Things to do in Munich when it rains

Is it another one of those days when it won't stop raining and you're sitting at home wondering what you could do? It’s certainly true that Munich shows its best side when it’s sunny outside, however, don’t worry, there are many things to do in Munich even if the weather is not playing along. Whether it's visiting sights, exploring culinary highlights, immersing yourself in art and culture, relaxing at a day-spa, playing sports or learning a new skill. Below we've put together a local’s guide to Munich for rainy days.

Find a new book and read it at LOST WEEKEND

LOST WEEKEND | café, bookstore, event space

LOST WEEKEND is a great place where you can go to read a book, work on your laptop or hang out and drink vegan coffee on a rainy day. Here you will always meet a diverse crowd of people gathering around the large, wooden communal tables. Part of the space is a bookstore, which carries literature on history and philosophy, politics and economics, reports and long-reads, pop literature and selected contemporary novels. So if you're currently looking for a new read, then you might find something interesting here. The space also serves as a venue for musical performances, poetry and stand-up comedy.

Opening hours: Mo - Fri: 9:00 am - 12:00 am, Sat: 11:00 am - 2:00 am, Sundays: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm | Schellingstrasse 3 , 80799 Munich | More info

Up your coffee game at Dallmayr Academy

© Dallmayr Academy | courses around the topic of the perfect coffee preparation

Rainy days are perfectly suited to honing your skills or trying out something new. You’re a coffee lover and want to dive deep into the art of preparing the perfect cappuccino? Then Dallmayr Academy is a great place for you to learn more about your passion. From learning about coffee basics to becoming a SCA (Speciality Coffee Association) certified barista, there is a broad range of courses available, held in the wonderful training rooms of Dallmayr in the centre of Munich. Visit their website for further details on their workshops.

Dienerstraße 14 – 15, 80331 Munich | More info

Catch an art-house movie

© Neues MAXIM | experience art-house movies in a living room atmosphere

Watching a movie at the cinema surely used to be the classic thing to do on a rainy day before streaming services came along. However, although today we have access to an uncountable number of series and movies at the touch of a button, visiting a movie theatre can be a great experience still, especially when going to one of the smaller neighbourhood cinemas in Munich. We selected our top 5 art-house theatres in Munich that offer an interesting movie selection, a great visual and audio experience as well as a great service:

Explore exotic flora and fauna inside the greenhouses at the Botanical Garden

Botanical Garden Munich | experience the world of flora and fauna in different greenhouses on an area of 4.500 sqm

The Botanical Garden in Nymphenburg is one of the largest of its kind in Germany. You can explore the fauna and flora of humid tropical areas, hot deserts and cool tropical mountain forests spread over 4,500 sqm in the Glasshouse Complex. Don’t stumble over the turtles roaming around ;)

Opening hours: (central pay office) 9:00 am 16:00 pm | Menzinger Str. 65, 80638 Munich | More info

Do sports

Indoor Trampoline

People in Munich are keen on sports. We love hiking and skiing in the nearby mountains, go swimming in one of the surrounding beautiful lakes, running through Englischer Garten or surfing at one of the river waves. Also, even if the weather is not favourable for outdoor sports, there are all kinds of indoor sports activities possible:

Enjoy brunch at one of Munich’s great neighbourhood cafés

Lilli P. | brunch spot in Stadtquartier Arnulfpark

Munich offers a wide variety of places to eat, from Bavarian street food stands to Michelin starred restaurants. The best way to start off a rainy day is to enjoy an unhurried breakfast or brunch. Here are some of our recommendations for brunch spots in Munich:

  • Königin 43 is a cosy café and restaurant located right next to Englischer Garten in Maxvorstadt. Popular among university students.
  • Lilli P. is a breakfast place with beautiful design esthetics at Stadtquartier Arnulfpark. Very popular for its Sunday brunch.
  • Café Marais is a unique Westend neighbourhood café situated in a former department store, with interior dating back to the 20s of the last century.
  • Café Schneewittchen is a homelike café in the heart of Glockenbach district. The all-in-white interior exudes a bright and warm atmosphere.
  • Preysing Garten is a family friendly café and restaurant in Haidhausen with a living room atmosphere.

Spoil yourself with wellness for body and soul

© Charisse Kenion via Unsplash

What could be more pleasing on a rainy day in Munich than doing something good for body and soul. Feel like being on a short vacation in one of the following day-spas:

  • SoVital Spa is a spacious and modern health and wellness centre in Schwabing. Treatments available: salt grotto, floating, massages & vaporium (steam room).
  • White Bamboo Spa is a modern Asian day-spa in Schwabing with a wide range of treatments: massages, cosmetic and beauty treatments, wellness treatments.
  • auszeit is a day-spa with a modern and inviting atmosphere in Pasing. Treatments available: massages, cosmetic & beaty treatments.
  • Cosimawellenbad is a recently renovated indoor (wave) pool with hot-water outdoor pool (ca. 34 °C), paddling pool for children and sauna, located in Bogenhausen.

