You only have 3 days in Munich, Germany. What do you do? Munich is a huge city in Germany (3rd biggest) with a population of around 1.5 million people. Despite its size, Munich is also one of the safest cities in Germany. As a solo female traveler, I felt very comfortable and safe traveling alone around Munich and using the public transportation.
Munich is a pretty modern city. It is one of the few places in Germany without a ton of castles or palaces to explore. You can always go for a classic city tour or museum crawl, but what if you want to do something more unique? Listed below are how I filled my 3 days in Munich with a variety of interesting activities. Some of the activities provide educational and historical value, while others were just plain fun.
Transportation
Before you set off on an adventure through Munich, you need to figure out transportation. Everything is pretty much accessible by taking the bus and walking on foot. If you’d prefer to bike around the city, that is a great option as well.
You’re going to want to download the DB (Deutsche Bahn) Navigator app, which shows you the public transportation you will need to navigate the city. You can also use this app to find trains across Germany, if Munich isn’t your only stop.
A single-use bus ticket in Munich is €5,60 (about 6 dollars) and a single day ticket is €10 (about 12 dollars). If you’re using the bus system for 3 days in Munich, you should buy 3 single-day passes. Following my itinerary, it will save you the most money to buy two Zone M (single-day) passes for the days that you are staying within the city (€8,80 each). Then, buy a Zone M-1 pass for the day that you go visit the Dachau Concentration Camp. It costs a dollar more to be able to reach the towns surrounding central Munich. Overall, it’s a good price to pay for such a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Accommodations
If you’ve read my other blog posts or follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that I try to stick to a budget while traveling. I’m on a teacher’s budget, after all!
Because of that, I stick to sleeping in either backpacker hostels or an Airbnb. They are the two cheapest options that I know of (besides couch surfing). Airbnbs and backpacker hostels each have their pros and cons, and it honestly depends on you as an individual to decide what you prefer.
Hostels in Munich will be much cheaper than an Airbnb – you can expect to find a bed for around €20 (22 dollars). But make sure that you’re okay with sleeping in a bunk bed with other people and sharing a bathroom as well. Most of the time, you’re going to meet some amazing travelers. There is a slight risk, however, of the occasional person who doesn’t know how to respect the quiet hours. It’s very uncommon to be rooming with someone like that, so I encourage you to try staying in a hostel – especially if you’re traveling on your own.
Using Airbnb will be more expensive, but you are guaranteed more privacy than you would get with a hostel (unless you book a private room). You can pay for a room in someone’s home for around €40 (45 dollars). If you really want to guarantee a good night’s sleep in a room by yourself, Airbnb is the better choice. You will then have a secure place to leave your valuables while you explore the city as well.
Day 1: Thrift Shopping, Coffee, and City Strolling
Stop number one on my list is the coolest vintage shop I’ve seen in Europe- Vintage Revivals. This thrift store was absolutely stacked with high-quality designer clothes and vintage pieces. While the clothes here are more expensive than your everyday thrift store, you will find some Gucci pieces for under 40 dollars. Personally, I found a gorgeous summer dress from a small Parisian brand that I love.
The best part about finding an amazing vintage piece in Europe is bringing it back home. Clothing isn’t that important, but it sure does feel special to wear an item of clothing that carries memories with it. I believe that having a gorgeous shirt or dress that you bought in Germany is way better than coming home with a t-shirt that you can get from any old tourist shop. Maybe you disagree, and let me know if you do! To each their own, and be true to yourself.
Coffee Fellows in Munich is a popular coffee shop where you can get a delicious latte and a pastry while taking a break from exploring. If you are not a coffee person, try one of their refreshing smoothies instead. After grabbing a quick snack, you can return to exploring central Munich. You can walk through the English Gardens or stop at the BMW Museum to learn a bit about automotive history. There’s so much to see, you could even just stroll through the streets and see what catches your eye.
Day 2: Dachau Concentration Camp
With 3 days in Munich, going to Dachau is an absolute must. This is especially true if you didn’t go to a school in Europe that took you on a field trip to a concentration camp. In the United States, we all learn about the horrors of the Holocaust, but it’s basically a human obligation to go in person if you can.
Dachau is so close to central Munich that it would be ridiculous to not go visit the concentration camp. It’s absolutely free to enter, and the audio tours only cost around €5 (around 5.5 dollars). Of course, be mentally prepared for a solemn and sorrowful experience. The audio tours are extremely informative and taught me so much that I did not know about Dachau. I found it rewarded to refresh my education on the Holocaust and to get a deeper understanding of everything that happened. I will say that while it was not enjoyable, it was valuable.
Going to Dachau should only take about half of your day in Munich. It’s a 30-minute train ride from the central station each way. You can choose to explore the rest of the city of Dachau before and after your tour, or you can head back into Munich to rest after this experience.
Day 3: Rock Climbing and Chinese Food (and Beer!)
If you are interested in indoor rock climbing at all, Munich is the place to be! Boulder World Munich East is by far my favorite climbing gym I have been to in a long time. Compared to other gyms in Italy, Austria, and even the United States – this climbing center is awesome. There are 3 floors of bouldering areas – from a kids-only room all the way up to an outdoor bouldering patio on the fourth floor.
Boulder World Munich East also has a super cozy café area where you can order a beer and pizza and relax. My favorite thing about rock climbing gyms in general is how friendly the people are – and Munich was no different. Traveling solo, I quickly made a new friend at the gym and we ended up grabbing dinner together! Keep your mind open to the possibility of making friends all over the world, and it will happen!
It might seem unusual to want to eat Chinese food when visiting Germany, but I have a personal goal. I want to speak Mandarin to someone in every country I visit. I have always achieved this by ordering at a Chinese restaurant or by meeting another tourist in the city. Fuyuan is a great Chinese restaurant in Munich – they have a mix of authentic and Chinese-German cuisine, and you can order in Mandarin, German, or English! They may know even more languages, but that’s all I heard during my visit. I definitely recommend you stop here if you love having leftovers to take home afterward.
It’s not a real trip to Germany if you don’t get a beer at a biergarten during your stay. You can find a dozen great spots to stop for a beer, and I recommend you try a couple of the different kinds of beer they have if you can. With 3 days in Munich, you can definitely cover a lot of ground.
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