Munich old town is compact. From the Karlstor gate to Marienplatz it is about 750 metres along the pedestrian zone, and from Marienplatz to Odeonsplatz about 650. Everything essential fits into one walk, and three of its great churches are free to visit.
This guide is organised by area, not by visiting order: what each place is, when it dates from, where it is and what it costs where there is a charge. Opening hours and prices are the ones each institution publishes for 2026.
In short
- How long
- A day on foot; a little more if you go inside the Residenz
- Getting around
- On foot: Karlstor to Odeonsplatz is just over a kilometre
- Free churches
- Frauenkirche, Michaelskirche and Asamkirche
- Viewpoints
- Alter Peter, the Frauenkirche south tower and the City Hall tower
- Market
- Viktualienmarkt, Monday to Saturday
- On Sundays
- No market, and the St Michael crypt is closed
Area by area
Five areas a few minutes apart on foot, and how to fit them into one day.
Marienplatz: where everything starts
Marienplatz is Munich's main square and the natural starting point for any visit. In the middle stands the Mariensäule, the column topped by the golden Virgin raised in 1638, and the whole north side is taken up by the New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus), a neo-Gothic building put up in stages between 1867 and 1909 that many people mistake for the cathedral.
Its tower holds the Glockenspiel, the carillon with moving figures that plays several times a day and is one of the best-known sights in the city. The tourist office is in the same building. Diagonally opposite stands the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), late Gothic from the 15th century, rebuilt after the Second World War.
- Mariensäule: The Virgin's column, from 1638, in the middle of the square.
- Neues Rathaus: Neo-Gothic, 1867 to 1909, with the Glockenspiel in the tower.
- Altes Rathaus: Late Gothic, 15th century, rebuilt after the war.
Tip: To see the square from above without climbing stairs, the New Town Hall tower has a lift and is booked in 20-minute slots.
Hear it told by a guide born in MunichAlter Peter and the Viktualienmarkt
Just behind Marienplatz is the Peterskirche, the oldest parish church in Munich, which everyone calls Alter Peter (Old Peter). Its tower is one of the classic viewpoints of the centre: 306 steps up to a platform 56 metres high, with views over Marienplatz and, on föhn days, all the way to the Alps. The föhn is the warm wind from the south that leaves the air exceptionally clear.
A few steps further down is the Viktualienmarkt, the city centre's food market since 1807: more than a hundred stalls, a blue and white maypole that works as a meeting point and a beer garden among the stalls. It opens Monday to Saturday; there is no market on Sundays.
- Alter Peter: The oldest parish in the city, with a paid viewing tower.
- Viktualienmarkt: A market since 1807, open Monday to Saturday.
- Distance: About 400 metres, five minutes on foot, from Marienplatz.
Frauenkirche, Michaelskirche and the pedestrian zone
The two dome-topped towers of the Frauenkirche, the cathedral, are Munich's skyline. The church was built between 1468 and 1488. The interior is free to visit every day from 8 am to 8 pm, except during services, and you can go up the south tower with a ticket.
Kaufingerstraße and Neuhauser Straße make up the main pedestrian zone, which links Marienplatz with the Karlstor, one of the old city gates. Halfway along is the Michaelskirche, the Jesuit church built between 1583 and 1597, with a huge barrel vault and no columns. Entry is free; King Ludwig II is buried in its crypt, which has an admission charge.
- Frauenkirche: Free, every day from 8 am to 8 pm except during services.
- Michaelskirche: Church free; the crypt costs 3 euros and is closed on Sundays and public holidays.
- Karlstor: About 750 metres from Marienplatz, ten minutes along the pedestrian zone.
The Residenz, Odeonsplatz and the Hofgarten
North of Marienplatz, court Munich begins. For centuries the Residenz was the Wittelsbach family's palace in the city: it grew from 1385 onwards out of a small moated castle and is now visited as a museum. It includes the Residenzmuseum, the Treasury (Schatzkammer) and the Cuvilliés Theatre, and among its halls is the Antiquarium, the largest Renaissance hall north of the Alps.
