We spent two days in Munich with the kids and, even though it was only our second trip to a German city after Cologne, it worked really well as a short, low‑stress city break. If you’re already thinking about a family trip to Munich, this is exactly what we did, what we loved, and a few simple tips that would have made our first visit even smoother.
We didn’t stay central and that’s honestly the first thing I’d change. Munich’s public transport works well, with buses, trams and S‑Bahn lines connecting everything, but with kids it still meant extra time every day figuring out tickets, platforms and routes. The K+K Hotel where we stayed in the Harras area was cheap and cheerful, and very comfortable for a family stay. Next time, however, I’d book somewhere in or very close to the Old Town so we could roll out of the hotel and be in the middle of things within minutes, instead of starting every outing with a mini‑logistics exercise.
Over two days we mostly kept to the Old Town: wandering around Marienplatz, stopping at Viktualienmarkt for food, climbing up St Peter’s Church for a big city view, dipping into Bavarian royal history at the Residenz, and then balancing all that “grown‑up” culture with illusions at the WOW Museum and lots of play at the LEGO Store. None of it was complicated to organise, and it all stayed within a very walkable radius once you’re in the centre, which is exactly what you want with kids.
Day 1: Old Town, Viktualienmarkt and climbing St Peter’s Church
We spent most of our first day in and around the old town, with its colourful facades and cobbled streets. Marienplatz is a big central square with the Neues Rathaus building filling one side in full neo‑gothic drama. The building looks ancient but it’s actually the New Town Hall dating back to the 19th century. We didn’t take a tour of the building and, instead, waited for the mechanical clock in the tower come to life at midday. Life-size figures spin and dance to music and it was quite fun to watch with the kids.
I love a good food market, and Viktualienmarkt was exactly the kind of place I was hoping to find in Munich. It’s just a few minutes’ walk from Marienplatz, originally a farmers’ market and now a mix of fresh produce stalls (sausages, cheese, fruit, flowers) and more modern food stands and cafés.
We picked up fresh pretzels for the kids, grabbed coffees from one of the stalls and stood at the tall tables to drink them. We ended up coming back here twice to eat because it ticked all the boxes – there was outdoor seating in shaded areas, a good range of food options to choose from and zero pressure to sit through a full restaurant meal with tired kids.
Not far from Viktualienmarkt there’s a fun extra if your kids like little “missions”: a pretzel‑shaped Flash Invader mosaic hidden on a wall, part of the global “Space Invader” street art project. These are small, pixel‑style mosaics planted in cities around the world, and this one is extra fun because it’s shaped like a Munich pretzel!
The best view of the trip came from the tower of St Peter’s Church (Alter Peter), which is just off Marienplatz and is the oldest church in the city centre. You climb a narrow wooden staircase of 306 steps up to a viewing platform that wraps around the tower. The climb itself was not too bad. The staircase is narrow, a bit steep in places, and can get congested when it’s busy but there are spaces where you can take a breather. But the payoff is great: panoramic views over red‑tiled rooftops, and on a clear day you can see all the way out to the Alps on the horizon.
Day 2: Residenz Palace, Illusions Museum and LEGO Store
On our second day we shifted gears a bit and started with the Residenz, the former city palace of the Bavarian rulers. It’s huge: a maze of courtyards, state rooms, chapels, galleries and a treasury filled with jewels and ceremonial objects. If you enjoy interiors, architecture and a bit of history, it is absolutely worth seeing. It’s like a mini Versailles – the amount of gold, stucco, chandeliers and painted ceilings is very impressive. Focus on the highlghts if you’re doing a self-guided tour like we did, or consider booking a guided group tour. It took us a while to find a good lunch place near the museum, and we were very happy with our choice of the Italian restaurant Brenner and its impressive dining room.
After the very formal, very gold world of the Residenz, the WOW Museum was exactly what the kids needed. It’s all about illusions and perception: rooms that mess with your sense of scale, installations that trick your brain, and interactive setups where you become part of the illusion. The children lit up here. They ran from room to room, tried everything multiple times. Adults end up getting involved too because half the fun is figuring out how each illusion works and then trying to capture it on camera.
We also ended up spending a surprising amount of time at the LEGO Store in the centre, very close to Marienplatz. It’s not a huge flagship, but it is very well designed. There are several building stations where children can sit and create, as well as all the sets to browse and dream about.The key thing for us was that it wasn’t just a shop; it’s also a play space. That meant we could let the kids settle at a table, build for a while, and decompress between more structured activities. For a free, air‑conditioned stop right in the middle of the city, it’s hard to beat.
If (When) We Go Back: What’s on Our List
We deliberately kept this first visit focused on things within easy walking distance of the old town. If (when) we go back to Munich with the kids, these are the extra places we’d add.
Englischer Garten
A huge city park that’s bigger than some famous parks, with lawns, waterways, ducks, playgrounds and even a standing wave on the Eisbach where surfers take turns riding it in front of a crowd. It sounds perfect for a picnic, a scooter or bike ride, and some proper running‑around time after a morning in town.
Deutsches Museum
A massive science and technology museum on an island in the Isar River, with exhibits ranging from aviation and ships to space, energy and everyday tech. There’s a dedicated Kids’ Kingdom area for ages roughly 3–8 with water play, marble runs, a hall of mirrors and hands‑on experiments, which sounds ideal for burning through curious energy on a rainy day.
BMW Welt and Museum
For car‑obsessed children (or parents), BMW Welt combines showrooms of shiny new models with interactive exhibits and dramatic architecture, while the nearby museum covers the brand’s history and design. It looks like an easy half‑day that feels very different from the old town.
Nymphenburg Palace and gardens
Another palace, but with the big advantage of huge formal gardens, canals and smaller pavilions that you can explore without everything feeling quite as intense as the Residenz. On a warm day you can rent boats on the canal or just let the kids run on the lawns between “palace moments”.
Olympiapark
The former Olympic site has lots of open space, a lake, a tower with city views and regular events. You can stroll, rent pedal boats, climb the Olympic Tower or just treat it as a big, interesting park. It feels like the kind of place you could easily spend a relaxed afternoon, especially in good weather.
If you’ve been to Munich, let me know what you thought of it in the comments below.
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