11 Free Things to Do in Munich That Won’t Break the Bank

Grab a blanket and pack a basket with tasty snacks and drinks. Sit down at one of the many beautiful spots in the English Garden and enjoy a relaxing picnic. While you’re there, watch the volleyball players on the big lawn or cute dogs splashing in the water. Of course, you can also bring a few games of your own to pass the time.

Munich offers a variety of free city tours that let you explore the city’s highlights. You’ll learn exciting stories and interesting facts about Munich while discovering the city alongside other travelers. These tours are great for locals, too, since you often don’t even know the stories behind the landmarks in your own city. Or maybe you ’ll discover a new spot you’ve never seen before.

Munich isn’t just about the jet set and modern art. Quite the opposite, in fact—after all, it’s home to Germany’s first Urban Art Museum. If you want to skip the admission fee, you can also discover creative graffiti and urban artworks for free right on the streets. Experience Munich from a different angle and, for example, stop by Bahnwärter Thiel or the passageway near the Friedensengel in the Maximiliansanalgen.

Munich has plenty of cool bouldering gyms, but they all cost money. You can also try this trendy sport for free in the underpass beneath Rosenheimer Straße. A whopping 700 square meters of climbing wall awaits you there, and the holds are regularly rearranged. That way, you’ll never get bored and can let loose to your heart’s content.

Enjoy the picturesque scenery on a bike ride along the Isar Bike Path. It stretches for kilometers along the river and lets you truly soak up the natural beauty of the surroundings. The bike path is well-marked and offers various spots to stop, take a break, and recharge.

A unique highlight in Munich is the Eisbach wave in the English Garden. This is where enthusiastic surfers from all over the world gather to show off their skills on the river. You can stand on the bank and admire the stunts and tricks they pull off on their boards. It’s a spectacular sight you won’t want to miss!

Normally, you have to pay an admission fee to Bavaria Filmstadt—and it’s not exactly cheap. But if it’s your birthday, consider yourself lucky, because then you can visit the film sets for free. Tour famous sets from movies like “Das Boot” or “Das Kanu des Manitu” and feel like a real actor. Ride on Fuchur’s back and snap some cool souvenir photos!

Did you know? Munich’s Pinakotheken are home to some of the world’s most famous works of art. While regular admission requires a fee, most Pinakotheken offer free admission on Wednesdays starting at 6 p.m., which is a great opportunity to experience art and culture for free. Here you can admire masterpieces by artists such as da Vinci, Rembrandt, Monet, Van Gogh, and many others. In addition to Wednesday evenings at the Pinakotheken, there are other opportunities to visit museums for free, such as the Lenbachhaus on the first Thursday of every month or the Villa Stuck on the first Friday of every month.

The parks surrounding Nymphenburg Palace and Schleißheim Palace are open to the public and offer free admission. Stroll through the beautiful gardens, admire the magnificent facades of the palaces, and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere. The palace gardens also offer plenty to discover, such as the Magdalenenklause or the “Tree of Love” near Nymphenburg.

Even though Munich is one of the most expensive cities in Germany, you can still take part in its cultural life even on a tight budget. There are numerous free events and festivals where you can, for example, listen to concerts, learn to dance, or party. For example, Theatron takes place twice a year with free concerts at the Olympic Lake; every summer, Backstage hosts “free & easy,” where the name says it all; and the Pop-Up Stage brings musicians to the outer neighborhoods for free. Especially at the Gasteig, there are always parties, workshops, and shows waiting for you that you can attend for free. Of course, we’ll keep you up to date on what’s happening and where you can enjoy culture without spending a dime.

Every summer, Munich’s streets turn into a rollerblading route on Monday evenings. Strap on your inline skates and join BladeNight, when hundreds of skating enthusiasts cruise through the city. Before the main event starts, there are crash courses on braking, in case you’re still feeling a bit unsure about that. After that, nothing stands in the way of a fun ride through Munich at night.