Three short days in Munich with so much to see and even more to do. Run fast!

We arrived in Munich midday, with a rough idea of where we were staying and a few lifesaving map screenshots. One of the first lessons you learn while backpacking and relying solely on Wi-Fi: you don’t have any during your transit—or when you land in a new city and need to find your way to your home base. Cue the brilliant travel hack: screenshot your itinerary, train tickets, and walking directions before you lose signal. A tip we learned quickly... and forgot just as fast. Yet somehow, we always made it.

This time, though, we weren't staying in a hostel. We had the joy of crashing with friends of friends—Sven and Sophie. Yes, actual human beings with the most adorably German names ever.

Home Away from Hostel: Sven & Sophie’s Place

After a bit of confusion over their ETA, which buzzer was theirs, some hotel-hopping to steal Wi-Fi, and an extra helping of schnitzel, we finally climbed the five flights of stairs to their charming Munich apartment. It was a backpacker’s dream—a free stay, yes, but even better: it felt like home.

Their place looked like it was pulled straight from an IKEA catalogue. Every night, they cooked and ate dinner with friends. They gave us tips on where to find a traditional dirndl for Oktoberfest, and made us feel completely welcome. I was one happy girl.

Day One: Bike Tour of Munich

We went to bed early, ready to make the most of the weekend. With only a short time in Munich, we devoted Saturday to exploring the city, saving Sunday for the main event: Oktoberfest.

That morning, we borrowed bikes from the neighbors, and the four of us—Sven, Sophie, Brandon and I—set off on a cycling adventure. After walking our way through Berlin and Prague, biking felt revolutionary. And in Munich, bikes practically have the right of way. Honestly, I still don't know where pedestrians are supposed to walk—most sidewalks are really just bike lanes.

First Stop: Olympiapark

I must admit, Sven and Sophie knew so much about the history of their city, it made me question if I would be an equally awesome tour guide, if someone were to come stay with me in San Francisco. Nonetheless, I was thankful to have them and listened with open ears and a full heart, as we cycled our way through the city. Olympiapark was constructed for the 1972 Summer Olympics. It's located in an area of Munich known as the "Oberwiesenfeld" or "upper meadow-field" which is essentially what we biked through to get to it. My favorite part about the German language is that they simply smush words together, and are not phased by how long they become. I imagine it would make learning the language a bit simpler, since you can basically dissect each word into smaller parts. To this day, Olympiapark serves as a venue for cultural and social events. We rode to the top of the hill (mountain), where Sven pointed out his apartment, as well as the view of the Schwimmhalle, park, pond and communication tower.
From the summit, Sven pointed out landmarks like the Schwimmhalle, the Olympic pond, and Munich’s towering Fernsehturm (communications tower). It's awesome. Each eastern European city seems to have one. They all look a little different, but they all serve the same purpose; helping Stephanie navigate where the heck she is.

Second Stop: The English Garden & Chinesischer Turm

After conquering the hill, we agreed on one thing: we deserved a beer. Next stop? The English Garden (Englischer Garten), Munich’s largest public park. And by large, I mean 1,030 acres—bigger than both Hyde Park in London and Central Park in New York City. We biked through lush trees, over rivers, across bridges, and eventually arrived at one of the most iconic spots in the garden: the Chinesischer Turm, or Chinese Tower beer garden.

The beer garden is named for the 18th-century wooden pagoda at its center, originally built in 1790, destroyed during World War II, and later rebuilt. Today, Chinesischer Turm is the second-largest beer garden in Munich, seating over 7,500 people.

We feasted on:

Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick)
Hendl (roast chicken)
Schweinshaxn (roasted pork knuckle—so good)
Obatzda (a spiced cheese delicacy)
Auszogne (fried pastry dough)

Watching Sven and Sophie try to translate the menu to us was hilarious, but if there’s one universal language—it’s food. The pretzels were literally the size of our heads, and the beers? Only €7. And yes, we kept the mugs. (Are you supposed to? Who’s to say.)

Post beer and lunch, Brandon and I continued to explore the city by bike, crossing rivers and bridges to unknown landmarks and finally ending in the center of town for some shopping, and a nap on a large plot of grass. Win.

Afternoon Wandering & Sunset Naps

After lunch and a few beers, Brandon and I continued biking through the city. We crossed more rivers, stumbled upon unmarked landmarks, and eventually found ourselves in the city center. We shopped a little, then collapsed into a sun-soaked nap on a massive grassy field. Bliss.

Day Two: The Magic of Oktoberfest

Sunday came like Christmas morning. Oktoberfest had always been on my bucket list, but I never thought it would happen so soon. And here I was—in Munich, wearing a dirndl, surrounded by good friends, ready to experience it firsthand.

We started the day with a traditional Bavarian breakfast:

Weisswurst (white sausage)
Sweet mustard
Freshly baked pretzels
Weissbier (because beer for breakfast is totally acceptable at Oktoberfest)

We rode our bikes to the festival grounds, wandered the colorful fair, and finally entered the most epic bier tent I’ve ever seen. Inside, it was one big party: we sang, we drank, we ate, and we sang again.

Ein Prosit to Friendship and Gemütlichkeit

The tent echoed with the German drinking song:

Ein Prosit, ein Prosit
Der Gemütlichkeit!
Ein Prosit, ein Prosit
Der Gemütlichkeit!

Then, the shout:

OANS! ZWOA! DREI! G'SUFFA! (One, two, three—drink!)

I clutched my crumpled-up piece of paper with the phonetic spelling and did my best:

Ayn praw-seet, ayn praw-seet
Dare gay-moot-lich-kite!

As I looked around at Sven, Sophie, Brandon, and the thousands of strangers who somehow felt like family, I thought: Do we really have to leave?
Can’t we just stay a few more days?

But alas, the journey continues. There’s still so much more adventuring to do.

Until Next Time, Munich

Munich, with your sprawling beer gardens, bike-loving streets, and open-hearted people—you were an absolute dream.

I’ll be back.