Munich, Germany: How We Spent 2 Nights and 3 Days Before Our River Cruise

Munich was our first stop in Europe before boarding our Danube river cruise, and we gave ourselves 2 nights and 3 days to explore the city before setting sail.

During our time there, we wandered through the Old Town, watched the famous Glockenspiel at Marienplatz, relaxed in the English Garden, explored Viktualienmarkt, and enjoyed plenty of German food along the way.

While Munich didn’t end up being our favorite European city, we still had a great time and found it to be an easy place to explore. Here’s how we spent our time, what we’d do differently, and how long we’d recommend staying.

Where We Stayed: Courtyard by Marriott Munich City East

We stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Munich City East, and overall, it was a fine hotel that worked well as a home base while we explored the city. The biggest downside for us was the location.

When we visited, there was construction on the roads around the hotel, which made getting around on foot more of a hassle than it should have been. It was also brutally hot the whole time we were there, so the walk to the subway or train wasn’t exactly appealing. Under normal circumstances, the location would be a lot more convenient. You can walk to public transportation and use it to reach most of the city.

The biggest advantage was the price. The hotel was noticeably less expensive than comparable options closer to Munich’s Old Town, which made it an easy choice for this leg of the trip.

If we went back, though, we’d probably spend a bit more to stay closer to the Old Town. Being able to walk straight out the door and into the middle of the action would make exploring, especially on a short visit, a lot easier.

Exploring Munich’s Old Town

We spent some time simply wandering Munich’s Old Town, and honestly, that was one of the best parts of the visit.

We didn’t come in with a packed list of attractions to check off. Instead, we explored a few of the streets, admired the architecture, browsed some shops, and soaked up the atmosphere. One of the nice things about Munich is that even without a strict itinerary, you can still feel like you’re experiencing the city.

Sometimes it’s fun to put the map away and just see where the day takes you, and Munich’s Old Town is a great place to do exactly that.

See the Glockenspiel at Marienplatz

One of the classic Munich experiences is watching the Glockenspiel at Marienplatz do its thing. We made sure to time our visit around one of its performances, and it was worth the planning.

The figures move and spin as the bells ring, which makes it far more interesting than just looking at a stationary clock tower.

If you’re exploring the Old Town, check the Glockenspiel schedule ahead of time and try to be in Marienplatz when it goes off.

English Garden

We also spent an afternoon just walking around the English Garden, again without much of a plan. We wandered, enjoyed the park, and took in the scenery.

We did stumble across the Eisbach River, where people were swimming and jumping straight into the current. We were tempted to join in, but we hadn’t brought swimsuits with us!

Sometimes when you’re traveling, it’s nice to build in an afternoon where you’re not rushing between attractions. The English Garden was the perfect place to slow down and just enjoy being in Munich.

Munich Food & Viktualienmarkt

Food was a big part of our Munich experience, though since Julia eats gluten free, we’ve saved most of those specifics for a separate post on gluten free food in Munich.

One place we really enjoyed exploring was Viktualienmarkt, Munich’s famous outdoor food market. There were so many stalls to choose from, and it was a fun place to wander while grabbing a bite to eat. I basically turned it into a mission to try as much traditional German food as possible, which resulted in bratwurst, a pretzel, and grilled cheese with salami all in one stop. 😂

The market is a great spot to explore without a plan: grab something quick, wander the stalls, then keep exploring the Old Town from there.

We also stopped by Hofbräuhaus, which added another fun layer to experiencing Munich’s food and beer culture. Even if it’s a bit touristy, it felt like a must while we were there.

If you’re traveling to Munich with celiac disease, check out our separate Gluten Free Munich guide for the places we ate and other options we found.

Day Trips From Munich

One of Munich’s biggest advantages is its location. There are so many great day trips within easy reach of the city, which makes it an excellent base for exploring Bavaria and the surrounding region.

We took day trips to Neuschwanstein Castle and Dachau, and we’ve put together a separate guide covering both, including what we thought of each one and whether we’d recommend them.

Want to explore beyond Munich? Check out our Day Trips from Munich guide.

How Long Should You Spend in Munich?

We spent 2 nights and 3 days in Munich before heading off on our Danube river cruise, and for us, that was a good amount of time to get a feel for the city and see the main sights without trying to cram everything in.

We had enough time to explore the Old Town, catch the Glockenspiel, walk the English Garden, visit Viktualienmarkt, eat well, and just wander.

If it’s your first time in Munich, 2 nights and 3 days is a solid starting point. If you want to fit in more museums, explore more deeply, or take multiple day trips, we’d suggest giving yourself a few extra days.

Would We Go Back?

Absolutely.

Munich probably wouldn’t make our list of favorite European cities, but that doesn’t mean we didn’t have a great time. We really enjoyed our three days there and found plenty to see, eat, and explore.

Next time, we’d stay closer to the Old Town, even if it meant paying a bit more for the hotel. Being able to step outside and immediately be near the main sights would make the whole experience smoother.

We’d also use Munich as a base for even more day trips, since that’s one of the city’s biggest strengths.

Final Thoughts

Munich may not have been our favorite European destination, but it was a great stop before our river cruise and gave us a taste of a different part of Germany. We enjoyed the food, the wandering, the Glockenspiel, the English Garden, and just taking our time instead of rushing to see everything.

And if you’re using Munich as a base, the sheer number of day trips available makes it an even more compelling place to visit.

If you’re planning a trip to Munich, give yourself at least 2 nights and 3 days. You won’t see everything, but you’ll walk away with a really good taste of the city.