Munich Leisure

Munich residents tend to like being active and keeping fit, and tourists can certainly join in, whether it’s cycling, rollerblading, jogging or hiking, while skiing in the nearby mountains is also available in wintertime.

Public sporting events

On Mondays during the summer, there is an event called ‘Blade Night,’ in which as many as 30,000 roller-bladers skate through the city’s streets. There’s an annual city marathon, also, with more than 8,000 athletes participating. You can also play football in Munich, without having to join a club. Lots of local enthusiasts enjoy kicking a ball around in the English Gardens and visitors are often welcome to join in. Water sports including swimming, diving, sailing and waterskiing are also popular at the many beautiful lakes in and around the city.

Theme parks

If you’re travelling with children, there are theme parks and a range of other family entertainment possibilities in Munich and around the area. Legoland, Circus Krone, Playmobil FunPark or the Wild West Park and Pullman City are all good family options, as is Bavaria Filmstudios in Geiselgasteig, just to the south of Munich. Both films and television programmes have been produced at the studios for the past 80 years. Visitors can watch spectacular stunt shows and explore the villages of film and TV sets.

Hellabrunn Zoo

The Hellabrunn Zoo features all the typical animals you’d expect at a major zoo, plus you can watch trained elephants perform, enjoy the monkey house and even have a ride on a camel. The Olympic Park provides a fascinating view of the underwater world, and is very popular with visitors. The new fresh and salt water aquarium, called Sealife München, has more than 10,000 fish in 30 different display tanks. For the enjoyment of the whole family, there is a 400,000 litre Mediterranean-style pool, complete with a 10 metre underwater tunnel.