Munich has a lot to offer. As one of the biggest cities in Germany and Bavaria’s capital, there’s no shortage of things to do.
But if you want to see those things that are not on most tourist maps – or are just plain out of the ordinary – here’s a list of 14 unusual things to do in Munich!
Table of Contents
1. Climb the Bavaria Statue
If you’re sober enough during Oktoberfest, you may notice a giant statue of woman gazing across the Theresienwiese. This is the Bavaria statue, a female personification of Bavaria itself. 18.52 meters (60 ft. 9 in.) high and made entirely out of bronze, it was the largest such statue since antiquity when it was commissioned by King Ludwig I in the mid-1800s.
At Bavaria’s back is an entrance leading to an inner staircase. Climb the 130 steps to Bavaria’s head, from where you’ll get spectacular views of Munich.
Sound familiar? Think Statue of Liberty, Bavaria-style.
2. Spot the devil’s footprint
There’s no way you’ll miss seeing the Frauenkirche on a trip to Munich. The Gothic church’s twin onion domed towers are a landmark of Munich; they’re so important to the city, no other building is permitted to be taller.
Built in just 20 years in the late 1400s, legend has it that the cathedral’s builder made a deal with the devil whereby the devil would finance the construction as long as no windows were built. At the entrance, no windows can be seen, but the devil realized he’d been tricked and angrily stomped his foot on the ground, leaving his foot’s imprint.
3. Find a piece of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall divided Western Berlin from East Berlin back when Germany was two countries, having been separated in the aftermath of the Second World War. An unknown number of people died trying to cross the wall in order to escape the communist east for freedom in the west. The wall fell to much fanfare and media attention in 1989.
While you can find many things in Munich’s English Garden – think beer gardens, a faux Greek temple, and naked sunbathers – what many people don’t know is you can find a piece of the Berlin Wall hidden here. Hint: It’s between the Haus der Kunst and the US Consulate.
4. Walk along the “Deserter’s Alley”
Odeonsplatz is one of Munich’s top historic sites. In 1923, it was site of the failed Beer Hall Putsch, when Hitler and his cronies first tried to seize power. During the Nazi era, a memorial was erected to commemorate those who were killed in the putsch. All passers-by were required to perform the Nazi salute to honor them.
Loathed to perform this ritual, those who opposed the Nazis chose to use a different street as a form of silent resistance. Located just off Odeonsplatz, it is officially called Viscardigasse but became known as “Drückebergergasse” or “Deserter’s Alley” in English. You can still walk along the cobblestoned alley today.
5. See a blinged out skeleton
Many visitors to St. Peter’s Church – Munich’s oldest church – rightfully climb the 306 steps up the tower to enjoy one of the best views of the city.
But what many people don’t notice is that inside the church itself is a skeleton decked out in jewels. Saint Munditia is said to be a 4th century martyr whose remains were brought to Munich from Rome in 1675. She wears a transparent stocking sewn with gold and jewels, with her rather creepy glass eyes looking upwards towards heaven.
6. Float along the Isar River on a wooden raft
Many people have heard of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Fewer people have heard of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists, which aim to safeguard the living heritage of the world.
One such cultural heritage? Timber rafting in Germany and other central European countries. Since the Middle Ages, wood rafts were created using specific skills and techniques and used transport people and goods. As its official entry states, “the building process remains the same and includes selecting the wood, transporting it to the river, and connecting the trunks to form rafts. Timber rafting fosters collaboration and social cohesion within and among participating communities.”
There’s no better way to celebrate the time-honored tradition of timber rafting than by floating down the Isar River on a wooden raft. Drinking beer is optional, but why not toast the preservation of this intangible cultural heritage?
7. Witness a Japanese tea ceremony
German-Japanese relations live on in the English Garden. The Kanshoan teahouse, peacefully situated on a small island in the garden, offers visitors a glimpse of another culture. Twice a month, from April through October, the teahouse hosts a traditional Japanese tea ceremony.
The teahouse was donated to Bavaria on the occasion of the Olympics Games in 1972. The teahouse follows the Urasenke school (still active in Japan), which follows the philosophy of Sen no Rikyu, the most significant figure in Japanese tea culture.
8. Encounter a legendary Bavarian creature
Set in a former church, the Deutsches Jagd- und Fischereimuseum (German Hunting and Fishing Museum) pays homage to the traditional Bavarian activities of – you guessed it – hunting and fishing. Here you can find ancient fishing hooks, historical hunting gear, antlers, and a whole lot of taxidermy animals.
Among the stuffed bodies of real animals, keep an eye out for the legendary wolpertinger, a creature said to inhabit the Bavarian forest. According to legend, it resembles a rabbit with horns, fangs, and wings. Do you think it’s real? Come and decide for yourself.
