Wellington to Munich

Tuesday 15th July

It’s been a long journey to get to the start date. This ticket was first purchased for October 24 and changed a few times but day has finally arrived and headed to Wellington airport at 3am for the 6am flight to Sydney.

Not too worried about early start as have many, many hours in a plane to sleep and recover. After a 6 hour stopover in Sydney it’s 13.5 hours to Singapore, a short transit stop then another 8 hours on to London landing at 5.30am. If that’s not enough travel another quick stop at Heathrow then on to Munich.

I arrived Munich without too much problems despite having to change terminals at Heathrow and a tight turnaround to get the Lufthansa flight but made it without too much trouble. A journey of this length and to opposite time zone usually leaves me very jaded for first week but I managed to get several long sleeps on the flights I arrived midday in Munich. What a wonderful surprise to arrive on a warm summers day and to wander around the beautiful city centre and enjoy being out of the plane seat and stretching muscles. The apartment I am staying in old town was not ready for few hours so perfect for a familiarisation jaunt around streets and find cafe to settle in for lunch.

The apartment I am staying at is in Old Town centre which is the perfect location as I am here for 2 days before heading by train to the historic city of Passau and starting my cycle following the Danube River to Budapest. I checked in late afternoon and after a short rest to recover somewhat from 2 days of travel it was back out to roam around and find somewhere for dinner.

Munich is one of the most beautiful cities and I loved the vibe of old buildings and hectic streets. This city is famous for beer halls and outdoor gardens for eating and entertaining. It wasn’t too difficult to find the perfect place close by for outdoor dining and my first Stein of German beer.

munich

Starting in Marienplatz, I joined a small group beneath the towering Glockenspiel, its figurines already preparing for their famous dance. As the Rathaus-Glockenspiel chimed above us, our guide painted vivid pictures of medieval merchants, royal parades, and markets that have filled this square for centuries. I am using the local guides walking tour and they usually identify themselves by holding a coloured umbrella.

From there we wandered past the Frauenkirche, its twin onion domes standing tall against the Bavarian sky. Inside, the quiet coolness was a welcome break from the lively streets, and I found myself staring up at the stained glass, imagining the generations of Munich locals who have prayed here.

We traced the narrow lanes of the Altstadt, learning how the city was rebuilt after the Second World War—stone by stone, street by street. The Viktualienmarkt pulled us in next with its stalls of sausages, cheeses, and fragrant flowers. I could have spent hours here just tasting and people-watching.

The tour ended at the Residenz, the former palace of the Bavarian monarchs. Its courtyards and ornate facades felt like a fitting finale—a reminder of the city’s layers of power, art, and resilience.

I marked this restaurant on the tour and headed back afterwards to enjoy a leisurely brunch.