Munich Old Town Walking Tour

Starting at Marienplatz

Day 7, 15 December, began with a guided Old Town walking tour, meeting at 11:30am in front of Tourist Information at the New Town Hall on Marienplatz for a two-hour walk. We started our Sunday morning in Munich with crisp winter air and made our way to Marienplatz. The moment we stepped into the square, the New Town Hall rose above us like a storybook castle, its gothic details standing out beautifully under the soft December light — the whole building is barely 120 years old, built in a deliberately medieval style, but it's convincing enough that most visitors assume it's centuries older than the plainer, genuinely old church tower standing right beside it.

"Old Peter"

Our guide met us in front of the Tourist Information at the New Town Hall, and from there we began exploring the heart of Munich. Our first stop was St. Peter's Church — Peterskirche, or affectionately "Alter Peter," Old Peter — the city's oldest parish church, founded even before Munich officially existed as a town. Its tower has 306 steps to the top, a climb our guide swore was worth it on a clear day, though a chilly December morning with a two-hour tour ahead wasn't the time to test that claim. Inside, the quiet interior and intricate details set a calm tone for the morning: side altar after side altar, each one gilded and slightly different from the last.

Frauenkirche

We then walked across Marienplatz, taking in the lively square and the grand New Town Hall, before continuing on to Frauenkirche, Munich's iconic twin-domed cathedral. The two onion domes are so recognisable that a city law keeps newer buildings below a certain height in the historic centre, just so Frauenkirche stays visible from almost anywhere in Munich. Inside, the space felt calm and timeless, the ceiling rising into a plain gothic vault that let the height do all the talking. We listened to stories of its history, including the famous Devil's Footprint at the entrance — a single dark footprint in the stone floor, supposedly left by the devil himself after being tricked by the church's architect — a small detail that made the visit even more memorable.

Frauenkirche — simple, strong, timeless.

Inside, where the vault rises and does all the talking.

Fünf Höfe

Our walk then led us through Fünf Höfe, a modern passageway threading together five old courtyards behind the historic facades — designed by the same architects behind Tate Modern in London and the Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing, which explains why it feels so deliberately sculptural. Curved concrete corridors, art installations, and hanging gardens strung with fairy lights gave it a gentle contrast to the old town outside, where historic charm meets contemporary design without ever quite clashing.

The corridor's curved concrete, lit from every angle.

A hanging garden, strung with light, three storeys up.

Odeonsplatz and Asamkirche

From there, we made our way to Odeonsplatz, where grand buildings opened up around us — the Feldherrnhalle's triple arches on one side and the mustard-yellow towers of the Theatinerkirche on the other, an Italian-style basilica that feels almost out of place among Munich's more Bavarian architecture, built to celebrate the birth of a long-awaited royal heir in the 1660s. The highlight, though, was a short walk further on: Asam Church (Asamkirche), a small but stunning baroque church tucked along a quiet street, built not for a parish but privately by two brothers, sculptors and painters, essentially as an advertisement for their own work. From the outside it feels almost unassuming, squeezed between ordinary townhouses, but stepping inside reveals a richly detailed space filled with gold accents, pink marbled stucco, and dramatic ceiling art. The soft lighting and ornate design made it feel both intimate and awe-inspiring at the same time.

Odeonsplatz — grand architecture, open skies.

Inside Asamkirche — gold, marble, and drama in a space barely wider than a hallway.

After the Tour

After the guided tour, we continued exploring at our own pace, wandering through Christmas markets and enjoying simple street snacks. Munich runs several markets at once around the old town, and the stalls selling hand-carved ornaments and Santa figurines were as much fun to browse as anything on the official route. On our way back, we passed by the Mercedes-Benz showroom and paused for a moment, half-joking that the prices made it a little too tempting.

Weihnachtswelt — one of many stalls worth a slow browse.

Another market, another corner of the old town.

A Day in Munich

Two hours of guided walking turned into most of a day — 306 steps we didn't climb at Old Peter, a devil's footprint at Frauenkirche, two brothers' private church, and a wander through Christmas markets we hadn't planned on. All of it inside the old town's compact core, without ever needing public transport once.