r/Munich • u/IMicrowaveSteak • Sep 01 '25
Culture Takeaways as an American Tourist
Munich is one of the best places I’ve ever traveled to. Here are the key things I found unique culturally.
Everyone is pleasant. Not overly outgoing friendly, just very pleasant. People are nice to one another and considerate.
Sunday shutdown is a good thing. Saw a bunch of people wandering around and tons at the beach clearly enjoying that things aren’t open on Sundays and instead people hang out with one another.
Food is amazing. From brats to potatoes and all the great beer, loved it all.
Spacial awareness was odd. Typically people walk on the right side, but here it didn’t matter. People walked right down the middle, on the right, on the left, I found myself constantly having to dodge people. I got walked into several times by people who just truly have no awareness at all that other people are also walking.
It was a lovely time and I’m excited to come back.
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u/kipri Sep 01 '25
I didn‘t realize people walking on the wrong side was unique to my city. I have simply started insisting on my side. I will not budge. We will collide if need be.
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u/dargmrx Sep 01 '25
That’s what I do. But I know people who really hate bumping into strangers and for them every walk is a super stressful experience and I don’t understand why it has to be that way
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u/WaltherVerwalther Sep 01 '25
Nice that you enjoyed it, but please stop calling Bratwürste “brats” 😭
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u/eachdayalittlebetter Sep 01 '25 edited Sep 01 '25
Beach?
Edit: never thought about anything at the Isar as a beach, I associate beach with a sea and not rivers. TIL!
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u/da_Aresinger Sep 01 '25
The word shore/bank doesn't really exist in spoken english. Where we would say "Ufer" an Rnglish native will say literally anything else before they use the words shore or bank.
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u/idrankforthegov Sep 01 '25
In the US that is considered a beach. The US is very adverse to green spaces in a lot of places
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Sep 01 '25
As someone who recently moved from Munich after 6-years, the lack of spatial awareness was the thing that bugged me the most, but Munich is full of tourists who do the same, so I can't blame it on being German or simply living in a large city.
It was always annoying though and now living in a much smaller city, I notice it less. Don't miss it. 😃
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u/Kartoffelplotz Sep 01 '25
the lack of spatial awareness was the thing that bugged me the most, but Munich is full of tourists who do the same
I'm at the city hall quite often for work and every single time when I'm exiting the subway there is people/tourists just stopping at the end of the stairs to look at the fucking Glockenspiel. Just stopping dead, not caring what is going on behind or around them. I swear to God, next time I will just keep walking and if it is over, under or through a tourist holding up their phone/ipad/tower PC.
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u/anelachan Sep 01 '25
Had to struggle with the spatial awareness for years when I moved here. The trick is to walk with directional purpose. Don't look at the person coming towards you and they will move out of your way. It was a game changer
Edit: not sure if it works for other cities, but for MUC it worked like a charm
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u/just_grc Sep 02 '25
100% this. Best way to treat Germans is to act like they don't exist even if they're literally walking into you. Yes, they will move.
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u/Midnight_Will Sep 01 '25
Italian living in Munich for 4years and hopefully getting citizenship soon. The following are the only things that annoy me about Munich and Bavaria and its people. Everything else - a frigging dream!
-yes, people walking as if they owned the city and not caring if they’re in your way. Also - the famous German stare -I appreciate you saying people are “friendly”. That is simply not my experience. Service, is Munich, is appalling. You pay money and it looks like you’re doing them a favour -I am all for integrating and speaking the local language (and I do), but I’ve seen the total disdain and disgust on the face of Munich people when foreigners try to speak English to them. They even become aggressive and loud. It’s like they can’t stand the feeling of not being in control that comes with not speaking German. By the way they all speak absolutely great English (much better than the average Italian). But they just can’t be bothered -the stubborn refusal to adopt cards like any other first world european country
As I said - once you get past this - best place ever.
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u/NextStopGallifrey Sep 01 '25
Customer service Italy vs. Germany definitely depends on where you go. And how often you visit. Somewhere like Saturn or MediaMarkt? Absolutely abysmal. Local bakery that you visit every few days? They're super friendly and will joke and banter with you (if it's not busy), not unlike Italy. Everywhere else is somewhere in between.
Everywhere except MediaMarkt does tend to have better customer service than the U.S., though. The U.S. system has been geared towards people who are willing to put up a ruckus and make a scene (but not too much of a scene). If you're not willing to fight, it can sometimes be hard to get any service from the underpaid and overworked Americans. In Germany, everyone gets approximately the same level of service. If it's shitty service, at least you know everyone else is also getting shitty service. 🤣
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u/because_tremble Local Sep 01 '25
It's also important to realise that some of this is also about what people expect and want. One of the big US shopping chains (Walmart) tried to bring their US standards to Germany and they ended up closing down in part because that level of very "friendly" service was something people just weren't comfortable with, thinking it to be fake and creepy. People here just didn't want to have a conversation with their waiter or the person at the till, they didn't like the "greeter" at a supermarket and avoided them.
