Munich "Special Forces" Half-Day Trip 🚀

I’ve been to Munich many times—though I’m familiar with the distribution of attractions, I never took a dedicated tour. This time, I had most of a day, so off I went! My flight landed at Munich Airport at 6:31 AM ✈️. I took CA116 + CA961, flying from Hong Kong via Beijing to Munich. It’s the shortest route because Air China can fly over Russia—European and American airlines are definitely jealous, haha! But the downside: you have to discard lighters when transiting through Beijing, which was annoying. Also, Air China’s in-flight meals are so worth complaining about 😒. From Munich Airport to the city center, a one-way S-Bahn ticket costs €13.6, while a full-day pass is €15.5. I definitely opted for the full-day pass—it lets you ride S-Bahn, U-Bahn, and buses unlimited times, perfect for my Munich "special forces" check-in spree! Unfortunately, it rained today, so dragging luggage while holding an umbrella was such a hassle ☔. I took the S1 from the airport, transferred to the U3, and arrived at Olympic Park. As soon as I exited the station, I saw the BMW Four-Cylinder Tower, with the BMW Museum right next to it—sadly, it’s closed on Mondays 😞. Opposite it is BMW Welt (BMW World), which I visited. It’s like a super luxurious BMW 4S store, decorated similar to an auto show. Inside, there are BMWs, Minis, Rolls-Royces, motorcycles, and some futuristic concept cars 🚗. (Fun fact: BMW stands for Bayerische Motoren Werke (Bavarian Motor Works), and its headquarters is in Munich. Another famous company here is Siemens—on St. Martin’s Street, almost every building is either Siemens or a Siemens spin-off. I’ve eaten at the Siemens canteen before! 🏢) I went back to the subway station from BMW Welt, took the U2, transferred to the U6, and reached the Allianz Arena—Bayern Munich’s home stadium ⚽. You can tour the stadium or visit the Bayern Museum, but the subway station is about 1km from the arena. With the rain still pouring, I didn’t want to ruin my shoes, pants, or luggage, so I skipped it. (Fun fact: "Bayern" means Bavaria, and Munich is Bavaria’s capital. So "Bayern Munich" is similar to "Guangdong Guangzhou FC" in China—though the prestige is way different! It’s not the same as Bayer Leverkusen; Bayer is a pharmaceutical company 💊.) I took the U6 back from the Allianz Arena and got off at either Odeonsplatz or Marienplatz—Munich’s core scenic spots are all around here. There’s Odeonsplatz, Munich Residenz, Residenz Garden, New Town Hall, Old Town Hall, Frauenkirche (Our Lady’s Church), Viktualienmarkt, and more 🏛️. The New Town Hall has its famous glockenspiel show at 11 AM, 12 PM, and 5 PM. I watched it, and it wasn’t super amazing—like a giant music box with little figures spinning around 🎵. Then I wandered through the streets to the Hofbräuhaus (Royal Brewery) for a drink. I had a serving of the iconic Weisswurst (white sausage) and a Brezel (pretzel), totaling over €16—bit pricey 😅. It’s a bit like an internet-famous restaurant: lots of people come to visit and take photos, and many sit down for a drink. The tables are long, so strangers often share a table to drink together. The waitstaff all wear traditional Bavarian outfits, and there’s a band playing traditional Bavarian music 🎶. Since the rain kept going, I gave up on my original plan to visit Nymphenburg Palace and the Deutsches Museum (German Museum) 🫤. After drinking beer, I checked into my hotel and took a nap 😴. For dinner, I had more pretzels and beer—this time much cheaper! I bought them from a supermarket, plus a jar of pickles, and it only cost €4.5 🛒. #MunichTravel #MunichSpecialForcesTrip #BMW #AllianzArena #Hofbräuhaus