The Best Old Town Munich Walking Tour for First Timers

Taking a walking tour of Munich from Radius Tours was the perfect way to spend my one full day there! I only had time for a quick way to see this fantastic city in Germany, so booking this tour online to see Old Town Munich via Viator was time well spent as, unfortunately, the one full day I had was on a holiday, so many of the places you’d typically visit were closed. Luckily, the day I arrived, I had gone over to Nymphenburg Palace, so I had fitted that in during the previous afternoon. If you’re luckier than I and have more time in Munich, then there’s plenty to do with 3 days in Munich.

If you have more time in Germany, make sure to check out some great day trips from Munich. A friend recommended the Radius Tours Old Town Munich walking tour, and I’m sure glad she did, as it’s the best walking tour of Munich I could have asked for!

Booking a Old Town Munich Walking Tour

It was super simple to book this tour before my trip to Munich, Germany. I visited the Viator website to search for the Old Town Munich walking tour by Radius Tours. There are several different tours available on the Viator site, but this one had specifically been recommended. You can also buy tickets at the Radius Tours office, which also happens to be at the starting point of this walking tour.

Tours in English are available at 10:15 am and 2:30 pm.

What to Expect on this Walking Tour of Munich

If this is your first time in Munich, as it was mine, then this is the perfect tour for you. It is specifically geared towards people who have never visited Germany before. During this two-hour walking tour of Munich’s Old Town, you will see the highlights of the Bavarian capital.

The Old Town part of Munich consists of its medieval old town, the Altstadt. Primarily known for its pedestrian streets and shops, some of which sell those adorable traditional Bavarian costumes. It also boasts several architecturally gorgeous buildings, such as the Frauenkirche and Rathaus-Glockenspiel. If you’re there on a non-holiday day, you can also check out the Viktualienmarkt, which is a lovely market. There are also many wonderful Christmas markets in Germany if you happen to be there in winter.

Starting the Old Town Munich Walking Tour

On this tour, an expert guide accompanies you to each location while providing tons of fascinating facts about Munich’s history! Our lovely guide was a woman who had been doing the tour for a while, so she was very seasoned.

She spoke English well (this walking tour of Munich is available in English and Spanish) and was great about projecting her voice. We were mostly outside, so it can sometimes be hard to hear people in open spaces, but we had no issues hearing her.

We started the Old Town Munich walking tour at the Munich Central Station (or München Hbf). I’d recommend showing up a bit early so you have time to find the Radius Tours ticket office. It wasn’t hard to find, but it is located inside the station.

Departure Point Address

Arnulfstraße 3, 80335 München, Germany

Ending Point Address

Marienplatz, München, Germany

Karlsplatz (Stachus)

The first spot after the Radius Tours ticket office is Karlsplatz (Stachus). It’s a large square and the start of the city center of Munich. The reason that it has two names, Karlsplatz and Stachus, is that the former was named for the unpopular Charles Theodore, Elector of Bavaria. The later, Stachus, is what locals usually call it.

Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady)

The next spot is Frauenkirche, also known as “Münchner Dom” (Munich Cathedral), a landmark and symbol of the Bavarian capital city. It’s gorgeous, so you can absolutely see why!

One of the fascinating pieces of trivia our guide mentioned was the legend of The Devil’s Footprint (Der Teufelstritt). According to the legend, in 1468, the architect of Frauenkirche went looking for money to build this new cathedral. He wound up making a bargain with the Devil, who agreed to provide the funds for the Frauenkirche. On the condition that it was a celebration of darkness, meaning there would be no windows to let in light.

Upon completion, von Helpach brought the Devil in to show him that he held up his end of the bargain. No windows, but still with light, this satisfied the Devil. He then stepped further in and realized that columns had blocked his view of the windows. He had been tricked and stamped his foot in anger. Marking the floor to this day with his footprint.

Rathaus-Glockenspiel

The next stop on this walking tour of Munich was a personal favorite of mine! My Grandmother and Aunt had visited Munich many years ago, and I recalled photos of the Rathaus-Glockenspiel from her trip. So, seeing it in person with my Mom was extra special.

You can hear the clock chime and see its re-enactments of two stories from the 16th century every day at 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. (and 5 p.m. in the summer). The top half of the Glockenspiel tells the story of the marriage of Duke Wilhelm V (who founded Hofbräuhaus) to Renata of Lorraine. To honor them, a joust is held with life-sized knights on horseback representing Bavaria (in white and blue) and Lothringen (in red and white). As our guide pointed out, the Bavarian knight always wins as we are in Bavaria. This scene consists of 43 bells and 32 life-sized figures!