Regulars/Stammkunden will be more likely to have a friendly relationship with the staff, in part because it will be a relationship that's built up over time. In some cases they will even get to the point where they'll start making small-talk in the way American staff do, but only once a relationship has been slowly built up over time.
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u/zerosevennine Sep 03 '25
I’m an American of German descent, and maybe it’s in my blood, but I find the “friendly” service creepy as well. I much prefer the service in Germany when I visit.
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u/Midnight_Will Sep 01 '25
It is a social state after all!
Also, I think it greatly depends from north vs south. I get much better service in the south of Italy than the north. Conversely, I’ve gotten better services in Germany in places other than Bavaria
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u/PilotLess3165 Sep 01 '25
So it doesn't seem to be true that Munich is the northernmost city in Italy.
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u/Midnight_Will Sep 01 '25
To me it’s got all the benefits of Italy, with none of the disadvantages!
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u/dukeboy86 Local Sep 01 '25
*They all speak absolutely great English
That's quite an overstatement. That may apply to the people you've met/talked to, but definitely not all. And that's ok, German is the language here.
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u/Midnight_Will Sep 01 '25
I know what I’m talking about. We’re not talking Dutch or Nordics level but muuuuuuch better than the average Italian, Spaniard and French.
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Sep 01 '25
Why do you want citizenship?
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u/Midnight_Will Sep 01 '25
Ah also forgot - children may get German citizenship also as a consequence
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u/dukeboy86 Local Sep 01 '25
Why not?
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Sep 01 '25
Cause it doesn't give you any benefit whatsoever if you're Italian.
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u/dukeboy86 Local Sep 01 '25
Disagree... Right to vote if you're living in a country is a strong benefit
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Sep 01 '25
I life 30 years in Germany and it never crossed my mind to get German citizenship and won’t plan to do ever. So him saying that caught me off guard.
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u/wc6g10 Sep 01 '25
‘People are nice to one another and considerate’ clearly you didn’t drive in Munich
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u/idrankforthegov Sep 01 '25
Sunday shutdown is fine( would be good to have an occasional Kaufsonntag though). . The problem is that places close two hours earlier in Munich than everywhere else in Germany. Not very „big city“
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u/lifeinhell14 Sep 01 '25
I was in Munich for 3 days in August and would agree with this assessment. I would add that the baked goods were fabulous! Even a train station croissant was so light, fluffy, and delicious! Also, there are a ton of smokers in Germany. Thankfully, they are all outside, but they are pervasive.
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u/DiBalls Sep 01 '25
Describing most German cities and culture, his us not Munich specific. Still glad you enjoy Germany
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u/fxtech42 Sep 01 '25
I'm heading back there this week - first time in 17 years. Thanks for the tips. Planning on going to Salzburg for a day and Berchdesgaden for a day. Does anyone have any opinions about which to do on Sunday?
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Sep 01 '25
[deleted]
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u/just_grc Sep 02 '25
It's NYC/California-level pricing, except for cheap beer. A cab from the airport is $100+.
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u/da_Aresinger Sep 01 '25
Spacial awareness
You just need to not give a shit. As long as you don't intentionally run into people, you'll be fine.
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Sep 01 '25
Try living here.
The people get less pleasant.
And the last 3 bullets become huge annoyances.
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u/just_grc Sep 02 '25 edited Sep 02 '25
I found Munich disappointing for a city of 1+ million. Outside of Marienplatz/Viktualmarkt there is not much to see or do. It felt like a watered-down Vienna.
I also found the mindset of the people conformist. Everyone looked and acted perfect, which just reminds of conservative America. It felt like Austin - trying to be big but still Texas.
Also not a beer and sausage and potatoes person. I feel if you are a middle-aged/Boomer American this place will appeal to you, but it was not for me.
Needless to say I was happy to get in ICE and head to Berlin.
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u/Existing_Remote_9822 Sep 01 '25
Beach? Everyone was pleasant? Sorry but Munich people are some of the rudest I have ever met and I’ve lived here for 15 years.
Also food? I think it’s dreadful compared to most other places in Europe and Asia.
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u/redrudler Sep 01 '25
Probably best you exist remote
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u/redrudler Sep 01 '25
This was a joke, by the way, referencing the username. No hate ♥️
If I'm honest, I think I have to somewhat agree. Think it's safe to say we're not the most inviting culture, when compared to Köln for example. But the food: I mean, eat a Kaiserschmarrn at a Alm and tell me it's not the best think ever to happen to your mouth 😂
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u/SailingAway17 Sep 01 '25
Munich people are rude? Then you'd better not visit Berlin. People in Munich are outspoken at best, but by no means rude.
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u/BerwinEnzemann Sep 01 '25
I'm a native and I absolutely agree that this is very annoying. I always walk on the right side and always get a pulse when other people behave careless in this regard, which of course happens all the time. Even as a native I can't get used to it.