Munich or Frankfurt?

Munich and Frankfurt are among the 10 Largest Cities in Germany. Munich occupies the third place with 1,450,381 inhabitants while Frankfurt with 732,688 inhabitants occupies the fifth place.

1. Munich x Frankfurt Overview

Munich – ©Philipp Bachhuber

Frankfurt – ©Igor Flek

Munich is a charming city. It offers numerous attractions that can be explored on foot from the central point of the city, the famous Marienplatz.

In Munich there are several Biergarten, “Beer Garden” and is home to the famous Hofbräuhaus brewery.

From Munich, you can combine a day trip and discover one of the symbols of Germany, the beautiful Neuschwanstein Castle and also the Dachau Concentration Camp.

Frankfurt is an important commercial and economic center in Europe. The highlight of a visit to Frankfurt is in the center around the Römerberg, which has several attractions that can be explored on foot and also provides excellent options for day trips.

2. Hotels

In Munich the average price for a 3 star category hotel is USD 88 and for a 5 star category hotel it is USD 308.

And in Frankfurt the average price for a 3 star category hotel is USD 69 and for a 5 star category hotel it is USD 162.

3. Shopping

Munich – ©Alisa Anton

Frankfurt – ©Christian Salow

Surrounding the Marienplatz you will find many stores and department stores like Galeria Kaufhof. In Munich, the most elegant street is the Maximilianstrasse.

Frankfurt has department stores and shopping malls such as Galeria Kaufhof, Primark and MyZeil. The most elegant street in the city is the Goethestrasse, where you can find all the luxury brands.

4. Museums

Munich – ©Dimitry Anikin

Goethe House Frankfurt

In Munich, you will find the Deutsches Museum, located on the banks of the Isar River, it is among the oldest museums in the world of science and technology.

Other famous museums in Munich, include the BMW Museum and the 3 “Pinakotheken” located at Königsplatz.

Frankfurt offers good museum options like the Naturmuseum Senckenberg, the famous Goethe House and the Museum für moderne Kunst.

5. Parks

Hofgarten – ©Luis Fernando Felipe

Metzlerpark Frankfurt

The Englischer Garten in Munich is the largest urban park in Germany, covering an area of 910 acres with more than 100 bridges. Another beautiful green space in Munich is the Hofgarten.

Although Frankfurt is known for its high-rise buildings, the city has beautiful green spaces like the Grüneburgpark, Bethmann Park, Metzlerpark and others.

6. Palaces

Munich – ©Luis Fernando Felipe

Aschaffenburg – Schloss Johannisburg 40 km from Frankfurt

In Munich, you can visit the beautiful Residenz that served as the seat government and residence of the Dukes of Bavaria, electors, and kings from 1508 to 1918, and in the western part of the city is located the Nymphenburg, which was a summer residence built for the birth of the expected heir to the throne, Max Emanuel, born in 1662.

Frankfurt is not known for palaces, but it offers excellent day trips possibilities to cities with beautiful palaces and castles.

7. Day Trips

Neuschwanstein Castle – ©Alex BDNR

Heidelberg – ©Brina Blum

From Munich, you can visit the beautiful city of Füssen and the Neuschwanstein Castle, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Regensburg, Augsburg or even Salzburg and Innsbruck in Austria.

One of the advantages of Frankfurt is that the city offers excellent day trips options, Heidelberg, Mannheim, Würzburg, Koblenz are some of the destinations within easy reach.

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Itinerary Idea

3 Days in Munich

Munich or Frankfurt – ©Jan Antonin Kolar

Day 1 in Munich

On the first day in Munich, start visiting the Karlstor located on Karlsplatz that served as Munich‘s defense fortification in the Middle Ages.

Go to Marienplatz, the main square in the city, where the famous and beautiful building of the New Town Hall (Neues Ratraus), the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) and the Mariensäule are located.

Near the square you will find other famous attractions such as the Frauenkirche one of the symbols of Munich and the Peterskirche.

Walking around Marienplatz is a must, as the streets are full of shops, restaurants, department stores. Head to Residenz and also visit the beautiful Hofgarten.

Max-Joseph-Platz is another famous spot where the Nationaltheater is located. Continuing through the square, you will exit on the most luxurious street in Munich, the Maximilianstrasse, where there are several designer brands.

The Englischer Garten is located 800 meters from Maximilianstrasse and the Isartor, another city gate, is located 650 meters from Maximilantrasse, and 550 meters from Isartor is the Hofbräuhaus brewery.

All of these attractions can be easily visited on foot, as they are close to each other.

Day 2 in Munich

Reserve the day to visit the beautiful and famous Neuschwanstein Castle and Hohenschwangau Castle.

The castles are located 120 km from Munich and can be easily accessed by public transport or by car.

If you prefer, there are also several tours available.

Day 3 in Munich

Start the day by visiting Schloss Nymphenburg located 15 minutes from central Munich. After visiting the castle, head to BMW Welt and then visit Olympiapark.

Another option is to visit the Deutsches Museum and enjoy the view of the Isar River or the Königsplatz, where you will find several interesting museums.

3 Days in Frankfurt

Day 1 in Frankfurt

On the first day in Frankfurt, explore the old city center. Start by visiting the beautiful Römerberg, one of the symbols of the city. Several buildings and attractions are located on or around the square such as St. Nicholas, Paulskirche, MMK Museum, Frankfurt Cathedral.

Head to the Iron Bridge and enjoy the view of the Main river. Take a stroll along Goethestrasse, the most elegant street in the city with several luxury stores and head to Goethe House. Hauptwache, another famous square is located 650 meters from Goethe House.

End the day by visiting the Main Tower for panoramic views of Frankfurt.

Day 2 in Frankfurt

On the second day, visit on a day trip to one of the nearby cities like Würzburg or Heidelberg.

Day 3 in Frankfurt

On the third day in Frankfurt, start visiting the Frankfurt Zoo, after visiting the zoo, pass the Eschenheimer Turm, a 1400s tower that now houses a café and meeting rooms.

Another important building in the city is the Alte Oper, located on Opernplatz.

Head to the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History, one of the most modern museums of natural history in Europe.

Where to visit

Book Your Trip

Book Your Accommodation

Book your hotel with Booking.com as they consistently provide the cheapest and lowest rates.

Book Your Flight

Find cheap flights to Germany by using Momondo. Momondo is a flight search engine that searches a lot of different airlines, including many of budget carriers.

Book a Train Ticket

Check the train routes and schedules with Omio. Omio is an authorized Deutsche Bahn ticket seller, which compares and combines transport options for complete flexibility.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance

Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, and cancellations. It’s a protection in case anything goes wrong. You can book your travel insurance with Travelexinsurance.com.