9. Have a drink at Alte Utting
Munich may be landlocked, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy food and drinks on a boat. Alte Utting is a bar in a former steamer ship that’s set atop a bridge. Yup, you read that right. The ship used to carry passengers on one of Bavaria’s lakes until 2016. Since 2018, she’s been serving patrons in one of the city’s most unique bars.
10. Find Little Red Riding Hood
Germany is a land I associate with fairy tales, perhaps because so many of them are in consciousness – Cinderella, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and so many more originate in Germany. The Grimm Brothers collected these folk stories in the early 19th century and Disney brought them to a wider audience in the 20th.
While few fairy tales are associated with a particular place, you can still find traces of these stories if you look hard enough.
One street in Munich, just off Maximilianstraße, has a fountain topped with a statue of a young girl and a wolf. This is Rotkäppchen, better known to us English speakers as “Little Red Riding Hood,” being eyed lustfully by the hungry wolf.
11. Switch out Oktoberfest and the Christmas markets for some of Munich’s other festivals
Munich’s annual festivals comprise much more than just Oktoberfest and the Christmas markets. While those are definitely worth the trip, if you want to party Bavarian-style without the crowds and the jacked-up prices, Munich’s got you covered. And don’t worry – there’s still plenty of that famous German beer on hand.
Here are a few alternatives to Oktoberfest and the Christmas markets:
Fasching (February/March): Fasching, or Karneval as it’s also known, has its origins in the Middle Ages when it was a time of extravagant drinking and partying ahead of the more somber days of Lent. Today, the week-long festivities culminate in the Dance of the Market Women in the Viktualienmarkt on Shrove Tuesday.
Strong Beer Festival (March/April): Strong beer was traditionally drunk during Lent; monks would brew stronger, more calorie-rich beer to fill their bellies during the time of fasting. Today, it’s regarded as an almost mini-Oktoberfest, but without the huge crowds and much more local in feel.
Frühlingsfest (April): Beer tents and carnival-like rides abound in this spring festival (Frühlingsfest literally translates to “Spring festival”). It’s yet another small, more local Oktoberfest; it even takes place in the same grounds that its more famous counterpart uses.
Tollwood Festival (summer): Summer brings the warm weather to Germany, and warm weather brings the outdoor festivals. Taking place in the Olympiapark, this nearly month-long festival includes concerts, side shows, and stalls where a variety of handcrafts are sold.
Kocherlball (July): In the 1800s, domestic workers would gather in the early mornings at the Chinese Tower in the English Garden to dance, before heading back to work. Since 1989, people dressed in 19th century clothing and uniforms come once a year to the same place to waltz, polka, and perform other traditional dances.
Auer Dult (3 times a year): If you love antiques, you won’t want to miss this festival. First held in 1310, these days it takes place three times a year, with different names: Maidult (in April/May), Jakobidult (in July/August) and Kirchweidult (in October). Flea markets, traditional food, and carnival rides collide in the usually sleepy Mariahilplatz. The memory that sticks out the most to me after attending this festival is seeing a lot of pre-used (and more affordable) lederhosen and dirndls for sale.
12. Watch the Glockenspiel Coopers’ Dance…in real life
If you’ve ever watched the Glockenspiel in Marienplatz play, then you know that the second half of the performance shows the city’s coopers twirling around with their wreaths.
What you may not have known is that this dance is performed in real life. Every seven years, men from various professions (although traditionally only the barrel-makers were allowed to partake) don the red jackets and black trousers and dance to specific choreography. You can watch them in and around Munich in the weeks leading up to Karneval.
13. Visit the forgotten Wittelsbach residence – Blutenburg Castle
While the Residenz and Nymphenburg Palace rightfully have their place on nearly every “Best Things to Do in Munich” list, they are not the only palaces in Munich that were occupied by the Wittelsbach family, Bavaria’s rulers for over 700 years.
In the west of Munich lies Blutenburg Castle, a medieval castle still picturesquely surrounded by a moat and defensive towers. It was built by Duke Albert III of Bavaria in 1438-1439 and expanded by his son Sigismund. If you want to catch a glimpse of late Gothic Munich, add this castle to your list.
14. Watch robots make cars with a BMW factory tour
Munich-based BMW’s futuristic-looking headquarters and complex are a familiar sight to visitors and locals alike.
While it’s easy to visit BMW Welt, where you can ogle the company’s latest offerings, or the BMW Museum, to learn more about BMW’s history, slightly less well-known is that you can take a tour of their on-site factory. This guided tour will take you through the entire manufacturing process, including watching robots assemble and paint the cars. Tours available in English and German. Advance booking required.
What unusual Munich activity will you be trying on your next visit? Let me know in the comments!
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