TRAVEL TIPS

Tours

There are several ways to experience a guided tour through Munich, on foot or by various modes of transportation, such as bus, rickshaw, octopus bike (an eight-person bicycle) and Segway.

City Segway Tours. Take a 2½-hour group Segway tour for a stop-and-go trek to see the main sights of the city, or a four-hour day tour to learn Munich's history from its humble beginnings, through tumultuous times and up to the present day. Tours begin with a "driving" lesson. Drivers must be at least 15 years old and have a valid driver's license. Karlspl. 4, Altstadt, Munich, Bavaria, 80335. 089/2388--8798; munich.citysegwaytours.com. From €59.

Gray Line Sightseeing Munich. The best way to get a feel for Munich is to board a double-decker sightseeing bus—look for Stadtrundfahrten (city sightseeing). These blue buses, run by Autobus Oberbayern, offer a hop-on, hop-off service throughout the City Center, with commentary headphones available in eight languages and a live host who offers commentary in English and German. The tour takes an hour. Buses run every 20 minutes April through October and every 30–60 minutes November through March. Book online for the best price. Hauptbanhof, Bahnhofpl. 7, Ludwigsvorstadt, Munich, Bavaria, 80335. 089/5490–7560; www.stadtrundfahrten-muenchen.de/en/. From €15.50.

Mike's Bike Tours. The oldest bike-tour operation in Munich, Mike's humorous tours last four to seven hours, typically with an hour's break at a beer garden, and cover upward of 6 km (4 miles). From March through mid-November tours start on foot daily at the Altes Rathaus at the east end of Marienplatz, followed by a short walk around the corner to pick up the bikes. A standard tour starts at 11:30 am, and from mid-April through August a second tour starts at 4:30 pm. November–March is by appointment. Reserve to be sure, though you'll probably get a bike if you just show up. Bus Bavaria, part of the same company, also offers day trips by bus to Neuschwanstein castle. Bräuhausstr. 10, Altstadt, Munich, Bavaria, 80331. 089/2554–3987; www.mikesbiketours.com. From €30.

Munich Tourist Office. Munich's tourist office offers individual guided tours with certified guides in 29 languages. Tours should be booked at least six days ahead of time and should include all the specifics, such as the desired language, the number of people in your group, meeting place, time, date, and duration, and your address. You can include any specific sights if you have something in particular you want to see. Tours can last up to three hours. Marienpl. 2, Altstadt, Munich, Bavaria, 80331. 089/2333--0234; www.muenchen.de/rathaus/home_en/Tourist-Office/Service/Guided-Tours. From €120.

Pedalheroes Munich. A novel way of seeing the city is to hop on one of the bike-rickshaws with foldable rain canopies. The bike-powered two-seater cabs operate from Marienplatz and, besides the planned tours, you can also let a driver take you to a sight of your choosing. It's best to book a week ahead. Those traveling in a group, large or small, could consider taking an octopus bike tour on a circular tandem bicycle. Müllerstr. 6, Altstadt, Munich, Bavaria, 80469. 089/2421--6880 ; www.pedalhelden.de. From €39.

Radius Tours & Bike Rental. Theme walks of Munich's highlights, Third Reich Munich, and the Dachau concentration camp are offered here, all departing from the Radius office in Hauptbahnhof. Third Reich tours start daily at 3 pm between April and mid-October and daily at 11:30 am the rest of the year. The Dachau tour starts daily at 9:15 am and 12:15 pm from April to mid-October, with a third tour added daily in June and July at 10:15 am. The rest of the year the Dachau tours run daily at 10:15 am. Advance booking is not necessary for individuals, but it is recommended. Hauptbahnhof, Arnulfstr. 3, Ludwigsvorstadt, Munich, Bavaria, 80335 . 089/5434--8777 20; www.radiustours.com. From €13.

Segway Tour Munich. Reserve your Segway online for the Classic Tour that stops at 20 key Bavarian sights around Munich, or the Third Reich Tour for the 22 most important places of the Nazi regime. With several starting times to choose from, standard tours of up to eight people begin at the Altes Rathaus at Marienplatz. Tours take about three hours, including a safety briefing. A valid driver's license is required to operate a Segway in Germany. Marienpl. 15, Altstadt, Munich, Bavaria, 80331. 089/2420--3401; www.seg-tour-munich.com. €75.

Stadtrundfahrt CitySightseeing. Yellow Cab's double-decker buses offer hop-on, hop-off service on one-hour tours leaving every 10–20 minutes between 10 am and 5 pm from April through October. From November through March, the red and yellow buses leave between 10 am and 4 pm every 30 to 60 minutes on weekdays, and every 15 to 30 minutes on weekends. Commentary is in German over a loudspeaker and in several other languages with headsets. Tickets ordered online are cheaper. Luisenstr. 4, Ludwigsvorstadt, Munich, Bavaria, 80335. www.citysightseeing-munich.com. From €14.90.

BACK TO

Ready for a trip of a lifetime to Munich?

CONTACT US TODAY