Munich from Copenhagen: Top Things to Do & Where to Stay

Munich sits a touch under two hours' flight from Copenhagen, which makes Bavaria's capital one of the most rewarding long weekends you can stitch together from a Nordic base. You get a compact, walkable old town, beer halls that have been pouring for centuries, some of Europe's best science and art museums, and the Alps close enough for a day trip. For anyone used to Copenhagen prices, the food, drink and transport also feel like a small holiday for your wallet.

Getting there from Copenhagen

The route is direct and frequent. SAS, Lufthansa and Norwegian all fly non-stop from Copenhagen Airport (CPH) to Munich (MUC), with the flight taking roughly 1 hour 35 to 1 hour 40 minutes. There are usually two or more departures a day across the airlines, so you can leave Copenhagen after breakfast and be checking into a Munich hotel by lunchtime. Fares swing with season and how far ahead you book, so compare the airline sites directly for current times and prices rather than trusting any single number.

From the airport, the easiest way into town is the S-Bahn suburban train. The S1 and S8 lines both run from Munich Airport to the central stations — Hauptbahnhof (main station) and Marienplatz — in about 40 minutes. Because the two lines alternate, trains leave roughly every 10 minutes, with each individual line running about every 20. A single airport ticket costs around €14 (or a little more for the all-day Airport-City-Day-Ticket if you plan to ride again that day); buy it from a machine on the platform before you board, validate if required, and you are set. Taxis and ride-hailing exist but cost several times more for a journey that the train handles comfortably with luggage. Check the MVV (Munich transport authority) site or app for the live fare and timetable, as ticket zones and prices are updated periodically.

The best things to do in Munich

Munich rewards walkers. Most of the headline sights cluster in the Altstadt (old town), with a few worth a tram or U-Bahn hop. Here are ten well-established highlights to anchor a couple of days.

1. Marienplatz and the New Town Hall. The city's central square has been Munich's heart since 1158. Its star turn is the Glockenspiel on the Neo-Gothic New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus), a 43-bell carillon whose figures spin into life daily — typically at 11am and noon year-round, plus 5pm in the warmer months. Climb the town hall tower for a rooftop view over the red-tiled old town.

2. Frauenkirche. Munich's signature silhouette belongs to this 15th-century cathedral, whose twin domed towers rise just off Marienplatz. It is free to step inside, and the building's plain brick mass is a deliberate contrast to the fussier churches nearby.

3. The Residenz. Once the seat of the Wittelsbach rulers, the Residenz is the largest city-centre palace in Germany — a sprawling complex of opulent state rooms, the dazzling Antiquarium hall and a treasury of crowns and jewels. It is an easy hour or two and a good rainy-day option. Check the official site for current opening hours and ticket prices.

4. Viktualienmarkt. A few minutes from Marienplatz, this open-air food market has been trading for over two centuries. Around a hundred stalls sell cheese, sausage, spices, flowers and produce, and there is a small beer garden at its centre — an ideal spot for a quick Weisswurst (white sausage) and a beer at lunchtime.

5. Hofbräuhaus. The most famous beer hall in the world has poured for some five centuries. It is touristy, loud and exactly what you came for: long communal benches, a brass band, litre Maß steins and Bavarian food. Go once for the spectacle, then seek out a quieter local hall or beer garden for the rest of your trip.

6. The English Garden. The Englischer Garten is one of the largest inner-city parks in the world, stretching for kilometres along the Isar. Highlights include the Chinese Tower beer garden, the Greek-style Monopteros temple with its skyline view, and the Eisbachwelle — a standing river wave where wetsuited surfers ride year-round in the middle of the city. Free, and unmissable on a fine day.

7. Deutsches Museum. One of the world's great science and technology museums, with floor after floor of aircraft, ships, mining tunnels, physics demonstrations and historic machines on an island in the Isar. Allow at least half a day; families can easily fill a full one.

8. Nymphenburg Palace. The baroque summer residence of the Wittelsbachs sits in vast landscaped grounds west of the centre, reachable by tram. The state rooms and the park — good for a long stroll — make a calmer counterpoint to the busy old town.

9. BMW Welt and the Olympiapark. Out by the Olympiapark (built for the 1972 Games and still defined by its sweeping tent-roof architecture), BMW Welt is a free, futuristic showroom and delivery centre, with the adjacent BMW Museum for petrolheads. Combine it with a walk or a climb up the Olympic Tower for panoramic views.