In front of it, Max-Joseph-Platz brings together the palace and the National Theatre, home of the Bavarian State Opera. A little further north opens Odeonsplatz, with the Feldherrnhalle and the yellow façade of the Theatinerkirche, and next to it the Hofgarten, the court garden, free to enter.
- Tickets: Residenzmuseum, 10 euros; with the Treasury, 15; with the Cuvilliés Theatre as well, 20. Under 18s free.
- Opening hours: From late March to late October, 9 am to 6 pm; the rest of the year, 10 am to 5 pm. Last entry is one hour before closing.
- Hofgarten: Free entry, right next to the Residenz.
The Asamkirche on Sendlinger Straße
It is easy to walk past: the façade of the Asamkirche is barely eight metres wide and squeezed between the shops of Sendlinger Straße. Inside, in a space of 22 by 8 metres, is one of the most spectacular church interiors in Bavaria, packed with stucco, frescoes, gold and marble.
The Asam brothers, the painter Cosmas Damian and the sculptor Egid Quirin, began building it in 1733 as their own church next to their house, and it was consecrated in 1746. Its official name is St John of Nepomuk. Entry is free and it opens every day; on Fridays, only in the afternoon.
- Where: On Sendlinger Straße, about 600 metres from Marienplatz.
- Opening hours: April to October, 9 am to 7 pm; November to March, 9 am to 6 pm. On Fridays it opens at 1 pm.
- Admission: Free.
How to plan the day
Everything is done on foot. A comfortable order is to start early at Marienplatz, go up one of the towers before the queues build up, drop down to the Viktualienmarkt mid-morning and leave the Residenz for the afternoon: if you go in, it is three separate visits and worth setting aside a few hours.
Sundays change the plan: there is no market at the Viktualienmarkt, the Michaelskirche crypt is closed and most shops do not open. The churches are open, although you cannot walk round them during services.
- In the morning: Towers and market, before they fill up.
- In the afternoon: The Residenz, if you are going in.
- On Sundays: Churches and a walk; no market and no crypt.
Tip: Tickets for the New Town Hall tower are sold online or at the Marienplatz tourist office.
The old town, told by a Munich local
This guide tells you what each place is and where it is. What does not fit here is what gets told on the street: the stories of the squares, of the Wittelsbachs and of the corners almost everyone walks past without looking, between Marienplatz and Karlsplatz.
The app has an audio guide to the old town recorded by a local guide born in Munich: ten stops you walk at your own pace, with her voice in your ear. It is narrated in Spanish. You buy it once, download it to your phone and it works offline, with no group and no fixed time.
- At your own pace: Start when you like and stop wherever you want.
- By a local guide: Recorded by a guide born in Munich.
- One purchase: Download it and use it offline.
The old town, with a local guide in your ear
The churches are free and the towers are yours to climb. What is missing is someone to tell you what happened in each square: an audio guide by a Munich-born guide, narrated in Spanish, that you buy once, download and use offline.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you need to see Munich old town?+
A day on foot lets you see the main sights calmly: Marienplatz, the Viktualienmarkt, the Frauenkirche, the Michaelskirche and the area around the Residenz and Odeonsplatz. If you also go inside the Residenz, set aside a few hours of the afternoon.
What can you visit for free?+
The Frauenkirche (8 am to 8 pm, except during services), the Michaelskirche and the Asamkirche, plus the Hofgarten and the Viktualienmarkt. You pay to go up the towers, for the Michaelskirche crypt and for the Residenz.
Is everything close together?+
Yes. From the Karlstor to Marienplatz it is about 750 metres along the pedestrian zone, and from Marienplatz to Odeonsplatz about 650. The Viktualienmarkt is five minutes on foot from Marienplatz.
What is closed on Sundays?+
The Viktualienmarkt has no market, the Michaelskirche crypt is closed on Sundays and public holidays and most shops do not open. The churches are open, but you cannot visit them during services.
Can you explore it with commentary without joining a group?+
Yes. The app has an audio guide to the old town recorded by a guide born in Munich, narrated in Spanish: ten stops at your own pace, bought once, downloaded and used offline.