Munich · Where to stay
Checked 31 August 2026 · 3 official sources
PICK YOUR BASE
Munich is compact enough that everything is close, so the bases differ mainly by how much you pay and how quiet the street is at night.
Altstadt-Lehel — Marienplatz on your doorstep
Inside the old ring, so the Residenz, the Viktualienmarkt and the Hofbräuhaus are all on foot and the Englischer Garten starts a few blocks north. The most expensive beds in the city, and the streets empty out once the day-trippers leave.
📍 Map · $$$
Maxvorstadt — museums and students
The Pinakotheken quarter, full of university canteens, cheap Italian places and bookshops, and a 10-minute walk or one U2 stop from the centre. The best balance in Munich between price and position.
📍 Map · $$
Ludwigsvorstadt, around the Hauptbahnhof
Where the cheap beds and the hostels are, about 10 minutes on foot from Karlsplatz and one S-Bahn stop from Marienplatz. Scruffier than the rest of Munich and busy at all hours, which is exactly why it costs less.
📍 Map · $
Practical: the Oktoberfest fortnight changes everything
The Wiesn runs 19 September to 4 October in 2026, and room rates across the whole city rise for it, not just near the Theresienwiese. If you are not coming for the festival, shift your dates a week either side; if you are, book months out.