As Christmas approaches, the festive decorations and trees I see in Australian stores remind me of the streets I walked in Munich, Germany. Most tourists visit this city for the Christmas Markets or the Oktoberfest. However, in the true style of The Lost Bilby, I visited Munich in late winter as the crowds lessened and the snow-covered streets of old and new.

Arriving in Munich

Arriving by train from Salzburg, the journey to Munich was scenic and straightforward. While I experienced issues travelling by rail between Vienna and Salzburg, taking the train to Munich saved time normally spent at the airport waiting for luggage or a passport stamp.

For me, this gave me the time to paraglide from Gaisberg in Austria, settle into my new Bavarian hotel and explore Marienplatz in the same day. If you're not coming from a nearby European city, you may need to fly to Munich's airport. While the train station is near the city centre, the airport is 45 minutes away. So you'll need to use the S-bahn or arrange an airport transfer.

Accommodation

Booking a European trip from Australia is difficult because you never truly know what to expect. Even with Google Street View and hours of research, you could book the wrong hotel. I booked a slightly fancier hotel for Munich near Karlsplatz. While this area was great for accessing bus tours and the main train station, my accommodation was a 30-minute walk to Munich's best shops, attractions and bakeries.

I would typically walk the distance, but moderate snowfall covered the streets. This made the footpaths too slippery, so I had to use trams and Uber to navigate Munich. Being near Munich's public transport hub was great for exploring the Bavarian Alps. However, if I visited again, I would stay in Marienplatz, which is close to everything a tourist needs.

Navigating Munich’s Streets

Like most European cities, Munich offers a range of transport options. Since announcements are often made in German and English, the trams are simple to use. This is especially true if you use the DB app, similar to Queensland's Translink app, to buy tickets. As a solo traveller, you need to talk to strangers to help you negotiate a new destination.

Doing this was difficult in Bavaria as most people said they spoke little or no English. Since prioritising ease over cost is essential for travelling alone, I used a combination of the DB app, Apple Maps and Uber to navigate Munich. Mind you, depending on your situation and travel needs, you'll likely be able to use Munich's public transport network without too many issues.

The Deutschland Ticket

Many would assume I bought the Deutschland Ticket while travelling through Austria and Bavaria. This ticket allows you to travel on most public transport throughout Germany and to connecting European cities like Salzburg without limits. Instead of purchasing individual tickets for buses, trains or trams, the monthly membership covers the fare.

While this can make negotiating Munich's public transport easier, the 58 Euro ticket didn't suit my travel needs. However, it's worth considering the Deutschland Ticket if your itinerary involves frequent train, bus or tram travel to and throughout Germany.

Visiting Munich’s Attractions in the Snow

Most travellers have an idea of what they want to do each day while on holiday. I was excited to explore Bavaria's natural beauty and history while devouring divine food. These plans quickly changed as the snow led me in a different direction.

Munich Big Bus Tours

Even though exploring a city during snowfall is a dream for a Queenslander, the below-zero temperatures made exploring the outdoors unbearable. Discovering a city on foot always maximises the chance of uncovering hidden gems in its nooks and crannies. However, boarding, a hop-on, hop-off tour like Munich Big Bus Tours is a smart way to see the city when it's freezing outside.

You can purchase tickets on GetYourGuide or visit the small ticket stand at Karlsplatz, where tours start. With a hot chocolate in hand, I was able to see Nymthemberg Palace and the Olympic Park while staying warm.

The Munich Residenz

Standing in awe of the grand ballroom and rooms were royalty once stood, I walked the halls of yet another palace as the snow continued to pile up outside. The Residenz is located near Marienplatz and is easily accessible on foot, by tram, or by the Munich Big Bus Tour.

This is not a small palace, so I took three to four hours to walk the entire Residenz with the self-guided tour. Those coming from Vienna may not feel the need to visit this attraction after touring Schonbrunn Palace or the Hofburg Imperial Palace. Even still, the thorough tour, history and architecture found inside make it a worthwhile stop for half a day.

Munich’s Beer Halls

While I'm not a beer drinker, you can't write an article about Munich without mentioning Hofbräuhaus or Augustiner-keller. From what I saw, Hofbrauhaus, a beer hall popular among tourists, was extremely expensive and crowded.

I wanted to save my food budget for the German bakeries, meaning I didn't stop at this beer garden. Being filled with tourists, though, it's likely a great place to meet fellow travellers. Regardless, I did visit Hackerhaus, a traditional and cosy Bavarian Tavern known for Hacker-Pschorr beer, to eat a serving of beef goulash.

“While taking a break from the city sights, I wandered towards the English Gardens. These gardens are a great place to wander among nature on flat trails, especially with the famous surfable river located nearby.
”

— The Lost Bilby

Shopping

As the snow started to melt, I was able to explore the streets more, particularly Kaufingerstraße and Neuhauserstraße. While snow still lingered on the Frauenkirche Cathedral, I embarked on a journey of retail therapy from Zara to the Viktualiamarkt as street musicians played Bavarian folk in the background. Wandering down high-end Maximilianstraße is worthwhile for any fashionista, even if you can only afford to window-shop.

If you're a foodie, don't miss Viktualiemarkt. While I enjoyed a savoury cream cheese pretzel here, I wish I had booked a food tour for this marketplace to truly understand the delicacies behind the German labels and menus. While shopping at big-name brands is something anyone can do at home, wandering Kaufingerstraße is a great way to spend a rest day in Munich.

Dachau Concentration Camp

Walking through Dachau Concentration Camp is one of the eeriest experiences I have ever faced. While it's now an important memorial site, standing in a place where so many suffered will chill you to the bone. It's easy to do a self-guided tour, especially by taking a train from Munich to Dachau, then a bus to the memorial.

However, I booked a half-day guided tour from Munich, which provided further insight into the camp's history from a local's perspective. Visiting Dachau Concentration Camp is indeed confronting, but it will make you appreciate the little things in life. After all, travelling is about experiencing someone else's world, something you'll do while walking through Dachau's crematorium or hidden shower room.

The Bavarian Alps From Munich

From Linderhof Palace to Zugspitze and Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the Bavarian Alps are filled with fairytale landscapes. Going from Munich, you will spend a lot of time on a bus or train, especially for bus tours to Neuschwanstein Castle.

My two days in the Bavarian Alps didn't go exactly to plan, something you can read about here. Mind you, I will never forget the luxury bus tour I took to the castle that inspired Sleeping Beauty's fortress or the cable cars I rode into the sky. Even though Zugspitz and Neuschwanstein Castle are a tad touristy, it's worth taking a bus tour to see the mountains and medieval towns if you can't book an overnight stay in the Alps.

If I Returned to Munich…

I would prioritise visiting Rottenburg. It's not exactly located near Munich, but its history and charm would make the long journey worth it. While I never reached Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain, I would also revisit it to ride the cogwheel train or snowshoe at Elsee, on the Austrian side. I have since been told that Slovenia, a nearby country, is a beautiful and slightly cheaper area to visit. I would prioritise visiting Slovenia from Austria before visiting Germany.

Even though thousands of snowflakes altered my German itinerary, the people I met and moments I experienced outweigh the wrong turns I made. As I browse Christmas shops in Queensland, I only wish I could return to the freezing streets of Bavaria.

Uncovering Munich, Germany Solo in Winter