The bottom half then starts the story of Schäfflertanz (the coopers‘ dance). There is a myth that in 1517, a plague took place in Munich. The coopers (people trained to make wooden casks, barrels, vats, buckets, tubs, troughs, and other containers) then danced through the streets to “bring fresh vitality to fearful dispositions.” Symbolizing perseverance and loyalty to authority through difficult times. Even today, the tradition continues, with the dance performed every seven years in Munich.

The two parts of the show last between twelve and fifteen minutes long. The end of the show is marked by a small golden rooster chirping three times at the top of the Glockenspiel.

A View from New City Hall (Neues Rathaus)

You can go to the top of Rathaus-Glockenspiel if you wish to. As I’m afraid of heights, I wasn’t super keen on this, but I figured I should. You can go up 255 feet (85 meters) in an elevator to the tower of New City Hall (Neues Rathaus).

There’s an observation deck that offers a view of the city. As it started raining and thundering while I was up there, I didn’t see the Alps, which you can supposedly see during better weather. All I saw was those dark clouds rolling in!

Note: This was not part of the walking tour of Munich; my mom and I did it afterward.

Marienplatz

Marienplatz has been Munich’s main square since 1158. As you can see on the Munich walking tour map below, it is also where Rathaus-Glockenspiel, New City Hall (Neues Rathaus), and Old City Hall (Altes Rathaus) are located.

Viktualienmarkt

Again, unfortunately, the Viktualienmarkt was closed on the day I went as it was a holiday. However, if you’re there on a non-holiday day, you can check out Munich’s largest and most famous market! It’s also where you can find the best beer garden in Munich.

St. Peter’s Church

At 299 feet (91 meters), St. Peter’s Church (also known as Alter Peter or Old Pete) is the oldest recorded parish church in Munich. We learned on this walking tour of Munich that it is also supposedly the origin point for the whole city.

Alter Hof

The Alter Hof (Old Court) is the former imperial residence of Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor, and the first royal residence of the Wittelsbach family. 

After the walking tour, you can visit the exhibition “Münchner Kaiserburg“ (Munich Imperial Castle), which tells the history of the city of Munich in a multimedia presentation.

Munich Residenz

The Munich Residenz is the former royal palace of the Wittelsbach monarchs of Bavaria and the largest city palace in Germany. Though it was closed on the day I visited, it’s usually open to visitors showcasing its rooms and displays from the former royal collections.

Odeonsplatz

The Odeonsplatz is another square developed in the early 19th century. It’s important to the city of Munich as it has been the site of several parades and public events. Including funeral processions, victory parades, and the Oktoberfest annual parade follows this route.

Ending at the Hofbräuhaus am Platzl

The Hofbräuhaus am Platz isn’t the official ending of this walking tour of Munich. As you can see on the Munich walking tour map below, we had passed it earlier. However, since most places were closed for the holiday, my mother and I found ourselves here. This famous Hofbräuhaus beer hall was initially built in 1589 as an extension of the Staatliches Hofbräuhaus in München brewery.

If you’re looking for a great traditional Bavarian place to eat and drink, I highly recommend Hofbräuhaus am Platz. Its menu features traditional favorites such as Brezn (soft pretzel), Obatzda (cheese dip), Hax’n, and sausages such as Bratwurst and Weisswurst. Grab yourself a large stein of beer while listening to traditional Bavarian music and enjoy!

Old Town Munich Walking Tour Map

Below is a map of the locations I’ve mentioned above on this Munich walking tour. The entire tour was on flat ground should you have any issues with hills, steps, etc. It was a pretty leisurely walk around Munich at a comfortable pace. I never felt as if we were running from one place to another, so I highly recommend it even if you aren’t a super active person.

Old Town Munich Tour Details

You can book this tour for $17.94 per person (as of posting). For an approximately two-hour tour of Munich’s Old Town, this was a steal. Again, this Munich walking tour is offered in English and Spanish.

As this was my first time in Munich, I covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time by doing this tour. Our guide was very helpful and filled with interesting information. She gave advice and directions and offered her help during and even after the tour ended. I would highly recommend this tour by Radius Tours, as I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Tours in English are available for 10:15 am and 2:30 pm.

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