A Solo Traveller’s First Impressions of Munich

02 April 2025

I visited Munich from July 29th - August 9th.

Munich (German: München – "Home of the Monks") is the cultural capital of Bavaria, Germany. I was there for a dance festival, with one class in the morning and one in the evening each day, leaving me ample time to explore the city in-between.

Unexpectedly, Munich turned out to be very reminiscent of my hometown of Toronto, Canada (minus the horrible traffic).

I found myself both at ease with familiarity and a bit disgruntled at their spider-web of public transportation that always seemed to drop me off just a tad too far from where I actually needed to be.

Other than my classes, I had no plans or prior research, so I let myself be carried away in the nuance of daily life, and this is what I discovered.

It's not Berlin

*Whistles*

Munich is very different from Berlin. Everyone -- locals included -- will tell you so.

Berlin is really the wild child when it comes to Germany. Just like Toronto is not representative of Canada as a whole, Berlin is not representative of Germany. In Munich, there are less midriffs showing, less funky fashion. It lacks the kind of frenetic energy that defines Berlin, instead opting for sun-kissed marigolds by the side of the road and a gentle, quiet reserve that shows in its traditional, well-preserved architecture.

Quiet time after 8 PM / Sunday rest days

If there's anything that made itself clear to me after just a couple days, it's that Munich takes its labour laws very, very seriously.

Almost no stores are open after 8 PM. As soon as the clock ticks eight, the doors slam shut. No if's, but's, or I-forgot-something's.

According to my Airbnb host, the labour unions in Munich are extremely strong. They make sure that workers are off when they're supposed to be off.

And that's just on a daily workday basis. If you think trying to grocery shop in the evening is tough, just wait until Sunday.

Oh, yeah. Germany takes its Sundays (aka. rest days) very seriously.

I tried to get brunch on a Sunday by Google-Mapping everything in the area, only for my first-choice restaurant to be completely packed (because almost nowhere else was open!). And, per European custom, overt customer service isn't really a thing, so I was left to "just sit at any open table" -- except there were none, so I left.

Although in Berlin, Sunday rest days are still a thing, it's much easier to find a diner open early or closed late thanks to the vibrant nightlife the city has to offer.

The people are quieter

Munich is a rather quiet, quaint city; likewise, the population seemed quieter, less aggressive.

Even the S-Bahn's automatic PA broadcast was quieter.

A city is a city, though, and Munich has its own vibrant events scene with Oktoberfest, celebrity concerts, and live music festivals at Olympiapark (the Taylor Swift concert, Adele concert, and a festival called Sommerfest almost overlapped each other during my time there).

Generally, though, the further away from the city centre you get, the more spacious the roads become, and the longer the distance you need to cross from Point A to Point B.

Everything's bigger in Munich

This is where I really found similarities between Munich and Toronto. Canada is an extremely large country, and as a result, we don't have to think too much about preserving space. Architects here build wide and low (not counting the skyscrapers and condos in the downtown core), which also keeps costs down for construction companies.

Munich doesn't have a lot of skyscrapers, but despite its small size compared to Toronto, it shares a certain "limitless" in the width of its roads; the expansiveness of the air and its parks. (Again, not counting Toronto's downtown core.)

Coupled with the decree that everyone close up shop at 8 PM, very often I found myself walking along a long stretch of sidewalk almost completely alone.

Sometimes that can be disconcerting. I had an uneasy moment walking back home one evening (with the day still bright) when I noticed that the man behind me had been following in my footsteps for quite a while. I turned onto a side road, Google Maps in hand, only to realize that I should've kept going forward. I rerouted and turned back. After a couple steps, I looked over my shoulder and saw that the man had turned onto the same side road, this time phone in his hand, head bowed.

Lost tourist? Maybe. Relieved that he wasn't tracking my steps anymore? Definitely.

No matter the city, always keep a keen eye when travelling alone.

I come from a culture (two cultures, actually) where people are more likely to ignore each other and mind their own business than introduce themselves, so when I received several "hi's" from strangers in the change room at my dance studio, it took me a moment to figure out what to say back. They showered me with gracious smiles and warm demeanours.

In other words, I felt very accepted. I quickly made some new dance friends this way.

It's very unisex

Speaking of the studio change rooms, though, Munich is very unisex and all-gender. We're talking men-and-women-use-the-same-open-layout-shower-room-in-the-change-rooms type of all-gender. I can't say I tried it; it was a bit much for me (like the difference between wearing a bikini outdoors vs. your actual underwear), but it is refreshing to see how they acknowledge the body as just a body.

💡

Note: This particular type of "openness" might have just been for that dance studio, though, as the other ones I went to still had separated rooms for men and women. Well, sort of. All the shower cubicles were solidly private, so we still used whichever washroom was convenient, regardless of our gender.

So many kostume shops

Alongside the beautiful churches and bell towers, the traditional kostume shops show off the people's pride in their heritage.

There are so many of them. The most luxurious one I passed is a little store called Amsel Fashion OHG, near Universität Station and the Mamma Bao noodle restaurant I reviewed.

The dresses are beautiful. I was so very tempted to buy one for myself, but the quality ones cost around 800 EUR each (for good reason; if you see the cheap ones sold in the tourist centres, you'll understand the difference).