10. Theresienwiese and the Oktoberfest grounds. The large meadow southwest of the centre is where Oktoberfest runs for just over two weeks from mid-September into early October — the world's biggest folk festival, with vast beer tents and fairground rides. Outside festival season the field is quiet, but the Bavaria statue and the Ruhmeshalle colonnade above it are worth the short detour, and the on-site beer museum nearby fills in the back story.

Where to stay

Munich's centre is small enough that almost anywhere inside the ring is walkable, so pick by mood rather than distance.

Altstadt (old town). The area around Marienplatz puts you on top of the sights, the markets and the main shopping streets. It is the most convenient and the priciest, and it can be busy day and night — ideal for a first visit or a short stay where you want to step out of the door into the action.

Ludwigsvorstadt / around the Hauptbahnhof. The blocks around the main station hold the city's widest spread of hotels at the best value, and you are one S-Bahn stop or a 15-minute walk from the centre. Parts feel more functional than charming, but it is hard to beat for transport links — handy if you are doing day trips by train.

Glockenbachviertel and the Isarvorstadt. Just south of the old town, this is Munich's most fashionable quarter: independent cafés, design shops, lively bars and the city's nightlife hub. It suits travellers who want a neighbourhood feel and good restaurants over proximity to the headline monuments.

Maxvorstadt and Schwabing. North of the centre, the museum district (Maxvorstadt) and the leafy, café-lined streets of Schwabing border the English Garden. Calmer and more residential, they are a great base if you value parks, galleries and a relaxed evening over being in the thick of it.

Specific hotels and live prices change constantly — use the booking widget on this page to compare current rates in whichever neighbourhood fits your plan.

When to go

Late spring to early autumn (May to September) is the sweet spot: warm days, long evenings and beer gardens in full swing. September is especially good, with summer warmth but thinner crowds — until Oktoberfest arrives.

Oktoberfest runs from mid-September to the first weekend of October. It is extraordinary, but beds near the centre book out months ahead and prices spike; plan early or stay a little further out and commute in. December brings Christmas markets, the biggest of them spilling across Marienplatz, with mulled Glühwein (spiced wine) and a festive old-town glow that pairs nicely if you are coming from a dark Nordic winter.

Winter proper (January to March) is cold and grey but quiet and cheap, and it is also the gateway season for Alpine day trips. Summer can see afternoon thunderstorms, so pack a light layer whatever the month. Always cross-check festival and event dates on the official tourism calendar before you book flights.

Budget & practical tips

Germany uses the euro, so you will swap kroner before or on arrival; cards are widely accepted, though some traditional beer halls, markets and bakeries still prefer cash, so carry a little. Against Copenhagen, Munich generally feels cheaper for eating, drinking and public transport, while mid-range hotels land in a similar bracket — a sit-down meal with a beer is noticeably easier on the budget than its Danish equivalent.

Getting around is simple: the integrated U-Bahn, S-Bahn, tram and bus network covers everything, and day tickets or short-stay passes work out well if you plan to ride more than a couple of times. Much of the centre is best on foot. For the Neuschwanstein day trip, regional trains run from Munich Hauptbahnhof to Füssen roughly hourly (about two hours), then a short bus or taxi up to the castle village of Hohenschwangau; a Bayern-Ticket covers the train and connecting bus for a day and is the cheapest way to do it for one or a small group. Book timed castle entry in advance and watch the last afternoon train back.

On money, a multi-currency travel card such as Wise or Revolut is worth setting up before you fly: you spend in euros at the real exchange rate, dodge the markups Danish banks add abroad, and can pull cash at ATMs without nasty conversion fees. For health cover, SafetyWing travel medical insurance is a low-cost backstop for short trips — your Danish gult sundhedskort (yellow EHIC-equivalent card) covers state care within the EU, but private cover smooths over the gaps and any non-medical mishaps.

Good to know

Munich is one of the most forgiving city breaks you can run from Copenhagen: short flight, walkable core, English widely understood, and a public-transport network that takes the guesswork out of getting around. Give it two to three days for the city itself and a fourth if you want the castle or the mountains. Travel light, carry a little cash, validate transport tickets where machines ask you to, and book Oktoberfest beds far ahead if that is your window. Confirm flight times, opening hours and ticket prices on the official airline and attraction sites close to departure, since those are the details most likely to have shifted since this guide was written.