Germany

Munich

The Deutsches Museum is the world's largest science and technology museum, and its kids' kingdom is superb; the Englischer Garten has river surfers to gawp at and beer gardens where children are entirely welcome.

Best forFamilies · Culture seekers · Foodies
In March11°C · 10 rainy days
Ideal stay3–4 nights
Approx. flying time~12h from Los Angeles

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Munich, Germany Open in Google Maps Powered by Geoapify · © OpenStreetMap contributors · © OpenMapTiles

CurrencyEUREuro
LanguageGerman
Local time13:101h ahead of the UK
PlugsType C / FBring an adapter
Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
Dialling code+49

Why go

Bavaria's capital is a well-off, well-run city with a compact old centre, a river you can swim in and more parkland than any city its size has a right to. Baroque churches sit next to serious modern galleries, everything runs on time, and a great deal of civic life happens outdoors under chestnut trees with a litre glass on the table. It is handsome rather than dramatic, and remarkably easy with children.

Three or four days covers the centre comfortably and leaves room for the Alps, which begin an hour south by train, or for the castles of the Bavarian foothills. Summer brings beer gardens and long evenings; December brings Christmas markets and cold that bites. Late September and early October are Oktoberfest, which transforms prices and availability, so book far ahead or deliberately avoid it.

Ideal stay: 3–4 nights
The vibe: Orderly, green, beer-scented

From our guides

Day-trip options seal it: Neuschwanstein castle looks exactly like the one in the films, and the Alps are an hour away. Pretzels the size of steering wheels help everywhere.

Featured in Ten easy city breaks that work with kids in tow

Things to do

Deutsches Museum

An enormous museum of science and technology on an island in the Isar, with mines, aircraft and a children's kingdom designed for hands rather than eyes.
Englischer Garten

A park larger than several famous ones in London, with beer gardens under the Chinese Tower and surfers riding a standing wave on the Eisbach at its southern edge.
Marienplatz and the Glockenspiel

The central square, where the new town hall's mechanical figures perform a jousting scene daily. Climb the Alter Peter tower alongside for the view over the roofs.
Viktualienmarkt

A permanent open-air food market a minute from Marienplatz, with cheese, sausage and fruit stalls and its own beer garden in the middle.
Nymphenburg Palace

The summer palace of the Bavarian rulers, with a vast formal park, canals that freeze for skating and a fine collection of state coaches in the stables.
Neuschwanstein day trip

The nineteenth-century fantasy castle in the foothills, about two hours south. Timed tickets are essential and the walk up rewards the effort.

Getting there

Fly to
Munich (MUC)

Nearest airport to Munich, about 29km away as the crow flies.
Then
To Munich

About 40 to 45 minutes into the centre on the S-Bahn from Franz Josef Strauss (MUC), or a similar time by taxi outside rush hour.
On the ground
Getting around

The Altstadt is walkable and the S-Bahn, U-Bahn and trams reach the Deutsches Museum, the Englischer Garten and the beer gardens easily; Neuschwanstein is a day trip by train and bus.

Public transport: Excellent: an integrated network of trains, trams and buses covers the city and the Bavarian day trips.

Flights

Los Angeles Munich, Germany

Flying from

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Roughly 12h in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.

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When to go

Daytime highs run from about 4°C in January to 24°C in July. Driest in March and September; wettest in May, with rain on about 17 days.

The year at a glance — pick a month for detail

March11° · rain 10 daysCold with rain most weeks.

Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis).

Where to stay

Big-city hotels of every class, family-run Gasthofe in the outer districts and a large apartment market. Family rooms are common but often mean sofa beds.

Best base overall
Altstadt and Isarvorstadt

Central for Marienplatz, the Deutsches Museum and the U-Bahn, with the Viktualienmarkt for lunch. Prices are highest here and family rooms are limited in the older hotels.
Find stays in Altstadt and Isarvorstadt
Best with children
Schwabing and Maxvorstadt

On the doorstep of the Englischer Garten and the museums, leafy and residential with bigger apartments. It is a tram ride from the old town, which is no hardship.
Find stays in Schwabing and Maxvorstadt
Best value
Haidhausen

Across the Isar, with cheaper rooms, family restaurants and the Ostbahnhof for day trips. Slightly further from the main sights, but well connected and much calmer.
Find stays in Haidhausen
Closest to the sights
Around the Hauptbahnhof

The greatest concentration of hotels and the fastest access to the airport train and the Alps. Some streets here are scruffy, so read reviews carefully with children in tow.
Find stays in Around the Hauptbahnhof

Worth knowing before you book: Oktoberfest and the big trade fairs multiply rates and empty the city of rooms, so check the Messe calendar before you book anything.

Search everything else in Munich by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.

Or see everything in Munich

Good to know

Getting around: One ticket covers U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses across the inner zone. Day and group day tickets are far better value than singles.
Cash or card: Germany still runs on cash more than most of western Europe. Carry notes for markets, beer gardens and smaller cafés.
Sundays: Shops close on Sundays and public holidays almost without exception. Museums, parks and restaurants stay open, so plan food shopping for Saturday.
Oktoberfest: It runs from mid-September into the first days of October. Hotel prices multiply, so decide early whether you are coming for it or dodging it.
With kids: Beer gardens welcome children and many have playgrounds. You are allowed to bring your own food to the traditional ones, buying only the drinks.