BernieWalks
Quiet hidden corner in Munich
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Bernie's Picks

Munich's Best Outdoor Escapes

Where Münchners go to walk, swim and breathe — the English Garden, the Olympiaberg and the wild banks of the Isar at the Flaucher.

Munich is a city you live outside. Between the parks, the hills and the Isar, there's always somewhere green within a tram ride. Here are three of my favorite outdoor spots — one classic park, one panoramic hilltop, and one wild river beach.

All on the Map

Where to find them

Click any marker to see the spot's name and address.

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01

The City's Green Lung

Englischer Garten

Englischer Garten, 80538 München

Yes, everyone knows the English Garden — but almost nobody knows it properly. Skip the Chinesischer Turm crowds and walk north past the Kleinhesseloher See into the Hirschau, where horses graze and the paths empty out. The far northern stretch toward the Aumeister feels like proper countryside, ten minutes from the city center. My favorite hidden corner: the small wooden bridges over the Eisbach upstream of the surfer wave, where the water runs clear and quiet.

Bernie's must-do

  • →A walk from Kleinhesseloher See up to the Aumeister
  • →The quiet meadows of the Hirschau
  • →Sunrise at the Monopteros before the tourists arrive

Best for: Early mornings before the crowds arrive, or golden hour by the Kleinhesseloher See

02

The Forgotten Viewpoint

Olympiapark

Spiridon-Louis-Ring 21, 80809 München

Most visitors stop at the Olympiaturm and miss the real magic: the Olympiaberg, the grass-covered hill built from WWII rubble. On clear days you can see the Alps from up there, with the whole city laid out below. Almost no tourists make the climb. In summer, locals bring blankets and bottles of wine; in winter, kids sled down the slopes. The lake below is perfect for a slow lap, and the architecture of the 1972 Games still feels futuristic 50 years on.

Bernie's must-do

  • →Sunset from the top of the Olympiaberg
  • →A loop around the Olympiasee
  • →The acoustics inside the Olympiastadion's tent roof

Best for: Climbing the Olympiaberg at sunset for the Alps panorama

03

Munich's Wild Riverside

Flaucher an der Isar

Flauchersteg, 81379 München

South of the city, the Isar widens into a braided stretch of gravel islands, side channels and small rapids — and Münchners treat it like their own backyard beach. The Flaucher is where locals come to swim in the cold alpine water, grill on the open gravel banks (one of the few places in Munich where open fires are tolerated), and stretch out in the sun. Walk a few minutes upstream and you'll find quiet pools between the willows; downstream, the river opens up toward the Tierpark. It feels remarkably wild for being inside the city — kingfishers, herons, and on a good day not a single building in sight.

Bernie's must-do

  • →A swim in the side channels (current is gentler than the main river)
  • →A barbecue on the gravel banks at sunset
  • →A walk upstream to the Floßlände for the historic log-raft landing

Best for: Hot summer afternoons for a swim, or early evenings for a barbecue on the gravel banks

Want me to show you these in person?

I run small walking tours through the corners of Munich most visitors never see.

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