Action in the Cool Water: Try These 8 Fun Water Activities in Munich

The Eisbach wave in the English Garden is world-famous and an absolute hotspot for avid surfers. Here, you can dive into the waves and feel the power of the water beneath your board. Be sure to follow the city’s rules and use a self-releasing leash. If the Eisbach wave disappears again or surfing is prohibited, head over to O2 Surftown. Here, you’ll ride not a stationary wave but a moving one, making you feel just like you’re at the ocean.

Munich likes to call itself the northernmost city in Italy. You’ll experience a particularly strong Italian flair at Nymphenburg Palace, where authentic Venetian gondolas await you. Embark on a romantic ride across the palace canal with the majestic Nymphenburg Palace as the perfect backdrop. The only thing missing here is the gondolier’s singing.

If a gondola ride seems too passive for you and you’d rather take the oars into your own hands (literally), then rent a boat from Sayaq Adventure in the Olympic Park. Here, you can glide across the lake in either a rowboat or a kayak and explore it. If you’re really serious about rowing, check out the Oberschleißheim regatta course. Among others, the Munich Rowing Club is based here; it offers regular courses for all age groups and will put your strength to the test.

If you’re looking for a more relaxing boat ride, you should use your legs instead of your arms. Both in the English Garden and in the Olympic Park, you can rent pedal boats to explore the water. As you do, you can watch the passersby and enjoy the view of the greenery. In the Olympic Park, there’s even a swan boat available!

The Oberschleißheim regatta course takes the proverbial leap into the cool water to the next level. While regular diving platforms at outdoor pools are already a challenge for some, bungee jumping takes things even higher. From a height of 50 meters, you take a bold leap down toward the water, into which you ultimately plunge. Undoubtedly one of the water activities with the biggest adrenaline rush in the Munich area.

During the warmer months, the Isar is the number one destination for many Munich residents—whether to swim, sunbathe, have a barbecue, or meet up for an after-work beer. If that’s too ordinary for you, you should take a raft trip down the Isar from Wolfrathshausen to Munich. Along the way, you’ll enjoy Bavarian music and a snack to keep your energy up. If it gets too hot, you can swim alongside the raft in some sections to cool off. But the highlight, of course, is the raft slides, which help you navigate changes in elevation. That’s how a simple raft ride turns into a real blast.

The classic among water activities in Munich: floating down the Eisbach. Officially, this type of cooling off isn’t allowed because the current is very strong. Nevertheless, every summer countless people venture into the canal and let themselves drift all the way to the Tivoli Bridge. There, they head to the shore and, dripping wet, hop on the tram that takes them back to the starting point. Instead of getting in the water yourself, you can simply make yourself comfortable along the shore and watch as others glide past you.

Stand-up paddleboarding is all the rage right now. Many of the swimming lakes around Munich offer you the chance to rent a board and glide across the water. In Munich itself, you can also do this on the Olympiasee. In addition, SUP yoga is available, where you perform your flow on the board instead of on a mat. The unstable surface really challenges your balance and core muscles!