Visit a museum of arts

Pinakothek der Moderne | experience art, architecture and design of the 20th and 21st centuries

In Munich you have a large number of galleries and museums showing collections and temporary exhibitions that are recognized worldwide. What could be better than immersing yourself in the world of art on a rainy day? Tip: on Sundays, the entrance fee to most museums is only 1€. Here we have compiled a list of museums that are perfect for a visit on a rainy day:

  • Pinakothek der Moderne: with four major museums under one roof, it is one of the largest museums in the world for art, architecture and design of the 20th and 21st centuries.
  • Alte Pinakothek: in this museum you can find a unique concentration of European paintings from the Middle Ages through the Renaissance and the Baroque up to the end of the Rococo period, set in a magnificent neoclassical building dating from the 19th century.
  • Haus der Kunst is a non-collecting public museum and hosts exhibitions devoted to international contemporary art. In its field the museum enjoys an outstanding reputation worldwide.
  • Lothringer 13 Halle: this space is a communal institution for contemporary art, located at a former industrial site in Munich-Haidhausen. Within the 700 qm space, a changing roaster of curators organize transregionally acclaimed exhibitions and projects which include local as well as international artists.

Experience Munich’s history

Nymphenburg Palace

Munich looks back on a long and eventful history with many important turning points. The city has developed into one of Europe’s leading metropolitan areas for business and innovation as well as arts and culture, since its inception as trading centre in the twelfth century. For all of those who are interested in the glamorous royal life which took place when Munich served as royal seat for kings and emperors, we recommend to visit one of the city’s main historic landmarks:

The Munich Residence Museum and Treasury

»Die Residenz« is located right in the historic centre of Munich. It served as the seat of government and used to be the residence of the Bavarian dukes, electors and kings for many centuries. Although much of it was destroyed during the Second World War it was gradually reconstructed after 1945. Today, with the museums of the Bavarian Palace Administration (the Residence Museum itself, the Treasury and the Cuvilliés Theatre) along with other cultural institutions, it is one of the largest museum complexes in Bavaria and is among the most important palace museums in Europe. Definitely it is worth a visit not only on rainy days if you are interested in the different epochs of courtly architecture and interior design. The entrance to Residence museum and the Treasury is on Max-Joseph-Platz as well as at Residenzstrasse. Free audio guides are available at the cash desk.

Opening hours: Apr -15. Oct: daily 9:00 am – 6:00 pm (last entry: 5:00 pm), 16. Oct - Mar: daily 10:00 am – 5:00 pm (last entry: 4 pm). | Residenzstraße 1, 80333 Munich | More info

Nymphenburg Palace

Built in the 17th and 18th century, »Schloß Nymphenburg« served the elector Max Emanuel and his successors as a favourite summer residence. The palace tour gives you an impression of the lush courtly life of the Bavarian nobility in former times. Also, it shows the differences between the cultural epochs in terms of furnishings and design. The halls and chambers are perfect examples of Baroque and Rococo as well as Neoclassicism. Don’t forget a brolly if you want to explore the beautiful large park of the castle! After so much culture we recommend to visit Schlosscafé im Palmenhaus for coffee and cake. This cute café is located in a repurposed former green house of the castle close to the main entrance to the park.

Opening hours: Apr - 15. Oct: daily 9:00 am - 6:00 pm, 16. Oct to Mar: daily 10:00 am - 4:00 pm | Schloß Nymphenburg 1, 80638 Munich | More Info

Immerse yourself in a virtual reality game world

At Zero Latency teams of friends can immerse themselves in award-winning virtual reality games. From fighting in a zombie apocalypse to combating robot enemies on a space station or searching for a precious power source in a post-earth dystopian future on another planet, there are different exciting virtual adventures players can choose from. Each game lasts from 15 minutes to 30 minutes and can be played by up to 8 people. You can find Zero Latency at Cineplex centre in Freising near Munich. Make sure before you go, that there are still places available on the same day. 

Opening hours: Thur & Fri: 17:00 pm – 24:00 pm, Sat & Sun: 10:00 am – 24:00 pm | Bajuwarenstraße 5, 85375 Neufahrn bei Freising | More info

Hop-on-hop-off tour with Tram 19

© muenchen.de | Tram 19 Sightseeing tour

Why not explore Munich on a tram ride? Tram 19 passes many of Munich’s popular landmarks and therefore is ideal for a short tour of the city. As it is a regular line of the local public transport, the ticket does not cost more than any normal tram ride would. You can hop on and off at any stop you like. Here you find the timetable and map of Tram 19.

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