It's English-friendly

More so than Berlin and any other European city I've been to so far. There are aspects of Munich that seem very sleek and new (the upgraded subway and new condominiums), and I suppose in their planning they made the very calculated decision to include English alongside their German titles and roadsigns. Of course, this was a huge help for me.

There are English translations on S-Bahn screens and English recordings of PA announcements. No need to guess my way around the city this time.

The transit's made for travellers

In classic European fashion, travel is a huge part of Munich residents' lives. On the U-Bahn, you'll see spaces next to certain seats dedicated to your suitcase.

It's a small addition but one that 1) makes so much sense, and 2) makes things a lot less awkward for everyone on board when you're trying to prevent your luggage from crushing the passengers. Some stations also allow doors on both sides of the train to open, such as at Marienplatz.

On the S-Bahn, some of the display screens have a symbol indicating if a particular train will be splitting off en route.

Additionally, some buses feature USB chargers for your phone.

The subway stations have washrooms!

Munich is not the only city that offers public washrooms in their subway stations, but it is definitely one of the most accessible ones. I counted more washrooms down there than any other European city I've been to. Berlin, in contrast, has no washrooms at all in any of their U-Bahn stations (not counting stations that connect to major train platforms).

You still have to pay 1 EUR to use them, but that's a very small price in exchange for peace of mind – and, as my fellow small-bladder folks will tell you, there's nothing like knowing exactly where and when you can find a public toilet.

The transportation system is convenient (sort of)

The good news is Munich's public transit is far-reaching and fast. The U-Bahn, however, does get pretty crowded during rush hour. Apart from that, there's almost always a seat available.

I also didn't notice any major traffic jams on the road.

The bad news is the transit routes are extremely convuluted. All the buses, trams, and subway lines twist through the city like an indecisive snake. Unlike Berlin, which had the opportunity to rebuild itself entirely after its demolition (leading to public transportation lines that just make sense), Munich had to grow around its already established architecture and layout. The city got its first subway line in preparation for the 1971 Summer Olympics.

The transit lines often travel in a roundabout manner. Sometimes you'll have to backtrack in order to make a connection to get to where you want to go. And maybe it was just my perception, but it seemed like all the stops were just a tad too far from my destinations.

What happened often in Munich was that I'd search up the best route to get somewhere by transit on Google Maps, and it would show me "17 minutes by bus" vs. "15 min by foot." Turns out, my transit option was to first walk seven minutes, ride one stop, and then walk another seven minutes. If I walked, I could take the shortcuts. It's that kind of city.

Munich is industrial

There's a LOT of construction in Munich, especially towards the Werksviertel area, east of the Isar River. It's a very up-and-coming district with some cool, urban hotspots like the Container Collective and more modern business buildings.

What reminds me of Toronto here is that the construction is very noticeable. Of course, all cities have ongoing construction of some kind, but the projects in Munich and Toronto are obvious to the eye.

Despite the construction, though, there don't seem to be any skyscrapers in Munich – at least nothing taller than around 12 floors. As a result, the landscape is flat, wide, and relatively open.

There's air conditioning in one shop!

Just a fun tidbit I discovered: like the rest of Europe, there's not a lot of air-conditioning (if any). The one place I did encounter it was at the dm (a European chain of pharmacies) naer Viktualienmarkt. After six weeks of simmering heat, that AC was heaven-blessed.

Munich is a city of "culture"

Munich has its wild side as well. Near the main train station is an area that's a bit more crowded, a bit more run-down.

I can't say I didn't have a little giggle for myself when I saw these signs right in the open:

The people of Munich are a private club

Talk about local.

One day I was trying to buy fruit from a local store (the kind only residents would know about) when I was told that none of my cards were accepted. Not Amex, Visa, Mastercard, nothing. If I had a certain local card (I didn't catch the name), they could accept that. Otherwise, it was cash only.

The swimming pools are amazing

German swimming pools are clean and convenient already, but I was really impressed by Munich's. Dantebad, in particular, was my favourite. Aside from the Olympic-size pools and heated kiddie whirlpool, there's also a huge garden, a community centre, food shacks, and more than enough space for you to stretch out and sunbathe.

There's a surprising surfing community

If there's anything you should do in Munich, go visit Eisbachwelle near Englischer Garten. There's a permanent rolling wave that offers just the right strength for power surfing. It's adventurous, entertaining, and therapeutic! Those surfers are tough!

Plus, several agencies and private tutors offer lessons at Eisbachwelle for visitors; just be sure you know how to swim! Rumour has it people sometimes show up without ever having had a swim lesson in their life, and that's not ok. You will wipe out. And if you don't, you still have to dive under and out to let the next person go.

The tap water is super clean

My Airbnb host proudly told me Munich tap water is the best in the world, straight from the mountains. The Finnish said the same thing (that they have the cleanest tap water) when I was there in 2023. I can't tell you whose water is actually the best, but I can tell you that Munich tap water is indeed safe to drink.

I had a really easygoing, comfortable time in Munich (excluding my emergency ambulance debacle). My favourite place to stroll was along Sendlinger Strasse, for its multitude of delicious food joints. The gardens and historic buildings near Odeonsplatz, as well, were gorgeous. Munich is definitely a place I'd go back to if I'm looking to relax. I highly recommend taking your time with the nature and food there.