So you’ve decided you’re moving to Munich either to study or to work? Before you start preparing your stomach for all the pretzels and beers you’re obviously going to consume in the beautiful Bavarian city, read this, our guide to moving to Munich as a student or expat.
We compiled the best tips and knowledge of our favourite Munich bloggers and expats to find out everything one needs to know before moving to Munich.
Antonia Wille is one third of the blogger trio behind Amazed Mag, the Munich-based German language fashion and beauty blog. She is full of insider insights about Munich.
Top tips for moving to Munich?
Start your flat hunt very early. Munich is Germany’s most expensive city, so good flats are very expensive and rare. To find a nice apartment, start searching soon!
Get a bike. Munich is so easy to explore on two wheels. You will see much more of the city, and you won’t need public transport.
Munich’s best kept secrets?
If you’re searching for a great view over Munich, go to the Alter Peter, a tower at the Marienplatz in the middle of the city. The best fashion store in town is Bean Store on Theresienstraße, an indie womenswear shop selling clothes ranging from streetwear to high-end fashion, featuring international brands such as Acne, APC, Comme des Garcons, A Kind of Guise, Nike and many more. My favourite bar is the rooftop bar of The Flushing Meadows, a trendy hotel on Fraunhofer Straße. For dinner, go to Kismet for Middle Eastern food, Nage und Sauge for European dishes or binge on pizza at The Italian Shot.
Best summer hangout?
And in the summer, simply go outside and sit at the Isar. Just get a Bavarian beer, grab some friends and chill out until it’s midnight at the river that runs through the city. It’s the easiest way to enjoy summer in the city.
Favourite neighbourhood to live in?
Isarvorstadt. It’s in the centre of Munich, near to popular areas like Glockenbachviertel. It’s also near to the Isar, so you can enjoy city life and nature too!
Emma Raphael, author of the A Bavarian Sojourn blog, is an expat who moved to Munich. She loves all things food and photography (which is probably the reason why her Instagram is full of snaps of snacks!)
Top tips for moving to Munich?
Enjoy it, don’t worry about anything, even if your German’s not up to much. You can pick up enough to get by pretty quickly, and in Munich a lot of people speak English anyway.
Be aware that accommodation is really hard to find. I cannot stress how important it is to sort this out before you move, as otherwise you might be faced with a lengthy flat hunting process.
Check out Arts in Munich, a great site for what’s happening here and now in Munich.
Cool local hangouts?
Munich has a really vibrant music scene, and lots of great venues. My favourites are the Zenith and Muffathalle, where we’ve seen a huge variety of acts. Off the tourist radar is the Volksbad, an art deco swimming pool. It’s like going swimming in a museum!
Best delicious discoveries?
The beer halls here are great, as you would imagine. To experience authentic Munich life, go to the Weisses Bräuhaus for an authentic München breakfast! If you have a sweet tooth, don’t miss True & 12 for Munich’s best ice cream either.
Favourite neighbourhood to live in?
I love Schwabing for its relaxed atmosphere and close proximity to the Englischer Garten. The Universität area has a lot of great little quirky bars and eateries, and Rotkreuzplatz is also particularly lovely.
Lauren Elias is nestpick’s resident Munich expert. These days, she rocks our sales team, but she moved to Munich for her year abroad while she was studying and moved back later to work as an investment banker. Though she now lives in and loves Berlin, she looks back fondly on Munich life.
Top tips for moving to Munich?
Find a place online before you move to Munich if possible. It’s pretty difficult to find a flat; you need to be able to speak German and often you turn up to a viewing with 10 other people and get interviewed on the spot.
Get a dinghy boat and sail down the Isar or jump into it at the Englischer Garten and let the current take you around. It’s defnitely necessary during the 30 degree summers.
Buy a dirndl or lederhosen. They’re expensive but everyone wears them at Oktoberfest and other festivals during the year such as Frühlingsfest and Starkbierfest. Or you can just hang out in them on a sunday like the Bavarians do.
Don’t be alarmed if you can speak a bit of German but don’t understand much of what comes out of people’s mouths. Bavarian German is like an entirely different language.
Best things about Munich?
With 80 cent beer, and the fact that it’s super safe, the quality of life in Munich is amazing. It has great access to to some of the most beautiful lakes such as Starnberger See, which takes 30 minutes to reach by S-Bahn. In the winter you can easily rent a car and go to the Alps and indulge in some skiing. The Bayern Ticket allows five people to travel on one train ticket around Bavaria for a day for just 30 euro between you.
Munich’s best eats?
Find the best burgers in town at Burger House or Schnelle Liebe, visit food hall and restaurant Käfer in Prinzregentenplatz and stuff yourself at Viktualianmarkt near the main square, the amazing outdoor food market.
Favourite neighbourhood to live in?
Maxvorstadt for living and general fun. It is the university area so it is full of students and is crammed with lots of bars and restaurants. There’s a great vibe and you can walk to the beautiful Odeonsplatz from there, a beautiful square, as well as the central shopping area, Marienplatz and the Englischer Garten. Rent is pretty horrific but worth it.