1. Watch the Glockenspiel in Marienplatz
One of the largest animated clocks in Europe, the giant carillon in the tower of the Neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus breaks into song and dance two or three times daily. At 11am, 12pm, and 5pm (only from March through October), colorful life-sized figures dance around, compete in a jousting match, and otherwise cavort while the bells chime out folk tunes.
The 32 mechanical characters are acting out scenes from Bavarian history in a show that lasts more than 10 minutes, ending with a cock sticking its head out a door at the very top and crowing three times (be sure to tell kids to watch for the rooster, as it’s above the two layers of performers).
Marienplatz is a great place to go anytime, especially in good weather when it’s lively with street performers. For the month of December, it is filled with one of the city’s several Christmas markets, and during any of Munich’s frequent seasonal festivals, parades and events are held here. You can take an elevator up the Rathaus tower for views over the city.
Just around the corner is Peterskirche, a lovely Baroque church, a climb to whose tower is another of the top sightseeing experiences in Munich.
Address: Marienplatz, Munich
2. Act Like Royalty at Nymphenburg Palace
From their first look at the long (more than half a kilometer from wing to wing) façade of Nymphenburg, kids will know this is a royal palace. They won’t be disappointed when they climb the grand staircase into its royal apartments and see the gold curlicues and frescoes of flowers and nymphs covering the walls and ceilings.
Spread among the gardens and outbuildings are smaller and equally lovely palaces and lodges, including a bath house and the Amalienburg, a hunting lodge with its own Hall of Mirrors. The Marstallmuseum in the Court Stables is filled with elaborate formal coaches and carriages.
Spend time in the park, where you’ll find fountains, cascades, canals, lakes, statues, a walled garden, a palm house, a hedge maze, a theater, and a sumptuous bathing pavilion. The park is free, and you can buy separate tickets for the various buildings of a combination ticket.
Address: Schloss Nymphenburg 1, Munich
