being a princess.
But be warned: it is huge.
We’ve toured many castles and palaces on our travels, including Holyroodhouse and Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, Scotland; Neuschwanstein in Germany; the Palace of Versailles in Paris, France; and the Tower of London in London, England, but none of them felt this big.
It is so large and sprawling, that is remains the only castle or palace that I’ve chosen the short cut to the exit rather than taking the full, 90 room tour.
Your kids will be amazed at all of the over-the-top Rococo decor, which included textured walls, colorful wall hangings, and gilded everything.
Because of the size of the Residenz and the elaborate finishings, it's easy to get overwhelmed by it all.
When visiting with kids, I wouldn’t commit to the complete tour since there’s only so much architecture and history that most young visitors can handle.
Thankfully, there is a short route for the easily overstimulated visitor, and a long route for those who want to soak in every single room.
Whether you give up 10 rooms in or you make it all the way through, the Residenz is an architectural and historical marvel and should not be missed.
See a skeleton at St. Peter’s Church.
St. Peter's Church, the oldest church in Old Town Munich, is seen by many as the symbol of the city and it is held in very high regard. It’s affectionately known as “Alter Peter” in German, which translates to “Old Peter.”
When the church was badly damaged during World War II, parishioners began to slowly collect the funds to rebuilt it.
As a reminder that their work was not finished, the church's bells would ring the normal song on the hour, but would leave off the final note. (Which, by the way, would drive me insane. I NEED resolution!)
The parishioners listened to that for over 50 years until the church finished its restoration in 2012, and today, the entire song rings each hour.
While that’s a fun anecdote to tell your kids, there are a couple of other things that will grab their attention even more, including an actual skeleton that’s on display.
Tucked away in the corner of the church is a bejeweled skeleton, complete with a gold crown and holding a vial of blood.
This fascinating and slightly spooky situation is on full display inside the church, where visitors can walk right up to the glass coffin of St. Munditia and stare right into the glass eyes placed into her skull.
While more squeamish or easily spooked kids will need to skip over this site, older or more adventurous kids will find it perplexing, weird, and unforgettable.
If you do need to keep one or more of your kids from seeing St. Munditia, she’s in an alcove off of the main church area, so you don’t have to walk past unless you want to.
Elsewhere in the church are beautiful ceiling frescos, and an explosion of different architectural styles. There are Gothic-style paintings, a medieval wood alterpiece, and Rococco gilding.
Go on a scavenger hunt for monks.
No, I’m not advocating that you stalk actual monks!
Instead, you’ll be looking up, down, and all around for a symbol of the city of Munich.
Several centuries ago, the Benedictine monks established a monastery here long before Munich was an established city.
As a nod to the monks who gave the city its name, the Munich coat of arms features a hooded brother when it was created.
Over the years, the iconic monk has become younger in his portrayal, and you'll often see him as a young boy without the hood.
More recently, the Münchner Kindl, or Munich Child, is shown as a girl.
Once you know what you're looking for, you'll find the monk/boy/girl everywhere.
Much like the Hidden Mickeys at the Disney parks, the Münchner Kindl pops up in the least expected of places, including manhole covers and on top of the Glockenspiel!
See how many you and your kids can spot as you wander the city center.
Be amazed at the WOW Museum.
Learn about play at the toy Museum Munich.
Dive into centuries of history at the Bavarian National Museum.
Burn off some energy at the Munich English Garden.
Use the Hop on Hop Off Bus Tour of Munich.
Best Hotel for Kids in Munich
Citadines
What else to know before visiting Munich
Everyone we met was very friendly.
You never know what you're going to get in the way of help in a big city. I've been snubbed in some cities, while other places have locals who are happy to help.
Munich, I'm glad to report, falls into the latter category.
I’ll also note that I have traveled all over Germany, and none of the other big cities, including Hamburg and Berlin, were as welcoming as Munich.
From the front desk clerk at our hotel to the lady who served me my first taste of wurst and bretzel, we continually found people who welcomed us to their city and did what they could to make our visit better.
The city stays clean.
There are a lot of people in big cities, and, with large groups of people in a small area, trash piles up quickly.
Not so in Munich.
At least in the areas that we visited (Old Town and Maximilianstrasse), the streets were free of trash.
Throughout our visit to Munich, my family and I remarked at the difference between other large European cities and Munich. I don't know what their secret is, but it's working.
Several areas are pedestrian-only.
Back when Munich was chosen to host the 1979 Olympics, city officials decided to turn Kaufingerstrasse into a pedestrian-only zone, and business owners panicked because they thought they were going to lose business.
In reality, their businesses skyrocketed as people flooded into the car-free areas to shop and sightsee, and, today, more streets in the area are petitioning to be pedestrian-only as well.
The area around the Glockenspiel is filled with tourists, but no cars!
Along this pedestrian area are hundreds of shops, the famed Glockenspiel, and Michaelskirche (where Ludwig II is buried).
Munich is, in general, very pedestrian friendly, so lace up those walking shoes and pound some pavement.
The city’s architecture is a specific choice.
As I mentioned above, Munich took a beating during World War II, and the city was nearly unrecognizable by 1945.
When the war ended, Münchners had two options: take the easy way and bulldoze the entire place and start over again, or do the more difficult thing, and try to salvage what they could.
They went the second route, and, because of their persistence, 21st century travelers can still see what those historic buildings looked like before the bombings.
Instead of creating new architecture, the city rebuilt the old buildings as close to the originals as they could.
I've read about other travel bloggers' disdain for the city's architecture because of this, but I applaud Munich's decision to do so.
After the war was over, and they were trying to rebuilt their homes and churches and businesses, they went the extra mile to make their city look like their city again--I cannot find fault with a city reeling from that experience as they sought comfort in what they'd once known.
